I started my morning at breakfast with Jasmin and Kimm. Kimm recommended I visit a 'jungle' she'd loved, so I walked with Jasmin towards her work (washing cars in a bikini!), then continued down towards the end of Mitchell St (my only direction). I'd walked for miles, it was boiling hot, and I saw no sign of any jungle or end to the street, so I turned back and headed toward the beach hoping to cool off by the water. I walked past the most beautiful private garden and said so to the woman tending her flowers, we exchanged niceties, and I continued. About 5 minutes later, I was walking back from the other direction and she laughed. I said I thought I could get to the water that way but it was blocked off. This complete stranger took me through her yard, her fancy schmancy home with real art hanging in the outside patio, past her kids, and out her back gate to their private beach access. On top of that, she told me where the 'jungle' was, not far from her house, and about a festival taking place on the Esplanade. I was blown away by the niceness of everyone in Darwin, including people saying hello from their cars just like in the movie 'Crocodile Dundee'. With a little help, I eventually found Doctors Gully, the supposed jungle. I have to say the adventure in getting there was much better than the actual attraction, which was small and unimpressive after the gorges I'd seen in the past couple days. That really is the problem with seeing too much. My appreciation threshold is way up there.
I walked back toward the downtown area along the water which is not safe for swimming.
I saw Aboriginals in the park. It's just so interesting because there are so few Aboriginals in Melbourne, similar I suppose to the density of African Americans in the south vs. the midwest.
Here's a banner for the festival the friendly gardener mentioned, Greek Glenti on the Esplanade.
Kebabs and gyros aplenty. The only thing I wanted was a frozen drink!
The stage was graced by a band and men in costumes who must've been dying of heat stroke. They did mention their sacrifice to be wearing so many clothes in such heat.
There were a lot of festival goers taking it all in, dancing, eating, and just relaxing under the shade of the big tent.
There were carnival rides and games lining the esplanade.
Here's the closest thing to a map or directions off one of the main streets in town.
I went shopping on the main drag, contemplated this hat, but decided it was better left to the croc hunters.
Here's a shot down Mitchell St, home to lots of bars and cafes and lively nightlife.
Wisdom is the bar we were at the night before for our girls night out.
Melaleuca on Mitchell (MOM), my backpackers hostel in Darwin. I ran into Nadine and Alex, the other two from the night before, inside MOM, so we hung out for an hour or so before I left to catch my plane.
I took this picture from the airplane as I flew out of Darwin back to Melbourne. The sun was setting right as I flew out, a beautiful end to an extraordinarily memorable trip through the Kimberley in outback Australia.
