Tears in the Top End

Friday was our Tenth Wedding Anniversary and, predictably, Mark had to work. Place of port, Darwin! In an unbelievably generous move his work sent me along for the long weekend. Grandma and Grandad quickly claimed taxi and sleep deprivation rights and all of a sudden, we’re going!!!

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My sister Bec, her husband Simon and their two girls Abby and Antonia all call Darwin home so Mark and I decided this was a perfect chance to rope Simon into a big surprise for Bec. We arrived Friday afternoon and Simon (who I must compliment on his brilliance with making all this work) pulled up to the hotel with Bec and babies in tow to pick up a package for the forgetful Brother-in-law. Some fierce hugging, a few tears and screams and I have my sister back (never leaving this place!!)

Now I’m not one for the novel sized blog’s Mark’s known for so I think I’ll split this into individual days and post them over the next couple of days.

As an introduction, Darwin is surprising, eclectic, fantastic and beautiful (not to mention HOT). I went with fairly level hopes, see sister and catch time for anniversary dinner with husband…. Take in quaint and backwards Darwin and return to the “big smoke” with a sign of relief and a story or two to tell. I was wrong, who knew Darwin had this much, it’s a mix of everything, up-market restaurants alongside traditional tacky tourist shops, stunning architecture, azure water bays everywhere (you can’t swim though), brilliant touristy activities and warm people. Definitely worth a proper holiday with the boys (as long as it’s in winter again). But for sure, from this trip, I’ll take back the tears. I missed my sister desperately before, I miss her even worse now. I could cope with poor Mark being subjected to another week in back-water Darwin, now I wish I could have stayed and I miss him really really badly. Kind of like a beautiful holiday cut short just as it was hitting the high points. If I thought chucking a good old fashioned tantie at the airport would have bought me more time I would have given an oscar winning performance.

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This was yesterday, trust me today’s not pretty!

More from me later today……………….. off to watch a girly movie and eat chocolate as prescribed by my brilliant sister.

Thank you Mark, I LOVED IT……… mwahhh