Day 30 - Darwin to Pine Creek - Monday 28th August 2017

 Having said goodbye to Maggie yesterday we set off today in our quest to complete our half lap of Australia. Our destination was the small town of Pine Creek some 220 km south of Darwin. Along the way we stopped at the Adelaide River War Memorial and cemetery. Quite a sobering experience to contemplate how close the Japanese amy have come to invade Australia vie our northern borders. Pine Creek was home to a lovely array of birdlife and bats and found the camping ground attached to the local service station to be excellent value at $20 per night power and water. This being our last stop before Western Australia we were began to eat as much of our fruit and vegetables as possible given that we would in all likelihood have to dispose of excess at the border.

Day 29 - Darwin - Sunday 27th August 2017

 My sister Maggie came to our camping ground at 10.30 with the aim of assisting us with shopping for shoes for Sue in the first instance. I can't recall which shopping mall we visited but there was an Athlete's Foot store there where Sue secured a pair of blue walking shoes at Maggie's suggestion. While in this mall we also visited a camping store and bought some tent poles for our motorhome awning. Then it was off to the Darwin wharf for a bit of sightseeing - while there we took in a couple of videos showing how the bombing of Darwin in the second World War unfolded as well as a second one on the history of thee Royal Flying Doctor Service. Following this we headed back to the campground for some pre-dinner nibbles before once again heading back to the wharf for dinner with Maggie and two of her friends - Shirley and Jan. Finally we headed back to the campground where to Sue's great pleasure she spotted a bilby jumping past where she was seated.

Day 28 - Darwin - Saturday 26th August 2017

 Today was a pretty chilled, slow pace day. Again my sister Maggie came to visit - this after Sue and I had been for a swim in the pool. Then it was time for Maggie and I to visit the Darwin Aviation Museum just a short walk away from the caravan park. My long held interest in aircraft was able to be satisfied with a great variety of aircraft on display. Meanwhile Sue was busy preparing for a barbecue we had planned for that evening. Lunch of toasted sandwiches was followed by much conversing about family matters before the aforementioned barbecue dinner to end another pleasant day.

Day 27 - Corroboree Creek to Darwin - Friday 25th August 2017

 A short drive of around 90 km saw us arrive in Darwin in the morning. One of our first stops was at a medical centre so that I might see a doctor regarding an infected cut on my leg - this I did and I was prescribed a topical antibiotic cream along with oral antibiotics to take if needed. Then after a quick bit of grocery shopping we headed to the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory. Here we enjoyed seeing an excellent exhibition of indigenous art from the Papunya settlement - predominantly dot painting. Following this we took a quick look at Darwin Harbour before heading to our campground - the Discovery Park near Darwin Airport. My sister Maggie then came to pay us a visit (she lives in Darwin) and we had a long catch-up before heading out to a Vietnamese restaurant for dinner that evening.