Darwin is Not What You Thought!

Among a stoic, sturdy and laid back population, I live in Darwin. Darwin is in Australia, our state is offically called the 'Northern Territory', but for locals, our state is referred to as the 'Top End' or simply: 'The Territory'. Darwin has a history of heartache and destruction. Due to the remote location, Darwin was once a haven for outlaws. After being destroyed on Christmas Eve, 1974, by a massive tropical cyclone called 'Tracy', Darwinians have rebuilt and reconstructed their lives in every possible way. Darwin is now a thriving tropical metropolis, reserved only for the toughest of the tough.

The climate in Darwin is severe. Only two seasons. If a person was to ask around, the advice invariably given by 'Southerners' is to stay away during the 'Wet' and visit during the 'Dry'. This is because these are our only two seasons. The Wet, of course, is wet. It is also hot. Very hot. Humid and hot. Unbearable for those with weak constitutions. Walking out the front door and into the humidity during the wet, is asking for... well, wet. It rains every day for forty days and forty nights. It is generally hard to tell the difference between wet and dry in the wet. A person might be inside, but the person is most likely still drenched with sticky wet sweat. The barometric pressure makes it hard to stay naked - er - dry! As a result, over time, Darwininans have developed their own resililance to the whims of the 'Southerners' who also happen to constitute the 'Government'.

In Darwin, we have totally different rules to the rest of the country. We still smoke in bars. We smoke in cabs. We wear 'bare-feet'. We don't wear sleeves. We don't rush. We have long pauses when someone asks a question. We gamble and drink. We go fishing. We sometimes work. (If we have to!) We wait. A lot. And patiently too, for there is no rush in Darwin. Time stands still, it is not important.

What is important is happiness and relaxation. Friendships and family are important. Beer eclipses all other importances. If one was to visit in the 'Dry', one might find what is commonly described as paradise. We have blue skies, cool breezes, temperatures of 29⁰ Celsius - day after day after day. The Timor Sea is an irresistable temptation for some, especially tourists. Don't be fooled! Darwin is not a good place to take advantage of the pristine white-sand beaches and the warm, blue ocean.

Darwin has a thriving crocodile population, stingers, jellyfish, sea-snakes, sea-lice (sea-lice wont harm you, but they will burrow annoyingly into any exposed flesh on your body - like a small cut or scratch), not to mention sharks who are often bigger than you and will eat you for breakfast, lunch or dunch (A late lunch or early dinner is known as dunch). The stinger season, or jelly-fish season lasts from November to April. Anyone considering diving into the deep blue sea during these months is very ill-informed or just plain suicidal. The Irrugangi Jelly-fish is smaller than an Australian 10 cent piece and transparent when in the water. Almost invisible to the swimmer's eye. Yet, they are deadly. One bite or sting from this jelly-fish is generally cause for emergency hospital treatment and possibly death.

Be wary of the unseen! Crocodiles are another 'unseen' threat. They are territoral creatures, recent studies by the CSIRO have confirmed that crocodiles who have been relocated from their homes in Darwin Harbour, take only a few days to a few weeks to swim thousands of kilometres back to their original homes. These prehistoric, ancient beasts have claimed the land and the locals take notice. This could be why Darwin's beaches are so perfect and unspoiled.

Will you bow to the might of nature and stay away? Or do you have the guts to visit and survive? C'mon mate! Dare ya! Visit Darwin and live to tell the tale - are you brave enough?