If Darwin was a woman,there would be only one word to describe her - plain.

In 1942 the Japanese destroyed 90% of the town in 64 bombing raids.
In 1974 cyclone Tracey did an equally good job.The town was rebuilt on the same site.
Darwin has two seasons - the "dry" season from May to October and the " monsoon" season from November to April.
As I write at 14.00 local time the temperature outside is 38 C [ 100 F.]
It is hot, it is sticky.
The Hop on Hop off bus was half empty,I never heard cameras clicking and I myself didn't even bother to take my camera out.There is simply nothing of note to see in Darwin.
The shopping mall is plainer than plain,the one promising boutique in a side street was closed. But I did buy some  magazines and postcards and stamps, the children in my family love getting the  cards addressed to them,they so proudly show them to their school-friends. the post box was very visible and that is a rarity. As is buying stamps together with the postcards.So while writing the cards
I had some freshly pressed juice and could not resist  a cake, similar to a  Madeira cake but taste-wise far too superior.
There was a very old Aborigine male  beggar sitting in a door-way near the letter box and I gave him all my loose change that came to about 14 Australian dollars,he was quite shocked when it landed in his palm and kept repeating what I presume was thank you.
Then I boarded the immaculate  shuttle bus and 20 minutes later was sitting in the Princess Grill having the  plainest of the plain lunches. Aaah, Queen Victoria, you never surprise.