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Published: August 16th 2007
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I have now the chance to relax and take my time here in Perth. That was my intention in Broome after the camping safari, but that never happened. The hostel in Broome just didn't allow that. And to make my time in Broome just a little more taxing I managed to slam my right thumb in a car door. Ouch is the word. There are some lovely shades of black and blue under the nail. I flew from Broome to Perth last Saturday. The problem I encountered at security testifies to my fatigue level. I had forgotten to pack into my checked luggage an important item. I walked through the metal detector with no problems, but security detected something suspicious in my carry on. Argh! Then I remembered my Swiss Army Knife I had with me. I had needed it a couple of times camping but I had forgotten to put it back into my luggage. But this is Broome. I think if I had done this at Heathrow or JFK the result would have been very different.
I pulled out the knife, and they let me run back to the check in area and put it in my checked
luggage, which wasn't hard to find. Broome only has 4 or 5 flights a day. It's not a busy airport. So this potentially awkward moment ended well. I was expecting the security guard to do his Crocodile Dundee impression: "You call that a knife? That's not a knife, this is a knife!" etc.
Wendy picked me up from the airport in Perth. Wendy is a teacher colleague of mine at my school in Vancouver who is on a one year teacher exchange here in Perth. I am staying at her place here in Perth. It's a nice break from camping and hostel life to stay in a comfortable apartment with a computer, television and home cooked meals. My second day here I developed a cold. Probably got the virus in Broome.
Western Australia is 20% of the population of Australia, it's 30% of the land mass and 40% of the wealth generated in Australia. It's quite prosperous here in Perth, the capital of WA. The weather is great, lot's of sun and few storms. It's got a fabulous train system for a city with only 1 million. Free buses within the downtown core. Great parks. Parrots. Colonial buildings
constructed by convicts. And for afternoon tea: Devonshire Cream Tea.
Sunday, Wendy took me to Yanchep National Park about 50 km north of the city to see the park and listen to an Aborigine talk. The Noongar people occupied this land. The talk was all about living on the land, building tools, fire, and the guide even had us dancing. Then we walked around the park spotting birds and wildflowers.
Monday, I went to Freemantle, a town a few kilometers south of Perth. Back in 1983, Australia won the America's Cup Yacht Race. The next races were held in Freemantle in 1987, and it revitalized the area. It brought a lot of business to the area, the old buildings were restored, and businesses and people moved back. The yacht that won The Australia II is in the Maritime Museum. A sleek looking boat with that controversial keel.
Wednesday I went on a walking tour hosted by the staff of the information bureau. He took us around the city and showed us all the old buildings of central Perth, the ones built by convicts. Perth had a special deal that the only convicts who came here were those
with trade skills and could read and write. And after two years of service to the community they were granted a ticket of leave. Not quite a complete discharge, there were still a few conditions. But this made for a different kind of colony than in the east (Sydney and Hobart etc) with the hardened convicts. Free settlers, convicts with skills and pensioner guards from the British Army came to Perth. Thus starting the east west differences, rivalries and resentments from the very beginning, which have lasted ever since.
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