Saturday, December 03, 2011

Perth....No Worries Mate

Hello All ,
It's been some time since I last posted one of my Visionari blogs.

Since returning from my last foray in Europe (unexpected adventures in broken bones) I've escaped the ferocious New Zealand spring and it's incessant ride on lawn mowing at Rosedale!


This will no doubt be my first job when I return from Aussie! Below is the new covered in "SheepYards Gardens"...more taming awaits me there too!


Christine has once again been sent to Perth, Australia on work duties, so I/ we.... decided to have a pre-Christmas break across the ditch.


Getting to Perth was not without it's challenges,  I had booked my flights through the Flight Centre travel agents. My tickets were under the name of Jimu (made sense to me, at the time, when the travel agent asked my name)...but when I got to the check in desk at the airport, as it was an international flight, my tickets had to match the name on my passport (James Robert), so I missed the connecting flight from Auckland and caught a later one! Left my Olympus camera on the Nelson-Auckland flight, so not such a great start to this holiday!

This poster welcomed me in the Sydney Airport gents toilet......... an insight into the Aussie humor.


Anyway getting into Perth and met by Christine...it was all worth it!
We are staying very near the city across from the Barrack Street Ferry and I take the 7 minute journey each day when going into town.



Perth weather is hot and windy, the locals seem to start their day very early (5-6-7am) with many running, cycling, walking, before the heat of the day. After their day....the pubs and Tab's are heavily frequented. 

 

In the city centre The Hay Street Mall has this Percy Button statue. A famous Perth Busker (acrobat) in the 1920's who was murdered, I put on my clown face and hat and busked happily thinking it won't happen in the same place to another busker!

I spent quite a bit of time in the Perth Mac Store getting advice from the Mac Genius's in the store.
Pretty impressive place with all the vibe and excitement! The assistants  meet you with iPads in there hand confirming your booking appointment....I was taken by one of the assistants style as she twirled her iPad before the next customer, much like a gunslinger would with his colt 45in the wild west!

I also visited the WA Museum, which has a visiting exhibition from the British Museum called "Extraordinary Stories"
Extraordinary Stories from the British Museum





After this I headed down to Fremantle on the train.  Freo as the locals call it, is hosting the ISAF World Sailing Championships, which is also a qualifier and run up to next years London Olympics, so there are 80 teams participating.


I walked into Didgeridoo Breath, a shop selling digeridoos (what else!) and met an Iranian (Jimi) and Japanese (Sanshi) and had a blow in the shop.... the place was jumping.....even the guy on the till was joining in!




















In Market Street behind Gino's cafe was a street party and I met and chatted to Horatio in front of his mural wall.


And John (Johannes) in his electric bath.....Freo is the Takaka equivalent of Perth...and it shows!

 
I watched the sun disappear into the sea at Bathers Beach, Kidogo Arthouse Gallery had a special joint aborigine/white man Exhibition and live music as the night slowly sneaked in!

 



I managed to find WA Circus School (their door was open and I wandered in) and returned later in the evening to sit in and learn a few juggling and hat tricks.
I tried the unicycles....got on a 6 ft Giraffe unicycle, was shown how to get on it...... then.....chickened out....the memory of my last overseas adventure, suggested caution!...This time I listened!!!!


The circus school was great to watch and their warm up exercises, show how incredibly fit you need to be for this occupation (and young too!) 
Thanks Adam for your hospitality and willingness to show an oldie a thing or two!


Today I'm taking it easy after spraining my ankle playing ball with Christine's nephew's kids who we visited yesterday.

Only 3 days till I make the homeward run!
Should be able to squeeze another Blog before this Aussie Adventure closes!

Cheers and Ciao

"No worries mate"...Perth Lingo for.....the NZ "She'll be right!"

Jimu