Big Trip Part 4: Perth

I feel a little tired from all of the sleep I am getting. I tried a couple of days to get up and exercise, but really my runs were just an effort to be more than 10 feet away from the kids. In the mornings we have been getting up, packing our lunch, and heading out to the beach. It may sound like we are getting lots of beach time, which we are, but in reality, we don't really leave the house before 10. I am glad that I bought the kids the long sleaved shirts to wear over their swim suits. Putting cream on BabyP is like pulling teeth from a hyena.

The beaches here are really nice. We went to a couple that were similar to swimming in a lake and others that had big waves that crashed down. None of them seemed to have much of a rip, which was great. BabyP liked the beach enough to go into the water, but Peanut was absolutly fearless. There were some school kids doing some activities at the beach. They were all lined up ready to do some body surfing. Peanut was very interested in what they were doing. Once she watched the big kids body surf a couple of times, she was all over it. The next day she saw some kids with boogie boards, which gave us an excellent idea. On our trip to Albany, she and her brother will have body boards to play with.

It is fun to watch the kids with their grandparents. It is hard to live in such different spots from them. It is not just not being near them, but also not really getting he culture that their father grew up in. Australia isn't really that different, even if they claim they are, but there are a lot of words and actions that are very different.   There are a lot of cultural things that I don't understand, and likewise, Mr. T. doesn't understand about us.  It is just different.  I think I feel more of the shift in political climate than I did 5 years ago.  Maybe I was just not as aware of it, but it does seem that being an American, one must battle stereotypes of being loud (whoops), stubborn, stupid and violent.

In Perth we went to a zoo where we could pet animals.  BabyP was so excited that he was showing the kangaroos how to hop.  There were masses of kangaroos around us and masses of other visitors.  I was surprised by the amount of international visitors there since Perth really does seem like the end of the world.  It is the most isolated capitol city in the world I think.  No wonder it is so dang expensive to live there.  Mr. T. kept looking at the house prices and saying "these are new york prices, but this isn't new york."  It seems the mineral industry has been good for the economy in Perth.

We were also able to pet a wombat.  I asked this guy how he felt about being in everyone's holiday pictures.  He said he was used to it.

 Oh scratching feels so good.

It seems if you are near the bucket with the food, you get a lot of kangaroo attention.  (Although, these guys look like wallabies.)

There seems to be one reason to go to Australia if you ask Peanut.  It is to see these guys.  She was pretty exhausted because of the heat at this point, but that didn't stop her from being excited.  Looking back at the pictures now, these poor pasty kids do look hot.  I know it is just the shot, but babyP looks like he is having a seizure.  Next time, we will bring iced water for them.

Peanut took this last shot.  There was a lot of "discussion" over who would get to take pictures at what moment.  Just as peanut grabbed the camera, this guy looked straight at her.  I think she may have been the only person that got such a clear shot of him.  I am so proud of her.  This koala must know that he was in the presence of someone who loved him.