Delightful Perth

Thursday 12 September began fine enough for Heidi to take me for a waterfall walk in nearby Ellis Brook Nature Reserve. I already knew I was not too fit, but I soon realised it would have been wise not to have always used the same leg on the steep and numerous steps; it was only sore and stiff for a few days! We then drove to Kings Park, and while Heidi and Peter lunched I enjoyed wandering around the gardens and paths, especially the new high level walk.  I was most impressed with this first of several such boardwalks I experienced around Australia, and the native wildflowers were putting on a magnificent show. 

Sixty Foot Waterfall

Peter and Heidi in Kings Park

High level walk with views to Swan River

Wildflowers in Kings Park

I was then dropped in the city centre where I recognised very little! I managed to locate the relocated WAOA (once in Hay Street where offices were now being demolished and rebuilt) and was more than a little surprised to be recognised as I walked in the door! [I was unable to return Jim this favour. I had worked 18mths at WAOA, and learnt that a reunion dinner was being held that weekend. News later reached me that the founder who, plagued by severe familial dementia for over a decade, had not attended died soon after.] Another colleague now had his own practice just up the road; as Ian was out I left a message. I mostly avoided souvenir shops, and felt rather pleased to have discovered that a free, if rather indirect, bus was an alternative to my idea of walking to Leederville. I was also most amused that it was a CAT bus but alas it turned out quite unlike the Catbus in the Japanese animated fantasy film 'My Neighbor Totoro'! I had forgotten, or underestimated, just how attached Aussies are to their cars. Rush hour in Perth was a sight I would prefer not to have beheld, especially from a bus which in an hour moved just one block along Colin Street. I nodded off soundly twice with confidence, as my destination was the terminus for this route. 

End of the working day for many in Perth, 12 November 2013

I was relieved to not only hear but also answer a call on 'my' mobile (a device of which I am not fond, and passed on permanently to Jason when we met) from Liz once nearing their practice; Liz and I had studied optometry together at QIT in Brisbane. Although the afternoon had been fine, the initial suggestion from Liz of going to "the beach to watch the sunset with fish & chips" was not possible now cold rain had set in. Instead it was great to meet Liz's three daughters and partner Steve at Clancy's Fish Bar, City Beach. Steve then kindly drove back to Gosnells, familiar territory where he had once upon a time lived and worked. Heidi had advised me not to travel by train in their area after 7.30pm, so I was most pleased to be safely delivered to the door.

Steve, Tessa, Josie, Kari and Liz celebrate Kari's birthday

Friday morning Peter showed me his 'office', or rather an impressive site where his business Hycon Hydraulic Systems has flourished. We then visited a nearby sanctuary with many kangaroos in various states of rehabilitation. I'm not sure I would have the necessary patience or technique to feed the awkward recovering frog mouth owl. In the afternoon Ian paid a most unexpected but welcome visit, bearing treats from Miss Maud, an enterprise I remembered. 

Darling Range Wildlife Shelter

Ian, having ventured out to Pitt Street in Martin, was soon relieved of his cakes.

I was soon to endure my first and only Jetstar flight. They do not serve complimentary food, but I had heartily devoured Heidi's delicious beef stroganoff dinner, rounded off with freshly baked chocolate brownies. Heidi and Angela drove me back to the airport and assisted with checking in. I was sad my time in WA was already over, but most pleased with all that had happened.

Friday dinner with Peter, Chloe, Heidi, Cody and Rochelle

The 10pm 'red eye' to Cairns left an hour late and did not make up any time... An uncharacteristically helpful security man told Steve (son of my maternal cousin June) of the delay so he returned to his hotel. While others breakfasted, I was more than happy to be deposited in this hotel for a sleep as I feared some serious jet lag had begun to set in! I also knew that, judging from reports of visits by Jason and Hester, I was about to have an amazing time with Steve and Tanya in Far North Queensland (FNQ).

Arrival in Western Australia

I asked Mum if she would write up some of our time in Australia, and this is what happened...

Jason asked if I would be a guest blogger. I believe his intention was that I would write something of our time together, thus saving Jason some effort. However this seemed to me an opportunity to immortalise(?!) the rest of my fantastic time in Australia with amazing friends for whom nothing was too much trouble to make my visit perfect. Hopefully Jason's inspired posts will suitably record the month we spent together with family and friends in the delightful surrounds of South East Queensland (SEQ)!

I arrived in Perth at noon, Monday 9 September. 'Die Sonne scheint hell und warm' was the first German sentence I remember learning at school. It was almost applicable - the sun was hot, and VERY bright! I blinked hard. While my luggage had been quickly dispatched, claimed, and searched in detail by customs officers, Heidi and Angela (friends from when I lived in Perth 1978-79) were lounging upstairs in an airport coffee shop. Luckily they descended before, despite wearing a hat, I was overcome by sunstroke! Soon we were driving along exotic roads with unique flora enroute to suburban Perth. I felt great, and enjoyed the afternoon catching up with news and making a start on meeting Heidi and Peter's family before going to Angela's, via her parents (why do so many people remember my clarinet??), for a wonderful meal and welcome bed.

Rochelle, Peter and Lydia

Angela with her parents

Western Australia (WA) had looked surprisingly green from the air - so much so that I wondered whether the plane had taken a seriously wrong turn along the way. Next day I discovered why when the sun was replaced by rain, and lots of it. With the help of Arnie (a Schwarzenegger-sound-alike visiting techie) we made the decision to head south. This was my big chance to see the beach house Heidi and Peter own and often share with groups from their church. The ongoing very wet season explained the abundance, in low lying fields, of arum lilies, flowers which I had not noticed in earlier years and the locals abhorred.

Heidi (hiding) and Angela in front of Dunsborough house

Heidi is justifiably proud of her prize winning photo of the local jetty at sunrise, seen here in their beach home

Arum lilies growing wild

Good weather stayed with us that day as we explored the Dunsborough beach (just across the road and a dune from the VERY spacious holiday house) and other delights on offer around Margaret River. Some spent what looked to me a fortune in the chocolate factory. Still smarting from the very favourable (to Aussies!) value of the dollar, never mind the higher prices for many products imported from 'over East', I enjoyed the free samples! Heidi generously took us out to dinner - in return I merely bought icecreams at a place of great repute, Simmo's, next day...

It was just a short walk to the sea

Tuesday afternoon was already quite windy at the beach

Beautifully presented dinner in Dunsborough

Wednesday morning continued windy and the rain moved south and caught up with us. We were almost blown away at Canal Rocks, gasped at the magnificent Karri trees of Boranup Forest, and explored several delightful craft shops, before heading back to Perth. After dinner Angela's son Peter made a delicious, spoon stand up in, frothy coffee for me :) It was then time to move over to Heidi's home where I had a couple of (unnecessary) concerns. The house was big (as expected for a family which had 10 children), but I did not get lost finding 'my' (well Lizzie's really!) distant room. The doberman Bronson (or Bron :-Z ) seemed to trust me well enough not to not impede my way, even during the short times I was otherwise home alone. Phew - animals have never been my forte!

Heidi in Boranup Karri Forest

Mark observes Peter making the coffee

Heidi and Bronson at home

Welcome home mum!

Monday 16th September made the weather earlier in the week look positively brilliant - after waiting out a shower I headed into town again to check out the National Gallery of Victoria and The Treasury. With the rain not easing up I gave up on my plans for a walk around the back streets of Melbourne and a ride up to the top of the Eureka Tower and instead returned to Flemington to change in to some dry clothes in preparation for me and Ross meeting up with his cousin, Lisa, for dinner.

MCG viewed through a bridge

Ross was amazing and as well as driving me to the airport woke me up where my alarm somehow failed - another early morning start, with Tiger Air which worked out cheaper than Jetstar on this occasion, allowing me more hand luggage into the bargain (I still managed to be 1.6kg over the limit and found myself frantically drinking up and stuffing my pockets...). After hearing plenty of less than good things about Tiger Air I was glad to make it safely back to Brisbane only an hour or so late. I could tell I would not be needing my coat or jumper any more as I departed the airport and made my way slowly back to Marie's house. Still not feeling too well I was glad I had opted for the flight up to Brisbane rather than road travel, and the remainder of Tuesday and Wednesday were spent recuperating.

Gateway Motorway

It was time to get back into action on Thursday - I met Ros for a trip up to the airport to see mum arrive! We made a rather efficient job of collecting her and returning to Ros's abode in Mount Cotton.

Mum arriving at Brisbane airport

A calm moment with wombat for 10mth Kimba at Ros' house

Rosilyn by her front door