Swimming with dolphins

You can pay good money for a "Dolphin experience". In fact, we have been considering driving to Bunbury to do just that. Then we discovered it cost $165 per person and was fully booked anyway! However C and I were having a swim on our beach at Mandurah yesterday, with no-one else around, when two dolphins swam towards us. I was slightly alarmed as I didn't want them to bump into me or worse! Meanwhile, E was swimming in the pool, where everyone was getting excited and taking photos. It is unusual for dolphins to come so far into the shallow water. E realised it was her mum and grandma out there. JL was watching all this from the balcony of our apartment and actually had the best view, since the dark shapes of the dolphins underwater can be better observed from up there.

Still cannot load photos!

Supermoon

Cannot post photos for some reason. Will have to wait till I get home!

Escape to Mandurah

We left Perth at lunchtime in 40 degree heat. An hour later we were in Mandurah where it was 34. We are staying in Seashells at Dolphin Cove, where we can class ourselves as regular customers. This time last year we were upgraded to the amazing penthouse suite, but now we are back to a normal 2 - bedroom apartment. It still has a lovely sea view and is perfect for setting off on early morning beach walks.

At the moment there are waves coming in to the normally calm cove. We put this down to the full moon, and tonight's Supermoon, which is exerting the maximum gravitational pull on the earth.

Night of luxury

My Christmas present from C was a voucher for Crown Towers, the 5 star hotel next door. JL scoffed at this idea, so I invited E to come along for this mini staycation. It was a great success! The offer was a New Year Escape and included a bottle of champagne and a late check out. What we didn't expect was a room on the top floor, the 22nd, with amazing views over the Darling Ranges. We could see planes taking off from Perth Airport.

Our room was very luxurious, with a large bathroom full of amenities and a even a TV. We didn't indulge in lying in the bath watching, as the views from the picture window were more enticing. E quickly took possession of the chaise! We explored the delights of the pool area for an hour. Then JL arrived, as I was hosting a champagne supper with some Kailis sushi purchased earlier in the day together with the freebie bottle, which went down a treat.

Crown Towers from our apartment balcony.
Our room was at the top corner.

View from our room (2210).
Our apartment block is 2nd from the left.

E enjoying a mango & passionfruit slushy.

Night view of the stadium (blue) and footbridge (white).

E taking over the chaise.

Looking from the bedroom to the bathroom.

Bathroom with TV.

Even the carpet was luxurious.

What to have for breakfast without being too gluttonous?

Pools.

E stayed in for hours.

We must do this more often!

Beach walk

During the hot months the bushwalking group arranges early morning walks along the beach somewhere. Yesterday we walked from Floreat to Scarborough and back. The southerly wind made it very hard going, so a few of us decided to walk back along an inland path, more protected from the wind but near traffic.

We set off at 7.30 am, struggling in the windy conditions. Our destination, Scarborough, can be seen in the distance: a white high rise hotel.

We stopped to watch some kite surfers taking their life into their hands in the rough sea.

The life saving people ( in red and yellow) were preparing for a busy day. They were planning children's games here for later in the morning. Behind them, their base tent and a beach buggy can be seen.

Art collection

I've decided to make a photographic record of all the pictures hanging on our walls. This may come in handy in the event of a burglary - though these apartments are very secure and break-ins virtually impossible! These pictures tell the story of my life.

Starting in my bedroom:

From my Japanese period: purchased on a trip to Japan to visit C, who was teaching English there for a year. I like the composition of the Japanese characters and numbers.

This is one of two Japanese prints of geishas.

Now to the living room, where we have run out of wall space in this small apartment:

Lowry print of Huddersfield (where I come from). This is a signed print.

From my Singapore days. This is my only original  painting. It is by the Singaporean artist Tay Bak Koi. He was my favourite artist when I lived there, as his work depicted the days before industrialisation changed everything.

More from Japan. These are prints of bridges, which fascinated JL, the left hand one showing heavy rain falling.

A reminder of several holidays spent in the Kimberley. Ingrid Windham produced innumerable prints; this one is entitled Mulla Mulla and the Lagoon, but it is the boab trees that are iconic.

Messing about on the river

Back from the frozen northern hemisphere, E enjoyed a day by the river with her friends. The oldies were not invited but came anyway!