Welcome to Australia

We landed at the Darwin airport at One O'Clock in the morning. We'd hoped to be staying with a Couchsurfer named Dave, but we hadn't heard from him in a while so upon arrival we didn't have a clue where to sleep. We decided that we wouldn't make a decision until the morning and set up camp with a few other homeless travelers on the comfortable seats of the waiting area. It occured to me almost at once that the waiting lounge of the Darwin Airport was more comfotable and sanitary than many of the hotels we've stayed in over the last few months.

We slept well, well, better than you'd expect and shared a taxi into town with a couple of our bunkmates from the airport. The first thing we did was get a tall latte and a pile of french toast with bacon. I almost cried. Tears literally welled up in my eyes as I tasted the familiar, delicious tastes, taking me back to long brunches with friends back home. Then when the bill came we almost cried again. We spent as much on breakfast as it would have cost to stay a week in an Indian hotel.

At noon we checked into a backpackers, assuming we'd never hear from Dave the Couchsurfer. Unfortunately we had just paid for the night and thrown our bags down in a tidy dorm room when he called on our new Australian number. We stayed one night at Chili's which was very comfortable if you subtract the drunken Scotsman in the bunk below me, and then moved down the street to Dave's place.

Dave is a true Aussie, friendly, outgoing and hospitable. All this in case he's having a read right now. His apartment is comfortable and dry, with all the ammenities I was starting to think I'd never see again. A kitchen. A shower WITH a door! Hot Water!! Very luxurious. What we love about couchsurfing is that you occasionally get a taste of home. Magda was up this morning making coffee and breakfast, the morning news playing softly while the sun climbed over the patio wall.

Tomorrow we head to Alice Springs via the Ghan, the trans-Australian train which should give us a very comfortable look at the Outback. At Alice Springs we will switch to an old friend, the Greyhound, and head down to Adelaide.