Farewell Perth

Elizabeth Quay pedestrian bridge crossing over the Swan River

We had a wonderful last week back in Perth after the others left us - Bill & I staying with Rocky & Daniel once again. Nick returned to his apartment and back to work for his last 3 weeks with McMahon before heading down to Dunsborough to live with Em and start their new life together. Shannon & AC returned to Wellington and back to work for a couple of weeks till their next break up North for a wedding.

Spanda Sculpture (29m) representing ripples of the

 Swan River, linking the Land and Sky at Elizabeth Quay

As Rocky had an extra weeks leave, she joined us being a tourist in Perth and got her father to help with a couple of little jobs she wanted done (after getting approval from Daniel first of course 😉)

Rocky, Nick & Bill looking out over Perth from Kings Park

We caught the train the next day into Perth City (efficient and reasonably priced public transport) and spent the day walking around the city center and it's revamped open spaces that are great family friendly places, perfect for Perth's weather. Rochelle had worked here 4 years earlier ( she works out in Subiaco these days) and noticed a lot of changes in that time. The waterfront is stunning with the Swan River flowing past it from up the Swan Valley.

The DNA Tower in Kings Park

Perth City from Kings Park

 

Lots of lovely sculptures and foot bridges in quite a compact area. Lunch was at Little Creatures which is a favourite of ours (Opening in Hobsonville (Auckland) early February👍) - always an enjoyable way to pass an hour or two

Heading up the Swan River on our Cruise

Sampling of one or two wines & cheese 😊

Walking across to the Brewery from Mandoon Estate

Bill sampling one or two beers!

Crew member George serenading Bill

We had met up with Nick over the weekend at Kings Park to do a walk around the extensive grounds but with the temperature in the 30's it was a bit hot to walk anywhere that wasn't shaded. So after a much reduced walk, we headed back to Nick's for a swim in his complex pool - very nice and refreshing. We worked up enough of an appetite to enjoy a cold drink and a bite to eat at Three Sheets near Rocky & Daniels - just the right distance to walk to. By the time we returned to R&D's we were hot enough for another swim at the local beach where everyone but Sheryl enjoyed body surfing 😖

A little bit of gardening (amazing photography!)

The finished job

Having been away down south before Christmas and then Christmas itself, we hadn't had a chance to catch up with Daniel's parents Cathy & Mark whom we met last time we were in Perth. Rocky organised a barbecue at theirs on our return. It was a lovely catch up with what they had been up to since we last met and for them to catch up with Nick one last time before he heads off down south.
Rocky's keen to do more barbecuing - as she says ... it's in her blood just like her father! Daniel's parents, although both were born in Australia, have very strong Italian customs with their parents being immigrants and pretty much sticking to their traditional ways - so barbecuing isn't a usual method to cook. So it was nice to do a normal Kiwi style of entertaining.

Bill's cousin Mark & wife Fiona

We caught up with Nick after work one evening at his apartment near the city center and walked to the new Optus Stadium, which was officially opened early 2018. It is Australia's 3rd largest stadium, seating up to 60,000 people.  It is built out on a peninsular where people are encouraged to catch a train or bus to events along with the Matagarup foot bridge for pedestrians and cyclists. It's been planned out well along with Camfield Pub providing good food and drinks where we went for dinner.
Our plan was to see the City by lights once the sunset, which it did soon after 7 with no daylight saving in Western Australia.

On our "small walk" out to dinner Daniel 😉

Optus Stadium and Matagarup Bridge at night 😍

Lovely residential area with their own lagoon and Perth City
in the background

And what a beautiful sight it was too with the bridges and the stadium all lit up.
When we visited Perth 2 years ago, we decided then that on our return we would do a Swan River Wine Cruise - and so it was we booked a Captain Cook Cruise which gave us a great day out. Once again we caught the train into the city center and boarded the boat down at the waterfront.


The Captain of the boat gave us a great commentary of the history of Perth and the Swan River right back to the early indigenous Noongar people. We were also offered a selection of white and red local wines to taste along with some local cheeses, making it a very pleasant 2.5 hr trip up the Swan Valley to our lunch venue at the Mandoon Estate. After a pleasant lunch we walked around the estate and visited the attached Homestead Brewery where Bill tried a tasting board, which went down well on such a hot day.
The return journey had advertised live entertainment along with an open bar. So you can imagine how much more vocal everyone was on the return journey and with the "live entertainment" which was one of the crew members singing easy sing along songs - most of us got into the swing of it. The singer kept hitting on Bill - serenading him much to the enjoyment of the other passengers.
By the time we arrived back into port and disembarked, caught the train back to Rocky's suburb and then walked back to her place - we were shattered after a full but very entertaining day out. We would highly recommend this Cruise to anyone visiting Perth.
We caught up with a cousin of Bill's, who also lives in Perth, at a local pub for lunch down at Cottesloe Beach - catching up on Mark & Fiona's news of the past two years since we last caught up.  Perfect spot for a swim afterwards.
On our last night we caught up with Em's parents who also live in Perth, whose company we enjoyed when we were down in Dunsborough and had a lovely barbeque with them along with Rocky and Nick. Hopefully we will see them out in New Zealand sometime where we can return the dinner.

Last day in Perth - it was a sad day!

Our last day rolled around sadly but we had been away long enough to look forward to our return to lush NZ and back into our Bus once again. We spent the morning at the beach enjoying one last swim (or two), returning to Rocky's to finish packing up before walking to Three Sheets for one last meal with Rocky. Daniel swung by before he headed off kite surfing for the afternoon, where he allowed me a final hug. Thank you Daniel & Rocky for sharing your home with us once again. It was 2 weeks the first time, 7 weeks this time, who knows how long next time.....

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year for 2019

Finally an updated Family photo 😍
(It's been a while since I was the second tallest in the family!)

On returning to Perth from our 3 week Tiki Touring down south, we had a few days to get organised for Christmas day, including a day to visit Rottnest Island as we had done 2 years earlier on our first visit to Perth. Once again we hired bikes but this time we also had Nick & Daniel join us. Being a

Bill, Daniel, Nick, Rocky and friend on Rottnest

One of the many beaches on Rottnest

Sunday and close to Christmas the Island was very busy with people and boats, but it didn't take long to jump on our bikes and get away from the crowds.
The day started off brilliant and was looking like a repeat of last time but unfortunately a few clouds started building up - so much so by early afternoon we had thunder and lightning. But amazingly between showers it did stay warm enough for swimming. Plenty of little Quokka's to spot and even one snake!

Christmas Day - Rocky, Nick (hidden), AC, Shannon,
Bill, Em and Daniel

Refreshing morning dip

Christmas day was held at Rocky & Daniel's in Perth with all our children and their partners. Shannon and AC flew in Christmas morning from Adelaide where they had been exploring the week previous on the east coast of Australia. Before their arrival, the rest of us (except Em who was at her folks, who also live in Perth) headed off for swim at one of the local beaches. Rocky & Daniel live near Scarborough with it's many beautiful beaches. First thing in the morning is great before the waves build up (just how Sheryl likes it but not Daniel of course!) with the afternoon breeze that always comes in. Which is a perfect place to live for Daniel being a mad keen Kite Surfer / Surfer.

Supervising the Boys

Christmas morning was perfect and with such warm temperatures even by 8am, we were in the water shortly after for the first swim of the day.

Great conditions for Kite Surfing

 Shannon & AC had arrived in their rental car and were settled in ready for Christmas Brunch on our return from the beach. We have stopped the presents now the Kids are earning more than us these days (not that that takes much😆) but still do a Secret Santa gift ($20 value) and the rules for opening / passing / swapping of these gifts vary depending on the Host - and this year it was Rocky's turn to make the rules!! Gosh she is sooooooooooo much like her mother 😄

Rocky soooooo delighted with her Pottie 😉

Consideration for a gift had to be given that 4 of us had to fly back home and Em & Nick very much into recycling - it was a lot of fun. Especially making sure Rocky ended up with our new unused Porta Pottie (see the end of the last blog) - who better to take ownership of it!
More swimming in the afternoon before a relaxed evening with Daniel and Em (& Nick) joining their Italian families for Christmas Dinner.

One of the Margaret River Wine Tour Vineyards
(with Em's parents Leanne & Steve)

The next morning we all headed off down to Em's home at Dunsborough in two cars - well not quite all as Daniel had to stay behind for work as this is a busy period for him, plus he was probably ready for a break from the Tyler's!

Em's lovely home with her extended family

Leanne giving a lesson in pasta making

Beer tasting with AC & Nick

Shannon & AC took Rocky with them doing a little sight seeing on the way and Bill and I travelled with Nick and a car full of gear and food. Em had very generously offered us the use of her home over the Christmas / New Years break, although she wouldn't be joining us for a couple of days as she had commitments in Perth.
Dunsborough is a lovely holiday destination for a lot of people from Perth and has just over 5000 permanent residents. It is a place that is rapidly growing with a lot of new subdivisions - one of which Em lives in. It's on a peninsula that has many beautiful white sandy beaches. And surprisingly that it can be 5 to 10 degrees cooler down there than Perth, which the locals enjoy without that intense heat. Nick's plan is to be living down there with Em by the end of  the month, having resigned from his job in Perth and finishing up mid January. Hopefully he will pick up a job fairly quickly (I bet Em is hoping so too)
Dunsborough is on the doorstep of the many Margaret River Wineries, with many popular Wine Tours, one of which we had planned over our stay. Em's parents Leanne & Steve joined us completing our little group of 9. Along with a group of 4 young women (3 of whom had young children so were having a break from hubbies & kids - I think they may have had a rough day the next day when they were to be back on duty!) It was an enjoyable day out with Wineries and a Distillery.
Over the next 7 days we had many wines /swims /wines / walks / and did I mention wines, of course. The weather was perfect. There was even a lesson in making pasta from Leanne who has Italian heritage..
New Years Eve was spent at Injidup Beach with a bbq and watching the sunset and then back to Em's to see the new year in. A swim first thing the next morning and a bit of paddle boarding was a great start off the New Year. Then it was time for Shannon & AC to pack up and return to Perth airport for their return home and work once again. It was so wonderful having all our children together and finally getting an updated Family photo - it has been a few years. And without terrible short hair cuts Bill & Nick!

New Years Eve

All too soon it was time for the rest of us to head back to Perth as Nick & Em needed to resume work.
Rochelle had generously taken extra leave to entertain her parents, so further enjoyment
and excursions are planned for the following week before we fly back to NZ on the 12th January.

Farewell 2018

Bill mastering paddle boarding in tough conditions!

Poor Bill - all tuckered out