G'day from WA
It was almost a year since being back home - and I was itching for the chilled out sunny lifestyle which I grew up knowing. Perth delivered. Awesome weather - 30-36 degrees on various days (though the odd day of 24 - seemed damn cold after 36). Was a great recharge of the batteries. Spent time lazing on the beach (I still have a wife-beater tan), and catching up with people. Planned to do work, but it didn't happen.
I arrived to some nice afternoon Sun after some bitchin' flights - 14 hours London - KL, a few hours in the airport then 5.5 hrs KL to Perth. Not to mention the 8hrs time diff.... Ugghh. Actually 10 days is way too short for a trip home - you basically lose 2 days from travelling and jet-lag; and I didn't get to see everyone I had planned.
Anyway, it was awesome to catch up with the fam. I surprised everyone by appearing at my grandma's 80th birthday dinner. She was totally shocked when I walked in last, hiding behind the people greeting each other infront of me. Good stuff. Caught up with the family a fair bit, went out for dinner+drinks with grandparents, beers with Rick and a big family bbq (I had Kangaroo - yes!) which involved eating and drinking until the early hours of the morning. Sweet.
I think if you look up Perth in a dictionary, the definition will read 'laid back'. After being to Europe, everything seems small. Can't believe the population is 1.5mil - because the city is so spread out, it seems sooooo empty. Seriously - it has as many people as Vienna! But the beaches are incredible, you can go there, in the heat of the day, on a weekend and still have space to yourself, and maybe even find your own secluded area. The nightlife is OK, but you really need to know where to go, as well as have axs to a car or taxi. But I enjoyed being back.
Caught up with some mates too, particularly Tim + Kelly, Joel and Frank. It's funny that they are all back only temporarily, all likely to head away again soon. Most of my mates I grew up with are scattered all over the place. Heh - the day after I arrived it was the going away party (to London) of a mate from high-school. Basically nobody's left in Perth!
Did a few things tho. They had these sculptures at a popular beach (Cottesloe) which I checked out with Gary Cruise (Joel). After we went to the institution known as The Cott for a Sunday Sesh. Wow having beers by sunset in the warmth with some great mid-90s dance tracks - aint nothing like it. I was there for St Patrick's day - so my sisters and I met up with Tim & Kelly - later Frank and Joel came, along with some of Richelle's mates, and we hit Northbridge. Jess hit it in a big way and needed the sobering effects of litres of water + chips. All good. We also hit a cocktail night which was kinda fun. Latin night @ The Deen is always great - a big international crowd, rooms of brasilian music, salsa and DJs, hit that up in a big way - having tequila bombs (beer with a tequila shot dropped in). Good times. Australians are known to be alcoholics. I can see why. Though it's diff to the UK :)
I always used to complain about Perth - but I really enjoyed going back. Well first and foremost it is the people I miss, not so much the place. Having said that, I still feel tied to the place I grew up, and I can see why the property market etc there is going crazy - awesome weather, amazing nature, proximity to temperate wine regions as well as tropics, laid-back lifestyle. Sounds like I'm writing a travel brochure. Not sure when I'll be back next, but I think I'll bring some friends with me so they can check it out...
Pics here
I arrived to some nice afternoon Sun after some bitchin' flights - 14 hours London - KL, a few hours in the airport then 5.5 hrs KL to Perth. Not to mention the 8hrs time diff.... Ugghh. Actually 10 days is way too short for a trip home - you basically lose 2 days from travelling and jet-lag; and I didn't get to see everyone I had planned.
Anyway, it was awesome to catch up with the fam. I surprised everyone by appearing at my grandma's 80th birthday dinner. She was totally shocked when I walked in last, hiding behind the people greeting each other infront of me. Good stuff. Caught up with the family a fair bit, went out for dinner+drinks with grandparents, beers with Rick and a big family bbq (I had Kangaroo - yes!) which involved eating and drinking until the early hours of the morning. Sweet.
 Nana's 80th |  Messy nights |
Caught up with some mates too, particularly Tim + Kelly, Joel and Frank. It's funny that they are all back only temporarily, all likely to head away again soon. Most of my mates I grew up with are scattered all over the place. Heh - the day after I arrived it was the going away party (to London) of a mate from high-school. Basically nobody's left in Perth!
Did a few things tho. They had these sculptures at a popular beach (Cottesloe) which I checked out with Gary Cruise (Joel). After we went to the institution known as The Cott for a Sunday Sesh. Wow having beers by sunset in the warmth with some great mid-90s dance tracks - aint nothing like it. I was there for St Patrick's day - so my sisters and I met up with Tim & Kelly - later Frank and Joel came, along with some of Richelle's mates, and we hit Northbridge. Jess hit it in a big way and needed the sobering effects of litres of water + chips. All good. We also hit a cocktail night which was kinda fun. Latin night @ The Deen is always great - a big international crowd, rooms of brasilian music, salsa and DJs, hit that up in a big way - having tequila bombs (beer with a tequila shot dropped in). Good times. Australians are known to be alcoholics. I can see why. Though it's diff to the UK :)
 Only Venice Beach is good enough for Gary Cruise |  Sunday Sesh at the Cott, overlooking the beach |
I always used to complain about Perth - but I really enjoyed going back. Well first and foremost it is the people I miss, not so much the place. Having said that, I still feel tied to the place I grew up, and I can see why the property market etc there is going crazy - awesome weather, amazing nature, proximity to temperate wine regions as well as tropics, laid-back lifestyle. Sounds like I'm writing a travel brochure. Not sure when I'll be back next, but I think I'll bring some friends with me so they can check it out...
Pics here
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