Chasing The Little White Ball

Since living in Perth I've been taking golf lessons which not only has been great to learn the techniques but it's also been fantastic to meet other people who are thrilled to give advice to a new comer to Perth as to what places we should visit.

Today it was suggested that I visit Bold Park, which over the last 7 months I've been driving past but hadn't really noticed. Bold Park is a coastal bushland reserve with fantastic 360 degree views and as Perth is a fairly flat city, after visiting I can appreciate why it was suggested.

There are lots and lots of golf courses around, but the one I've been having lessons at is Wembley Golf Course, which is a 36 hole public golf course with an automated driving range - you don't even have to bend down as the balls pop up for you to hit. Tim and I have also been going to Lake Claremont Golf Course that's a 3 par course at $10 a game. Also my golfing friends and I are now attempting to play at some other golf courses, we don't score it's just a hit and a giggle.

Upstairs on the automated driving range Wembley Golf Course

View from Bold Park

           

The Bold and Beautiful

I've just returned to Perth after spending a week staying with two of my sisters at Harbord, now know as Freshwater. It was one of those special times where I was able to spend time with my family, going for coffee with my Dad at Dee Why beach, cooking up a storm for my sisters and for Mum.

While I was there I got up early a couple of mornings and followed one of my sisters into Manly who regularly swims with The Bold and Beautiful.

The Bold and Beautiful are a very informal group of up to 50 people during winter and probably more in summer who swim from Manly out to Shelly Beach and back. These are brave souls, I was very tempted but after nightmares of cramping up in the cold water I decided to wait until my next visit in summer.  Swimmers meet each morning at 7am and give themselves such challenges as completing 20 swims over winter and in summer swimming 6km or 10km.

To find out more about this group go to www.pacificjules.com.au

Sunrise at Manly Beach

The Bold and Beautiful

The Bold and Beautiful

Dee Why baths

Wait Awhile

When we first moved to Perth we were told my several locals that WA stands for wait awhile, I don't know if that's correct but its certainly a slower pace of life. As Jessica said when she was here 'there's no one around', which might be an exaggeration but it certainly is quieter than Glebe where she lives.

We are both enjoying the slower pace of life as it does remind us of country living rather than how we've been living for the last few years in the middle of Sydney. The only gripe I would have is the distance and how long it takes for mail to be delivered. Australia Post is often referred to as snail mail when its compared to e-mails, fax etc but mail sent through the post here is ultra slow.

As an example I received a letter from Wollongong that was sent on the 12 July and received it on 25 July, you could say that might be a one off but a parcel I sent to Melbourne on 27 June arrived on 7 July. Then there's express post guaranteed to be delivered the next day from capital city to capital city but no if you look at the fine print on the back of the envelope it says except Perth.

Perth might as well be in another country, but a beautiful country at that.

Oranges and Lemons

Our neighbours have told me that winter is the time for the garden and as I walk around the streets of Subiaco and Shenton Park I find that there are amazing gardens out on the verge of the streets and in the front yards of homes.

When I talk about gardens I'm not talking about the traditional flowering shrubs or manicured 'boxed hedged' gardens I'm talking about the vegie garden; there seems to be vegie patches and citrus fruit tree's everywhere.

For the last 30 odd years Tim and I have had vegie patches, fruit trees and even chooks at one time, so we have a love of being self sufficient.  Unfortunately where we are currently living doesn't allow us to have that vegie patch, so I look on enviously at all these lucky people that are making the most of every bit of dirt space they have.

School Holidays and AC/DC

I'd forgotten that it's school holidays over here and headed off this week to visit the Perth Museum and see the AC/DC exhibition (I wonder what the members of the band think of themselves being shown in a museum).

The exhibition was full of Dad's with their son's and die hard fans of all ages viewing the story of AC/DC from the early days up until today.  Some of their costumes were on display with of course the school uniform and other costumes such as superman and the devil.  Included in the display were personal letters that band members sent while on tour to family and friends.

What I enjoyed most was the large screen showing one of AC/DC's concerts with the camera occasionally showing the audience, you could feel the buzz that the band must get when the audience goes wild! The sound system was fantastic and you really felt you were part of it.

Winter and the delights of Busselton

In the last week Jessica has been over to visit for a relaxing holiday, I think it was relaxing for her but unfortunately the winter weather had arrived and the thermometer was struggling to stay at least at Sydney's temperature. I remember a friend of mine who lives in Perth now but was from Queensland making a comment that she doesn't like Perth weather as it's to cold, and I'm starting to realise that there's some truth in what she's saying. Winter is the wet season and so it is wet or cloud and cold, for example today is overcast with some drizzle rain and the temperature has reached a top of 14 degree's.

It was fantastic to have Jessica come to visit as I was able to enjoy her company, cook lovely hearty winter meals and be a tourist again.

One of our day trips was down to Busselton which is located about 230km south of Perth.
Busselton is famous for the jetty that's 1.8km in length and is classified as the longest wooden jetty in the Southern Hemisphere. This jetty has been replaced/renovated several times with the last only being completed early this year. At the end of the jetty is an underwater observatory that you may or may not find interesting.

On reflection I'm not sure whether it's worth a day trip from Perth as it's a long way and little else to do there in winter but I would certainly visit if I was heading down to Margaret River or elsewhere down south.

On our way out to the end of the jetty

Looking back half way out

Some of the old jetty

The Underwater Observatory

Wet, Wet, Wet

We've been back in Perth a week and there's been 128mm of rain, when the average for June is usually 162mm. The rain is so different to Sydney, it comes down in buckets, there's no drizzle here, which is good as you can get out and do things in between showers. Jualbup Lake, which is just around the corner from our place was completely dry a couple of months ago and is now overflowing.

I've been trying to get my walking training in but due to the rain I decided to just go to the gym and use the treadmill, the view became a bit boring but it was better than getting saturated.

View while on the treadmill

Jualbup Lake, Shenton Park