Perth WA - Day 1

Events of Friday, 8th February 2013

My last visit to Perth, Western Australia was almost six years ago, on my fourth 'Round the World' trip which you can read about here.

On my return in 2013, our Thai flight made an on-time arrival at Perth around 7.30 a.m. I said goodbye to my friend Captain Myo Lwin in the baggage hall, promising to visit he and his wife in Perth during my visit. My friend Keith was waiting for me in the arrivals hall and we were soon on our way to his home where I'd been invited to stay with Keith and his wife Fhines. Fhines had to go to work but we met later in the day. Keith now has a dog called Sasha I'd not met. Fortunately, we quickly became firm friends.

Later in the morning, we drove to Freemantle and pottered around the remains of the old docks where there are a number of preserved Stothert and Pitt dockside cranes.


Stothert and Pitt electric cranes preserved on the dockside.

The old transit sheds have found new uses, one as a 'shopping experience', principally selling souvenirs to tourists. We'd hoped to visit the nearby Steam Museum which houses various model steam-powered stationary engines including a number actually made by Keith. Unfortunately, the museum was closed but we planned to return later in my visit. We returned to Keith's home, going into 'Subway'on the way to buy a filled roll for lunch.

After the pressures of my tour through Vietnam, I was happy to have a quieter day to recuperate.