Monday 21st April

Further to the short info bulletin of yesterday morning – I am so p**d off about the train. This was going to be one of the high spots of the Australian part of our adventure. It’s lucky that Tom mentioned it to the receptionist when he did, otherwise we’d have turned up at the station late in the afternoon when we certainly couldn’t have got flights to Perth and would have been left trying to find accommodation in Adelaide for another night. Many people will have been stuck like that, I’ve no doubt. We are definitely fated with trains. Tom’s been trying to make me feel better, of course, as he would, but I have to say I’m very low about it. He even said that it’s a good job it was a freight train that was derailed rather than our Indian Pacific, which I have to admit is very true BUT IT DOESN’T REALLY HELP!!

Sitting having a snack in the airport only added to my bad mood, as, there on the wall beside us, was a poster of – guess what? – the Indian Pacific en route across the Nullarbor Plain. They say a picture is worth a thousand words……..

Then we came to security, having handed in our hold luggage. (The website LIED). Tom was going on and on about fluids etc, but I had checked that fluids were acceptable on the internal flight, so was able to get one up on him. Then of course the x-ray spotted the paring knife, table knives and corkscrew that I forgot that I had packed in with the bottles of wine which we were bringing with us, and which would have been ok on the train. He started to give me a "told you so", but took one look at my face and shut up.

After that, the flight was uneventful, very full and we didn’t even get to see the Plain as we flew over it as we had aisle seats. The couple next to me had streaming colds and coughed and blew their way the whole time – so I wonder what’s in store for me? I’m running out of Neurofen cold and flu and you can’t buy it here, because one of the ingredients can be extracted and used as a recreational drug.

I couldn’t face doing the blog last night and it’s a real challenge to write anything positive today. Our 2 nights accommodation is in a prison block – at least, that what it looks and feels like. Painted brick walls in an institutional shade of yucky green with darker woodwork, very dim lighting and set up like you see the inside of a prison on TV – a central narrow courtyard with 3 levels of rooms leading from iron railed balconies. The only thing missing is the barbed wire and guards.

We arrived just after 5.00pm and, after the customary cup of tea (no biscuits provided) we went out to find the supermarket – we’d got rid of all the perishables as we were going to be on the train! We found this grotty little high priced one in the back streets beside some dingy looking bars and I’ve just found out this morning when I checked the receipt, that we’d been diddled, which just adds to my general feeling of yeuk! There was a kebab shop next door and with no enthusiasm for anything else, we bought some and brought them back here. They were edible!

This morning I feel grim. I didn’t sleep very well and am all bunged up and sniffy. I’ve sent Tom off on his own, which he wasn’t too happy about but I just want to be a misery on my own! I’ll get over it but I’m still p****d. We’ll move on to our pre-booked motel tomorrow and I’ll no doubt be feeling much more cheerful by them.

Later

Tom came back about 2 o’clock and I had had enough of my own miserable company by then, so I got ready and we went into the city, only 10 mins walk away. On the way, there are some statues of kangaroos near a water feature – the biggest ‘roos we’ve seen so far! Perth has a shopping centre about twice the size of Adelaide, mostly pedestrian precinct, with loads of Australiana shops, which Adelaide lacked. There are some really lovely books and souvenirs we haven’t seen before and have to resist the temptation to buy. There are also lots of high rise buildings, which Adelaide didn’t have, and some very large hotels (Sheraton, Novotel and the Duxton, which looks absolutely wonderful – wish we could afford to stay there!) all within a short walk from our motel. St George’s Cathedral is not far away, and Government House, the Supreme Court Gardens, Perth Concert Hall and the Commonwealth Law Courts too. London Court, which is a narrow lane built like an old London street is full of trendy little shops selling quite reasonable priced goods and this leads into the main shopping precinct. We had a roast pork sandwich at one of the Food Court outlets – food did make me feel a lot more human!

In one of the many arcades, we watched a team make rock. The leader was really comical and kept the kids (and us) amused with his banter and we got to try the rock they’d been making – very good it was too. After a pleasant afternoon NOT buying anything, apart, from some of his rock, a birthday card and some postcards, we wandered back to the motel and on the way found a nice eating place for this evening. Tom’s just complained that he has indigestion so I gave him a Gaviscon – his face was a picture. He said it was the most disgusting thing he’d ever tasted. It gave me the first laugh of the day and has quite cheered me up. You can’t get Rennies Rapeze, fruit flavour here at all. The nearest are Tums orangey flavoured, so I’m thankful I haven’t suffered too much from indigestion while I’ve been away.

Much later still

We’ve just come back from our meal and it was lovely to sit somewhere other than in our room, surrounded by other people. Then we had coffee in comfortable chairs, while watching the world go by outside the window – quite civilised for a change. It is much colder here than in Adelaide though, so it’s on with the fleeces again.

Anyway, it’s time for me to give the computer over to Tom so he can sort out the photos. So it’s goodnight again.