Night Flight to Darwin

[Guest]

It is hard to believe that within just twelve hours I had traversed 4,000km across the continent from Wangaratta via Melbourne to Darwin.
After a gruelling four days lead up to departure, the painters had turned my place upside down, I spent the entire long weekend putting it all back together again.
1.
After catching the train to the airport (4 hours SOB!) I had a 4 hour wait at Tullamarine followed by the 4 hour flight to Darwin that left at 01:45 and arrived at 05:45
2.
Sandra was there to meet me and after our standard breakfast of a cup of raw oats and apple juice topped with peaches, it was time to catch the sunrise on Lee Point Beach.
3.
I had not been to bed for 36 hours and if you've ever tried sleeping on a Boeing 737-A800, then you'll have some idea of how I felt as I set foot on this magnificent strand at low tide.
4.
Sandra was extremely lucky to escape the jaws of a 12 foot Crocodile that lunged at her seconds after I took this shot - pity though ...
what a scoop it would have been to have captured her long shapley legs protruding from those ugly jaws! (schadenfreude!)
5.
Anyway, it is wonderful to be transported from 16 to 30 degrees Celsius in just a few hours ... it's a whole different world up here
as I will try and show you over the forthcoming weeks. The colours are clearer and more vibrant as is typical of this latitude.
6.
XZ-2

[StephenL]

Re: Night Flight to Darwi

Wow! Beautiful and scary (and that's just the 737!).

[Wee man]

Re: Night Flight to Darwi

Glad flight went well. Good to see you used British craftsmen to do your painting, they had to turn you home upside down for normal working conditions! Nice shots glad the crocodile went unfed. Looking forward to your shots over the next weeks.

[brian1208]

Re: Night Flight to Darwi

An interesting (if scary) narrative and some excellent images.

On a trip to Australia some years ago our eldest lad asked if there were any crocs to worry about in a water-hole which they were invited swim in to cool off.

No was the answer, so in he went, got to a sandbank and suddenly spotted a mass of croc prints (so ran back across the top of the water)

When he remonstrated with the guide he was told that the guide only worried about "salties" and that the fresh water ones would only take a bite, not eat you whole. A strange sense of humour some of your compatriots have!

The drying water-course shots have a lovely feel to them and the sand ripples in the last shot are super

[Floribunda]

Re: Night Flight to Darwin

Glad you arrived safely.
I don't believe your croc story for one moment!
But Brian, it is true. The Freshies are more afraid of us than we are of them.
Now the Salties - that is a different story altogether. 🐊

[banjukes]

Re: Night Flight to Darwin

Hi Mark,I like no.3 for the nice line leading you into the picture and the simplicity.

[Zuiko]

Re: Night Flight to Darwin

Well worth the long trip to reach such a magnificent location and it's wonderful light.

[Guest]

Re: Night Flight to Darwi

Wow! Beautiful and scary (and that's just the 737!).

The 737 is a beautiful airplane, Stephen - only thing wrong with it was that they gave me a starboard side window - the port side had better views at the airport.

Glad flight went well. Good to see you used British craftsmen to do your painting, they had to turn you home upside down for normal working conditions! Nice shots glad the crocodile went unfed. Looking forward to your shots over the next weeks.

Thanks Ed - was just thankful they they weren't Irish - as much as I love emerald green, I prefer my walls white ...

An interesting (if scary) narrative and some excellent images.On a trip to Australia some years ago our eldest lad asked if there were any crocs to worry about in a water-hole which they were invited swim in to cool off.
No was the answer, so in he went, got to a sandbank and suddenly spotted a mass of croc prints (so ran back across the top of the water)
When he remonstrated with the guide he was told that the guide only worried about "salties" and that the fresh water ones would only take a bite, not eat you whole. A strange sense of humour some of your compatriots have!
The drying water-course shots have a lovely feel to them and the sand ripples in the last shot are super

You may have heard on your news that only last week a 62 year old man got taken by a Croc that was lurking in a billabong at Kakadu NP.
The area had been declared "Croc-free and safe" but crocs can't read (or can they? ) ... a strange sense of humour indeed, Brian.

[Guest]

Re: Night Flight to Darwin

Glad you arrived safely.
I don't believe your croc story for one moment!
But Brian, it is true. The Freshies are more afraid of us than we are of them.
Now the Salties - that is a different story altogether. ��

Oh ye of little faith

Hi Mark,I like no.3 for the nice line leading you into the picture and the simplicity.

Thanks Conor ... the pictures don't capture what it's like being up here where essentially it's SUMMER!

Well worth the long trip to reach such a magnificent location and it's wonderful light.

I love it here, John - and Darwin such a vast and beautifully modern city, a Mecca for tourists, much nicer than Cairns, FNQ.

[Roberta]

Re: Night Flight to Darwin

Have a great time and think of us in the south in the cold................
As for the raw oats, what happened to the tropical fruit............... and croc pie.
Roberta

[Phill D]

Re: Night Flight to Darwin

Lovely shots Mark. The isolated feel and the simple reflection in no5 make it my favourite.

[Ross the fiddler]

Re: Night Flight to Darwin

Hope you have an enjoyable time up there Mark.

Have a great time and think of us in the south in the cold................
As for the raw oats, what happened to the tropical fruit............... and croc pie.
Roberta

Croc steaks are pretty good!

It is cooling off a little now, but only enough for me to press the aircon button when I need it & not enough to go out & split logs for the fire.

[Greytop]

Re: Night Flight to Darwin

Best wishes for trip Mark, 36 hours without sleep, ouch!
Love that last shot by the way.

[Guest]

Re: Night Flight to Darwin

Have a great time and think of us in the south in the cold................ As for the raw oats, what happened to the tropical fruit............... and croc pie. Roberta

By our standards it's definitely summertime all year round up here, Roberta.
As for the tropical fruits, even a can of fruit salad cost $7.20
As far as I'm concerned all Crocs should all be converted into pies :

Lovely shots Mark. The isolated feel and the simple reflection in no5 make it my favourite.

Thanks Phil.

Hope you have an enjoyable time up there Mark. Croc steaks are pretty good! It is cooling off a little now, but only enough for me to press the aircon button when I need it & not enough to go out & split logs for the fire.

We are having a ball, Ross. Lots of fresh air and exercise and the scenery is just stunning.

Best wishes for trip Mark, 36 hours without sleep, ouch! Love that last shot by the way.

Thanks Huw, I can take an aweful lot of this lifestyle!
I've taken lots of pics but it's impossible to process them until I get home.
Don't worry, I will have lots to show and tell in FF.

[Ann1e]

Re: Night Flight to Darwin

Great pix, Mark - how wonderful that you are able to join with Sandra in her adventures for a few weeks. Have fun both of you.

Lovely light in the beach pix.

Regards,
Ann1e