Ozfest

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Well we left Scarborough beach at the right time - the night before we left there were tantrums and couples fighting in the corridoors - mental. We avoided it all by drinking beers with other calm people in the pool room.

We headed to Fremantle along the coast and stayed there for 5 nights - this hostel was much cleaner (no parrot poo) but lacking in character compared to the hostel/commune we had just come from. We did have the dorm to ourselves for 3 of the nights though which was nice especially as we were trying to conserve money and hanging out reading and playing nintendo was easier when we weren't sharing a room.

Fremantle is really really lovely - quiet wee seaside town full of old buildings and with a lovely atmosphere. Everything seemed to shut at about 5 o'clock though including newsagents - one night we walked around for about an hour trying to find a shop (the place is small so we lapped the main street about 6 times). We eventually found one so you can all relax. We also went to Fremantle prison (site of a famous Fenian escape) for a tour - it was really interesting and our guide was great. The prison was built by convicts in the 1850s - they built it, then were put into it! It only closed in 1991 at which time inmates were still pooing into paint cans (they tried chemical toilets but the inhabitants drank the chemicals). The death penalty and corporal punishment was still being carried out up till 1984 and children as young as 11 were there until about 1979. Insane - the cells were incredibly small and conditions seemed poor to say the least. Really interesting stuff and well worth a visit. So now with Kilmainham and Fremantle under our belts we look forward to Alcatraz next year!


On Wednesday morning we headed to Mandurah, not too sure of what we would find but it was basically the end of the train line in the other direction and without a car (or a driver!) it's hard to be adventurous. Another seaside town which seems to be a popular spot for Perth people to holiday. It's the school holidays at the moment so it's very busy and there's a good buzz about the place. When we arrived (a little hungover after the previous nights wine consumption) we asked about for a hostel and nobody was aware of one. We were pointed in the direction of the tourist office who advised us to try the caravan parks so we did and we are staying in a cabin in one of them - just like Home & Away. (Thank you Aideen for the warning to stay away from Pippa incase she tries to foster us. )

Here we have been mostly wandering about, playing fussball and sleeping. Yesterday we celebrated Sean Lucey's 30th by having a scatter of pints in ....you guessed it..an Irish pub (is there any other kind?). The place is full of nice little cafes and fish 'n chip shops as well as a little funfair (I'll get Paul on that carousel yet)

At this stage we are just really looking forward to NZ and, brace yourselves, getting a job and place to live. We have decided to head for Wellington to set up basecamp - seems to be the place with the most theatres, live music, comedy etc and is supposed to be a really nice place to live. We'll give it a go anyway.

We are both still loving our adventure. Looking foward to halloween pictures of my little munchkins (mario and luigi is a great idea Sean and Evan!) Conor - write and tell me yourself and Rosie's plans!

Love to all even old people like Jen Breen and Sean Lucey.

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Photos

triona and smokey
he likes to let the air out of people's tyres