2011 Perth visit

This year we fitted our Perth visit into Louka's Easter school holidays. Of course the holiday dates are different in WA so they only overlapped by a couple of days, but I don't suppose that really mattered.

As on a couple of previous occasions, we all really enjoyed visiting Tom, Leonie, Alice and Peter. Louka gets on very well with Alice and made another pot of monster repellent.

The rest of the holiday was spent with Graham's family, as usual. The local bird and fish place had brought in a lot of very large animal garden ornaments, including a number of dinosaurs which appealed to Louka and Kofi.

We took Louka and Pat boating, and Louka helped steer the boat. It's a little harder than steering a bike or scooter, because it doesn't respond as immediately.

Louka fed the bandicoots the remains of her dinner. The cat got on with its own meal
.

Louka did get to play with her cousins.

Something or someone, however, didn't want us to get home. The plane left on time, then after half an hour had to turn around and go back to Perth. Another hour at the airport while they got another plane ready, then the flight to Sydney got in 20 minutes before curfew. We were first in line for a taxi, but there were none at the rank. When one arrived, we got in and Louka was asleep in a minute. According to the driver it hadn't rained much, but as we headed for home it started to rain hard and as we waited to turn a corner a police car sped past flashing a road closed sign - the road was flooded. We turned around and tried a different route - flooded again. I was beginning to think we would have to wade home carrying three bags and a five-year-old, but our third try, through the back streets, was successful and we were home before midnight.