The Scenic Journey

So today was the first day of the new training regime. The plan? To try and regain some of the lost ’shape’ and muscle that I had a few years ago. I don’t think it will happen very easily as I’m no spring chicken these days (quiet at the back!) but I’m hoping it will be fun nonetheless. Plus, it gets me off the PC and means I get at least some exercise through the week.

I really have a lot of catching up to do, though. Lyn has been training once or twice a day for quite some time so she’s got quite a head start. Mind you, we have different long term goals… I don’t think Lyn is really all that keen on packing on the muscle and is therefore concentrating on her cardio and aerobic conditioning. And, of course, with the new training regime comes the diet. Yes, the diet. In all truth, it’s as much about the food you eat as it is the training so I guess the calorie and protein intake will be climbing steadily over the coming weeks. I’d better start buying milk by the crate, too… one or two litres will not really cut it. And seeing as we both love fresh chicken I expect the fridge and freezer to be jam-packed full of skinless and boneless fillets too. Mmmm, chicken. Jacket spuds. Rice and peas. Banana protein shake. Peppermint tea.

I’m not sure if I’m buzzing because I’ve had my first workout (in terms of the new regime) or because I’ve got all that lovely food to look forward to).

February 1st, 2010 | Category: General | Leave a comment

I’m sat here watching a small spider wandering aimlessly across the surface of the wall in front of me… it’s kind of mesmerising. Normally I’d capture it and put it outside but it’s only a small little thing. After seeing some of it’s bigger cousins in Australia it doesn’t seem that much of a deal at all. Go on your merry way little spider…

Anyways, back on topic. In today’s ‘not-at-all-exciting’ news I took delivery of my data migration transfer kit. This little product allows me to transfer data from my old Xbox 360 hard drive to my new one. I did say it’s not terribly exciting. That process is now complete and all seems to have gone well. Sometimes I scare myself with the amount of excitement and action I pack into each and every single day of my life…

January 27th, 2010 | Category: Gaming and Movies | Comments (1)

Well, the title of this entry says it all really. It’s good to be home.

January 16th, 2010 | Category: General | Comments (1)

The weather seems to be improving, and the big thaw underway, so we decided to venture back towards home to see if we could actually get to the house. It has been two months since we were last home after all…

The good news is that the roads are gradually clearing, although the roads around home are still pretty poor. As a result, we actually made it to within a 100 yards of home today! But even being this close to home was not quite enough as we could not get the car onto the driveway and there was nowhere nearby where we could park the car safely. The car still skidded and slid on the snow as Lyn tried her best to get to the house so we decided to leave it another day. We did manage to drop off one of our suitcases and a few items by walking them from the car to the house but, alas, ultimately it is another night away from home. Mind you, it’s great to be enjoying some home-cooking and delicious food (thanks Ann!)

To help ease the burden and disappointment of not yet being able to get home, we spent a little time shopping at a local retail outlet. Lyn bought many items of clothing (which look great) and I bought a few items, too. In among the tubs of hot chocolate and t-shirts I treated myself to a pair of trainers, and then another pair of trainers (as seen below).

I also treated myself to a brand new Limited Edition (Forza 3) Xbox 360 Super Elite games console. This is to replace my older (er, dead) Xbox 360 that I’ve had since the original release day all those years go. The new console has the 250GB drive and uses the Jasper chipset, which is allegedly much better and less prone to RROD. We shall see. As soon as I get home I’ll be setting it all up (although I need to request a data migration kit from Microsoft so that I can transfer the data from my old console’s hard drive to my new one). I also bought Halo ODST as I’m a bit of a Halo fan I’m afraid…

We also bought Wii Sports Resort for the Nintendo Wii (with Wii Motion Plus). Retail therapy does have it’s place it would seem.

January 15th, 2010 | Category: General | Leave a comment

The day started pretty much as expected – cold, snowy and grey. The snow through the night hadn’t been too heavy but nevertheless a fresh sprinkling had settled on the ground. Thankfully it hadn’t frozen too hard so we arranged to pick up the cats from the nearby cattery, and to then return home. A quick phone call was made to the cattery and we were on our way to pick them up – both Lyn and I had missed the little nuisances…

The drive to the cattery was quite clear and we had soon got the pair loaded into their carrying cases and into Malc’s car, paying the outstanding bill to the cattery owners and expressing our thanks. Back at Ann and Malc’s we let out the cats and it was obvious they were glad to see us… but also obvious that they were annoyed they’d been ‘abandoned’ in the cattery for two months! It would just be a matter of time before they settled down and came around.

Later in the evening, we packed up Lyn’s car and Malc’s car – ready to make the 45 minute journey back home for the first time in 2 months. As the got closer to home, the weather and conditions grew more and more harsh and the temperature dropped below freezing. Snow deepened and a bad feeling started to creep over us. As we live in a hilly area where roads are left untreated, we weren’t sure what to expect. But it would not be good.

As we got closer to home, the number of abandoned vehicles began to grow; simply ditched by the owners as driving had become impossible. Nearer still to home and there were hundreds of cars abandoned all over the place, obviously unable to continue their journeys for one reason or another. This made navigation and transit somewhat difficult/dangerous as we threaded our way between them; Lyn doing well to keep the car under control as it slid and squirmed underneath us. It didn’t bode well as we live up a very steep hill that overlooks the open Welsh hills and fields…

Turning into our street our fears were realised. The pavement could not be seen due to snow and vehicles that had been abandoned and left toe-to-tail. The road surface was icy and untreated and covered in snow… and we had an uphill journey all the way to the house. No chance. We made it about half way up the road, not even getting to the steepest part of the hill. Malc didn’t even make it that far and reversed all the way back down the hill. Due to the abandoned vehicles, Lyn and I were stuck and needed to turn the car around. The road was packed snow and ice and the wide wheels on the car are not designed for this sort of weather… We managed, with the help of a passerby, to get the car reversed into the opening of a little side street and Lyn reversed as far as she could go – which wasn’t far. I got out the car and Lyn gave it some gas to spin the front wheels; as this happened I simply pushed the front of the car around pretty much on the spot thanks to the ice and snow. At least we were now facing back down the hill and so we began our slow descent. So close to home but yet so far… Even getting to our house on foot would have been difficult so we were left with no other choice than to return to Ann and Malc’s.

To cut a long story short, the conditions are so bad we are unable to return home at present. Thankfully Lyn and Malc are kindly hosting us and our cats until we can get home. As things stand it is likely going to be a few days before we are able to do so. Bummer. I hope everything is ok at the house – I’ve forgotten what it looks like.

Here are some snowy photos from the local area (credit to the photographers – whoever they are – as these are not mine!)

She’ll be right, mate. Brrr….

January 14th, 2010 | Category: General | Comments (1)

It’s been a long journey home and, finally, we are back in the UK in sunny old Wales. Unfortunately, the weather is really poor so we haven’t been home yet…

Having said our “thanks” and “goodbyes” to John, Meg and Chris, we left Perth, WA, in the early hours of this morning and flew towards Singapore on the first leg of the flight home. We knew the weather back home was poor (some of the worst weather in decades) so we weren’t exactly relishing the thought of a return to sub-zero temperatures! The flight to Singapore wasn’t too bad; the plane had many empty seats and, luckily, Lyn and I had a block of seats to ourselves – which meant we were able to stretch out a little and make ourselves more comfortable. As on the flight out back in November, the passage was straightforward with only a little turbulence to contend with. The in-flight meals were good (as far as airline food standards are concerned) and the staff professional and ‘easy on the eye’. The in-flight entertainment system was a bit glitchy but it didn’t stop us from watching a few movies, listening to music and following the plane’s progress on the flight plan screen.

The landings are always a bit uncomfortable (both Lyn and I suffering with the effects of the pressure change) and we arrived in Singapore some 5 or so hours after leaving Perth. It was just past 7am as we wandered off the plane and into the terminal. We now had 6 hours to kill whilst we waited for our connecting flight to Heathrow. It was going to be a long wait (or so we feared). However, Singapore airport is a bit different to your average ‘run of the mill’ airport; for a start it is very peaceful and relatively quiet. It is easy to relax should you be so inclined. Secondly, there is much that one can do to pass the time. Huge screens air the latest movies free of charge, audio booths allow you to listen to a variety of music in comfort, hundreds of free Internet access terminals allow you to browse the web and get your ‘Net fix. Numerous shops are within the terminal – from Armani to Gucci to Sony, all offering various items and many at good prices. In among the stores are coffee shops and eateries that catered for all tastes in cuisine so it was unlikely you’d get hungry. SkyTrains would take passengers freely between terminals so that they could explore different areas of the airport – for example, kids would flock to the Entertainment Deck and jump on the free Xbox360 and PS3 video games systems whereas those stressed out executives were more likely to enjoy the spa and health facilities.

As we walked around the terminal, Lyn remembered her last visit to the airport some 9 years prior and mentioned about the Koi Carp. These magnificent fish are beautiful (and expensive) and were to be found in water features around the airport. Sure enough, it didn’t take us long to find some. Photos were taken as we relaxed and simply watched them swimming around lazily. (Later they would be fed by a staff member as we watched).

Lyn and I wandered around further and decided to take in some of the gardens, starting with the Butterfly Garden. This garden was wholly contained within Terminal 3 and provided a climate controlled area in which visitors could walk around among various species of butterflies and moths. It was humid in there… but quite special, complete with spiral staircase and waterfall. The creatures flew freely around the area and many photographs were taken (surprise, surprise!) In a special cabinet within the area, butterflies and moths could be seen emerging from their coccoons before taking their first ever flight. We spent quite some time in there.

An airport information booklet told of other gardens within the airport (across the 3 terminals) so we made use of the free SkyTrains to move between the terminals and to track down the features. Sadly, we were unable to visit the Cactus Garden and the Sunflower Garden was closed for renovation work. However, we were still able to visit the Fern Garden and the Orchid Garden as we walked around the huge terminals. We probably walked miles in hindsight!

With all the activites available, and much to see and do, the 6 hours absolutely flew by and we didn’t even stop to rest and/or eat. One minute we had just arrived and, before we knew it, we were boarding the huge A380 Airbus for the long haul flight back to Heathrow, London. We were hoping for good seats so that we could relax for the forthcoming 14 hour flight…

We sat down in our seats – Lyn having an aisle seat and myself, well, an empty seat next to me! We had got lucky again it seemed. But then the whole illusion of a peaceful flight was shattered when a young mother with two very young children sat down on the aisle adjacent to Lyn… and they immediately started screaming and crying. Hopefully they would soon tire and relax as they made an awful lot of noise for their tender age! Of course, it was not their fault and there wasn’t much could be done about it; so the in-flight entertainment system headphones had their volume levels cranked up once we had taken off!

The flight back to London was long and we didn’t get any sleep. We watched movies, stretched our legs, listened to music, stretched our legs, ate meals, drank water and fruit juice, watched more movies, watched comedy, played video games, stretched our legs… you get the picture. Again, the flight was good with minimal turbulence and Singapore Airlines cabin crew did a great job in serving us. There’s not much more to be said about the flight to London as it was as boring as it was long…

…but it was bloody cold when we landed! Only a day or so earlier we had been in the hot 40 degrees C temperatures of an Australian summer and now we were plunged into the sub-zero temperatures of a particularly harsh British winter. To make matters worse I didn’t have a coat or sweater so, my own fault, I was in a t-shirt. Thankfully, Ann and Malc were not far away as they were kindly collecting us from the airport. Soon enough they arrived, and we quickly threw the luggage into the car and started the journey back to Wales. Everything was so… er… white. And cold. Ann and Malc had brought along many coats, jackets and gloves so I made use of those whilst I started to acclimatise! Lyn had her fleece but was still shivering; more so than I.

A handful of hours later and we were across the border into Wales. The roads were already covering with fresh snow and the temperature was dropping. Fog was also lingering like an icy cold blanket around us. We decided to head straight to Ann and Malc’s and we would spend the night there rather than going home. It was late and made sense to do so (rather than running the risk of going into the hills of Caerphilly). Tomorrow would be another day.

January 12th, 2010 | Category: General, Photography | Comments (1)

And so our final day in Australia has arrived. It’s a day of mixed emotions; on the one hand it’s saddening to leave as there is still so much that we could see and do, yet on the other hand we’re looking forward to getting home and seeing family, friends and cats! We’re not looking forward to the harsh winter conditions that are currently plaguing the UK though. I hear it’s the worst weather in some 30-odd years. I’m shivering just thinking about it.

I’ve already checked the airport/airline website and information channels this morning, to make sure our flight was still departing as expected. It turns out that this was a good move as the information on our tickets and the information provided by the airline are different. It appears that our flight departs an hour earlier than expected – at 01:55am tomorrow morning. It’s going to be a long journey home.

It’s just turned midday as I write this entry; the cases are already pretty much packed (which was a difficult task seeing as we’ve acquired an awful lot of items since being over here, not to mention a few Christmas gifts, too). Many items will not be making the journey home – older items of clothing, cosmetics, books and magazines, and suchlike. The new camera will definitely be making the trip however. We will find room for it. Thank goodness Lyn is a dab hand at packing. For some reason, my efforts require twice the carriage capacity that Lyn uses…

We are just about to head to the local stores to have our final raspberry and white chocolate muffin before bidding a farewell to Wanneroo Shopping Centre. The weather is hot and sunny as usual so we may as well make the most of it. I’l’ also be saying my goodbyes to the cockatoos, magpies and wildfowl as we return via the park (although it won’t be on an individual basis as time is scarce).

I know that a couple of entries still need writing (notably our time on Penguin Island and our trip to Scarborough Beach) and I’ll do these when I get home and have settled back in.

Well, I guess that this is it folks – no more words are to be written from this point on until arrival back in the UK. Thanks for reading – I hope it’s been fun. Lyn and I have certainly enjoyed it. Stay safe.

January 11th, 2010 | Category: General | Comments (1)

Our last Sunday in Western Australia… tomorrow we will be packing up our suitcases and getting ready for the 25 hour journey back to the UK.

John and Meg took us on a short road trip today to a place called New Norcia. It is the only monastic town in Australia and is host to a Benedictine Monastery. Arriving at the town was a strange experience; miles away from civilisation and yet boasting a collection of huge, grand buildings – it all seemed so out of place. Even with modern day conveniences nearby and a nod towards commercialism/tourism (in terms of the museum and gift shops) the whole place was very peaceful and tranquil.

After having a late lunch at the nearby Norcia Hotel (again, a rather seemingly grandiose building) we took a steady walk through the grounds around the monastery. A nearby workshed housed some very old work equipment and tools from a bygone era, all of which were used at some point by the monks as they worked the land and/or mastered a particular skill/trade. Many items were donated, many were built by the monks themselves.

Continuing around the grounds, we passed various statues of key figures in time whom were related to the monastery and very much a part of the history. Some of the buildings were used as colleges, others as places as worship (such as the abbey and church).

The area also had strong links with the Aboriginal people and many aspects of the monastery were related to the education of, and co-habitation with, the Aboriginals. On the opposite side of the road, where the active monastery is situated, plaques give details of village houses that once stood in the grounds. A small building in the grounds also houses various religious artifacts – mainly bits of stone and masonry from prominent religious sites around the world, such as The Vatican, Rome, and various tombs and cathedrals from around the world.

Sadly, we didn’t have sufficient time to take a walk around the musuem and art gallery as closing time was fast approaching. Climbing back into the car we took the short journey to the nearby petrol station and stopped to grab a drink and ice-cream. We were then back on our way to Wanneroo.

As we approached Wanneroo, clouds of smoke could be seen near the Barbagallo Raceway (where we’d been a few weeks earlier) and it was obvious that a bush fire had taken hold. Sure enough, helicopters were circling (ready to drop their water bombs) and emergency crews and firefighters were on the road and restricting access to the affected areas. By this time, the wind had picked up and was quite strong – not good when a bush fire is burning. Stopping at the roadside, we took a few photographs for the album. Many of the locals were also doing likewise so we weren’t the only ones!

After the helicopters had circled a few times, and we’d grabbed a few photos, we jumped back into the car and finished the journey back to John and Meg’s. So much excitement!

John is currently enjoying a beer and Meg is making potato and leek soup for this evening’s meal. Lyn, having returned from a quick walk, has banned me from the bedroom whilst she packs a few items. I’ve offered to help but, well, she thinks she can do a better job if I’m out of the way… and she’s probably right. She’s a star as she’s also done the washing and hung it out to dry (even if it is approaching 9pm). That just leaves me to finish writing up this entry… which I’ve just done.

January 10th, 2010 | Category: General, Photography | Comments (1)

And so we find ourselves entering the last weekend of our holiday here in Australia. Given the terrible weather back home in the UK (some of the worst weather in many years with temperatures well below zero degrees C and lots of snow) I must admit I’m not looking forward to returning home.

Yet on the other hand, I’m really looking forward to returning home. It’s always great to sleep in your own bed; it will be great to see family and friends that we’ve not been able to see over the Festive Season. It will be great to see the cats, Jet and Scamp, as we’ve missed them heaps. I dare say they’ll be well pissed and will probably make their feelings known for a week or two once we finally get them back from the cattery (which may take a while if the weather is as bad as we’ve been hearing). I hope not as I’ve missed the little buggers (just don’t tell Lyn…) It will also be great to drive the Trophy again as I’ve missed driving it (although the poor weather will likely mean I won’t be able to take it out for a blast until better weather arrives. Plus, I need two new front tyres so…)

Anyways, we weren’t heading back just yet so today was another day. Another hot day. With blue sky. No snow or ice to be seen anywhere. With being so tired last night I slept longer than I had planned to; which meant I didn’t get out of bed until around 10am this morning. Getting out of bed at this time had pretty much messed up our chances of heading out to the beach for the day. The midday sun would soon be with us and it was too hot to be sat frying on a beach or swimming when the sun’s UV was at it’s strongest. Rather than stay in the house, we decided to take the bus into Perth and to spend an hour or two by the river instead.

Walking to the bus, we both commented on how humid the weather was today. The heat was up, but not as high as we’d been exposed to. Instead it was the humidity that caused the discomfort. Within minutes, our clothes were sticking to our skin and no amount of shade eased the condition. The air-conditioning of the bus was pleasant though.

Arriving at Perth Underground Station, we immediately made our way to the ice-cream store for our usual “cup ‘n’ two scoops” before wandering around the shopping arcades. In one of the arcades we found a food court with various international foods and cuisines available; everything from Thai and Mexican foods to Indian and Cantonese. As it was lunchtime we decided to grab a bite before heading towards the river. Lyn tucked into a traditional classic chicken meal whilst I opted for a Chinese Canton Sweet and Sour Pork dish with fried rice. It was delicious and I only wish I’d known about this place earlier.

Suitably refreshed (and stuffed with food) we made tracks towards Barrack Street before making a right turn towards the Bell Tower. It normally only took 10 minutes to get to the riverside, but a group of kangaroos caught our attention before we got there.

Down by the Swan River, we kicked off our shoes and lay down in the shade of the palm trees. The sound of the waves lapping on the shore was relaxing and the gentle breeze offered respite from the still-humid conditions. An hour or two passed by…

Returning home, and writing this entry, it is still quite quite humid so I dare say it’s going to be a sticky night. Thankfully John and Meg have the air-conditioning enabled for the bedrooms so I think it’s time I retired for the night. I do believe they have plans for us tomorrow… and the camera will again be accompanying.

January 9th, 2010 | Category: General, Photography | Comments (1)

It was another early-ish morning and we were, once again, off on our travels. However, we weren’t venturing to some previously unvisited and unknown place this time… we were taking another trip to Rottnest Island; to enjoy more of the swimming and snorkelling that the island had to offer. This time we’d only be there for the day (rather than an expensive overnight stay) so we made sure we caught a ferry that would take us to the island as early as possible and return us to the mainland as late in the day as possible.

John kindly dropped us (on his way to work) at Hillary’s Boat Harbour so that we could catch the 8am ferry to Rottnest Island. This in itself was very much appreciated – otherwise we’d have been up and out of the house at 5:30am to catch the various buses, trains and ferries to take us there. We were soon onto the ferry at Hillary’s and, 45 minutes later, we were on Rottnest Island and making our way towards the main bus terminal.

On the ferry trip over to Rottnest, a very pretty young woman sat directly behind Lyn and myself. She was dressed in black, carrying a pink accessories bag containing her makeup, hairbrush and – no doubt – a multitude of other items that such a young woman would deem essential for such a trip. One thing she did lack was a basic sense of personal hygiene! Oh boy! Her body odour was potent enough to knock out several rows of assembled passengers. As she brushed her hair and put on her makeup, she would lift her arms and the smell hit like a steam train. Not only were Lyn and I looking at each other, but we noticed other passengers doing likewise. Sure, she might have pretty but she was a knockout for all the wrong reasons. To make matters worse she was also on the return ferry later in the day and had sat down near us…

Walking to the main bus terminal, we were ready to start swatting the swarms of flies that we’d no doubt encounter as we travelled around the island. Yet they were nowhere to be seen (apart from the odd fly buzzing around here and there). Maybe the high temperatures had killed off many of them? I didn’t know and I wasn’t too concerned to be honest… After purchasing the tickets and a short wait for the bus, we jumped onboard and made our way to Parker Point to begin our day of swimming and snorkelling.

A large pelican was lazily swimming and feeding on the shore as we found a place to put down our towels and bags. These birds really are huge! It didn’t seem to mind that we were close by so we left each other alone and went about our own business. It was another hot day so plenty of sun protection cream was applied before hitting the beach, whilst we were on the beach and whilst we were swimming/snorkelling in the ocean. Despite the cooling sea breeze and the relatively early hour, it was still easy to burn. Better safe than sorry. After a few minutes struggling to get the snorkelling gear setup correctly, I joined Lyn and we swam out towards the moored boats and followed the edge of the coral reef. The water was cool and the currents were strong – so we both got a good workout whilst swimming against the currents to the deeper waters. (Coming back was much easier as we simply rode the currents and waves back towards the shore). The water was quite calm at Parker Point (even with the strengthening breeze) but, sadly, the marine life was a little sparse. This was expected however as our previous visit hadn’t turned up much in the way of marine life here.

After an hour or so at Parker Point, we made the short walk to the next bay – Little Salmon Bay. This was supposed to be a good area for swimming and snorkelling. Sadly, the bay was very busy and many swimmers were splashing around in the bay area – which meant much of the marine life had gone into hiding. As a result, we decided not to hang around too long and thus waited for the island bus to arrive and to take us to our favourite bay on the island – Little Armstrong Bay. On our last visit, there had been plenty of marine life here so we were hopeful we’d see more once we’d dived into the bay.

Departing the bus, it was a short walk to Little Armstrong Bay. As the bay came into view we noticed that it was considerably busier than the last time we’d visited. We’d had the bay to ourselves last time; but this time there were many folks enjoying the secluded bay. Looking out towards the ocean, we also noticed that the waves were larger and choppy compared to our previous visit. Oh well, you can’t expect everything to be perfect all the time!

As we had guessed, the rougher waters meant that the visibility wasn’t as good once we were snorkelling out among the reefs and coral. Even so, the marine life was again much more abundant on this side of the island. Fish of all sizes and colours swam about – silvery and large to small and neon-blue. They would dart in and out of the rocks and sea grass whilst others were more inquisitive and would take a moment to check you out. As we headed into the deeper waters, there were some quite large fish to be seen. For good measure, there were also a handful of crayfish to be seen hiding around the reef and scuttling along the ocean floor. Sadly I didn’t see the octopus or rays I’d seen last time but I’m sure they probably weren’t too far away… I’m also sure the sharks weren’t too far away but I didn’t want to think about those!

We spent most of our day simply relaxing and swimming at Little Armstrong Bay. I took a short walk up onto the cliff tops to grab a few photos of the bay before returning to Lyn on the beach. As time pushed on, the time eventually arrived to leave the bay and to make our way back to the main resort area. We both needed something to eat (it had gone well past lunchtime) and something to drink. Jumping back onto the bus, we stayed onboard until the bus route terminated back at the main island terminal; then made our way directly towards The Dome for a late lunch.

Following our late lunch, and the writing of postcards whilst sat gazing across one of the bays full of moored boats and launches, we returned to the jetty to catch our ferry home to the mainland of Australia. The ferry was early and we were soon back at Hillary’s Boat Harbour (the quick journey was a lifesaver considering the fact we were once again sat next to the ‘knockout’ girl…) A couple of buses and a train journey later, we were back at Wanneroo. It had been a long day and we were both knackered. In fact, I’m falling asleep as I write this so I’ll bid you a goodnight and retire for the night right now. Night all.

January 8th, 2010 | Category: General, Photography | Comments (1)

After spending the last 4 days at the beach, today was very much another lazy day. The morning was spent actively engaged in the exciting pursuit of washing clothes… To make the afternoon a little more interesting, we decided to head out and catch another movie and to grab a meal out sometime in the evening.

The movie of choice this evening was Old Dogs; starring Robin Williams and John Travolta. Ok – perhaps it did’t sound the most exciting of movies but, nevertheless, we bought the tickets and decided to give it a viewing. And do you know what? I’m glad we did give it a chance because I haven’t laughed so hard in quite some time.

I won’t give away the plot and funny moments of the movie (although the plot is far from groundbreaking…) but there were a few moments that had not just Lyn and I in tears with laughter, but pretty much the whole movie theatre. I think it was an hour and a half well spent and the movie proved to be better than I imagined it to be.

I don’t really have much more to say… we ended the evening enjoying a couple of pizzas at a nearby pizzeria before catching the last bus home to Wanneroo. I never thought I’d be saying this out here in Oz… but it was very cold whilst we waited for the bus home tonight…

January 7th, 2010 | Category: General | Comments (1)

So here we are – the morning of Sunday 3rd January, 2010. Lyn and I are off on a short break here.

Report and photos coming soon, including the savage waves and shark dramas!

January 6th, 2010 | Category: General, Photography | Leave a comment

Lyn and I are going away on another ‘mini-break’ tomorrow so decided that today would be another day to relax and get ready. Besides, I could do with another day relaxation as I am having trouble getting rid of the cold I caught a few days back. Lyn is currently packing a couple of bags for the trip as I write this (she’s an absolute star and I only tend to get in the way when I ‘help’) and we did our washing this morning in readiness for adventure!

I was going to tell you all about it here, but I’ve changed my mind and decided to leave it until we get back in a few days time. Psst… without giving too much away, we’ve decided to enjoy some time on the beach and have booked ourselves into a rather nice beach hotel. We have no plans other than that whilst we are away. It’s going to be great. It’s also going to be very hot according to local weather reports and news (and fire is always a risk, especially bush fires, which can cause chaos and havoc – as we’ve seen over the last few days around Perth). Temperatures over 40 degrees C are expected in the coming days so we’ll be packing plenty of sun protection cream/oil and bottled water, as well as being a little extra vigilant. Talking of heat, it’s just gone 4:30pm here in Wanneroo and the day seems to be getting hotter. If this is anything to go by (in the mid-30’s right now) then we are in for some scorchers!

Well, I guess it’s about time I wrapped this one up for today (along with the other entries I’m updating) as Lyn and I are off to the cinema this evening. We are off to see Avatar again… …but this time we are going to watch the 3D version! I found a local 3D cinema that is literally just down the road so decided that tonight would be the night to view it again in all it’s visual splendour. The upshot of this is that Chris and girlfriend, Zoe, were also planning on going tonight so they kindly invited us to join them. Popcorn anyone?

January 2nd, 2010 | Category: General | Comments (3)

Happy New Year!

I hope that all you readers out there (I’m informed that I now have a readership nudging close to double digits!) had a fabulous New Years Eve, whether partying or otherwise, and that you are enjoying this first day of 2010.

As you are no doubt aware (understatement of the [new] year) I am fortunate enough to have welcomed in 2010 here with Lyn in Perth, WA. Unfortunately, due to my sudden ‘man flu’, which is nothing more than a cold I hasten to add, we didn’t really do much last night. Lyn was knackered and fell asleep before midnight arrived and I quietly switched the tv on so that I could watch the fireworks erupt over Sydney Harbour as the Aussies welcomed in the new year. I also fired off a few text messages to family and friends who, these days, seem to be spread out far and wide across the globe.

Suffice to say, it was somewhat of a relaxation day and, for myself at least, a day of recuperation. A quick visit the pharmacy (the pharmacy that never closes) and I was armed to the teeth with multivitamins and decongestants, even managing to snag a quick ice-cream from the local fuel station on the way back. After all, I’m told that you are supposed to ‘feed a cold’ so…

In the evening, John kindly offered to take Lyn and I to King’s Park so that we could see the City of Perth by night. The Park (as written about in an earlier blog entry) offers great views over the city. I picked up the camera and borrowed John’s tripod in the hope that this would allow me to grab some long exposure images of the city. Lyn was also taking her new camera… but it switched off as we walked out because the battery needed recharging and it refused to take any further photos until it had been recharged. Dammit.

Arriving in King’s Park, a breeze was evident; and a breeze that was strong enough to cause the River Swan to stir. Consequently, there were no real opportunities to grab mirror-like photos of the city from across the water. Even so, I was able to grab a few night shots of the city… at least I was until the sprinklers switched on and everyone (myself included) made a hasty retreat from the edge of the walkway! At least the fine mist was cool and refreshing… After a short walk around the State War Memorial we returned to the car and made our way back to Wanneroo. Aachoo!

Have a safe and prosperous 2010!

January 1st, 2010 | Category: General, Photography | Comments (1)

So here we are, on the eve of a new year. (I guess that’s why it’s called New Years Eve?) As with Christmas, I cannot believe how quickly it has come around. At this rate it will soon be 2020 and we’ll all be going to work in hover cars with robots performing the household chores (and satellite TV still running repeats of Only Fools and Horses).

Today is another lazy day so I’m taking the opportunity to catch up with some of the recent blog entries and photos. Sadly, during the last 24 hours, I seem to have caught a cold and my nose won’t stop running. Bummer.

John is golfing, Meg is at work, Chris and Zoe have gone out, Lyn is working out and enjoying the sun and I’m going to update this blog… stay tuned!

December 31st, 2009 | Category: General | Comments (1)

After a couple of busy days, we slowed things down today. The morning was spent relaxing and Lyn took some time out to reply to a few e-mails and catch up on a few of the websites she visits. I spent part of the morning talking to Chris about car care and performance modifications so nothing new there then! In the afternoon, Lyn and I were planning to head out and catch a movie at one of the local cinemas. Having checked the venues and showtimes, we had decided to go and watch Avatar at the Grand Cinema in Joondalup.

Chris kindly dropped us at Lakeside, Joondalup, well before the show was due to start (we had a few things we needed to do before the evening show started). After thanking him for the lift, we headed into the shopping centre and made sure we had visited the places that we’d needed to visit – including the post office for the all-important stamps! This was followed by a visit to Gloria Jean’s Coffee for a drink and a muffin. Naturally.

We located the cinema complex and purchased two tickets for the 5:30pm evening show. As we were still a little early, we ventured back into another part of the mall to pass some time…

…before returning later to buy some popcorn and to make our way into the viewing theatre.

I was tempted to write a small review here about my impressions of Avatar, but time is pressing on and I don’t want to bore you with my ramblings about this movie. Suffice to say, I’d recommend you go and watch it. I thoroughly enjoyed it and will be going back to watch it again, albeit at a 3D cinema so as to get the most out of the experience (sadly Joondalup screens only the 2D version). To my surprise, Lyn also stated that she enjoyed the movie – even if the story was predictable – and showed an interest in seeing the 3D version of the movie. I guess we’ll be going to watch it again very soon…

After the movie finished, we made our way through the mall and to the local restaurant area for a bite to eat. We had over an hour to wait for the bus so we didn’t hurry. On the way back to the bus station, we found that the mall was now locked and access through the complex was not permitted. Following my lead, we walked around the complex until we found the station… which was a pain because I chose the long way round it would seem! At least it meant we kept warm in the cool night air and that we passed more time rather than sitting at a cool and empty bus station!

Avatar – predictable story but stunning visuals. Go see it. Pandora is a beautiful place. Don’t you just love CGI?

December 30th, 2009 | Category: General | Comments (1)

Today, we spent the day in Rockingham. More specifically, we spent the day in and around Penguin Island.

Interested? Then please visit soon for the full write-up.

December 29th, 2009 | Category: General, Photography | Leave a comment

Today was a public holiday and we were expecting it to be busy. Even so, we decided that we’d take another trip to Hillary’s as there were a couple of things we needed to do there (and we also fancied more of Sharky’s chips and garlic bread, as well as a swim around the harbour!)

The bus journey to Hillary’s was very, er, ‘musical’ – although I use the term lightly. In front of us were sat a gaggle of girls, obviously on their way to the beach for the day. Behind us were sat a gaggle of boys, also obviously on their way to the beach for the day. As is the way with folks of this age, they were trying to catch each others’ eyes and their conversation grew louder the longer the bus journey took! One of the boys had a guitar and was soon strumming away. One chord into another chord, into another chord. Ok, so I’m no guitar player but I don’t think this kid was either in all honesty… I’m no singer either and, again, neither was this kid. In fact, his guitar playing was better than his singing so make up your own mind dear reader… Perhaps I’m being a little harsh here as the guys ‘n’ gals were all behaving themselves and having a bit of harmless fun; and why not? It’s their holiday time right now so who can blame them for letting their hair down a bit and having a bit of fun. If I were a few years younger (*cough*) I could and would have joined in…

My goodness, it was another hot day at Hillary’s and we immediately made our way to Sharky’s for something to eat. As well as being hot, it was also busy. Very busy. Seating areas and the beach were packed full of locals and holidaymakers alike, some seeking shade whilst others basked in the sun. Children and adults alike were enjoying the three huge waterslides behind the harbour’s beach, whilst younger children were enjoying the funfair and the climbing areas. The harbour was also full of swimmers and guys in dinghys and kayaks – all obviously enjoying themselves and making the most of the public holiday.

After a meal at Sharky’s, we made our way to the Rottnest Fast Ferries ticket centre. Lyn and I were looking to return to Rottnest and to go snorkelling once again. We had decided to go from Hillary’s (with Fast Ferries) as their ferry got us to the island quicker and the return journey was later in the day; ultimately meaning we got longer on the island. Consequently we will be returning to Rottnest early in the New Year and I can’t wait… even though I know the flies are going to be a problem once again. At least they can’t bother us whilst we are snorkelling!

After purchasing our tickets, we wandered around the stores – looking for postcards and gifts to take home. A few items were bought (although my lips are sealed as to what exactly) and we ventured around the harbour complex as we had done on a previous visit.

Returning to the far side of the harbour beach, we dropped our bags and entered the cool waters for a swim. Although still busy, many of the swimmers and beach-goers had vacated the area so Lyn and I took our time swimming out and around the edge of the harbour. We hadn’t been in the water for more than 2 minutes when the sun disappeared behind a cloud and the temperature suddenly dropped from nudging 40 degrees C to the high 20’s, low 30’s. What a difference! Despite the temperature drop, it was still plenty warm enough and we continued our lengthy swim around the harbour before finally collecting our gear, drying off and heading back to the bus stop to make our return journey.

At the bus stop we struck up a conversation with a couple of girls (who had earlier been on the bus in the ‘gaggle of girls’ I mentioned earlier) – they were both into their performance cars… and this was the catalyst that kicked things off. Not that it was really of much interest to me but they said that they worked in Wanneroo at The Cheesecake Shop. Funnily enough I had noticed this place a few times as Lyn and I had been past it regularly; and I had vowed to call in on more than one occasion. With a mention of a discount I think I’ll pay the shop a visit before returning home to the UK.

Back at the train station, the girls were headed in the opposite direction (Lyn and I had decided to head into Perth for an hour or two). We said our goodbyes and jumped onto the next train into Perth.

It was quiet in the city and a lot of the stores were closed by the time we showed up. Even so, we stopped off for a light bite and Lyn grabbed a few photos on her mobile of some of the areas we’d not been to before.

But soon it was time to return to the train station. Again, the public holiday meant that the buses and trains were running a limited service and we didn’t wish to end up stranded in the city with no means of getting back to Wanneroo. It would have been quite a hike otherwise!

December 28th, 2009 | Category: General, Photography | Comments (1)

Following the Christmas ‘rush’ we decided that today would be another rest day. We have plans for tomorrow and for Tuesday so today will be spent relaxing and updating a few more of these blog entries.

Please do check back over previous entries from time to time as I am adding photos as and when I can. Thanks!

December 27th, 2009 | Category: General | Comments (1)