Having learned our lesson – too much exertion is not good in this heat – we take the bus to Casaurina Reserve located some distance away in the north of the suburb of Rapid Creek As it turns out it is much too far to walk in any case and involves two buses; the first to Casaurina Shopping Centre which seems to be the largest in Darwin, and another to the Reserve itself. Fares are reasonably cheap at $2 particularly as they are valid for three hours unlimited travel. Rapid Creek is a suburb of wide streets, and large houses with swimming pools, lush gardens, palm trees … and few people or cars.
At Casaurina Reserve there is an 8km stretch of sandy beach backed by the ochre hues of the dramatically weaving Dripstone Cliffs with their stratified rocks and curious inlets. There is also a walking track along the cliff tops through grassy bush scattered with trees and a picnic under their shade comes as a welcome respite. Apparently, at low tide it is possible to Aboriginal sites including Dariba Nunggalinya (Old Man Rock) from the Dripstone lookout, but unfortunately not today as the tide is already coming in when we arrive.
There are only about a dozen people on the beach and a couple in the water fishing despite the warnings about box jelly fish. There is a cooling breeze off the sea which makes for a very pleasant stroll. We’ve probably been walking along the shore for about 10 or 15 minutes when Andy realises he has dropped one of his Crocs and jogs back to find it lying almost at the point where we came down onto the beach. Having jogged all the way back again we walk on a bit further before he discovers that our purse that he carries clipped to his shorts and which contains about $190, is missing. Another jog back down the beach in search of it is fruitless and we are resigning ourselves to the fact it is lost, particularly as the incoming tide has begun to cover our original path along the beach. Our only hope is that perhaps we left it in the hostel. But by an amazing stroke of luck, just as we are about to head off the beach feeling somewhat dejected, Andy spots the purse in the water!!
By the time we arrive back at Casaurina Shopping Centre it is almost 3pm. We have time between buses and decide to take a quick look round only to find the shops closing. I don’t think we missed anything very much as initial impressions are that this is no Bluewater.
Despite the bus rides and a relatively short walk, we are still exhausted by the time we get back to the hostel and the cool haven of our air-conditioned room.
Tomorrow we pick up our camper van and leave Darwin for a few days touring round Lichfield National Park to the south and Kakadu to the east before starting our drive to Perth via Broome. We are not sure what internet access will be available so posts may be sporadic (nothing new there I hear you say!)