Day: 061
Date: Monday, 31 August 2020
Start: Darwin
Finish: Darwin
Daily Kilometres: 0 (click here for Julie's Strava and photos from our walk)
Total Kilometres: 6234
Weather: Hot and mostly sunny
Accommodation: Hotel
Nutrition:
Breakfast: Scambled eggs on toast
Lunch: Egg salad sandwich/Chicken salad sandwich
Dinner: Bangers & mash/Pork belly with watermelon salad, ice cream
Aches: Nothing significant
Highlight: Our morning walk around Darwin (see below)
Lowlight: We were formally notified that our request to enter Western Australia (WA) has been refused. Not unexpected, but disappointing neverthess. The issue of opening state borders has become very political in Australia. It's particularly hard to see why people who for the last three weeks have been in the Northern Territory (NT), which has had zero COVID-19 community transmission for months, would not be allowed into WA. We are allowed into South Australia (SA), so we'll be heading in that direction now.
Pictures: Click here
Map and Position: Click here for Google Map
Journal:
We slept in late, then had breakfast in a cafe opposite our hotel, before taking a long walk around through the attractive Bicentennial Park which borders the city on one side and overlooks Darwin Harbour on the other. It was hot and humid, but lovely shady trees and breeze made it quite pleasant. Along the way were various memorials and explanations about the Japanese attack on Darwin during WW2, and subsequent local military activities, as well as other information about Darwin's history and geography.
At the southern end of the park we continued walking around the foreshore until we reached the attractively developed Waterfront Precinct, which had a small beach and protected swimming area surrounded by parkland and restaurants. Nearby was a wave pool for the more adventurous. Plenty of people were sunbaking and a smaller number swimming.
Everywhere we walked in Darwin, we saw orange electric scooters, both parked and ridden. Apparently, they are part of a 12-month trial by the city. By casual observation, they are a great success, being used by all ages and genders.
From the Waterfront Precinct, we walked back to our hotel via the Smith Street Mall, stopping for lunch at an alley cafe along the way. Later, Julie returned to the beach for a swim and sunbake, while I spent a few hours fruitlessly grappling with Facebook to reinstate my account.
In the evening, we had a nice dinner at a downtown pub, enlivened by the arrival of the local Hash House Harriers (a very fit-looking group …. not!) for a hydration stop, and then purchased the last of our supplies for the next three days, during which we are unlikely to see a store, or have internet access.
Yes thats a shame about the WA border closure but not totally unexpected. I went through the same process about 5 to 6 weeks ago.
ReplyDeleteI just rode my bike back to Qld.
Did'nt fancy the southerlies heading for South Australia.
I've followed yr blog with interest and picked up a few tips for future rides.
Hope you have the same luck that i had with the winds heading south to Tenant Creek. I got an unusual wind pattern of westerlies heading south but of couse when i turned East i got it right in the face.
Good luck with the rest of yr ride.
Thanks for the good wishes, John. Sadly, SE winds forecast for the next week, so we'll be making some early starts 😀. Hopefully, you enjoyed your trip despite WA's intransigence. Cheers, Dave.
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