Darwin

20.08.24 – 06.09.2024:

Darwin is the capital of the Northern Territory in Australia. The city is not particularly large and doesn't offer much, except if you're looking to go out for drinks, then there are many options available. I stayed in a hostel in a room with three others, an Italian named Antonella, a Colombian named Hairo, and a German girl named Victoria. Swimming in the sea around Darwin is not advisable due to the many dangerous jellyfish and crocodiles in the water. Therefore, if you want to get in the water, you have to either go to pools or to the Waterfront. The Waterfront is a lagoon that is protected by nets in the water. The nets keep the dangerous animals out. I spent a lot of time there because the temperature was sometimes around 38/39 degrees Celsius, and it was a great place to cool off.
Aileen and Daniel accompanied me on a trip to Litchfield/Berry Springs. The clear water from the Berry Creek springs formed pools that were perfect for observing the local wildlife, swimming with them, and cooling off from the heat.
The sunsets in Darwin were stunning. The sun was so large and red, unlike anything I had seen before. After the sun went down, the sky turned yellow, orange, red, and pink, creating a beautiful display. Mindil Beach is perfect for watching this highlight. On Thursdays and Sundays, there is a Sunset Market at Mindil Beach. It's like a food festival right by the sea, where you can also enjoy activities such as camel riding or getting a massage.
However, on those days, there are so many people at the beach that watching the sunset becomes almost stressful.
Many Aboriginal people live in Darwin. Aborigines are the indigenous people of Australia. Unfortunately, I must say that many of the individuals were very uncomfortable. They constantly asked for money, cigarettes, etc. I witnessed two fights between two Aboriginal groups right next to me. When you look at the people, they simply have a vacant stare. I thought the smell at Bonn central station was bad, but compared to this, our subway station smells like a perfume shop. You can smell the Aborigines I've encountered from 10 meters away. The worst part is that you are constantly approached by groups, not by individuals, but by groups of ten. However, there are of course exceptions. I spoke with one Aboriginal man at Mindil Beach who was very nice and didn’t ask me for anything.
Since I had no good job prospects in Darwin, I booked a flight to Brisbane.
It felt a bit strange to know that I would be traveling alone again (without Aileen), as we had gotten used to each other after traveling together for over a month.
She took me to the airport and we said our goodbyes.
It was very interesting to experience Darwin, but I'm glad I'm flying to Brisbane today.