Perth

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6th November- Can't believe it, after months of dreaming of sunnier climates we wake up to torrential rain. It's not even warm rain, it's freezing! Have to put on the only trousers I own which I've also been wearing for the last three days. Take a wander in the rain and stumble upon a British pub called the Elephant and the Wheelbarrow. Just have to stop in and see what the local beer is like, it would be wrong not to. End up ordering two pints of Tooheys which is very delicious indeed. After our refreshments we head down to CBD (central business district) where I end up buying tights to try and keep my poor wee legs warm. Afterwards we head up to King's Park (ironically) which is a beautiful big park on the edge of the city. We take a free (yes, free!) bus back up towards the hostel later on and feel it's our duty to stop off for another quick pint on the way (well we are on holiday after all). We head out for something to eat at about 9pm and end up in some local Chinese restaurant where we are the only English speaking people there. The food is good though which is all that matters. Struggling to keep our eyes open and end up in bed by 11pm.

7th November- Wake up early after a full 12 hours sleep and look out expectantly to see that it is still drizzly and overcast, great. We might as well have stayed in Glasgow. At least we don't feel homesick! We speak to the hostel supervisor who recommends we head to Freemantle for the day, which we decide to do. It is a lovely quaint little seaside town about 15 minutes outside of the city centre. We visit Freemantle prison which is really interesting and Greg does a very touristy thing with his video camera. On the way back we stop off at Cottlesloe beach on Nikki's recomendation and she isn't wrong. No chance of me going in the water though, and even more so when i find out about a boy getting ripped apart by two great white sharks there only a few years ago. Not my first choice of how to die. In the evening we end up meeting up with my old mate Lee from Cumbernauld which is very surreal indeed. Have a nice meal and a few bottles of wine and by 10pm we are lagging again. End up in bed by 11.30pm which is at least half an hour later than last night!

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Comments

[Sheila and Brian]

Hope the sun is shining now
Hi Nikki and Greg Here we are writing this from Burntisland, where, ironically it is not drizzly and cold, but sunny and warm (well, warm for November). However, we suspect that this won't be how it stays over the winter, and your strange and unusual weather won't either! You can always use the tights as a bandana when it warms up. By now you're probably well into life in Oz, and down in Sydney, where you'll no doubt be meeting people from Clarkston, Cumbernauld etc. Weird! We read in the paper yesterday that someone has released a love song to Cumbernauld because they felt that it needed some tlc - would you like us to send a copy, or will it make you too homesick?? Glad you've discovered some gluggable local grog. By now you probably don't give a Castlemaine xxxx about life back home! All the best to both of you - keep us posted with your adventures as we are still very very jealous. Sheila and Brian

[NikkiandGreg]

cumbernauld
i would love a copy of the cumbernauld song- that can be my christmas present hehe. life in sydney is good, we've got a flat sorted and started work in a restaurant. so not much change from my life back home then! speak to you soon, nic

[Amanda]

Helloha
Alright sis (and Greg) Bebo still won't let me write a comment on your page cause it says I still need to verify my account. Typical. Anyway, wanted to let you know I've been thinking about you and getting a smile from your blog. Just think, I'll only be a quarter of a world away from you come 17th Dec, since that's when I'll be in Las Vegas. Glad things sound like they are pretty sorted and you've at least got a roof over your heads. Well toodle pip for now and don't take it personally if I'm rubbish at keeping in touch regularly. A x PS. Don't let mum and dad know if you plan to do anything crazy like bunji jumping!