Dream: sidewalk serpentines and slushy Ribena

In this dream I had pulled up my car in some suburbs that vaguely looks like the Rocks. I parked around the back streets and locked the car, an anonymous ?car rental that was entirely forgettable. I walked towards the main street and found a small alleyway that emerged onto the cobblestone pedestrian area.

The first thing I notice is that everyone is walking in the middle of the street. This is strange because the shops line both sides of the road, but no one is anywhere near them. People huddle in defensive posture, stepping cautiously as if there were puddles on the ground. I look down and see rivets of dark - and the dark is moving?

When I look closer it looks like a black starfish with very long limbs. I bend down to look and one limb strikes up suddenly and the mouth opens, lashing out to get me. I pull back suddenly and avoid it just in time, my heart pounding. Suddenly I realise the serpentine starfish are everywhere and no one can avoid them, hence the rushing along in the middle of the street. J comes along and takes my elbow, her company so welcome now that my heart is racing. She whispers we must follow the crowd and try not to be bitten.

The sky looks increasingly dark and heavy as we come out to an open area not part of the real Rocks. There is a bridge to our right and we go towards the bridge. I can see two evil starfish in the way, and we try to avoid them. This is a dream! I say to myself as we cross them. J is wearing a bright pink blazer, which I somehow think will deter them. This is a dream! I say again as we get onto the bridge.

The scene cuts to a living room. No one else is around and I see a range of drinks with a number of glasses on a side table. I suddenly feel very thirsty so I check out the drinks. When I pour the Ribena into an empty glass, it seems to congeal. I taste it - orange juice? I read the label and check the colour inside the bottle - purple? I drink the rest of the orange juice slushie which is not entirely unpleasant, and pour out some more Ribena, but it's still orange and slushie once it hits the glass.

Then I wake up.

(Context for this dream: first night on call ever as staff, minimal sleep)

Return to Darwin

A week ago, I left Sydney on a cold morning for Darwin again. Six years ago, this blog started partly because MSN Spaces had shut down my old blog, but also I wanted to write about my time in Darwin. What a fantastic year I had in Darwin in 2011, with some epic adventures, great friends and lots of laughter. What will happen this time, I wonder?

The weather has been sublime. I really arrived at the right time this year – right at the end of the Wet, just the occasional tropical shower here and there but doesn’t feel soggy at all. The skies are a majestic blue and some day they seem to stretch forever into the sea. The clouds are just as fluffy as I remembered, big blobs of marshmallows to break up the piercing blue. The heavens open and the rain pours down, but ten minutes later it is clear again. The dragonflies are out, and the dry season is coming!

Every day that I was near the sea for sunsets, I couldn’t believe this is where I am living again. 

These sunsets are just some of the best I have ever seen in my whole life.

I remember all the little things I loved about Darwin – no traffic, no looking for parking, no parking signs (mostly), no meters to feed. You just drive where you need to drive, and park right outside. I love not being stuck in traffic, and the word “commute” means so little here. People are friendly, and most people are so unbelievably down to earth that it feels like the real Australia. 

Can’t beat this amazing view at De La Plage, the new cafe next to the Surf Lifesaving Club.

Foreshore cafe, Nightcliff

And of course, the hipsters are slowly infiltrating Darwin too – I have heard of so many cafes in Darwin now, and there is even a wine bar and a microbrewery! For the most part though, the city remains compact and unpretentious.

Rapid Creek is the same as ever. The lady who sold me papaya salad every week has the same beaming smile, and we were like longlost sisters. The noodle man is still there (expanded to a lot more eskies than last time!) and the tofu lady is still in the same spot too. I recognise many of the people at the markets and had fun chatting with them whilst shopping for fresh vegetables.

First market haul 

I went for a daytrip to Litchfield, revisiting all my favourite spots.

So much water at Wangi falls!

I also discovered Tolmer falls this time, which is now my favouritest waterfall in Litchfield. What an incredible setting it has, at one end of a deep gorge, plunging into a deep green pool.

I enjoyed reading my first book in Darwin – burnt shadows by Kamila Shamsie – by the shady creek near Florence falls.  

And before I know it.. my little moving holiday (Toronto -> Sydney -> Darwin) is over, and it's time to go to work. I quote myself, 19 January 2011 

I am filled with so many unanswered questions - a giant adventure lays ahead of me. 

Dream: painting a green facade

This is a strange, placeless dream. It is raining and I am walking in a city. It feels busy enough to be a city, but not so big - the streets are still somewhat narrow. I wonder for a moment if it is Springwood - but the shops don't look like that of the Springwood main strip. In the next moment I wonder if it is Bendigo - but I haven't been there, so how will I tell if it really is Bendigo?

I am walking the streets seemingly alone, but soon I become aware of a girl who is walking just slightly behind me. I have an umbrella but she doesn't seem to have any rain gear, so she stands in the lightly falling rain, gently getting wet. I look down and our shoes are very similar - standard black loafers, almost like school shoes. The edges of our shoes are wet and this makes quite an impression on me.

We turn the corner, the girl following me silently. I look across the road and construction is taking place around what looked like the facade of a church. The girl comes up to me and softly says - that was the train station. I struggle to make out any features of the train station, but I wonder again if this is Bendigo, whether the train station is supposed to be my way home.

We walk along further, now next to each other. The girl stops in front of an unremarkable door, and we enter the house. Inside, there are three floors. The walls are a very strange shade of green, a light mint colour that is reminiscent of an avocado shake. I don't think I have ever seen a wall painted that colour before. The railings are all very old and look like they would collapse under any weight. I look up and there is a man on the first floor, making an oil painting on an easel. He is painting the inside of the building, the three levels clearly represented in the painting. In the painting is also another easel, which does not exist in the correct position in real life (and there is no man making an oil painting).

He is far away enough that I have to squint to make out what is on the easel. It is a bible, no mistake, and there is a black cat resting on top of the open bible.

Then I wake up.