16th April - Albany We left the sleepy town (or hamlet) of Pemberton and headed further south to Albany to visit Middleton Beach. On route we stopped just outside Denmark at Valley of the Giants. The forest is all red and yellow Tingle trees which grow up to 70 metres high and are around 400 years old. There is a tree top walk, where you go on a walkway rising to 40 metres, and going round for about 600 metres. Being very scared of heights it was a great achievem...

13th - 15th April - Happy Birthday Flea.We took our first Australian dive, diving Busselton jetty, this is a 2k wooden peer that has a wonderful array of fish and plant life growing on the jetty pillars.Rich and Sue walked to the end of the peer and went down the underwater observatory.They saw us diving around and from the 'look out post' were able to enjoy the same marine life as us.We also walked the incredibly beautiful beach, and the boys managed to get a bi...

Saturday 12th April - Happy Birthday Joe (our nephew)We checked out from Sullivan's hotel Perth and headed for Freemantle.The boys had taken a taxi at 6.15 am to go on a fishing trip from Freemantle.Sue and I had a bit longer in bed before clearing the rooms and checking out.We drove to Fremantle for a shopping expedition, parked up then asked a lady how to get to the markets by the Quay.She said easiest way was to jump in the back of her car!So we did!Her mother...

Thursday 10th April - PerthWe arrived in sunny Perth at 6.00am.Securing exit aisle seats gave us a little more room, but didn't aid our sleep.We found the hire car and then had a right job trying to get all our luggage in the boot, eventually it fitted like a puzzle but one we need to remember where all the bits went!After finding the hotel we had breakfast then headed into town on the free bus which stopped right outside the hotel.Nice little shopping centre, Pe...

Sun 6th - Wed 9th April. - TokyoWe arrived in the sunshine, found our hotel by mid afternoon and got checked in.The forecast for the next couple of days was not very special so sadly we decided not to book the trip to Mount Fuji as it really would have been a waste of money with nothing but clouds to see.We booked on a panoramic city tour and harbour cruise on the Monday.It was very informative, but we did have to keep dodging the showers - the rep tried very har...