Western Australia
 
 
 
 
 
 

Tues 5th April

Another fine morn to rise to. The sun rising in a cloudless blue sky. And this is their Autumn. Back in the UK we would be proud to call it our height of summer. The birds are singing, the kookaburra is making its usual racket and it's time to set off to Perth. Plenty to do today. First of all I had to update the website at this internet cafe which boasts over 60 terminals and wireless connectivity, then I wanted to look around the shops before meeting Dave for lunch in a Sushi bar for my first experience of Japanese food. I have been more than reliably informed by a correspondent that Sushi is only the rice ingredient (sticky rice at that). I always thought it was the raw fish but there you go. So I will pick my sushi, wrapped in seaweed and either have fish or chicken with it or maybe some other exotic ingredient. Who knows, the world is my oyster. But I won't have Oyster as it seems to be just a ball of slime.

First problem was that the internet cafe didn't open until 9am. An hour to go so I decided on some breakfast. I chose a suitable looking cafe where I could watch the world go by and had a cappuchino and a multiberry muffin (warmed). Trying not to look like a tourist I picked a copy of the local paper to see what was happening in the outside world. I managed to drag an hour out and went to the cafe. I breezed in asking for wireless connectivity for my laptop only to be met by a blank look from the assistant. Thinking perhaps she didn't understand me because she was of Asian origin I pointed to their advert in the tourist guide I had in my hand. She disappeared for a moment and came back apologising profusely, explaining that they weren't getting the wireless functionality until June. I could have cursed but instead said that I understood and in that case could I just have an hours time on the internet (whilst muttering under my breath that even Scotland wasn't as backward as Perth in respect of internet technology).

Good news at last. The brawling pair of Geordies won't be playing in the semifinals against Man Utd in a couple of weeks. I will be watching that hopefully in my favourite haunting place in Thailand, Kilkennys Bar. I had bumped into Dave by this time who spent a while on the net himself then made his merry way out to where he was staying to meet up with someone else. Obviously he didn't want to be with me whilst I pottered about doing my shopping, and who could blame him. I didn't know what I wanted until I saw it in the shops so I may end up with nothing.

I wandered about the Murray Street Mall but nothing jumped out at me. I did look at some "original" boomerangs and laughed as I remembered the very old joke about what do you call a boomerang that doesn't come back. A stick ! I saw an Aussie book of humour - it was very small, as was a book called "DDs Guide to Charity" (I can say that coz he probably doesn't even check my website on his dial-up internet access). It was hot out on the streets though and soon it was Sushi Time. I had a mixture of chicken and seafood but the nicest was the shrimp. The various bits came with a greenish coloured dip which was hot, it reminded me of Horse Radish sauce.

I went off in search of other places that might have wireless internet but failed on my mission. This means that I won't be able to update my website for a while as we are off out tonight to Sizzlers and then tomorrow I am going down Freo in the morning and then meeting Davo at 4pm in Pertho for a pissupo. I finished off waiting for my lift from Brad having a pint in the Lucky Shag Bar. It certainly lives up to its name. I won $5 on the fruit machine and only put $1 in. How lucky am I !

For tea I treated Brad and his mum to a meal at Sizzlers. For those of you who have yet to experience the "eat all you want" scenario, it truly is a daunting task. I had starved myself all day for this meal, well almost all day apart from the muffin, and the sushi, and the smoothie, and the pint, so I was well looking forward to it. For a relatively small amount, about £7, you can have as much of the soup you want (tonight was pumpkin, chicken or ministrone) and help yourself to pasta and also the salad bar. There are also main courses available in case you fancied some meat or chicken with the salad. There clean plates for every time you visited the food so no problems there. To finish off there was a choice of ice cream (vanilla or chocolate, both on tap) and an assortment of toppings. There were also some other choices which I didn't see as I was too busy at the fruit bar. I had water melon and honey melon, both of which I am sure gave my body much needed nutrients. Imagine that at the Granby. Unlimited bacon butties for a fiver. Nah, doesn't sound quite right does it!!!! So then it was back to Brad's with TED to keep us company (c'mon keep up, Tooheys Extra Dry). No football til the early hours of the morning and I aren't staying up to watch the Scousers play. I hope Juventus have locked their team bus!

An update will be possible tomorrow as we have just found an internet cafe in theNorthbridge area of the city that does wireless internet. As I am on the lash though Brad is going to meet me at 4pm with my laptop so I can do the update and then he can take the laptop away with him meaning all I have got to look after is myself. Oh dear.......... You will probably get the stories at the weekend once I am in Bangkok and have internet access in my room. (By the way Steve A, can you email me your Skype sign on name).

TOP