Beer and betting...

... always a lively combination (if not what you'd call responsible). Here we have a gathering of interested Darwin punters bending their elbows in the Mall while bidding on horses running in tomorrow's Darwin Cup. It's a Calcutta, which means that if the horse you 'purchased' is placed, you get a proportion of the total bet. So, like a sweepstake except you get to choose your horse. Of course there was stiff competition for the favourites, and the highest price paid was all of $6,500. The return would be nearly $19,000 for a win - but still. Big money for a horse race (reckons she who never bets on anything).

You get your thrills where you can, up here, whether that's risking your savings on a 3-minute race, or dicing with the crocs when you're out to catch a barra for the barbie.

It's Sunday afternoon with a holiday tomorrow, the pubs in Mitchell Street are noisy with drinkers on the pavement, people are lying on the grass along the esplanade as bald ibises stalk around them and a welcome breeze rattles the palm leaves; and I'm just off for a wander round the Mindil Markets, hoping to find something tasty at the stalls, and especially for a good sunset from the beach. Best one I've ever seen in my life was here, years ago. Fingers crossed.

UPDATE: Pretty good. No afterglow to speak of, and I could have done without the oil rig on the horizon but, overall, not a disappointment.