Monday 18 February 2019

And on to Perth ...

Saturday (9th February) in Singapore was hot, hot, hot!
After breakfast we packed up all our possessions, checked out of the hotel and left the luggage with them before setting out once more. 

Our original thoughts were to spend most of the day in China Town but it was just too hot so once again found ourselves down at the gardens and shopping centre where we had lunch. We asked in a rather upmarket cafe for High Tea for two please.  The waiter eventually brought the cake stand with a very nice selection of sandwiches and pastries and ... one cup of tea!  I pointed out that we had ordered two and off he went, us thinking that he'd bring another cup of tea but he brought another stand too!  I ate most of the sandwiches and George ate most of the cakes so I asked if he would mind putting the cakes in a box/bag for us to take away.  Off he went and came back with a nice carrier and we left ... we'd eat them later while waiting for the taxi to the airport.  We got back to the hotel about 2pm and collected our bags, sorted our bits and bobs we'd need on the flight and opened the bag of cakes ... the idiot had also put the left over bread in with the cakes so they were covered with fish and whatever else ... so they all went into the bin and we went hungry!

We arrived at Changi Airport in plenty of time ...
and it wasn't long before we saw our flight QF72 an Airbus Industrie 330-200 

taking off just after 7pm ...

for our 5½ hour flight to Perth arriving at half past midnight on Sunday (11th)

We had a lovely reunion with my brother Garry and sister in law Sue at the arrivals lounge and then sat in their garden until 02:30 before collapsing into bed!  

Sunday was a wonderful day also spent in the garden with my nephews Dean, Ryan, Kye and their families.  Lots of laughter with the younger children who were in and out of the swimming pool all day and of course lots of laughter and drinks with the adults in the shade.  Sorry no photos ... too overwhelmed with the fact that we were here in Australia spending this hot day with all these lovely family members some of whom we'd not met before.

Monday (11th) while Sue was at work, Garry, George and I took an open bus ride from Kings Park high above the city of Perth



Driving through the city on the 'hop on/hop off' bus we see what looks like 'old' buildings but many of them are just a facade behind which is very modern concrete/glass building!
Our first stop was Elizabeth Quay where The Towers accommodating the Ritz-Carlton hotel are being built
and what is generally known as 'the paper clip'!


My brother Garry had a bit of a panic when we reached Kings Park for the bus tour ... he realised that he'd left is sunglasses, wallet and money-off vouchers at home ... but no worries it didn't cost more since we would now be paying for the day!
... but just for Sue's information, he did mention when passing this window of very expensive pearls that he would have bought 'that' for her ... if he'd remembered his wallet!!   not!!
















A favourite watering hole for Garry and Sue is the Lucky Shag where we had a very tasty lunch before re-boarding the bus






... the driver of which was French!
The photo's below were taken from the bus as we continued our tour but I'm not sure what most of them are 
I do know though that this is the back of The Old Courthouse



Lots of English place names around Perth ... Welshpool, Kelmscott, Brighton, Scarborough, Caversham and lots more
Enlarge/expand to see the black swans with their cygnets in the top left corner above


Next stop was Perth's Royal Mint
Our guide for the tour was Jarrard ... he was very entertaining

you couldn't slip that in your pocket and run away with it.







Warning ... the video below shows the making of a gold bar and is just over 4 minutes in length ...



Frangipani - very scented!
... and back to the bus ...



... and Kings Park where we'd started the tour and another look around ...
The Swan River weaves in and out of Perth before it reaches the Indian Ocean.







A fabulous first day in Perth.

1 comment:

Vallypee said...

What a wonderful time you're having, Carol and George. Perth looks lovely, and all that wonderful sunshine too! Sigh!