Today we leave Sydney and our taxi is at 10am. We have a rendezvous with Perth. Before I go, I take a last look at the lovely view from our hotel room…

The room was OK but small. Not sure if I was just being fussy but Julie did agree.

Airport is the next stop and we are on our way to Perth..

We have done a number of flights on this trip. In fact we are now just over half way thought the number of flights we have. So far, other than a little bit of turbulence, it’s all gone pretty well. However, today is a 4 hour flight and it got off to a different start.

Firstly, Julie got pulled out of line in security for a random explosives test. I always said she was a bit dodgy, she get’s it from her mom. Anyway, she get’s away with it and we board the plane

So, I am listening to the newly released Big Big Train album on my fabulous Bose noise cancelling headphones, bought for me by my wife, especially for this trip. First thing to say is, the Big Big Train album is quite good, not that I agree with some of the press reviews that liken it to the best Peter Gabriel Genesis years. Not a patch! For starters, Tony Banks never used a mini-moog and I’ll stop there because I’m being boring.

We are mid-flight and Julie nudges me to say, the pilot has just asked if there is a doctor on board. I’m not a doctor, why are you asking me I said. Apparently, a passenger had been taken ill. There was a doctor on board and he stayed with the passenger for the rest of the flight.

Touchdown in Perth and the pilot says, please stay in your seats until the paramedics have taken off the ill passenger. With all the excitement, I get off the plane leaving my camera behind. Julie spots I haven’t got it very quickly and we go back for it. They won’t let me on board to get it. I have to wait for one of them to find to and bring it to me. I blame Julie for being pulled out by security for looking suspicious.

Here’s the good news, and we needed some by now. We arrive at the Crown Promenade Hotel and casino to find we have been upgraded to a junior suite! Excellent. And was it good? Yes it was!

I didn’t take a picture of the mini-bar but included a bottle of Jonny Walkers whiskey and a bottle of Jack Daniels. Julie wanted to say a few more days but we have things booked.

We had dinner in the restaurant

and then did something neither of us has done before – we went to the casino!

I thought I would try and win back all the money we have spent on this holiday but we couldn’t agree on what number to put the chips on. So we watched people losing for a while and then left for a night peaceful sleep. Good start to Perth. Thank you Crown Promenade.