Rottnest

Rottnest Island, or "Rotto" as it's known round here, is a tiny car-free island, dotted with secluded tropical bays. It's only 19km offshore from Freemantle, so it's a popular weekend getaway for locals. It measures 11km by 4.5km, so getting around by bike is the only way to see the island properly. The journey has been long-awaiting as the school-leavers or 'schoolies' have been in residence for the past couple of weeks and aparently it's a terrible idea to go anywhere near this time as it's just one big teenage party. As we boarded the ferry in Perth with our mountain bikes, a couple of dolphins were swimming right next to us in the harbour, waiting for the dolphin-cruise to depart.

A Dutch Explorer called Willem de Vlamingh claimed discovery of the island in 1696, and named it "Rat's Nest," due to the large population of what he perceived to be enormous rodents. They were actually quokkas, which are very cute little things which look like a cross between a wombat and a tiny kangaroo. Some of them are very tame, but there are often report of people playing "quokka soccer" with them but now they are protected which is good as they are very cute. There are somewhere between 8,000 and 12,000 on Rotto and populations are found in the forests of the mainland.

There is actually evidence of Aboriginal occupation dating from 7,000 years ago and from 1838 until 1920, the inhabitants of Rottnest were Aboriginal prisoners from the mainland. The island is still a sacred site to the Noongar tribe as hundreds of their tribe died there. The prison cells are now hotel rooms which are supposedly haunted. There are a couple of other places to stay on the island, but most people camp out. So while there is very little to do on the island apart from cycle aound and admire the views, it's a very relaxing place... or it would be if it weren't for the flies!

The flies in Australia are totally rank and are presnt in their millions on hot days. They come in from the desert and head straight for your mouth, nose or eyes, deperate as they are for moisture. You might look ridiculous wearing a fly-net, but they are a bloody good idea all things considered. Otherwise, the diving is supposed to be good as is the swimming and snorkelling so we'll get round to that one day soon. There a several shipwrecks which are shallow enough to be viewed snorkelling but you need a boat to access them.

After catching the ferry back to Perth in the evening, we went in search of a quiet drink along the Esplanade. However, our search brought us to the Lucky Shag which was full of Sunday all-day drinkers and I disovered to my horror that on my way to the toilet, someone had vomited into my bike helmet. Unfortunately, although I'd done a rough clean-up of the situation, I still had to wear the helmet home!

Not that we got very far home, because we saw a throng of people gathering for some open-air event in the park by the Swan Bells. As it was free, Andy suggested we stay to listen to Symphony in the City. This necessitated us buying more beers and lying down in the grass with more people than I thought actually lived in Perth. It was very pleasant anyway and I think I fell asleep, having had a great action-packed weekend. It's such a shame anybody has to work.

Surf's Up

Hello Dears! A prolonged silence from this end means I can justify a ramble and a chunter without any rudeness from the readers. Several of you have been very busy with having babies and/or bringing up existing babies. A big congratulations to Suze & James on the arrival of Joe ("a nine stoner") and to Jamie & Hazel for producing Evie, who I know enjoyed our skype episode last week. How bizarre seeing each other all these million miles away... you looking all pasty and blissfully happy and us all brown and knackered with it being way past our bedtime. Bring on more skype. Baby Nell continues to be gorgeous, as does my lovely neice Lily who was had her first birthday recently. Happy Birthday Lily!

I think our problematic journey into migrant workerdom has been well documented by my husband, so I won't focus on all the problems we've been having since we arrived. I'm over being a whinging Pom, things are on the up. So to combat the homesickness, we've been making the most of sunshine and the outdoors lifestyle which is the Aussie way. Our first consistently good week since we left home 8 weeks ago began with our very first surfing lesson. Our friend Dan and his girlfriend Helen, decided to take us out and introduce us to the waves. Baby waves, he said. I just wanted to look cool, so I went along even though my back was killing me. The day before I'd had a hardcore massage from David Beckham's physio when he played for Real Madrid!

You see tons of people strolling effortlessly down the beach with a board slung under their arm. Let me tell you, there is even a certain degree of talent required here - especially when you are half the size of your board. So I had to have my board carried for me (not cool). We then did a bit of practicing jumping up on the board on the beach. If you're just starting off, Dan said you should just get onto your knees (again, not cool). Next thing, we were in the water. At least some of us were, Andy was doing his embarrassing thing of getting into the water slowly by splashing his chest gingerly with water to get 'accustomed to it.' Luckily, we had leg straps for the boards, otherwise we'd have been a few boards down by the end of the day. Then you lie on your belly (more tricky than you'd imagine) and wait for a wave. When a nice one comes along, you start paddling (see demonstration) and then try to stand up. Andy was actually quite good, but I'm not sure I really got it. It was much more fun just staying on your front without even attempting to stand up. Trouble is, the waves are pretty powerful and I learnt a valuable lesson - don't turn your back to them! One minute I was just stood in the sea chatting when Dan looked worried and said "hold onto your sunnies!" This massive wave came and dumped me. This basically means the wave forces you under and spin you around a few times as if you're in a washing machine. You have to push your board out of the way or it could knock you out and the whole business is less than pleasant! I lost my sunnies and had salt water pouring our of my nose for the rest of the day, which was quite invigorating. After that I felt a bit wobbly so took to sunbathing instead. We then spent the rest of the day chilling out on nearby
Cottesloe beach, which has to be our favourite spot. A perfect, lazy weekend.

Andy being knocked over by a wave...