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| 8:48am |
Off to a late start, but judging from the sound coming through the
missing
window pane in the bathroom, and then glancing out the window,
it's raining again. Hard. (Of course, rain doesn't photograph so well,
and when you're in a co-ed based hostel, snapping numerous photos
doesn't go over so well.) |
| 9:24am |
As an after-thought from yesterday's trips to Woolworths and Cole's
supermarket, the Pringles selection isn't nearly as diverse as it
was in 2002 when I was in Sydney. Rather, all the flavours are the
same, although the Texas Barbeque Sauce flavour isn't one I saw at
home. |
| 10:30am |
As it becomes painfully apparent that the rain isn't going to stop
as soon as we like, we prepare to emerge from the warm, dry room into
the warm, wet outdoors. But worry not, the last hour wasn't lost to
nothingness. I spent the last hour fixing broken links on old pages,
which isn't all bad -- I got to relive a number of trips of days (and
months and years) past. |
| 10:47am |
The departure was a bit delayed by final preparations. I took advantage
of the time by doing a final pass of the site for broken links, and
found 3 more. Not bad, really, considering the site is nearing 3,400
pages. |
| 11:17am |
We wander by the waterfront, which has some informational postings
about Darwin during World War II, the evacuation of women in children
just days after Pearl Harbor, and the numerous Japanese air-raids
that damaged or destroyed ships in port or harbor. |
| 11:19am |
Behind the look-out post stands the Northern Territory's Library
and Supreme
Court.; lovely buildings, really. Nearby is the old
Town Hall, which was one of the many buildings devastated by Tornado
Tracy on Christmas Eve 1974. |
| 12:17pm |
As we wandered for lunch after wandering through a few used book
shops and souvenir stands, I bumped
into this. Good to know me mates have a sense of humour. |
| 12:39pm |
Back at the room to de-humidity, post postcards, and snack on lunch-y
foods. |
| 1:52pm |
Venturing out to the internet cafe, we'll see if we can't at least
get a quick little message on the site that updates as to the dilemma
with the posting. We also need to book our day-trip for tomorrow for
Tubby and me to go out to Katherine Gorge. Whilst the brochure mentions
bringing plenty of water and sunscreen, I'm wondering if at least
part of those requirements are void given the weather. Of course,
the sunscreen, camera and film, and bathers and a towel still stand,
but I doubt the latter will be needed, since I don't like swimming
au natural in front of complete strangers, and Tubby didn't pack bathers
(swim wear). |
| 2:17pm |
We wrap-up with the updates, including adding a little note to the
main page to let y'all know we're not able to post stuff until Friday. |
| 2:23pm |
We wait around to both pay for the internet time (1 hour 3 minutes,
AU$4.20) and book our reservations for the tour tomorrow; it's a full-service
little shop, eh? |
| 2:49pm |
Done with the internet cafe-ing and trip arrangements made for tomorrow.
Tubby and I are to be outside the hostel at 6:10am tomorrow. With
that, we're off for a shop. |
| 3:01p |
We popped into the N.T. General Store to pick up provisions for
our trip -- a one-liter water bottle ($2), floppy bush hat ($8.50),
and insect repellant ($6.50); all prices Aussie dollars. But the booking
shop/internet cafe, part of the hostel, was selling water bottles
for $10 -- I feel like I just saved $8. And truly, I did. |
| 3:20pm |
The beginning of several trips into shops, where I managed to pick
up a book for the bus ride tomorrow (reported to involve eight hours
of riding), a second book just because, and some other stops where
nothing at all was purchased. |
| 4:09pm |
All tuckered out, we stocked into Cold
Rock. (Cold Rock, Cold Stone, yup, same concepts). As Tubby was
munching on a chocolate chip, with no mix-ins, I grabbed the camera
and pointed it out the window, and accidentally captured this
brunette. |
| 4:15pm |
Apparently, the crime of karaoke
is global, and I shed a tear. |
| 4:38pm |
We went by the cinema to see when Troy is showing tomorrow,
and just beyond the theater is this
abomination. Disgusting. |
| 4:41pm |
Walking along back toward Mitchell Street, we passed the lovely
German girl we met yesterday on the bus. She didn't appear to recognize
us, but maybe that's because she had her hair down today. |
| 4:48pm |
A stop into Woolworths for provisions for tomorrow's trek, and along
the breakfast cereal aisle, on the end cap display, is this
adaptation of the American original. |
| 5:07pm |
We're back in the room, and a good thing too, because The Price
is Right begins at 5:30pm on Channel 3, whoopee! |
| 7:44pm |
After getting tired with my writing project, and listening to the
balance of my travel party killing brain cells with the tube, we headed
down to Cole's to load up on more snacky foods. (My assessment was
sufficient beverages, but not enough solid snacks.) |
| 7:49pm |
As we crossed the street toward the market, we found a rather nifty
view
of the downtown area we missed last night. |
| 7:55pm |
We entered into Cole's, shopped about a bit, and that was that.
One sack's worth of snacky foods should be more than ample for a single
day's trip. |
| 8:14pm |
Exiting the store, we popped into Red Rooster, a little chicken-and-chips
place, and ordered a tub of chips. (We also had them at lunch, and
they were quite yummy, even if the clerk at the counter, both at lunch
and now, was cute, if not dull.) |
| 8:18pm |
We stopped by and looked in as Ping
did his paintings with spray paint. Pretty. |
| 8:37pm |
Equally pretty was a sadder-but-wiser girl, with a dim-witted male
companion. But dim or not, he seemed aware enough that Tubby and I
kept glancing over such that we figured any further glances would
could be harmful. |
| 8:41pm |
After purchasing the drawing Ping just finished, and one that was
something of the outback, we headed back, slowly... it did have to
dry a bit more, after all. |
| 9:00pm |
We're back in the room and fired up the air conditioning (the anti-humidity)
as we nibbled away at the dinner foods. |
| 9:51pm |
Dinner consumed, updates written (even if I can't post them immediately),
and an show about the RAF (Royal Air Force) on the television, and
the night can't get much better. So I'm calling it a day and going
to nest down. Nighty night. |
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