Perthin' It - Night 140

Trip Start Oct 11, 2007
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Trip End Mar 26, 2008


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Flag of Australia  ,
Wednesday, February 27, 2008

By virtue of having my own room, I managed to sleep past 6 am.  What a delight.  I had a slow morning just hanging around the house doing some reading. At 9am I walked down to the Meltham train station and hopped a train into town.  TransPerth, the local transit authority, claims to have the cleanest trains in the world and from my first few rides on them I can't help but agree.  The modern train cars are spotless and the network appears to service the entire region very well.  It would be so convenient to have such a set up in Seattle, a region much larger than that of Perth.
After landing at Wellington Station, the central hub, I just sort of wandered around downtown for awhile, getting lost in the numerous underground shopping arcades and pedestrian malls.  Post lunch I struck out on an ambitious walking tour down to the south bank of the Swan River.  About halfway through it I wore out and collapsed under a shade tree for a nice hour long nap.  The temperature was held down in the morning by a bit of clouds, but the sky cleared in the afternoon and again the thermometer toyed with triple digits.  Through the course of my six mile walk, I also managed to wear a hole right through the bottom of my sandals.  This pair didn't even make it five months, but I guess that's what I get for buying the cheap brand from Target. 
In the evening Sue and family had a little barbecue in my honor.  A typical Australian feast, it was headlined by lamb, with sausages and salads as opening acts. 
What I Learned Today: Perth is the most isolated capital city in the world.
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