How we came to have so many Easter Eggs

Chocolate in Australia – as you no doubt can imagine – is different than that in Britain. (Is there anything that is the same – Marmite is called My Mate, Pubs don't open on Good Friday, and the National Sports Teams are good at what they play?) How do I know this about chocolate? Well, in the last couple days I've managed to try an awful lot of chocolate – being Easter.

The local church had organised an Easter Egg Eggstravaganza (Eggs – being the operative word) for the Easter Saturday. Between two night shifts we all went along – to experience the Aussie Easter Experience (different again). Well laid out in this park were a few marked out running lanes, a long rope for a tug of war, 5 or 6 marquees with different events going on, an ice cream van, and a couple of enclosures for Easter egg hunting.

As we arrived there with other another family, we all got in the line to register. Actually it was more like the adults queuing, and the kids off and running around, until we got to the front of the queue for face painting. I imagine the young volunteers would have been a little shocked if one of the adults had asked for a dolphin, or butterfly painted onto their face.

While we adults were queuing up, there were children's races – including sack races, egg and spoon races, three legged races, wheel barrow races, and the tug of war. Daisy told me – as she does often – "it's not a race". She isn't one of the most competitive people around. I guess that I got most of the competitiveness in our family.

Then came the Easter egg hunt part "Oh dear" I was thinking, as Daisy isn't one of the most competitive people around, as I have mentioned, and it looked like it was a mad scramble to find the eggs. Nothing to worry about though – the kids only had to find 5 coloured matchsticks, and then could exchange them from a box of 6 chocolate eggs.

After a quick drink (note to self, make sure that you've finished your coffee, before putting the empty in your pocket, while trying to find a bin, or be prepared to put up with some mocking and ridicule) we went and all 10 of us relaxed by the kids playground. No longer had we been sat down for 5 minutes when the Easter bunny's helper came over, and gave the adults each a box of 6 chocolate eggs to go along with the kids' ones.

The next morning we all popped along to church – only to find that it wasn't a regular service – but rather we decorated Easter Baskets (with you guessed it – more eggs inside), played relay/ice breaker games, had coffee and buns, then into the main chapel to watch an fabulous multimedia presentation, before a grand prize draw (we entered the draw the day before) for a giant 3.5 kg chocolate egg. Thank fully we didn't win – as I don't think that I could eat much more chocolate.

Sunday afternoon was taken up with BBQ prep – and melting down the 60+ chocolate eggs that we had left for the chocolate fountain (see birthday blog for that story). At the last count it was about 10-15 eggs each – that isn't counting any of the others we got. And all the eggs from the church were for free – another thing that was very different in Australia, although this is a good thing!!!

Birthdays seem to Go on Forever and what to do with Old Easter Eggs

Yes I'm 29 Again. My Birthday came by again – and then went in spectacular fashion. It has been a fun couple of days, and in case you are wondering it was on the 8^th of April this year. Once again it is coinciding with Easter Holidays – it happens a lot – but more on the significance of that later.

Anyway – with the Mums here (mine and Jane's mum Joyce flew out to Perth from England the other week, and aren't returning until later this week), and it was great to celebrate my birthday and Easter with them.

On Wednesday last week came around a day that should go down in history. Well – in the terms of great historical days not much to note has happened on the 8^th. A quick look at the factually and wholly accurate "Wikipedia" alerts me to the fact I share my big day with Vivian Westwood, and Pablo Picasso (actually it wasn't his birthday, but rather the day of his demise), and Buddha (but only in Japan). There are so few things of note that happened in the first week of April, I'm going to campaign to get great things to start happening around April 8.

Actually, nothing of note happen this year either – oh except at work where I actually truly earned my money for the first time in a very long while. A celebration fish and chip supper (we know how to live) was planned with friends – but I was 1 ½ hours late home, so I was lucky to get the last of the chips, as people went ahead and ate without me (actually didn't eat everything – but they started eating before everyone had actually sat down. I imagine if we searched Wikipedia – or any site about manners – surely it would be polite to wait until everyone is seated (or if not everyone – then at least the guest of honour) before tucking in.)

"You'll have to pardon these uncouth layabouts, they are my friends" was the phrase that sprung to mind.

Anyway – birthday day finished with a big hooray. I've actually managed to win a board game. Recently that has been a rare occurrence, as I've been left playing after everyone else has finished. Actually as winning runs go – I'm now on a trot of three. Not an all-time record, but good for me none the less.

My actual birthday get together was Sunday evening in a local park. Two other friends of mine have birthdays in the next week, so we all gathered for a . . . you guessed it – BBQ. About 30-40 family and friends came, and it was an excellent time of fun, and food. The piers' de resistance was a chocolate fountain, using melted Easter eggs. Spectacular I tell you especially if you are a tin lid.

The World's Greatest Shave

The World's Greatest Shave (TWGS) – once again Australia is over-estimating their importance in the world – took place, and being a sucker for a good cause – I've joined in. TWGS is a money raising event for research into Leukemia. To participate we had the choice of shaving out head, or getting out hair coloured. I've opted for the first option, and Daisy wanted to take part and get the second option.

On the allotted day – we found a place that was wealding hair colour and clippers, and we had our turn. Just so you all are aware – not only did I get a shave – but also my head was coloured, and doodled on. Daisy was pink and sparkling – as if she would have anything else! Pictures are proof

Anyway – with everyone's generosity, we've raised well above my goal of $250 (about £100). Those of you who have promised me money when I come back to England, I'll be taking you up on that offer on my return in May, as I've banked the equivalent on your behalf already. Those who sent money on the internet link – that was so easy and I didn't need to get involved, and I would like to thank you all as well.

It’s Been a Long Time

Looking at my blog site, I realized that it has been a long time since telling anyone anything about what I have been up to. I realize that Jane has been diligent in posting you all photos, but I don't seem to have launched them to the blog.

I find myself with a couple of minutes spare in my busy life – The clocks went back, and someone forgot to tell the Tin Lids they are allowed to sleep for longer – so that will be why I am awake at 5 in the morning.

Talking of sleeping – I've been mostly hard at work (or hard at sleep, as Jane likes to call it). Recently I even managed a full 8 hours sleep uninterrupted. (And to think that I am actually getting paid well for that – in a bed and everything). Not much to report on the work front – as they as here "I am so over it" actually over complaining about it.

In the last couple weeks I've been off on the weekend, and so the family has been very busy with excursions, and days out. I was thinking the best way to describe them, but couldn't, so how about a list.

• Watching the Surf Lifesaving Championships (they just seemed to be playing in the waves and running on the sand).
  


• Trying to emulate the Surf Lifesaving Championships the next day (not so successful, but fun none the less.)
  


• Perfecting our Beach BBQ Picnic Technique (still need more practice – even after 4 or 5 goes this month)
  


• Taking advantage of a free face painting stand (Not the adults – obviously)
  


• Playing Football and Cricket in the park (actually we didn't, but I watched a couple games being played)
  


• Burying the kids in sand and then getting a Noahs Ark (Shark) to eat them!

• Finally – communing with nature, under canvas (it isn't really canvas anymore, but nylon) for 3 days.

The camping was great fun – we went to a camping site we'd been to before. As well as the normal high jinks of the kids there were a couple of occasions of note.

The first entailed Charlie – who is Daisy's shadow, (or is Daisy his shadow – I think the latter). Anyway on one occasion that they weren't joined at the hip – he meandered off, and after 4 or 5 minutes of slightly panicky searching by all the adults who realized he was missing (two of us – his mum and I), he was spotted with a large grin on his ice-cream covered face. He'd found the ice-cream van, and contrary to popular belief, the van had ice-cream in it – even though it was playing it's music (We've mentioned to Daisy when she sees an ice-cream van playing music – it has run out of ice cream - this is a major cost saving exercise on our part). Anyway – I digress – Charlie didn't wasn't worried, and in fact had sweet talked the lady at the van to let him have a 99 with a flake for free – have I mentioned he is only 4. (He has got his silver tongue and his way with the ladies from his fatherJ) .

The other funniest thing was the waterslide a couple of people had brought along. Just picture a long roll of plastic sheeting, with some water and washing up liquid sprayed down it, and then laid out on a hill, and kids sent down it. The kids were all fine – bar a couple of grass burns when they strayed off the plastic. I had a go – once only – and a slipped at the start. It was all being recorded for posterity, but the camera man forgot the adage – Never stop filming, and missed the whole funny episode. I didn't fancy doing it all again.

I think that about 700 words are enough for now. I'm going away with sleep (or is it work) in a little while and will be sending a couple more messages as I am away!

Analiese’s first Birthday

Below is a copy of the letter that Jane wrote to the newspaper here in Western Australia (Yes there is only one paper - it makes for balanced news reporting that way). After our lovely day celebrating, which I was going to tell you about, with friends in King's Park, we had a nasty surprise waiting for us on the second trip back to my car.

It is described rather a lot more rationally that I was when I was describing what happened to a couple of my friends.

Before the letter though, a couple photos of our day out. It was a very hot day, and boy were we glad of the marque. When I say is was very hot, I mean it was melting underpants hot. Most people wished they were a baby as they were rubbed with ice, and stripped off to nothing. It was a no warning hot day, as during the week it had been 25 degrees almost every day, and then bang a toe curling 35 degrees.

Letter to the West Australian on Sunday Evening

"To the person who stole my one year old baby daughter's birthday presents from our car, earlier today from Kings Park Synergy Playground we hope you are pleased with yourself. You must feel 'Proudly Australian'."

Earlier today we celebrated our youngest daughter Annaliese's first birthday with a picnic barbeque at glorious Kings Park. We invited a few friends and enjoyed a lovely, but hot afternoon. After we had said our Thank Yous and Good Byes, David my husband carried Annaliese's birthday presents back to the car. They were unopened and wrapped in typical baby birthday paper. He then returned to help the rest of us.

We were horrified to return to our car to find our baby's birthday presents had been stolen. We are cautious about leaving items in this car as it has been broken into twice already in as many months. An opportunist must have seen David place the gifts in the car, as they were not on view and the car was locked. The driver's side door handle was broken and came away in David's hand.

My eldest daughter, Daisy, age 4, was very excited at the prospect of returning home to aid her baby sister unwrap birthday presents. She sobbed all the way home when we explained what had happened and keeps asking 'why did the nasty person take Annaliese's presents?' How do you explain it to a 4 year old?

We are new to Perth, in fact new to Australia and this is not how we expected to remember our baby's first birthday.

If you have Birthday or Christmas gifts don't think they are safe in your car for even a minute (or 5 in our case). And, if you are an opportunist, who happened to fall upon some children's gifts from a small grey Hyundai, have a conscience and return them.

From: Mrs Jane Heath, married to David a Paramedic for St John's and Mum to Daisy age 4 and Annaliese the birthday girl age 1.

Contact: Email as above or mobile 0450 048153

Watching Dr. Who at Christmas

I've managed to come up with way to watch Dr. Who Christmas Special.

If anyone else wants to do it, and they are living outside of the UK, then you can link to the BBC iPlayer and download the episode. I have set myself up.

You can also do the same thing!

http://www.consult-here.com/vpn.html

Have a go. It's great

We took a little holiday while Mum was here in Perth. We went to a place down in the south of Western Australia. I guess you could call it South West Australia, or West South Australia - actually I think that is a different place all together.

Like the true Brits that we are, it didn't matter that it was a late spring day, and the sea was freeziing, and the sky was a colour more often seen on the sides of warships (have you heard of Battleship Gray?), we ventured to the beach for some construction sessons.

Annaliese, and Daisy, and Jane, and Mum, oh, and me, all enjoyed outselves, as you can see. Annaliese thought it was fabulous that she could crawl around as far as she liked without any barriers, or us coming to get her back. (We were the only people we could see on the 10-15kms of beach). She did get a shock when she crawled into where the waves were gently lapping at the sand.

You'll note that we had a beach cottage, which was only 15 seconds from the beach - in fact I was standing on the walkway to the beach when I took the photo.


More tales from down under to come.

Someone actually told me that as I was living upside down, the moon would appear the other way up to me. So when you are keenly gazing at the full moon on a clear night, with romantic thoughts in your head, arm in arm with someone you love, just remember that I also can see the same moon, only it is upside down (That will be a definate mood killer).

The grim reapers apprentice returns

I've been busy of late. I'm going to update you all with what I've been up to, but needless to say - in Sir Alan Sugar's uncopyable style "David, you're Hired", if he was the grim reaper.

What a run of bad luck Ive had at work. I'm busy composing my thoughts, and will let you all know soon about what I've actually been doing.

Early October – Discovering Angkor Wat

In the middle of the 1800s there were a couple of intrepid jungle explorers who, in the course of hacking their way the jungles of South East Asia, came upon a lost city in what is now Cambodia. As it turned out, after cutting the jungle back a lot that it was the old capital city, Angkor Wat.

This last week has been more like a settling in week. After the frenetic move, and unpacking of almost 200 boxes, bundles, and bags that made the slow journey 15000 miles, Jane and I have tried to just slow down a little. Although it is hard to slow down from hardly moving, we are trying. Daisy is quite happy to stay at home at the moment, and play with her toys, and games. Also a favourite of hers now is watching Foxtel (Sky TV) kid's channels. We still are without Lounge room furniture yet, but the floor is as good a place to sit as any, when watching TV I guess.

I've been going to work. It is a bit of a shock, as I've been given nights to do again, but this time I am at a busy ambulance depot right near the restaurant/cafe/bar/club area of Perth. As you can imagine, it is a far cry from the sleepy hollow out near the desert, or the old people taxi bus, or the long distance transfer brigade, which is what I have been doing recently. I'm not complaining though, as it is nice to be busy with lots of different things.

Anyway, to aid in the slowing down of the pace of life from slow to almost stopped, I've been contemplating the world while lying in my hammock in the back garden in the sun. Temperatures here are being forecast as cracking 30 in the early part of next week. Maybe Jane will be able to put her jumpers away soon. I know that those in the UK don't want to hear about it, but the sun is out, the water in the sea is warming up, the beach is looking more appealing every day, and the 2 weeks we've had of slightly dodgy weather is finished. It's a far cry from driving rain, grey skies, and howling winds that are the norm for October.

I digress again. As I was lying on the hammock listening to the grass grow (it actually was that quite), I realised it needed mowing. I remember seeing a mower in one of the three sheds in the garden, and so I got it out, and after a couple failed attempts at getting it running smoothly, I put it back into the shed, and went and got a decent one that wasn't petrol driven from the local Garden centre. After mowing, and racking the front and back garden, climbed back onto the hammock to look at my handiwork, while sipping a long cold drink.

This is when I decided that the ivy that was climbing on the trellises and eves of the patio roof really needed putting into its place and trimming back a little. Welding a pair of pruning scissors (secateurs) I ventured into the jungle where lots have feared to tread for a long time. With a snip here and a snip there slowly the ivy started to resemble something that was more of a decoration.

Like the intrepid French jungle explorers in the 1860s I discovered some rare treats after cutting down the ivy. There were some hanging baskets that were complete overgrown. I think that I'll call the garden the Heaths Jungle Retreat now. After trimming/major revamping of the ivy, and hanging baskets, I found places for a couple more baskets, so I treated Daisy to a couple hanging baskets from the local garden centre, with strawberries growing in them. After planting, and watering them, she is very excited that we are not only growing cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers, but now we are growing strawberries as well. We check them each about 4 times a day to see if there has been any strawberries grown yet. We hope they will be ready from about the middle of November through to about April, or May.

Anyway, unlike the Frenchies, I haven't discovered a lost city, but I've certainly made a lot more of our patio accessible, and also made one girl very happy, and excited.

 

Last of September – Sorry about the delay

As you are no doubt aware, I've been a little remiss with the updating of you all with the weekly/daily updates. It is not because things are happening that need reporting, or you might find funny, it is because I am just a little slack and finding the time to sit down everyday and pen 250 words or so, if really not as easy as it used to be. Anyway let me keep you abreast of the goings on of the Heaths in Perth.

The transportation issue hasn't been a problem since I have been using the train and bus to work, leaving Jane the car. There were a couple routine maintenance issues with the car that needed addressing, but nothing that wouldn't wait another couple weeks until we move (a fan belt that squealed). This suddenly and very loudly became a pressing maintenance issue while I was on the motorway one evening.

Anyway – to make a long story very short – I was given the run around by the garage that I happened to stop by (not that I couldn't fix the problem myself, I just couldn't get it to my home to fix), the fan belt was repaired. I'm not going to relay the whole story blow by blow (I almost resorted to physical blows) but a quick run down of some of the problems encountered – the garaged ordered the wrong belts twice (1 hour delay), while dismantling the car to fit the eventual new belts a bracket was snapped by the mechanic – and then the garage insisted I organise the replacement part (4 hour delay while going about 50 km. to get the new bit), and then when I got back the garage mechanic told me that he wasn't going to be able to fit the part till the next day. Eventually it was sorted out, and the car is running great. I learned my lesson, and did all the other routine maintenance tasks I'd been delaying (change the brakes, change the oil, clean the spark plugs, etc. etc. etc.)

We have also moved, and all of our worldly goods have been re-acquainted with us now. The house is as lovely as it was when we looked at it originally, with a big garden, and lots of space for the girls to all play. We didn't bring much actual furniture, and our house is looking like an IKEA show house a little more every day. (In fact last night I got another chest of drawers, a baby cot, another cupboard, some picture frames, a TV cabinet, a cuddly toy, and a glass decanter - actually not a cuddle toy and crystal decanter, maybe I've been watching to many re-runs of the Generation Game.

In the course of writing these few paragraphs, I've been unpacking the rest of our belongings, and been getting back to what I have been missing in the last 8 or 9 months (cooking for others, and firing the BBQ up, and slowing becoming a true Aussie – "Put another shrimp on the Barbie). Mostly it's been a houseful of dustbin lids (kids) about Daisy's age all dressing up as princesses, and bouncing on her trampoline. It's becoming more like home every day. Including putting all (did we really have that many) toys away every night.

We were given a small television to help pass the time until ours all arrived. Now our stuff has arrived, I tried to give the small TV back to its rightful owner, but she was just happy to be rid of it. So now the kids play room has a TV, Playstation, and DVD of its own. A 10 year old was very taken with the Playstation when he and his parents came around, and we didn't hear a peep from him for the couple hours they were here, and was really happy to borrow the game to take home to play at home.

We've been sorting out the life essentials (Sky TV, Telephone, Broadband) so are fully multi-media'ed up now, and I'll be passing along our phone number when we are finally connected, so you all will be able to ring (although it would be cheaper if you called us over the internet free, by the way). We are still waiting for those of you who we gave web cams and mics to connect with us. Do we need to send you the receipt, as the cameras must obviously not be working! Just pop your computer to www.skype.com and download and install the program, and in 5 minutes you'll be communicating free with the world. (You know who you are...)

We went to the Perth Royal Agricultural Show the other day. Schools here are on holiday again, and the Royal Show was timed to coincide with this. There were lots of animals (pigs, horses, cattle, sheep, llamas, camels, rabbits, dogs, cats, chickens, and goats to name a few of the animals we saw). Daisy and Annaliese loved them all, and we watched some high diving into a little pool, and had a pony ride, and went on a few rides. Daisy loved the mini roller-coaster.

Anyway – all quiet in the Heath household. I'm off to work tomorrow morning, and will be driving (I have no uniform left at work, so have to take all my shirts/jackets/spare uniform with me). Obviously I wouldn't ride the loser cruiser, and the rattler with the uniform, as most of the people look like they will be in need of paramedic in the near future.

Keep in touch. We love to hear from you.

 

September Came with an Oh Wow

I know that I said that I was going to be updating you with less regularity than when the rest of the family was not here, but I realized that I haven't been doing any writing. That's because I thought that I had used up my megabits remaining for my monthly internet contract were running short, and I was saving them for talking to people on Skype – Oh by the way, those of you who we have bought cameras and mics for, they aren't only decorations, we were hoping that you would use them to talk to us. You know who you are, but just in case you don't I could name you all! It takes about 3 minutes to set up and sign up, and then you are talking to the world for free! www.skype.com

Enough nagging...What we have been up to I hear you cry! You may be aware that 2^nd of September of an anniversary of when I got the ball and chain and had it welded around my ankle eight years ago! J Well in the tradition of most couples, I promptly forgot that it was an important day, and volunteered for some Overtime work that day. (Thoughtful, I know). Well, after an ear bashing, and some grovelling with the rostering department, I managed to get out of the shift.

After the narrow escape with my life, I thought that we would at least manage to have a romantic dinner for two, at some swanky restaurant. After a couple inquiries, I managed to secure a booking at the top restaurant in Perth. There were only two little drawbacks to our romantic meal for two (both were two legged little bundles of fun). Baby Sitters are decidedly scarce at the moment, and we couldn't find any that would look after our two for an evening meal, so we made the romantic dinner for two into a romantic lunch for two, with two onlookers.

When I say top restaurant, it is only top by its location. It is located at the top of one of the 4 or 5 sky scrapers in Perth, and it is a revolving restaurant, with Breath Taking 360 degree Panoramic Views of the City of Perth, and the surrounding areas. It was fabulous, and a bonus that we went at lunch, as in the evening we wouldn't have had as nice views. All that you could do, was say "Oh Wow!"

After the meal we rolled along the river front for a while taking in the scenery, and relaxing. What a very pleasant afternoon, and we eventually got home about 4 after posing with some more statues, and chasing seagulls (just like Brighton and Hove Seafront). Not many photos of Perth this time. The memory card of the camera went on the blink after a lot of photos from the roof top restaurant – so the photos that I had planned to share with everyone haven't made it, and I'll include a couple taken from the mobile phone of Madame of our very shy daughters – obviously respecting some more of the local art work. (It makes it more than visual art; it helps it become functional art) – said in a true Sunday Times Art and Culture Supplement style).

A Question for Bus Drivers Everywhere!!

I know that it is not every day that I am updating everyone like before Mrs. Marmite and the Little Spreaders came out to join me. It is understandable as Jane and I are full time playing with the two nippers, and making dinner (most of the time Super Noodles, or Chicken and Mashed Potatoes, or Fresh Pasta and Pesto Sauce - my daughter has very cultured taste), and dancing like a Barbie Princess.

In the past two weeks, we have slowly slipped into a very pleasant routine. I have had to work, but not too hard – as you can imagine. We've had to come to an arrangement about transport, as we only have the purple passion wagon to share between us all. It seems a waste to just drive the car to Melville, where I am working (30-40 minutes away) to leave the car parked up all day, and then drive it home. Because of this I've joined the ranks of the great unwashed, and having to use the "Loser Cruiser" and the "Rattler" and then another "Loser Cruiser" to work. (Translation – bus, train, then bus).

We all met up in town the other afternoon, and went to a park (for a change), but this one was something a little different. It has a replica statue of the Peter Pan statue in Kensington Gardens (not the Brighton one) which was donated to Perth a long time ago. Daisy loves the place, and keeps asking to go back to the Peter Pan Park (that's what she calls it).

It wasn't like that when we first arrived, and were confronted with a small family of Black Swans – like White Swans, but obviously black and a lot more bad tempered. It might be that the two adult swans were just trying to look after their three Cygnets, but they chased Daisy away. "I just wanted to say hello Daddy" was why she went up to them.

We located the Peter Pan statue, and Daisy just danced around it, and climbed up it, and crawled around it, and sat on it. No one was bothered – because there were only a couple other people in the whole park. Eventually an older group of three people walked up to the statue, and after asking us to take their photo alongside the statue, they started chatting with us.

It turns out that they were from Brisbane (capital of Queensland, about 5 hour flight away) but originally from Perth, and had come to see the Peter Pan Statue when they were kids. One of them was a "Music Therapist" – whatever that is – and pulled out some sort of Pan Pipes (Peter Pan/Pan Pipes – I can see the link) and tooted out a tune. Daisy thought that was fabulous, and danced away to the music for ages. We (Jane and I) chatted with them for ages, and wangled an invite to stay with one of the couples if we are ever their way.

Other news is that we have found somewhere to live, but not moving until the middle of September. It's a lovely place that Jane found. I was right – there is no way that I could have been trusted to find a family home.

One thing, finally, while I have been riding the "loser cruiser" to work every day, I have just one small question that I would like answering. Bus Drivers, why does it seem that every bus stop takes you by surprise, and you have to stop suddenly? I drive for a living, and I can come bring the ambulance to a gentle and comfortable stop when necessary, but to the drivers of the buses in Perth, that seems to be an impossible task.

Jane – Part One of a few

If any one had told me last year (when I was four months pregnant), that in a years time I would have moved to Australia, I would have thought that they were completely mad, and, that I would have gone insane. And not only that, but I would spend 7 months in the UK on my own with two small children, then I would have thought not only am I insane but I've had a lobotomy as well!

But no, here I am or should I say here we are, as a family – living 'down under'.

Top tips for any one getting in the export packers when you up sticks and relocate your entire life – make sure you put aside any thing you don't want packed and shipped! The packers were so quick, that a few extras are now making their way from old Blighty! They include Daisy's library books ("oh, you better renew online" quote from the library when I rang to explain), and a couple of cast iron pans belonging with our range cooker in the UK (nice and light!! Not!)

We hired a skip and were quite ruthless sorting through our years of accumulative junk, how liberating! I would recommend everyone hire a skip every five years and have a good old clearout. Tidy house equals tidy head in my book (and not as I hear some of you say, empty house means empty head!)

Watching the guys packing up all our worldly belongings, it looked pretty easy. And very quick! Day 1 everything pretty much except for large items of furniture was packed into boxes, Day 2 all the furniture had to be export wrapped. Basically all items of furniture had to be wrapped either in bubble wrap or in huge brown paper bags. Time was of the essence as our 20ft container was sat outside on the road, and as they say, time is money.

To speed things up, David and I decided to lend a hand, after all how hard could it be? I was an expert at Christmas wrapping! Any one remembers the Generation Game? Well, that would be a great task to complete! After wrestling frantically for five minutes with an enormous brown paper bag, I decided to join forces with David and together we managed to wrap…. The high chair!!!

Everything fitted into our container, which by now should be bobbing around on a big container ship somewhere. And that as they say is that.

We spent the following week catching up with family, before heading off for our big adventure!

Is it a Big Adventure or Mid Life Crisis? Big Adventure of Course! It started on Tuesday 6^th August.

There we all were, Birmingham airport, checking in, 2 adults, 1 child and 1 infant – nothing unusual there. Then came our luggage…. 1 baby buggy, 2 car seats, 3 large suitcases, 1 small suitcase, 1 hold all and 1 more suitcase. "£600 for the last suitcase" excess baggage charge!

Do you think we are stupid – I hope not! The bag didn't get checked in, and here my friends comes our next top tip. Why do you think there is always a luggage store in the airport? It's so that people like us can go and purchase a cabin size wheelie bag. Pack the most useful items into it, and send the practically empty suitcase home! Grandma has recently acquired an extra suitcase and 3 blue towels! And we were the smug owners of a new cabin bag, packed with the last of our possessions!

Having made this Trans global expedition with 2 small children once already this year, I like to think we were quite prepared. And anyone thinking of making this type of journey with small children here are my suggestions:

Group seating – If you can, check in online. David did a great job making sure we were sat together and that we had a bassinet, or sky cot. (This is a cot that slots onto the bulkhead, great for small babies, and tired parents!)

Timing – look at the flight times. We picked the shorter sector to depart mid afternoon and the long 12 hour sector overnight. Why is this important? We want our kids to sleep! We made the mistake when Daisy was 18 months old. The outbound flight was fine; we booked the flight overnight, result she slept. We were too excited about our holiday at the time to think of the return sector and it departed at mid day. Even though we had bought Daisy a seat, she spent half the flight wriggling on my lap! Not recommended! Luckily we timed it just right. My girls were the perfect sleeping angels for most of the time!

Entertainment – Make sure you have plenty to keep your little darlings entertained! Most aircraft have some sort of in-flight entertainment system on board, and our flight was no exception. Daisy quite happily watched The Wizard of Oz and The Aristocats on repeat! I also packed lots of little treats or presents. These ranged from sticker books, to story books etc. We also had our supply of washable felt pens with lids that were attached and couldn't fall on the floor and get lost and magic pens that work only on the special paper provided.

Clothing – For the kids I always put in 2 pairs of pajamas'. I always pack a change of undies (in case of an unscheduled stop) and a clean T-shirt. Just in case your kid is sick… on you!

Essentials – Calpol sachets (a must in case of colds and blocked ears), nappies and wipes (always pack more than you need in case of delays), rubbish bags (have you ever stopped to look at just how dirty the plane looks when you get off it?)

I could go on, but now I am boring you!

Eighteen hours later we landed. The Heaths have arrived!

Week 1 - Here we go again – Although only the Reader’s Digest Version

I'm going to keep it all brief from now on. I've been reminded that some people don't want to read about 500 words a day of things haven't changed. I'll only manage a couple entries a week if I am lucky at the moment.

It was great to see all in the UK and after some hard work, a lot of drink, and a couple very impressing leaving BBQ's, we as a family packed our remaining belongings into a little hire car and trundled off to Devon to have a week of fond farewells with our families. (When I say little, I mean little by anyone's standards.) "How Small" I hear you ask? Well, I've think that I've seen bigger toy cars.

We got to Devon in our Noddy car, and promptly swapped it for something more David sized. We spent some quality time with Joyce and Roy, and was surprised that Daisy really wasn't to bothered about leaving Telscombe...almost like the people we left behind are more upset than we were.

Saturday brought us to Coalville, to be reunited with our remaining luggage (It had travelled to Coalville separately). We redistributed all our belongings that hadn't found their way onto the ship (a lot of things were sent even though we weren't expecting them to be – Do you think our library books will be overdue when they arrive in Perth in 6 weeks?). We were very conscious of the total weight of the suitcases and were very keen to avoid any excess baggage charges.

Tuesday morning took us to the airport, and with a little sorrow and anxiety, we bid farewell to the UK. Even though we took a lot of care over the total weight of the suitcases, we were overweight by about 19kgs, and the man wanted to charge us £600. I thought he wanted us to buy another ticket for him to come to Perth with us, and I politely refused to let him join our party. After the purchase of another piece of hand luggage (£25) and some hasty repacking of the offending suitcase Mum (who had come to see us off, thankfully) acquired a couple towels and a suitcase, and we took all our stuff with us. A lot better than £600
I think!

We were met at the airport by Jamie (his wife, Julie, sent us a bag of groceries – milk, juice, bread, cereal – everything needed for the next morning), and he chauffeured us to the apartment. The first couple days went by with a whirl, and the nights (jet lag and 5 baby teeth cutting through at the same time) were another story. At one point on night everyone was snoring in our bed, so Jane and I sneaked into Daisy's room, and climbed into her bed. An hour of uninterrupted sleep was bliss, but then Annaliese woke, and so we brought her into Daisy's room. It wasn't more than 30 minutes before a little voice woke us "I'm all alone", and then Daisy took me for a trampoline. Musical beds did go on for about a week, but is settled down now.

Besides that it's been parks, picnics, and playgrounds. Today we spent the afternoon as a lot of other families did. We had a lunch time BBQ Picnic in a playground, and then walked around the park admiring the views, rolling down hills, climbing in play areas, and playing Duck, Duck, Goose (Daisy and Me) for about 4 hours, and got home about 6 with two very tired Princesses.

That's about the long and short of it. I'll let you know about work next week.

Saturday – For the final time for a while

It sometimes felt like this day would never get here. I'm checked in to the plane, and the flat is polished, and washed, the beds have been made. The only thing missing from this place to call it home will be Mrs. Marmite, and the Little Spreaders. I'm off to the airport later this evening, and I don't know if I can wait. I'm more excited than excitement itself – to steal a phrase from Baldrick, but his was about cunning!

On the list of things today – get some snacks for the flight, get a haircut, pack the suitcase (although I like to only pack once, I'm sure I'll put things in and out of the case an awful lot before I finish packing. Then there will be waiting until my ride arrives to take me to the airport.

Hopefully I'll catch up with most people over the next 3 weeks – remember to mark the date 26^th July in your diary to come and give Mrs. Marmite and the Little Spreaders a good send off with an Aussie BBQ at the house in Telscombe Cliffs.

I'll be able to still get all my emails in the UK so don't be shy. I've had a few ideas about what I should rename the site when I'm back up and running.

Friday – I’m no movie critic but...

Hype for a film I find, is not to be trusted. I'm going to listen to word of mouth from how on. I'll tell you why. I went along to the cinema today to see the new Will Smith film "Hancock", which in my opinion, is very poor. I didn't get into the cinema in the best of moods, as I had been given the run around at the front desk when trying to buy a ticket.

When someone is in a ticket booth, you would expect them to sell tickets wouldn't you. How hard is it? I should have realised that something was going to not be in order, when everyone who was going to the ticket desk seemed to have to wait a while before getting their tickets.

I've discovered what the problem was. The manager was at the ticket desk (I guess they must have been short staffed), and he didn't really look like he knew how to work the machine that you press buttons on, and then a number appears in a little screen. When the customer pays you what it says in the little screen, you then press more buttons, and then a drawer opens, and a ticket is printed. It's commonly known as a cash register.

Anyway, in between answering questions from three different members of staff, and making one phone call (no excuse me, or I'll be a minute – how rude) I eventually got the ticket. I wish I hadn't bothered now.

I'm sounding like a grumpy old man now. Customer Service isn't a point that is very high on the list of priorities here. I would like to think that it was only limited to a couple places, but it isn't. At least you don't get a false "Have a nice day", like in most places in America. In fact you are lucky if the ½ witted teenaged is able to put that many works together into a sentence. I'd just settle for a thank you.

Thursday – Yummy Indonesian food

Work is finished for me. I did have a rather busy night, and not really much chance to sleep. When I say not much chance, I think only did two jobs from 2 until 8 in the morning, but that's unusual for Mandurah. After getting away a little late, I headed home.

While driving up to the city, I thought that I had better drop off the keys to the beach house, so made a little diversion (it was only supposed to be about 5 minutes out the way). That was in Victoria Park (which if you remember was where I was working for the past two months).

My tummy started to talk to me, and I remembered an Indonesia Cafe close by. My goodness, I'd forgotten how good and authentic the chicken satay was. After I munched through those (only 6 sticks) I had a real taste for Indonesia food, so I ordered a bowl of Soto Ayam. (Soto Ayam – Indonesia for chicken soup – is hard to describe, but here goes; a clear very tasty chicken soup and then on the side there is a whole selection of shredded chicken, vegetables, rice and rice vermicelli, a boiled egg and crispy onions that you add to the soup. It is actually a breakfast dish in most places in Indonesia).

The rest of the day I didn't do much, as my tummy was full, and I was feeling weary from the previous night's excursions. More TV under the blanket, and a few gallons of my favourite drink, before going to the local hotel to watch some of the Test Cricket of South Africa v. England, and then some live band. They weren't too good, but better than some I've seen in there.

Wednesday – Weather is on my mind

Rain, wind, cold and wet. They are four words I wouldn't have used to describe Australia, before I came here. Of course there is the winter, but I never thought about it. And even when I arrived into 40 degree plus weather, it never crossed my mind that things would take a turn for the worse.

I find myself now longing for the summer to come around again. It will be great when the things start to warm up. I did notice that I'll need my pullovers with me when I go back to England later in the week. I was watching some of the tennis last week, and it did look pretty miserable.

After the work last night (it never seemed to end) I slept the whole day. Probably best, because I don't know if I could have stayed in the house in Golden Bay for much longer, with the wind rattling the shutters, and no heating.

The work was just another night of bits and pieces, but again nothing particularly noteworthy. I didn't get much sleep, but I don't mind, as I'll be able to nod off back at home during the day.

It seemed like it hasn't stopped raining for about 2 days. Actually it rains really heavily, and then the sun comes out for a while, and then heavy rain again. I can't recall the overcast/drizzly days that are a lovely feature of a Brighton Winter.

 

Tuesday – I didn’t tell them what I wanted to

Work, work, work. That is what was on my mind all day. I had to make the drive down to Mandurah for the final time this week, as after the two nights were finished, I'll be working somewhere else.

It was an alright night, with nothing to taxing. We did get used as a pawn in a power-struggle between two of the hospitals. One wanted someone to be transferred to the other one, who didn't want to accept the person, so someone at the first hospital got their knickers in a twist, and started to panic, and make up symptoms – it seems – to get the person accepted at the other hospital.

The control manager called me on the phone, and told me what the situation was, and also informed me that there were some very senior health department people involved in the situation, and for me just to do what I do second best (What I do best at the moment is speak my mind), but not to say anything to the first hospital.

How well does the boss know me already? Anyway, we did the job, and that's that. Nothing else to say.

Monday – A signed up member of the Apathy Club!

Strong, very militant unions, which run an almost closed shop, have an extremely powerful base, and which can hold managements of companies almost to ransom, with their demands, and extremely strong negotiating positions are a thing of the past in the UK. We can argue the merits and pitfalls of such a system until we are blue in the face. The UK is still trying to make sense of the abolition of this system. Here in Australia there are a lot of businesses that are in the grip of these strong single unions. As to be expected the paramedics here also have a very strong negotiating union.

Somewhat appropriately, in a part of a country which the ambulance service is struggling to define a role, either as an emergency service, or a transport service that will answer a few emergency calls, the union is under a general, rather toothless sounding ambiguous group called the "Hospitality, and Miscellaneous Workers Union". So the Hospitality Workers are those people who work in hotels, casinos, and bars, and the Miscellaneous Workers are people who don't fit in anywhere else.

Anyway, since I've arrived the union has been negotiating on our behalf for our tri-annual agreement on our working conditions, and wages. We get a three year agreement with our terms and conditions, and wage rises. It turns out that on June 30 this year the last agreement expired. There have been meetings on and off since I've been here, and surprisingly there hasn't been an agreement yet between us paramedics, and the St. John's Ambulance Board.

Today there was another of those meetings that all the ambulance service members were invited to attend, and hear the latest pay offer, and what is requested in return for this money. There were some tempting giveaways at the union offices including free hotdogs, and t-shirt's in order to entice us to come along. Sadly, as I was down in the country depot – Mandurah, and couldn't attend.

I will listen with interest the outcome of meeting, and I'm sure that it won't be long – as there were newspaper reporters there. I wonder what the general public will make of the fact that we've been recommended to turn the 15% pay rise over 3 years that has been put on the table. I'll let you know the general reaction.

Sunday – I had to admit defeat

I know that people look online and then when I say how cold it is, I'm told that online it says that it isn't as cold as I have said. I'm not sure of why there is a discrepancy, and so I did some investigation as to the difference. It turns out that the site that most places get their info about the current weather from is the weather reporting centre at the domestic airport, and the temperature doesn't reflect the 3 or 4 degree difference around the area.

When I was driving to work this morning I head on the radio that the temperature was 2 degrees out at the airport, which I found quite strange, as I had ice on my windows, and my car thermometer said -1. I am getting quite soft, because I have forgotten what -1 feels like. Also a couple of the banks had the temperature on their big billboards (why is it always banks?) and they were agreeing with me.

Eventually I warmed up once I got to work, and as it was a sunny day, the temperature got up to about 18 or 19 degrees, but that wasn't going to last I knew. Boy was I not looking forward to a cold night in Golden Bay Beach House, with only a wood burning stove for company.

The day wasn't the hardest work I've done for a while, but as is the way most of the time, we ended up finishing quite late though. It was already dark and very cold again, by the time I arrived at the beach house. Number 1 priority was to get the heat from the fire. (Survival Training Kicking in – Protection, Location, Water, Food – and as I had some wine, and a bag of crisps and a couple pickled onions in the fridge that was water and food taken care of, and no one was looking for me so it didn't about location).

After being so impressed with the fire the last couple times I stayed, I thought it would be a snap to get this one up and running, but oh no. Last week, in trying to coax the wet wood to burn, I had used most of the kindling, and there wasn't much around, plus the wood wasn't dry yet, and refusing to light. After 20 or 30 minutes of singeing my fingers, and getting very frustrated, I admitted defeat, as I knew where there was a place with more than a couple pickles, and has heating.

You guessed it; I trundled back up the road to my house. It was going to mean another early start tomorrow in the freezing, but at least I'm warm over night. When you look at the temperature online in Perth – don't believe the current temperatures on Google. The minimums and maximums are usually a couple degrees off a well, but it does give you an idea. I've put a weather forecaster on the BlogSpot if you want to look.

Saturday – How many days left?

Anticipation can sometimes be better than the actual happening. I don't think that this time it is going to be the way. The anticipation is that it is now 1 week before I climb those metal steps, get comfortable in the seat, suspend belief for about a whole day, and then with a bump and a squeal, I'll be arriving in sunny London Gatwick airport. It doesn't feel like 2 months since I started planning my trip in earnest, but it's rolled around quite quickly.

I have a list of things to do before I can leave here. Most of the items are completely done, and other things I'm not going to be able to do, until next Saturday. I need some distraction for the next week, and I'm not sure what I'll do. There are a couple things (such as work), but that's not going to take all week.

Off the top of my head here's the complete list: cleaning the house (1 hour), change the bed to some clean sheets (5 minutes), pack my suitcase (20 minutes – years of practice while I was with Thomas Cook Airways and Leisure International Airways), get some supplies in the store cupboard for when everyone arrives (I could stretch that out to a couple hours – even though it is only nappies, washing powder, breakfast for the first morning we arrive). As you can see, I'm not going to be busy this week.

I sat out the front of the apartment in the afternoon, in the sunshine, and chatted with Kim again for a couple hours. A few people from the other apartments in the block stopped by and had a chat, every now and then. After that I was early to bed, as work loomed tomorrow and I was planning on leaving at about 6.