Its the 17th August and we drive into Darwin to meet up with Barry, Maggie, Jodie and Daniel. A long awaited reunion that we never thought would happen after all these months of planning the timing to get here!
We had packed some suitable city clothes and parked Hilda in the secure underground car park at the hotel which was very smart called The Mantra on The Esplanade. Up to the hotel apartment rooms that Barry had booked for us all for three nights. We knocked on the door and it was hugs all round everyone pleased to see each other. It had been a long journey for all of us in different ways. Barry and co had flown to Singapore for a few days then onwards to Darwin – their first step onto Australian soil!! Temperatures in the mid 30’s and wall to wall blue skies! Barry showed us our room with ensuite and we both immediately felt like Crocodile Dundee eyeing up the floor as the bed looked far too big………as we had not slept in a building since early May!! Don’t worry we knew what the bidet was for!!
As it was early afternoon we grabbed our swimming stuff and headed out to the new wave lagoon at the waterfront by the historic wharfside which has just opened and done very well. Complete with new restaurants and bars. The wave lagoon was fantastic they supply the body boards and inflatable rings and you just have fun in the waves!
Paul and the guys in there somewhere!!