It's been relaxing here in Darwin. Hot, humid, but I like the pace, or the lack of it. I have so far done any walking early in the morning (before 9) and then spent the rest of each day checking email, trawling the shops, going to the beach, washing clothes, just hanging around I guess. Then in the evening it is time for a beer or 2.

Today I changed hotels. There was nothing wrong with the Cavenagh where I have been for 3 nights, but it was an emergency booking made when I realised I would be here 3 days early. So from tonight I am at my original choice of the Darwin Central.

The Cav is a terrific young person's drinkery, with live music most nights and a couple of sports screens in a lovely undercover bar with open sides next to the pool. A noisy but very buzzy bar. The Central is more of an international hotel and has no bar, but the rooms are good and there is a really good breakfast menu in a restaurant in the hotel foyer. I reckon I'll manage alright.

Today has brought something of a major glitch though - I thought I had the bike sold, which would make it possible for me to fly home at the end of the week after the Darwin Symposium. I have been negotiating by email with a man who claims he is on a boat at sea, so no phone contact; he wants to pay by Paypal - OK; but now the money he claims to have paid to Paypal will not be put in my Paypal account until I send a cash transfer by Western Union to an address in the UK, he says it is his shipping agent's head office, and until I send them $550 I cannot get my money from Paypal. Sounds like the oldest trick in the book to me. I have to pay money (to someone I have never heard of) before I can get what is owed to me (by someone else)! I don't think so! I have suggested (by email) that he might like to pay the shipping costs directly rather than getting me to pay it for him, but so far no response .... I've got a strong feeling that he may never contact me again. It seems quite likely his "boat" is really a desk somewhere in Nigeria.

Have just discovered that a friend's son, Edward, is in Darwin at the moment, enroute to a new job south of here. He is meeting me tomorrow afternoon for a drink. And Alice's friend Jane is meeting me tonight (I think, not arranged yet) for a drink too. Ah, the social whirl!

Today I went looking for a TIE which I have to wear tomorrow night to the reception at Parliament House, which kicks off the Darwin Symposium. Not an easy thing to find here, but the Red Cross op shop had a small selection and when I held one up in front of me several women in the shop nodded approvingly so that was that.

So - all goes well. But it looks as if on Friday I have to begin the Long Ride Home. I can get to Port Augusta in 5 days (it's nearly 3,000 Km to there) and then it will be easy... well, cooler anyway and possibly a tailwind. Maybe someone with cash will see the sign on the bike and think they just have to have it!