by Craig Lewis

Created on: May 07, 2008

Australia is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. Glorious beaches, welcoming people and a huge, great rock in the middle.
But while most explorers are zipping up and down the east coast, checking out Sydney and Melbourne and climbing Ayers Rocks; there's a great expanse of the country to the west that remains something of a well kept secret.

This is mine and my wife's experience of Perth and the lands to the south of Western Australia's capital:

Saturday:
You hear so much about the warm hospitality of the Australian people that at 3am on Saturday morning after more than 20 hours of sitting on Quantas' (un)suitably cramped plane seats, its no surprise when the portly, yet kindly, looking man directing the taxi rank generously tells us it would be quicker to catch the adjacent shuttle bus.
Fair dinkum, mate.
Ten minutes of sitting of this bus later, with the queue of taxi's already all departed and our driver disappeared back into the airport this no longer seems such a good idea.
The taxi assistant, whose close resemblance to Home and Away's Alf probably led me to trust him, is still loitering outside. So we ask him what's going on and when we are likely to leave.
'Strewth,' I'm told, 'Your an unpatient lot. I didn't say the bus would be quicker.'
Er.. you did.
We decide to take the next taxi.
Fortunately this airport abaration is a one-off and the next day - still struggling from jetlag, but happy to be on Aussie soil - we set off to explore Perth.
Our hotel is based right in the city centre so it takes little time for Shell to feel at home. Sadly for me, this is because she has found the shopping centre.
After a stroll through the wide streets of this central area we eventually find our way to the parks that Perth is famous for. In 30 degree heat we drag ourselves to the Swan Bells - a tall building by the edge of the Swan River which resembles London's famous Gerkin. The Swan Bells chimes on the hour and is shaped to produce the best sound musically for the people of Perth.
It is also the entrance to the Swan River's harbour, which boasts trips to the south of the city and Fremantle - as well as the prestigous looking Shag Hotel (it's a type of bird...)
The view across the river as we walk across Langley Park - formerly an airfield used by, among overs, the early Australian aviation pionerr Kingsford-Smith - is amazing and includes a backdrop of the city centres skyscrapers against acres of parkland and in the distance the city's pride and joy, Kings

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