The heat is turning up in Perth, but still not bad enough to stop exploring. I woke very early this morning (still adjusting to the time difference) so began walking before sunrise. I did quite a big loop through the city, down to Barrack St Jetty and home by 7.

Walking is a wonderful way to get to know a place and I always feel richer for knowing the layout of a city and spying things missed from a bus or car window. It's also nice to see things in the early morning light and calm before crowds start inundating the place.
Later we spent a leisurely morning in King's Park. This park, which includes the Botanic Gardens, is one of the most lovely we have seen. It sprawls across Mt Eliza and offers spectacular views of the Swan River and the city. We walked along a trail that took us through endangered species, an elevated walkway, water gardens and green lawns. We loved the extensive information posted attractively throughout which informed us of both Aboriginal and European history and meaning.

As the day became hotter we took refuge in the park's cafe and enjoyed a refreshing Redback Mild - the beer of the week. We first tasted Redback 24 years ago in a pub at Fremantle. It was good then. It was really good today. At $7 a bottle we also felt we had hit the jackpot.

After some more exploring we descended Jacob's Ladder (as many crazy locals ran up and down it in the boiling sun) and headed back to our hotel and some cool air conditioning.

We decided to have a drink in the hotel bar in the evening and it turned out everyone else on the train trip seemed to have arrived today and decided to do the same. The average age of train travellers I'm guessing to be somewhere between 80 and 90. Not that I have anything against old people (I'm related to a few), but I positively feel like a kindergartener with this lot. Oh well, at least I'll beat them to the bar.

I jest. Everyone seems quite nice and, even though old in years, young in spirit. And after having a few drinks with them I'm already beginning to regret that earlier quip about beating them to the bar. I think some of them have had way more practice than I have.

It should be an interesting journey. One more day in Perth, hopefully surviving the predicted heat wave, and then ... ALL ABOARD!