Start your engines - Darwin is on the world map!

A friend who recently returned from a 5-day visit to Darwin was kind enough to bring us (in addition to a new AC panel for our 20-year old vehicle and key ingredients for home-made yogurt)  a copy of the NT News (as in Northern Territory News for all our friends around the world, or in Sydney).  Seems that Luka has really put Darwin on the map this year, as his birthplace is turning quite a few heads (some in bewilderment).  Most notably Darwin was recently named one of the Top-10 cities to visit in 2012 by the Lonely Planet.  Now all the amazing nurses and other extraordinary people in Darwin notwithstanding - seriously - Top TEN cities in the world to visit?  This world including places like Budhapest, Istanbul, Fez, Paris, New York and countless other cities that spark not only the imagination, but also centuries of historical relevance and ancient wonders.  Of course, this is the same list that puts London at the top of the list (because really, if London wasn't the most overpriced city before, the 2012 Olympics will do wonders for hotel prices in a tight economy) and also includes Orlando, Florida (because you really need to see Disney World again)  - which leaves me to think - in the recession, maybe the Lonely Planet used an intern to put this list together.  One of the few 'non-western' city on the list is Muscat.  Interesting as it may seem (having been there, this being the site of our amazing whale shark experience in 2009 while dodging the Afghan Presidential election), it remains a very 'safe' choice (read: cool enough but slightly sleepy and a little bit boring, and within driving distance of Dubai, one of the most soul-killing cities in the world).

Back to Darwin.  Seems the White House subscribes to the Lonely Planet RSS feed, as US President Barack Obama announced that during his visit to Australia this month, the only city in addition to Canberra  to be graced by his presence will be, you guessed it: Luka's birthplace!

Go Darwin!