August 19, 2012

August 19, 2012

This morning we drove back downtown Darwin stopping at the Museum of the Northern Territory. It is part Aborigine art museum, part Australian natural history, and part recollection of the 1974 Typhoon that destroyed most of the city’s houses. Darwin has been a tough place to live. I am not sure how anybody survived the bombings, typhoons, crocodiles and the humidity. The museum was a nice place to spend a couple hours. Unfortunately the only thing they would allow me to photograph was Sweetheart, a huge stuffed crocodile.

Afterwards we turned in the campervan and taxied to the airport. Our driver gave us some of the lowdown on the Aborigines. They make up a third of the Northern Territory population and are delightful people. Unfortunately most don’t work, instead living off welfare and land royalties. No wonder they have so much problems with alcohol and drugs.

I got a window seat for our flight to Sydney. I needn’t have bothered. The Australian interior is flat and boring. We get in late and take a shuttle to our hotel downtown just off the northern end of Darling Harbor. Aimee is glad to be back in civilization again.