Perth, Western Austraila, 2006, Part 1

We arrived in Perth on the 6th Of January, and we are going to spend the next 3-4 months living and working here and to taste life as a local rather than a traveller. On arrival the temperature was a mere 35 degrees and apart from one soild day of rain and a couple of cool days (26 degrees), 35 degrees has been the usual, which sounds great, but honestly after a week of it, it tends to be a pain in the arse and i haven't even done a days work in it yet which i think may become a bind.

Anyway since our arrival, life in Perth has been a bit up and down, with the finding of jobs and a home alot harder than we first antisipated, not many people will accept less than a 6 month lease and those that do tend to be shit holes. My original job fell through as they decided they wanted someone more permanent and Sonya's offers of nannying jobs were a joke with her being offered only $200 a week (approx 95 pounds) to work full time looking after 3 young kids and expected to do some cleaning and cooking, i don't think i need to repeat what her answer to that was. On the up side, Perth is a beautiful place, thankfully not as big as Sydney with the city centre fairly small and the surrounding suburbs mostly being bungalows and the place has a nice homely feel to it. We originally checked into a great backpackers - The Witches Hat - which was a small place full of older people, which is how we like it and most had been there a while, which gave it that family feel. However the last week we have been living with Jules and Jeremy, the lovely couple who we met in Sydney and they have really looked after us, the first weekend here they took us around Perth showing us the different areas and then took us to Freemantle (Freo to us locals) for lunch. Freo looks stunning and we can't wait to go down there and do the tourist sight seeing. They also took us to meet Jules parents Barry and Cheryl, a really great couple who we took an instant like to and they made us feel very welcome, Barry has some great one liners, the first few flew straight over my head, but we are now on his wavelength and like everybody else we just take them in our stride.

The following day, Jules, Barry and Cheryl drove us to a place called Mandurah which is an hour south of Perth and next to the Peel inlet, a big kind of lake. This is where we met Andrew (Jules Brother) his wife Mel and her family. They were renting a holiday home which is built on to a road of canals. Rudy (Mels dad) took us out on his boat to do some Crabbing. We each had a go of pulling up 10 nets to see how many we each could catch. They had to be over a certain size otherwise they to be chucked back in (Rules of the lake) Sonya and the rest all caught 1 each, i managed to catch 2, not bad for a rookie. It was great fun, we even saw a dolphin as we headed back in. When we got back we cooked and ate our catch, surprisingly crab tasted very nice, probably better having caught it ourselves.

The next week was back to being a downer as we contantly serched for jobs and accomadation, which became tiring and fraustrating and at this point we really began to miss home, we justed wanted to wrap up and go. The highlight of the week was going to watch a soccer match in typical English conditions, it hammered it down and there was no cover, so Sonya wasn't happy. Unfortunately the standard of the Oz top division soccer is shocking, and all the chants coming from the crowd sounded like it was full of Londoners (probably was). And the fact that there is hardly any away supporters (think distance), it lacks atmosphere.

The weekend gone 14/15 January was again a good weekend, the saturday we spent at J&J's 2nd home in the hills which they are turning into a Guest house, we just went and helped with the fruit picking and mowing of the grass, imanage to get bit by a couple of sargent ants which are about 2cm long, Jeremy forgot to mention about the nest and i managed to stand right in it, the nasty little sods bit both my ankles, trust me it was quite painful. We spent the evening at Jeremy's parents and saw our first Kangaroo and its little Joey (child for those who don't know) which was cool. jeremy's dad then put on the barbeque and produced his guitar, his played and sung a couple of tunes which sounded great and then let me loose on it, it was nice to play again and i produced a couple of tracks that went down well.

Finally things are begining to look up. we have been accepted on a 3 month lease on a nice fully furnished house in a suburb called Maylands (5 mins from city) Sonya has got a job in a call centre, which she has started today thurs 19/1 and i have got a job panel beating which i start on Mon 23/1. We are now looking to enjoy our 3 months as locals, but can't wait to get travelling again.

Lee

Sydney, Australia

Well we were very sorry to leave new zealand absolutely loved it and had the best time so far. But the biggest journey is ahead of us AUSTRALIA!!!! We landed in sydney on 23rd december and were welcomed by the biggest sunshine ever a high of 34 degrees definitely not what we have been used to. Sydney already feeling very big and we both felt slightly claustrophobic. Went to see the opera house and the harbour bridge all lit up on our first night which looked fab.
The next day met up with our very good friends from back at home, Driff, Marie, Ado, Kim, Vicky, Russ, Mike (aka Terry) and Josh. Thought it would feel completely wierd as not seen most of them for at least 6 months but felt like we had never been away from each other.
On xmas eve night met up with two more of our now new friends taffy and nicky and the rest of the gang for teapot cocktails like the ones in queenstown in nz and got rather tipsy a fab night and lots of giggles to get us in the festive mood.
Spent most of our time in sydney lazing around on several beaches from coogee to bondi to shelly to manly. All exceptionally beautiful. Spent xmas day lounging around on bondi beach defintiely the most bizarre xmas so far wierd with all the shops open normal hours and the bus service running a normal service. We tried to make it as festive as possible by putting our santa hats on but with no snow or a roast turkey dinner just didn't feel like xmas at all but a great time was had.
Moved out of our hostel and moved in with Driff and Marie in their hired apartment in Coogee for our last week in sydney, was great to have a bit of luxury and a double room all to ourselves yippee!!
Well we both got over our fears of snorkelling and snorkelled along Shelly beach one of the northern beaches next to manly. Saw lots of cool fish and coral and was amazed how easy it actually was when you don't panic.
Went to see one of our travelling friends Lady Claire whilst in sydney as she was housesitting in Neutral Bay a quiet suburb in sydney which we accessed by ferry and got some amazing views of the bridge and opera house. Had a fab evening of fine wine and yummy food and was great to hear all about her adventures and just to generally catch up.
The best was yet to come New Years Eve. Wow Wow Wow. The gang arrived plus two new friends Jeremy and Jules from perth at Mrs MacQuarie's point (the best view point to see the fireworks on the bridge.) at 12pm and basked in the baking 40 degree heat for twelve hours until we saw the fireworks which was well worth the wait. They were absolutely amazing and definitely worth the around the world trip to see them. Whilst waiting for the fireworks lots of singing was to be had organised by some random english guy who got up in front of the about 25,000 and began doing the mexican wave and making us all sing along and then Jules got herself up to the front for a rendidtion of the lion sleeps tonight! with the help of the british guy and the rest of the crowd. Hilarious and excellent entertainment The best new years eve ever! Hopefully going to catch up with Jules and Jermey whilst we are in Perth.
Spent New Years Day recovering in bed with a hangover and not daring to leave the apartment as it was 45 degrees and extremely humid so spent the beginning of the new year just chilling out a great way to start the beginning of a new year.
Finally on the 3rd January the rain and clouds came and we brits were extremely grateful for a bit of cool weather and out came the opportunity for the shithead (card game) championship and at the end of our time in sydney Lee was crowned the official shithead champion and happy he was not and ecstatic I was especially as he lost against a girl (Marie) sniff that!! (private joke).
Well next stop Perth and again goodbyes to Driff and Marie and the rest of the gang as we all go our seperate ways. We are hoping to get some work and a home for the next 3-4 months to recoupe some money before travelling up and down the West Coast sometime in April. But we have had a memorable and fantastic time in Sydney and look forward to a wonderful 2006. Happy New Year to you all!!!!

Lee and Sonya xx