Eleven days in...

Headed down from Perth on the metro-type train to the sleepy seaside resort of Mandurah. Except that it is actually a glitzy marina resort of over 60,000 citizens. Stations on the way: Burdock, Holborn, Banana and Mallard – in reality, Murdoch, Cockburn, Kwinana and Wellard. Ears go funny in the heat it seems. We were staying with an old friend of Tom's who actually worked for the EDP in the seventies. Sally picked us up from the station and lent us her car for the afternoon. We took a dolphin viewing cruise which was a revelation. No dolphins but a new network of Venice-style canals with opulent waterside residences. Have we ended up in Dubai by mistake? No, Western Australia really is this affluent, a car-oriented air-con existence in semi paradise. Multi-coloured parakeets in the trees and anti-bug screens against the enemy mosquitos. Temp this am in Perth 28C, temp in Adelaide our next destination 37C. But apparently it's hotter and more humid in Queensland whither we are bound next week.

Be seeing you.