Following a project conference call on Thursday, and changes to our original plans, we decided I would be better for me to be where the action was in Perth a week earlier than anticipated. Hotel arrangements were changrd, flights adjusted, and I was set to fly back to Perth on the Saturday. We tried for a Sunday flight but due to flight cancellations caused by strong winds during the week, flights were at a premium, and Saturday was the only practical option, which was a shame because I had planned to meet up with a school friend who was passing through Sydney on holiday.
I planned on an early night, and luckily the false fire alarm was just before I was about to retire. The fire brigade turned up and everything, they switched off the alarm and we all returned to our rooms. The alarm was very effective, it made voice anouncements, and it closed all the fire doors, however there was no evidence of staff checking that everyone was accounted for. I was in bed early enough, and got up at 06:30 so that I as not rushing, I had a hire car to fill up and return, and the airport was unfamiliar.
The aircraft was a Boeing 737-800 I could not see any spare seats. I had a window seat and enjoyed just staring out and trying to spot vehicles on the dirt tracks, which stood out from the trees and other vegetation. Soon after take off I thought this looks a lot like the Blue Mountains, and then when I looked directly down I saw the Three Sisters at Katoomba which I had visited a previous weekend.
There are plenty of entertainment choices and I opted to watch an episode of Coast Australia, followed by the film Hidden Figures. The flight time would be 5:05, but strangely the return journey is only just over 4 hours, I’m guessing that the prevailing winds at altitude account for the sigificamt difference. A from work picked me up from the airport, he lives in Sydney but decided that flying back to Sydney just to do washing and return, 10 hours in a plane, was a waste of time.
I checked into the hotel and we agreed to take a stroll and I suggested the Perth Mint which I had spotted a few weeks back. The entrance for a tour and a look at the museum was $18. It was worth the effort, we got a bit of history, a multi-media experience, a look at the world’s largest coin, 1012kg, the chance to lift a gold bar (very dense), and a demonstration pouring of a gold bar.
We took a wander down to the water front and then went back to the hotel, and met up in reception for an evening meal. We walked up the road to an Indian restaurant I had fish curry which was nice and coconutty, and just about the right heat for me.