Hugs from the land Downunder!

Hi there all,

First View of Australia from the plane

Well after 7 months in Asia we finally landed yesterday afternoon in Perth Australia.

Flight was ok, 5 hours, late departing, ok food...goregous views over the volcanoes of Indonesia as we flew over Java, and then eventually we came to the west coast of Australia - well you know those pictures that you see of oz taken from the air....white sandy strips, green and blue seas...it was exactly like that....AMAZING!

The flight wasnt uneventful though, as we came in to land apparantley they have this taxi divot thing that tells them how and when to land....well it failed...we had to have marshalls on the ground to bring us in, we landed with a bang and the plane hit the ground so bloody fast, we had to keep going along the runway and turn back again....the pilot obviously told us all of this one we had landed, but the marshalls had made a mistake and so thats why we landed so harshly....yes...I almost wet myself!

We managed to get a lift from the airport to a hostel we had seen in a free leaflet we read as we waited ages in the visa queue and again in the quarantine queue, luckliy they were picking someone else up and had a man at the airport so we got a free lift.

Its in the suburb of Belmont, only here last night though and this morning we will check out and hop along the road to pick up the campervan...quite nervous about that but I am sure that it will be ok! Have to go shopping and then find a park...prob on the coast in Freemantle or somewhere.

Time wise...still 7 hours ahead of you, but at the end of Oct when your clocks change ours dont so we will be 8 hours or more depending on where we are in front.

Weather wise....Perth is bloody freezing! Seriously...last night we went out for dinner and were so cold!! Its only about 23degrees here...compared to a humid 30degree Singapore its freezing! Apparantly it will get hotter the further north we go....great!

I had a glass of wine last night for the first time since I was last home...oh no I bought some overpriced Chilean wine in Laos but that doesnt count! Cant tell you how nice it was to go to dinner and enjoy a glass of vino with it and not beer to make a change! Matt tryed the ozzie beer and said it was good....

Everything after so long in Asia is no surprise "expensive". not quite home prices but not far off!! Anyway, we are in Australia at last...so excited...really couldnt believe it on the plane yesterday...actually shed a tear...its like a lifelong dream come true...

So, we shall stick around Perth for a few days, then head north via the Pinnacles and Kalbarri...heading to Monkey Mia to see the wild dolphins that swim up on the beach there, that will be our first major stop on the west coast.

Thats all for now...

Hugs

Ali n Matt

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