Shades of blue-grey

'I never knew there were so many shades of blue and grey' (Ken, looking out from our balcony).

It's been wet since we arrived. Not surprising, given that this season is called The Wet. Summer in tropical Darwin is consistently around 32 degrees C, with humidity levels of 90% and frequent late afternoon thunderstorms. I asked my new colleagues how to stop sweating; they said to let them know once I figured it out.

We've stayed this week in the Waterfront. It has a tourist vibe with waterfront restaurants, outdoor eating, bars and ice-cream shops, and a swimming lagoon open to all, other than crocs and stingers. It's been a delight to come home from work and to swim with Ken before starting to think about routine tasks like cooking, washing and shopping. On many nights we've ended up being tourists and eating out.

Our balcony overlooks Stokes Wharf, and the local traffic has been tugs and shuttle boats. The views have been a joy for these landlubbers. But this cannot continue. Real life must start soon, right?