Ascot Quay Perth

It's quite difficult to know how to shape this entry given my transformation from fearless, swashbuckling international world traveller to....well, Granny Claire to three little girls, Sacha, Tara and baby Jessica. <br><br>However, it's a welcome respite to be 'at home' with the family here in Perth and to catch up on everyone - catch sight of Jessica for the first time - catch a wave ...

... shoot to the top and then start going around the sides to your hand. <br><br>There was also a tank made of glass and it was full of water whirling around in a whirlpool. There were two small hollow balls inside it and when you flicked a switch the whirlpool would get flatter and the balls would get sucked into the whirlpool.<br><br>Hilary was also taken by the wonders of experimental physics:<br ...

... and I have been inseperable since for the last decade and more and it seems almost like our kids are destined to be blessed with the same closeness we have...but you don't actually know what might happen. There might be no kids, or they could be bor years apart or even live miles apart!! Then there is the fact that we might dislike each others partners...!! Who knows...<br><br>Pizza soon stops our thoughts and we head back to the hostel ...

... aaaaaaaaaah I need to open an account before I head into the outback!! Turns out they were jammed typical. I stand outside thinking of my mum telling me to be organised. Once inside I ask if there is someone available and then explan I need to pop back to the docs and get my passport. Ha ha only me. To cut a long story short I got my bank account opened and then spent the next hour literally running around Perth looking for this little clothes shop I found myself in on ...

... who seemed nice (only 8 of us and a guide from Southend!) and then set off northwards - towards the sun!<br><br>Day 1 - Went to the pinnacles which are tall limestone formations in a desert - very wierd, then went for lunch on a beautiful deserted beach called hangover bay where we spotted our first fin in the water....turned out to be a dolphin! In the afternoon we went sandboarding - hilarious, i screamed a lot and ended up with a mouth full of sand!<br><br>Day 2 ...

... dying on my feet. i thought it was just alcohol+lack of sleep+some left over cold. but i went to bed that night and pretty much didn't get out of it again til Sunday. missed out on 2 days of work but i just could not move. thank god for my ipod (australian tv is so so ****) or else i would have gone crazy. i had to listen to so many podcasts though- songs make me homesick. being sick in a dorm is no fun. hell knows what was wrong with me. i was still eating, i was just bloody ...

... the damn turtle than the sharks! The spotter planes radioed through that they had located a whale shark, so we moved off in that direction, prepared for the dive & when the signal was given, all entered the water. The boat was positioned directly in front of the shark & when we entered the water, our group of 10 split in half for the shark to swim through the middle of us, while we swam along him either side. We were able to get within about 2-3m of the three ...

Back in Perth now for a couple of days. At Easter it seems that all of Australia goes camping so we couldn't get into any of the campgrounds north of Perth which is where we are headed. We are having to hunker down in a campground in the Swan Valley surrounded by wineries and gourmet food outlets - shame really. Here are some pics of the various wildlife we have encountered so far....

... the $43 had well and truly subsided by now to embarrassment from all the freebies we were given... Unfortunately we missed the observatory it was open weekday nights by appointment. The kids have become quite aware of some star formations especially the Southern Cross, it's pointers and the pot so far, they are keen to learn more and I would like to get them to an observatory asap to help. We stopped at the gravitational centre down the ...

... went ahead with five minutes to go I was tempted to ask Dave to fat forward so that I didn't have to sit through the last few minutes gnawing my nails but I got through it and so, luckily did Spurs. By 7.00 Laura was up and making several dozen pancakes (It's Shrove Tuesday), with bananas in caramel sauce, berries in icing sugar and maple syrup and lemon and these were devoured with great relish by everyone. Later Barb and I borrowed Barb's car and drove to ...