Impressions of Perth

Last week, I was given 36 hours notice to prepare for a trip to Australia to conduct some workshops. First stop, Perth - a city I wanted to visit while living in Sydney but never got round to because it cost the same to fly there as it did to fly home to Malaysia.

(L-R) London Court Mall and Town Hall

The city centre is a lovely mix of quaint old buildings and chic modern structures. It's very pleasant to walk around and enjoy the sights and weather although one must be careful to do all your shopping by 6 p.m. because that's when ALL the shops shut. On my first evening, I had to eat at Burger King for the first time in over a year because that was the only shop with the lights still on. What a shock to my Singaporean shop-till-you-drop system! But you needn't feel too sorry for me. I did find the Harbourfront Factory Outlets by Day 3, where my credit cards got a good workout. In fact, I had so much fun shopping, I forgot to take photos :-)

(L-R) View of city from Stirling Park and Bells Tower

The one thing that always strikes me when I set foot on antipodean soil is the blue cloudless sky. It makes for beautiful days and brilliant photos. The fact that it was winter didn't bother me at all because it was just so refreshing for body, mind and soul. In fact, Perth is known to have the best weather in Australia and is surrounded by lakes, parks and beaches, which makes it an ideal playground for sports-mad Ozzies. Running marathons and participating in triathlons are run-of-the-mill activities here.

Aunty Jo Jo enjoying the beaches at Fremantle and Cottesloe