Best time of year

If you can stand the heat and humidity, this is the best time of year to be in Darwin.

It's been a pretty poor build-up so far but we've finally had a few fantastic storms. A week or two ago, we also had a water spout out of Darwin Harbour (photos below). You could see this from my new building and someone kindly took photos. Bring on the thunder bolts and lightning!

Did the Earth move for you too?

Aftershocks are common in Darwin. Earthquakes, usually further north in the ocean somewhere, frequently travel all the way to Darwin where they make the Earth sway briefly beneath your feet and, at first, lead you to question your sanity. "Is it just me or...?" In fact, my favourite local news report was when the top story started, "no, you didn't imagine it..."

But last night was a whopper. A magnitude 7 earthquake in Indonesia was felt in Darwin last night and was my first official earthquake. I woke about midnight when the bed started shaking and quickly realised this was no mild aftershock but the real thing. The whole building shook, the windows rattled, the appliances wobbled. It was disconcerting but not overly violent (Indonesia is after all still a way away). The lack of major fault lines in Australia means I wasn't frightened. I knew we were just getting the edge. But it was definitely an experience. One I wouldn't want repreated at a higher magnitude.

Surviving the Nosebleed Section

Friday night and the ankle is finally healing so off I went to see the Hilltop Hoods at Discovery. These guys really are excellent and although hip hop is not really my genre, I had an awesome time. They've just kicked of a 25-show tour of Australia so check them out if you get the chance. And if you can stand the Nosebleed Section.

Maggie Photo Diary - Day 5

Photo: Fish feeding on the old Geoffrey Bay jetty

Maggie Photo Diary - Day 4

Photo: Noonturnal animal. A possum chews into a loaf of bread when our backs are turned. Someone forgot to tell him possums shouldn't be out and about at midday.

Maggie Photo Diary - Day 3

Photo: Backgammon is a serious business. Who will be the "Grand Poobah" champion this year?

Hazy days

Check out the huge dust storm that moved up through NSW and Queensland and hit us this morning. I can honestly say in 30 years I've never seen anything like it. Got to plan my day around staying inside now. My niece will be happy if we get to play the drinking game.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/photos/2009/09/23/2693741.htm

Maggie Photo Diary - Day 2

Photo: Geoffrey Bay

Maggie photo diary - Day 1

Photo: Kookaburra on the balcony of our unit.

Little Red Dave travels in space and time

So, LRD has been abandoned on my bookcase again, this time being gassed along with the cockroaches and no doubt cursing my name. But there was a time in 2007 when he too enjoyed the sound of the waves while he slept, the warm sun on his skin on the beach, the cold beer on a hot day, and the children playing.

Here's Dave on the Island.