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Published: March 17th 2010
So, here I am in Australia. WA is thought to be the oldest place on the planet, where the earth began. And in many ways this is the beginning of my trip too. I did spend a large amount of time back home, re-falling in love with my complex, troubled, marvellous country - South Africa! But that was more of a time to show it off to the Kiwi and catch up and re-connect with friends and family. I will try and write about my adventures there at some point, but at the moment, Australia is where my head is at and so that is where I will begin!
So Perth, here I am! The city that many South Africans have chosen to call home, more because of its closeness to South Africa (a mere 9 hours flight) than due to any of its own attributes (although there are many wonderful ones). The most remote and isolated city in the world. The city my mum wished to move to in her early 20s, but which she has not yet visited. The city that has on average the most sunshine of any city in the world (to quote my tourist bus trip: "Perth has the climate California wishes it had!")
I arrived early Sunday (14 March) morning after a sleepless flight. Much of it I spent watching the flight path (which was mainly ocean), trying to get comfortable and hoping I wasn't going to have any African items snatched from me. (Due to their isolation, Australia and New Zealand are particularly strict with what gets brought though customs. African items are deemed a potential danger... this could include me, what with SA's AIDS rate and high TB infection.) I was greeted off the plane by sniffer dogs which encouraged me to throw away the biltong I had brought along for the trip immediately. Walking through the thin line being sniffed by these dogs I worried that one of them would be sit down and drugs would be found on my person. Images of "banged up abroad" flashed through my mind while the logical side assured me that it was impossible for drugs to have been snuck onto me. Passing through customs was also nerve racking- I had declared my wooden serving spoons, but not the pencils for the Kiwi's niece and nephews. They were found and confiscated as unbeknown to me they had animal hide on the top. (I am going to have to charm the family with my personality now that the gifts are gone!) Despite my fear of uniforms, everybody was very friendly and welcoming.
I was welcomed by my friend and ex-work colleague from London, Keira! She and her mum are very kindly putting me up for the week I am here. I am calling this my "True Blue Aussie Experience", which is ironic as Keira's mum, Antonia, is in fact British. They live in a suburb out of Perth called Coolbellup. Keira tells me that it used to be a very rough area with mainly council houses and that recently people have started buying property and so it is going up, the "bogan" population still exists and as I am going to be using public transport (something that middle class Perth doesn't do as much) I am sure to encounter some interesting characters.
My first impression of Perth is that it is dry, very dry! Unlike the Garden Route in South Africa, there aren't signs around telling you to preserve water, the landscape says it better than signs ever could. Without being told, I had a quick shower, don't run water when brushing my teeth and am aware constantly that this is an area in grave danger of running out of water. This is confirmed by Antonia when I discuss the amount of development happening in Perth CBD. There is a real fear that WA will run out of water.
I decided to push through the tiredness and join Keira and Antonia at family friends of theirs for a "barbie". As a traveller, you can pay for any experience, but I guess what we all search for it the local experience, to be a part of that country as it is, at least for a day. What a treat to experience that on my first day! Everybody was so warm and friendly and laid back. Sitting out in the garden with a couple of men barbecuing in the background, I almost had to giggle for the picture perfect Australianism of it all! It didn't take me long to crash though and the rest of the day was spent dead to the world.
On Monday I began the exploration. Keira and her mum headed to work (like most the world- do you hear my gloating?) I was given step by step instructions on how the public transport worked and where/when/how I would get to Perth centre. Now, as those who know me will know, directions are not my strong point. In fact it is miraculous considering how often I have ventured to places alone that I am not still wandering around Europe lost. I saw a local supermarket, so headed to draw some money and get an Australian sim card. I was waiting for my bus (it turns out that London is not the only place where buses have a timetable, but arrive when they arrive) when a lady in a nurses uniform rushed up hot and sweaty to get the bus. In the time that we waited for the bus and got to the station, I heard about her job, her son who is unemployed due to getting injured at work, but how he should go and work on the mines (a common theme it seems in WA), her disabled daughter, her run ins with the school, her daughter's terrible South African (that part was important) teacher, how she's a member of the "Universal Arrogant Bitches Club" and many other thoughts she had on the world. Is this a typical Aussie or a crazy lady who needs somebody to talk to I had to ask myself? For all her ranting, she was exceptionally helpful and friendly. In fact, so was everybody. People passing you on the street said hello, the shop assistants smiled, the bus driver spoke to you. This seems to be a culture of socialising, of being friendly!
The train trip into Perth was stunning. The train tracks go parallel to Swan River. Perth itself looks like a city surrounded by water. The high rise office blocks which all reflect into the sun look down on both the Swan and Canning Rivers. There is a ferry that takes people to South Perth (and is part of Perth transport). The city feels wholesome. It makes you want to spend the day on the river, or jogging/cycling alongside it. You can imagine the stress levels drop as you look out of your office window to the world outside. You can almost see Perth as it is, an oasis/gem in the middle of a harsh, dry land. You can understand why people from WA are so proud of where they're from and why they cannot understand why so many people miss out their city for the Eastern cities which are closer and far less isolated.
I spent both Monday and yesterday exploring the city. I got a two day pass on the hop on, hop off bus - for half price thanks to a friendly English lady who had a discount card for two and included me in the discount. (Gotta love a bargain - I am becoming Australian already!) I also explored much of it on foot, walking through the shopping streets wishing myself rich and wondering why I always choose length of time over having lots of money! I watched a street performer named 'Bruce' (surely not!) Visited the Art Gallery of Western Australia, walked along the Jetty, looked around an Aboriginal Art Gallery and I fell in love with Kings Park (if for no other reason, this is reason enough to put Perth on the to-do-list). Kings Park is a huge park on top of a hill. It includes water gardens, botanical gardens (WA is one of the world's biodiversity hot spots and many of it's unique species are in grave danger of becoming extinct). The views of the city and the river are spectacular. It was hard to resist spending two full days admiring the view and soaking up the sun. The botanical garden was divided into regions of WA and plants that can be found there. There was a women's walk, celebrating a hundred years of most Australian women being given the vote (Aboriginal women only received it in the 1950s!) Interspersed in the park are aspects of Aboriginal culture and I have learnt how much I still have to learn about this culture. It is a treasure to the city in the way that Central Park is to New York.
On Monday evening, Keira took me to explore Fremantle (known as Freo by the locals, yes, they do shorten everything!) We drove around the harbour and the old prison with Keira telling my stories of the history as well as her history there (the ice cream shop she worked at, the good pubs to drink at, where people go and when). There are a number of gorgeous shops and excellent bookshops that I will be losing myself in this afternoon when I go and visit again. We eventually settled into a coffee shop on Cappuccino strip - how can you not love a place that has a road referred to as Cappuccino strip? With a cappuccino in hand and a huge piece of chocolate cake, we gossiped about London days and news on the Australian recruitment company we worked at and met through. The irony is that this city that is the beginning of my adventure feels to her like the end of hers (she has only recently returned from London). What makes us feel so much more free when we are away from home? Why can't we embrace life when we are settled in the same way that we do when we travel? These questions sit with me while I embark on this new adventure. Along with the question, why do we travel? This seems a very simple question, until you really try and answer it.
Yesterday late afternoon I met Keira in an area called Claremont (which I keep accidentally referring to as Cavendish- Cape Townians will understand why!) We headed off to the strip of beaches - WOW! Long beaches of white sand on the Indian Ocean. It was quite windy yesterday so the kite surfers were out, as well as a number of runners in board shorts. We settled in for a drink at a restaurant overlooking Cottesloe Beach and to enjoy the view, which included some topless men doing pushups! This area is famous for its Sunday Sessions, which are basically Sunday afternoon drinking sessions. Australians must have brought this tradition to London as we had many of them, although not in as gorgeous scenery.
I am off now to have lunch in Freo and then may head down to Cottesloe. I have booked the next leg of my trip to Uluru/Ayres Rock (which was harder than it sounds). The Kiwi is calling later to get the Australian update. Life is good....
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Sue McCarter
non-member comment
Dream city
Fanb.....tastic start - didn't want it to end. PLEASE keep it up so don't have to pay for a trip of my own :))