I’ve had an amazing time in Australia and been made extremely welcome by my hostesses during my stay.

Meeting my friend Lorraine after 25 years felt only like 25 minutes. We reinacted a photo of us taken 45 years ago that Lorraine’s mum, Pauline, still had.That was great fun and very memorable. I met lots of Australian animals and fed the kangaroos. How good was that. I watched sheep shearing too. Brill. I paddled in the Indian ocean and tried squid 😣

It was lovely to catch up with Lorraine and her mum, Pauline, who still has her Lancashire accent after all these years. Also, Lorraine’s partner Jim and 2 out of 3 of her sons. I’m probably quite relieved that I wasn’t still in Perth when the temperatures hit 40+. It’s quite probable that I would have fried.

I only spent 3 days in Perth so it will seem I have more memories of Sydney however both places have given me very different experiences.

Lorraine helped me negotiate self serve check in for my internal flight. I thought I may be flying the plane too!

In Sydney I met my aunt and uncle for the very first time and it didn’t feel strange and not at all like I was meeting them for the very first time. I climbed the bridge and saw it from every conceivable angle. The opera house is also very iconic.

My aunt never wants to see these to buildings ever again! Having taken so many visitors there over the last few months. I saw the missing Australian mammals at Tarango zoo – the Duck Billed Platypus and Tazmanian Devil! I stood on several beaches, Manly, Palm, Bondi, Freshwater and Shelley and swam in the Pacific ocean. The blue mountains and the 3 sisters were amazing. I spent quite a bit of time on trains buses and ferries with my ‘tap on tap off’ opal card! Darling Harbour is lovely and the Chinese gardens were very pretty.

All in all I’ve had an awesome time in Australia and I will return that’s for sure.