War Games

The walk was needed. From the hotel, around the back to the Waterfront, up past the Deckchair Cinema, which I was tempted to stay for their showing of The Motive and the Cue, then around to Bicentennial Park for the sunset, a stop at Subway for a quick and easy dinner, then back to the hotel before the real dark had set in. A nice hour loop around the city, my audiobook in my ears. After the day spent at the call centre it was bliss. 

The alternative was to go with my colleagues to this event called Pitch Black at Mindil Beach. The evening event had the participating military flying squadrons doing a fly past the beach. As there are international military games going on all around Darwin over the next few weeks, this is their big showcase, with the participating militaries showing off their hardware. 

For me, it was a matter of crowds and noise - no thanks. You can't go to everything, and I wanted to go for a walk. By myself. Without five thousand of my best mates gawping at the big birds as they flew past.

But if you want to see what was on offer, here's a link to the livestream.  Exercise Pitch Black 24 | Mindil Beach Flying Display Livestream ✈ - YouTube

Also, just wandering around the Waterfront, I got to see the planes as they flew back to base. Big, noisy, fast war planes. 

As I walked down to the Waterfront, I got a great view of some of the planes. Something stirred in my belly. 

We live in a peaceable country in peaceable times. 

Maybe it's because I'm reading a lot about World War Two at the moment, but I found the drone of the planes unsettling. 

As much as I know that these planes are here for practices, and games and show, there is a darker, more sinister reason for them being here.

These planes aren't going to drop bombs on Darwin, or hopefully anywhere in the near future, but this is not to say that they don't have the potential to do so. 

And it might be a spectacular sight to see all of these planes fly by, but I'm glad I got my necessary evening of solitude, avoiding the drone of the machines as they flew off into the horizon. 

Today's song: