Perth Update

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Hi everyone, well, what can I say, the sun is shining and the sky is bright blue and clear, think it has been about 35 in the shade today!

Perth, we arrived after travelling all night and checked in to our hotel around 9.30am on 3rd January, exhausted, we unpacked and then went to bed for most of the day. This was actually a very sensible thing to do because believe it or not, we arrived in Perth when it was cold, cloudy and very windy. We got up had a quick wander round, ate in the hotel with a few bevvies and then back to bed.

Morning of the 4th we got up and the sun was out though it was still cooler than we had been expecting. We spent the morning wandering around Perth, we went on the local Tram to visit the sites and saw where they were just finishing off the Hopman Cup Tennis Tournament prior to the Australian Open. We sat out in an open cafe at lunchtime and it was lovely but by evening we needed sleeves in our tops!

I had booked a nice restaurant situated in Kings Park called Fraisers (apparently one of the "in" restaurants in Perth) for us to eat in to celebrate Bob's birthday. Which was a lovely meal and within walking distance, though Bob may disagree as we had to go up about 300 steps to get there!

On 5th we booked up a day trip visiting local wineries within the Swan Valley, this was a lovely sunny day, we had a good crowd and it was very enjoyable. One or two nice wines were sampled. Even Bob found a few to his liking.

Yesterday we got the train down to Cottesloe Bay and spent a couple of hours on the glorious soft sandy beach (I went for a swim but Bob didn't). We then continued down the line and into Freemantle, saw the E Shed Market, the Round House and had a picnic on the bit of beach near to the fishing harbour. We were going to stay and eat in the evening at one of the fish restaurants at the harbour but decided we wanted to get back and showered so eat at a restaurant in Perth instead. In Perth by the Swan Bell Tower is a pub called The Lucky Shag, we started the evening off in there as did a huge number of people including the local stag and hen parties.... obviously the place to start your evening at a weekend in Perth.

Today has been a really lasy day, packed our cases then headed up into Kings Park where we have wandered around enjoying the sunshine and views. The rest of today has been swimming in the pool but we are now clearing up and getting ready to have our final meal prior to getting a taxi in to Perth Airport for the start of our Journey on to New Zealand.

We understand that the weather has at last begun to pick up there.... let's hope so!

Speak again soon.....Helen and Bob

La

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Photos

Budda, Hong Kong
This is the Huge Budda on Lantau Island

Statue
this is one of the great statues that are up at the top of the steps below the Budda in Hong Kong

Comments

[Jenni]

Fishy Time
Sounds like you're having a great time so far, Bob will be so fit with all this walking, Oz and NZ have a great reputation for their fish restaurants as I'm sure you'll soon discover, so how soon for some pix? Just spoken to Mandy she was telling me how great a time they had in your company while in HK

[Martin & Donna]

Don't send those winter woolies back home yet.
Yes we have had a few warmer days here in NZ, but ther're still few and far between, and don't expect to swim in the sea here. looking forward to seeing you.