After yesterdays early start, only to be confronted with the disappointment of sub-standard markets, we weren’t about to make the same mistake again today. Therefore we set the alarm for the much more reasonable time of 9:00AM.

Even with the veritable sleep in today, it was still an effort to get started, although that might have something to do with burning the midnight oil again last night, as we also burned through another couple of episodes of ‘The Shield’.

As for this morning, we had a plan, and we were going to do our best to stick to it. There are another two markets being held today, both of which are situated in close proximity to each other, in the northern outer suburbs of Darwin. Once we managed to get ourselves moving, the first one up was the Parap Village Market.

The Parap Village Market seemed to be the same sort of deal as the others we have already visited, with car parking spaces at a premium in the surrounding blocks. Fresh produce featured heavily here, as did the abundant range of food stalls. The majority of these stalls were selling authentic south east Asian fare, giving the whole market a distinctly Thai flavour. With the humid, although mild, weather this morning, the exotic aromas permeating from the curry stands, and the sing song lilt of the Asian languages being spoken all around us, we could have been strolling through a street bazaar in any number of Asian countries.

Not having made time for a proper breakfast before leaving the van, I dined on a delectable serving of freshly prepared Chicken Laksa, sitting just as you would at a Thai street cart, on a low stool, at a small table covered with a gaudy plastic table cloth.

Chicken Curry Laksa for breakfast. Yum!

Only five minutes down the road, we came to todays second market, the Nightcliff Village Market. After driving around in circles yet again before finding a place to park ‘The Beast’ in reasonable proximity to the epicenter of the market, we waded into the throng of bodies, moving almost as one along the narrow haphazard aisles of the market. A central round of the by now ubiquitous food stands was surrounded by a spiders web like arrangement of other stalls. We found this market to be our preferred of the 5 we have now visited here in Darwin, although still find that none of them are really our kind of scene.

It seems that the targeted clientele at these fairs are a mixture of hippies and the coffee swilling cool cats. Back at home, I would expect these folks to be spending their weekends cycling high handle barred, curved tubed, street cruiser bicycles along the beach front to the nearest gourmet free trade coffee shop and deli, for their weekly hit of a decaffeinated soy latte. I certainly wouldn’t anticipate them trawling through the weekend markets, getting their hands dirty scrabbling through old junk and bric-a-brac hunting for a bargain, like what we are used to. So while we had excitedly proclaimed when we first arrived in Darwin that we would spend every weekend doing the rounds of the markets, we are now tending towards not bothering about returning to any of them.

Having struck out at the markets again, it was back to the van to take care of some necessary business. It was time for my favorite job of emptying the toilet cassette. A job, which due to the absence of a disposal point here in the park, means I have to drive about 5 kilometres each way hauling the filled to capacity holding tank, to the public dump point. While I sorted that little task out, Bec set about tidying up the van.

We then decided, that despite the slightly cooler weather today, that it was still hot enough to enjoy a swim in the caravan park pool. We figure that as the dry season is starting to set in properly, seeing a lowering of temperatures, we may as well make the most of the warmth while it persists. As a bonus, the night time temperatures are due to become colder too, which will mean we may not need to worry too much about supplementary, powered cooling overnight.

As it turns out, the temperature of the pool water has already decreased noticeably and therefore we didn’t last too long in there today. It was still pleasant to relax in the water, the sun streaming down warmly upon us though.

I call in invigorating.

Or maybe just plain cold.

While bathing, we discovered what might be considered the root cause of the apparent unfriendliness about the park. From eavesdropping to the prattle of a couple of gossips that were also taking some time out for a swim, it seems that if you don’t come up here for months at a time, year after year, you’re on the outer from the start. Even if you do manage to get inducted into the inner circle, it seemed that something as simple as missing two days in the pool could get you booted from the clique. I do feel sorry for poor Margaret, whose cough might have stopped her coming for a swim for the past couple of days, according to the nattering couple, but it doesn’t seem like the friendship will endure after such an affront. These two also didn’t like the ‘permanents’, as they take up all too much space in the park by constructing monstrous awnings to cover and enclose their plots, not to mention taking up all of the best sites. I can only imagine what was said about Bec and I, once we took our leave and exited the pool. No doubt we are guilty of some series breach of their sensibilities. I’d hate to think I had been sitting in the wrong spot in the pool, or heaven forbid we’ve parked in old so and so’s favoured site, but who would know. I much prefer the transient tourist type parks, where everyone is just happy being on the road, and chatty with anyone who utters “G’day”.

Returning to the van, a scolding hot shower helped get my blood flowing again, before we kicked back to watch the rugby on TV. Melbourne Storm won, so it was a good afternoon, leading into a quiet night. No doubt an episode or two of ‘The Shield’ might assist in rocking me to sleep.

Until next time, stay safe, have fun and don’t forget to write.