Dear All Redbacks, Little Creatures and Dolphins Well I have moved from the very lovely hostel, Governor Robinsons, to stay with second cousins, Iain and Alyson. They live in a beautiful 1910 house in Subi ( a very swish suburb called Subiaco) It has been great to see them both as we worked out that we had not seen each other for 5 years. On my first night in Subi we went to Chutney Mary's for an indian after watching Crash at the local cinema. Crash is well worth going to see, and involves about 6 different characters and how their lives interact through a series of crashes. It is really thought provoking and well worth the ticket. The only bitey creature Iain and Alyson really see here are red backs, little venimous spiders with a bright red stripe down their back. Lucky I have not spotted any so far but I have to admit I have partaken of a Redback Beer. Brewed in WA it is a refreshing wheat beer, served with a wedge of lemon. Just right to sit by the Swan River and watch the world float by ! Then on Sunday we started the day with a walk around Kings Park, that is set on a hill to the West of Perth and allows you to see all of Perth and how it curves around the winding Swan River. We then took the bus to Fremantle, the coastal port down the river. Freo is much more laid back than Perth and has a more bohemian vibe. It is full of turn of the century buildings, markets, cafes and Pubs. It was one such Pub in particular, Little Creatures, that was our destination and that we met some of Iain and Alysons friends in. A huge tin shed, right on a wharf it used to be a shark fishery or something. It is now a micro brewery selling 3 very fine ales, Pale Ale, Roger's Amber Ale and a Pilsner all served amongst the steel vats and and concrete. It was heaving with people all having a beer and something to eat and had a real buzz to it. The following day after planning to go on a wine tasting cruise, but arguing with the booking clerk that veggie option did not mean FISH! I opted for a leisurely sail down the swan to to Freo. And just as I was relaxing with my coffee and muffin the captain shouts - "Dolphins at the front of the boat!" Sure enough there were 5 dolphins playing in the wake of the boat. Swimming on their backs, nuzzling each other and porpoising. Two came right up next to the boat and seemed to want to be as close to the sightseers as possible. Then as suddenly as they appeared they flicked their tails and darted off, effortlessly. They akmost seemed to be giggling as they did so. Then on the way back and you get to see Perth lit up at night. You then realise how small it is and how few high rises it has. I counted only about 6 or 7 and when you compare that with Hong Kong or London you really do get a sense of how tiny a city it is. Perth claims is the remotest city in the world and has just about 2 million inhabitants. Western Australia is the largest state in Australia, Tomorrow I hire a car and head north to the Pinnacles Desert and then South to the coast of Albany and then finally the wine region of the Margaret River. So I will write again soon and you never know that pack might just go on my back ! Lynne