We sold up, packed up and decided to embark on the adventure of our lives. Follow us as we travel around Australia in a caravan.

Today called for bravery of the highest degree. Vicki and I negotiated the Darwin traffic on our own and took a trip into the next suburb to visit a big Salvation Army store there. The men were busy playing patch and repair back at the caravans so we took the kids and left them to it. The Salvos held a treasure trove of clothes and we bought a couple of sun dresses which was great because we scoured the shopping centre yesterday and came up empty handed. After 2 Opportunity shops, (3 hours later) the kids were well and truly ready for swimming. They really were good, giving us their opinion on the items we tried on and wandering around patiently.
Chris and Ray were still busy fixing bits and pieces and Vicki and while we were watching them at their work, I had found a bather shop in Darwin in the tourist directory that specialized in Seafolly bathers and was advertised as carrying the largest range in the Northern Territory. Well, of course we had to check it out!

Ray drove us into Darwin while Chris took the kids to the pool. Vicki and I had spent the better part of an hour debating over who should drive us, her or me and then Ray volunteered for the job. It’s not that we aren’t capable, we are just unsure of where we are going on these unfamiliar roads. We really must take much more notice of where we are going in the future!
A few hours later, I had a new top and Vicki a new pair of bottoms. Bather shopping always sounds like much more fun than it really is.
We came home and decided to take advantage of snitzel night at the park bistro. Only Ray and Az had snitzel though, the rest of us ordered from the regular menu. The meals were impressive and we will probably be back on another occasion when cooking just seems too hard.

Darwin is proving to be just the return to reality that we all needed. After a period of living day to day, not really knowing what kind of services we were going to find on the road, from town to town, the stability that a bigger town like Darwin has offered us, has been settling. Not only the lush green contrast to the bare harshness of the dry red earth, but just knowing that all the essential services are within an arms reach. Like, caravan parts, favourite food and groceries and yes, even bathers.

We are so fortunate to be travelling this great land of ours and really do count our blessings everyday and at every opportunity. We are however, creatures of habit and creatures of comfort. Darwin has provided that for us, and more. A welcome oasis to recharge our collective batteries and enjoy all it has to offer.

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