On Our Walks

Well, today's little adventure was a visit to the Darwin Military Museum. Well worth the effort. Well laid out interactive exhibits of war time Darwin. Beautiful lawned gardens featuring large static displays of old military machinery.

arpie has run out of data on her phone so I am mobile tethering some of mine. It's what you do for "breastie" friends on holiday. And what's more old dogs know about useful technology.

So here is arpies brag photo of her Big Barra Adventure yesterday.


She had to put it back. It was deemed too small!


And just to prove that arpie and I are behaving ourselves, the odd fellow on the right is our trusty chauffeur and "keeper in line".


Photos of wartime Darwin evacuees.

My first employment was with a dentist. He and his family survived cyclone Tracey and never returned to Darwin. He lost everything. Only the heavy fridge remained of his house. He carried scars on his back from debris.

It is indeed amazing how many of us have such strong connections to Darwin thru WW2.

Apparently my brother donated some pics of our Dad In Darwin during the war (including a pic of him operating a foot controlled drill as he worked on a soldier - SHUDDER) so hope to see it tomorrow.  

Dad was actually injured during the bombing of Darwin that contributed to his early death. He had regular medical episodes from age 40 til his death 51 years ago, at age 51.  :( 

@Zoffiel I had dinner with a chap who was in the Army and one of the first in Darwin after the cyclone. He told us several stories that were never reported in the press, and was adamant that there was a huge cover up.

@Sister
How close our backgrounds are. We share something, not only BC.

Well while @arpie was off chasing (and catching) barra, Ian and I were enjoying a sunset cruise under sail on Darwin Harbour. The best.


Darwin City from out in the harbour


Sunset at sea.

Woohoo! Managed to get online, but can’t load pics as I’ve run out of data!  Grrr what normally I go thru in a month, I’ve done in under a week!  :( Seems you have more time to play with at home than when away.  

We all visited the Crocosaurus today (where idiots get into a see thru plastic tank with a 5.1m croc swimming around, that weighs half a tonne!  (Not my idea of fun!) Then I shot thru to the Berry Springs Barra Farm that allows you to cast and retrieve for Barramundi ... there were about 10 or more of us trying ... and I was the only one to hook and land a Barra!!  Then had a big swirl when one ‘missed’ and 2small ones hooked ....  one got off in the air and the other one fell off trying to pull it up a small cliff!  All good fun!  Woohoo!  Biggest was about 70cm (pics to come, probably on @"Annie C"s post! ) Then everyone had a go using pellets instead of lures and we all got one then.

Off to see the WW2 museum tomorrow with Ian and Annie C and also Cyclone Tracey Museum.  I’ve found a bit of wire and will have a go at getting that crab out if his hole, too!  ;) 

Hope everyone has had a great weekend, if somewhat cold .... except for us!  ;) A very pleasant 30+

One group of WW2 servicemen who didn’t like where they were stationed occasioned the poem Bloody Orkneys. Much as I enjoyed the Hebrides recently, I can comprehend their opinion. Easy to google, it was set to music too. 

Not as interesting but my Dad served his war up in Darwin.  I imagine it wasn't great as he never talked about it.

It's untold history @"Annie C" . A little like what happened up there in 74. Not a secret, as such, just under reported because they were military, or national safety, operations.
Mxx