Mango Festival and Berry Springs

So we headed down to the mango festival today at Berry Springs.  They combine the local community markets, which are held once a month, with the festival, which is held to coincide with the mango season.  We got down there about 10.30 so we missed the good stuff like the mango lawn bowls and mango cricket.  Cute lil festival and nice lil markets. 

After all the fun of the festival, we headed down to Berry Springs Nature Park.  Unfortunately the water wasn't open for swimming, but when it, we will head back.  Will also be taking my underwater camera there to get some under/over photos.  This is the nicest place we have been too I believe.

Roller Derby - Territory style!

So if there ever was a sport made for the crazy women of the Territory, then Roller Derby is it.  I know its pretty big on east coast, but tonite it made its debut in the territory.  The Darwin RollerGirls out muscled and played the Malice Springs Rollers by 194-134 I think.  Over 1000 people attended the game, which was a sell out, a shock to a lot of people!  If you get a chance to go to this sport, its fun, and worth going along too!!!

Mindil Beach Markets

So the famous Mindil Beach markets came to an end for the year about an hour ago.  If you ever get up here in dry season (april - oct) they run sun and thurs.  Sam and I went on Sunday a few weeks back and tonite. 
The Sunday was nice and cruisy, tonite was realllly busy.

It has your usual market stalls, food and trinkety stuff, but the views at sunset are magic and the fireworks tonite, pretty good!!

Tourist time

I can see why so many people come to Darwin, fall in love with the Territory, then leave a week or two later.  With so much natural beauty up here, it is inevitable that people will have great experiences. 
Sam and I have done a few touristy things so far, bascially just checking out a few places, before we go back and look over the course of the year.
Sam went to Crocosaurus Cove, where you can dive with a croc, who apparently, even when the cable snaps on the cage, still doesn't move.  Plenty of crocs there tho...
Since I have been here Sam and I have checked out Litchfield National Park, in particular Wangi Falls, Florence Falls and the magnetic termite mounds.  They were very very cool and we will head back there. A lot.
We went for a drive down to the Adelaide River jumping croc cruises to check where it is, prices etc.  We will do it another time when someone comes up.  There is a nice visitor centre 2-3kms back from the river worth checking out.
I have had a look at the Charles Darwin national park, which is basically a picnic ground, its ok.  Good for a BBQ. 
I think that a lot of Darwin's natural beauty is centred around its coast line.  I love going to the beach and looking at that lovely water.  The always warm water, so inviting.  Unfortunately, if there is a shark around, its the safest you will be.  The box jellys and the Crocs are well known in the harbour and there is no bloody way im going in there.  Luckily, there is Lake Alexander, at East Point.  Murky and Salty, but croc and shark and jelly free.
Now we are NT residents we get free entry into Kakadu, so we will head there soon.
On Sunday 30th October, we are heading to Berry Springs Mango festival.  Yep, a mango festival :)

Why move north

So a few months back, sometime in the middle of another gloriously cold Canberra winter, I was playing touch footy with Sam's old work buddies from Aurecon.  She wasn't too happy at defence, so the running joke was to ask them for her job back.  One week, funnily enough she was at touch, she got offered a job..... however it would be in Darwin.  A few thoughts, a meeting or two and more of those shitty cold days, it was decided, we would move north! 

Sam would go a few days prior to me, and I would head up on holiday Monday 3rd October.