Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Greetings from a very hot Darwin
Well it did not take long to realise that there was something special going on in Darwin by the unbelievable noise from above. It's a 2 yearly event called operation Pitch Black 2016 (you look it up on the net) where the Australian Airforce and 10 other nations including the USA, Germany, Singapore, Canada, Thailand and others get together and play war games involving 115 of the latest type of aircraft over a two week period. Our motor camp is only about 500 metres from the airport runway and it's impossible to describe the noise that a F/A18 jet makes taking off and at times there's up to 40 taking off one after the other after midday and then again after dark each day. If you love big loud jets it just does not get any better than this ! I'm in jet heaven and we can view them taking off and landing from our deck chairs in the camp.They put on a demonstration over Mindil beach on Thursday night while the markets were on which attracted hundreds of people with deck chairs to the beach to see what these latest F/A18 super hornet aircraft can do, quite amazing ! The people sitting beside us on the sand said you must be locals you've got your chairs. Chris said no we're kiwis. Turns out they were on holiday from Christchurch!!!! There is also a free open day to view all the aircraft and meet their pilots on Saturday and then to top it all off for us there is also a night time Drag Racing event (funny cars ,dragsters etc) so it's all very exciting with just so much to see and do. We also visited a new tourist attraction which included the flying doctor aircraft and displays and a fantastic interactive display of the wartime bombing of Darwin. You put on these latest virtual reality helmets with head phones and screens over your eyes and you are actually traveling through the attack in slow motion. The view is 360 so you can turn around look up or down and it's so realistic with your chair vibrating with each bomb etc. We both have never tried this latest technology before and we're both amazed. If you are ever in Darwin this is a must and will blow you away ! Guaranteed. The yummy reasonably priced meals at the restaurant on the dock outside is a great place to have lunch too. The plan was to only spend 3 days here as we had spent some time here last year but that has now been extended to seven with so much going on with me and Steph really loving this place. Our camp neighbours were really nice to chat to so we promised to visit and camp at their place if we end up travelling to where they live near Cairns. They came to Darwin to go on the Ghan train to Adelaide then fly back to Darwin to pick up their vehicle. Stephanie seemed to be able to balance the books both times when we visited the casino but I found it easier walking away when you are a bit lighter. The elderly neighbour opposite us in a motorhome treated us to a floor show at 9pm last night when he wandered about naked in the van with all the inside lights on with the front curtains open ! It was like watching a naked person up close on a big tv screen. Steph did not know whether to throw up or laugh ! The wine did not taste the same after that. It's hard enough sleeping in 26 deg temps with out things like that causing nightmares. Lol. Nighty nite.
- comments