Perth

Hey guys
Ive been told i have to update my blog! As im obviously not keeping up with fantastic adventures like Lucy is in South America! And its not been that long since i updated it..a week!

Anyway ive been staying in Settlers Hill, aka the Smiths Residence for a week now and ive had so much fun and theyre so lovely and its so nice to be around a family environment and all the day to day trumas every family has. It makes it feel like im at home!

So last Thursday i told you about going up to Penguin Island and Rockingham. Well on Friday i did much the same but went up to another place along the coast call Mandurah. A lovely little fishermans town is the only was i can describe it. I had a little wander around and walked over the bridge round to the fairground, Kings Carnival. Had a ride on the wheel and saw for miles it was gorgeous!

Saturday was by far my favourite day so far! Kath and Mike took me on a winery tour...we did 4 winerys and the chocolate place! The first place we went to (coz i know Dad will what to know) was Jane Brook who did a gorgeous rose and some rather special bottles of champers! The second stop...Sandalford i think, had a nice mix of wines that me and Mike happliy tasted. Then we moved on to Houghton Winery where we also had a fantastic lunch platter...Dad you would have loved it! Beautiful wines and fantastic food! We then continued to our last winery, with a quick stop at the Magaret River Chocolate Company which are really good...we watched a lady making chocolates and she didnt make a mess once! Wheres the fun in that! Didnt spill a drop it was very disappointing! The last winery, Lancaster was such a different set up to all the others it was shed in the vines! Wine was ok, we had a lovely rose and there was a really sweet wine i liked but no info i could bring home. (im such a geek!) It was a lovely day, we came back along the coast stopping at a little town along the way for a nice cold beer before heading to Cottesloe for firsh and chips!

We got home around 8ish and i headed out to the Casino with Kath (Vickys little sister) and Ricky (Kates fella). I was very good and it was 1.30 before i made my first bet. We were sat waiting for Ricky to Finish his poker game and i said to Kate let see if we can master these slot machines...i put my $1 in and hit start..didnt seem to do much until i won 3 free games and the machine started gambling for me...then the credit started going up...i won $30! I just hit collect..it was good night and i came home $15 richer than i was going in! Luck or what!

Sunday we afternoon, after the heavy rain had stopped, all went up to Fremantle (Freo) and looked around their markets and E-shed. This was also where Vicky had told me and Kate we had to come to on a Tuesday night to see the amazing guy in the Orient, so we tracked down the place for when we came out on Tuesday. Kath told me i wasnt seeing Freo at its best so i headed back to Freo on Monday, and just sat down the Cappuchino Strip watching the world go by! Im going back there today to get a couple of things from the Market and do the candle light tour of the Freo Prision. Theres a couple of other stops i could do so ill let you know, im just hoping i dont get freaked out like i did on that spooky boat...St Mary??? in LA. I did not want to be on that boat when so many people got trapped and died!...but thats a different story.

Ive had shall we say a relaxing week this week, ive been waiting for the Western Austraila scouts guy to get back from Bali and contact me and he hasnt so ive been at a loose end really. I cooked mums orange chicken for everyone on Wednesday night and ive sorted out a lot of things to do with Japan and my Explorer Belt. And the stress for my Japan Rail pass not being valid has been sorted, STA had to beg by the time i was finished with them for messing up another part of my trip and wasting me time and money trying to sort out the mess they got me in. Theyre re-issuing me a pass which Vicki is going to bring out to me. Greg at STA Deansgate made a mistake answering the phone to me thats for sure, he meantion that it was him who booked my Thailand trip, which i knew it was, and asked me if i enjoyed it. I just made a comment about it but wasnt in the mood to fight with him about that as well as my Pass! Anyway i better get a move on its a gorgeous day out there.

Big Kiss! xxx