Plans are now afoot for the next stage of the Oz tour, and I’ve made contact with a huge bunch of people to bump into in the next few weeks. Much as I like Perth, I’m really looking forward to moving on to see them all!

Tasmania’s pretty much planned out as it’s 99% organised tour. I should be meeting at least one; hopefully two online chummies in Canberra as well as seeing the sites; Sydney will play host for one evening before I head to Wollongong to stay with Dion’s parents (I met her in Sri Lanka).

After this, I’ll kill a little time around the NSW area with trips round the Blue Mountains, to Bondi Beach and up to Newcastle (just to get some pics of the roadsigns!) before returning to Sydney on March 12th to finally see Weird Al Yankovic in concert. I’ve been a fan for years, but he’s never played the UK to the best of my knowledge. I’m way back in row “S” but at least I can say I’ve seen him at last! With any luck I’ll also see Anni from home who’s visiting another friend over here.

Next up will be Brisbane once more. As well as the usual bunch of misfits up there, my aunt Babs is visiting from the UK. It’ll be great to see another one of the clan!

So. Perth. I really wish I’d “scored” here, preferably multiple times. OK, so this isn’t exactly abnormal thinking for me, but I really wanted to use the title Perth Girls Are Easy for a post and now I can’t. Ah well.

Of all the major cities I’ve been to in Oz, Perth seems to have settled best with me. It’s just the right size, the weather’s just about right and the people are as great as they are anywhere else. On the downside, it’s blooming miles from anywhere else which makes trips expensive. Also, it’s a fast-developing city so land and house prices are pretty high.

Yesterday I spent an hour or so wandering through the Museum of Western Australia (entry fee a paltry $2 donation) which is a very pleasant place indeed. I concentrated most on the natural history as ever, and they’ve got some great displays. Clean, brightly-lit, well-presented – it all looks very new indeed.

I spent most of the evening sat in the staff room of a KFC outside the city with Mel, who I met at the karaoke. She’s manageress there and had the world’s worst hangover. In return for delivering energy drinks I got free fried chicken. Whoop!

There’s still a bit to do here – the zoo and the public park being just two – so I think I may be back. And not forgetting the people – I’ve made some friends here as well, which wasn’t hard. If I can’t get a room in the Witch’s Hat then Jacqui has kindly offered me use of a spare bed in their house – thanks!

So, byebye to Perth for a while. Next stop, Launceston (via Melbourne airport and a 4-hour layover – great).