Back in my younger days when I was telling the girls in a bar late at night that I was surgeon and part time astronaut, Darwin, Australia would have been a top destination of choice (and for faithful readers of the blog, please don't tell DH that I'm not actually a NASA astronaut!).

Situated at the top of the Northern Territories, Darwin should be a place of wilderness, character, and history (it was even the site of the Australian Pearl Harbour with Japanese forces destroying most of the military infrastructure in the area in WWII), but Cyclone Tracy in December 1974 can probably be blamed for making Darwin one of the youngest, most modern cities in Australia (if not the world)- the storm destroyed 70-80% of the buildings and the town was effectively rebuilt from zero . The town fathers of 1975 obviously decided that what Darwin really needed was two major streets filled with bars and backpacker joints so that the kiddies of Australia (and other non-shaving friends from around the world) had a place to go when they needed a taste of their first beer and their hormones started short circuiting. Party on dudes and dudettes!!

Between the croc's and sharks the beach areas were off limits, and with only a handful of noteworthy activities in town, we used our time in Darwin to refresh and get ready for another round of Life-In-A-Campervan. DH didn't have the same amorous connection with Big Blue that I had, so I knew we needed a couple of nights in a nicer hotel with a real bed before she was ready to roll again. The Vibe Hotel fit the bill and as a bonus it was just down the street from the Deckchair Cinema, an outdoor movie theatre. It was good fun to settle into your chair and pillows to watch the sun set just before the movie started- and how many times do you need to apply bug spray before watching a movie??
 
No Crocodile Dundee sightings here. Time to move on.