Travelling to Perth

 We leave Topsham just after 2pm and meet Leo and Rachel Clark on the platform! They are on their way to New Zealand. We enjoy their company on the train as far Reading which helps to make up for the inevitable delays! Luckily we are not in a hurry. We get the Heathrow Express and enjoy a relaxing evening at the Sofitel with a G&T and beer in the bar and delicious Butter Chicken curry in the Vivre restaurant. 

Alarm at 7.15am and an easy check in: all automated. Breakfast at Cafe Nero and a bit of tabbing around the duty free. We board virtually on time and even manage to keep the  spare seat between us (Ellie’s tip!). It’s good to have a bit more space although there is a bit of seat rage as seats are reclined early on in my row! We seem to manage to while away the hours bingeing films and TV and I enjoyed Elvis and 5 out of 6 episodes of White Lotus. Plenty of food and drink and an attempt at some sleep: possibly not terribly successful. Breakfast before landing and a taxi into the Northbridge area of Perth to the Alex Hotel. It is very hot at 37C! We have a wander around the cultural area and visit the Art Gallery of Western Australia which is spacious and cool and displays a variety of art including some Aboriginal works. We’re feeling a little lightheaded with the jet lag but enjoy our first Aussie beer at a lively bar in the square. Then an early supper at Bivouac restaurant with a good selection of eastern Mediterranean tapas which we share. We stay to watch the sunset (almost) on the rooftop terrace of our hotel trying not to close our eyes. We manage to hold out until 8pm before crashing into bed exhausted!