Started today in very relaxed fashion, only getting out of bed after 9 am. However, I made up for that by going to the gym before a shower or breakfast!

Then I headed out to check out what Darwin looked like. I wandered out the back of the hotel onto Mitchell Street (the main drag, really) and headed into town. First stop, the Duck’s Nuts, where I had a quite passable breakfast and an excellent coffee! After my leisurely breakfast, I went back to wandering.

Darwin is not unlike most Australian towns. A fairly random collection of shops, clubs, bars, malls, businesses and car parks. There is no obvious or distinct element to Darwin that I can see, although they do cater specifically to ‘al fresco’ dining (not surprisingly).

I wandered around the shopping district (mall) quite a bit. Bought souvenirs and gifts and generally killed time. Darwin is not a hurried place. Basically, it’s too hot, but I also think that lends a fairly gentle view to haste in the Top End. Even hurrying, they don’t kick up too much dust!

Lobbed in the faux-Irish pub Shennanigan’s for lunch – a huge chicken salad. It’s very pleasant to be on holiday, have nothing especially to do, and just while away the time.

I escaped the heat of the afternoon by watching “Hero” in the local cinema. What a beautiful movie – spectacular, sumptuous, and a well-told story.

Dinner in the hotel again but this was slightly more convivial because I’ve already made friends in the staff.

Finished the night watching an in-house movie “The Chronicles of Riddick” – very sci-fi, very action.

I am also really enjoying the ‘research’ book I’m reading – An Introduction to the Philosophy of Social Science. It is a beautifully written and carefully crafted book. Very interesting reading!