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Yesterday, we spent Sunday in Perth. I had booked tickets to see Jack Whitehall, at The Riverside Theatre. Currently, Jack, and his Mother and Father are on a World tour, and as part of this, they are in Perth on Monday and Tuesday of this week. Like most things in Australia, the price of these tickets weren't cheap, but I can tell you now, it was well worth it; this was definitely a must-see show!
We arrived in the city at just after 2 pm — the sky was cloudy and temperatures were significantly lower than they had been. There was a cool breeze blowing across Elizabeth Quay, and it was a beautiful day, perfect for a walk around the city!
We made our way to Murray street, where we had a few pints of Stella in The Belgian Beer Café and lunch at Durty Nelly's. This was just bog-standard food — nothing fancy, just something to fill a hole before the theatre. My biggest bug bear with Western Australia, has always been the lack of decent eating establishments, and it still annoys me, two years after arriving in Australia. Today I have just accepted that eating out will never be the experience it was in Europe, and put up with lower standards. A friend did tell me recently, that over in the Eastern States, there is a far better choice of World cuisine; it just feels like Perth is so far behind the rest of the World, and that does make me feel quite isolated at times.
As we walked around the World's most isolated capital city, the streets were empty, almost like a ghost town. This is always a constant source of bemusement for me, that a major city in Australia is so empty and at times devoid of life, that you could be in a tiny village deep in the English countryside. We may well have a wonderful life here in Perth, but no matter how comfortable we are, it just doesn't have the culture and soul that Europe, Asia, or Britain have.
When you make the transition and move to Australia, you just have to accept that things are very different. In truth, there are times I could have walked away and gone home, but I am glad I stayed; in nine years we will have paid off what's left of the mortgage we have, and can then decided where our future lies!
After a few hours wondering around Perth, we made our way to the Theatre, situated on Elizabeth Quay. The huge venue in the heart of the city was already filling with people, and we were an hour and a half early.
To quote Michael Whitehall during the show, “nothing much happens in Perth!" Well he's right, nothing happens in this part of Australia at all, so when major stars turn up in the capital, it is a rather big event. Tickets sold out particularly quickly, so I was lucky to get seats at all. Thankfully, I was online just at the right time, and was able to get the best tickets I could.
The show itself was hilarious. Jack Whitehall is an astounding comedian, who certainly made Darrell and I laugh from beginning to end. His distinctly British humour was just what we both needed, and for me at least it was an amazing reminder of home.
Jacks Parents were also on stage, which made for a great few hours of entertainment. Some jokes may well have been too much for some audience members, certainly near the mark at times, but dark comedy, especially at a time of international turmoil, is a great tonic. I literally haven't laughed so much in many years.
It's not often you leave an event or show smiling, smirking quietly to yourself, but this production just left me feeling happy, satisfied and, understandably, wanting more. When celebrities tour down under, they typically forget Western Australia, let alone put on two shows. This was a special occasion for us, close to Valentine's Day, but it was more than that, It was also a link to the past we had left behind. It allowed both of us to relax a little, after such a busy time in both our lives, unwinding after a full on few months of work. Memories were made on Monday, and that helps both of us, as we continue to adjust to our new life in Australia! With both of us feeling suitably refreshed, it's time to face another important week ahead, and a date with destiny at Midland Hospital on Friday...
...I'll keep you posted!
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I've had a relatively quiet few weeks, even by Australia's standards. After two years living in Perth, I am still getting used to the laid back vibe down under. In the past I would have run back to the bright lights of London in a heart beat, today, I am happy to take it easy and enjoy the fruits of my labour.
Of course, I still have a connection to Britain; my Father and friends are still there, and I keep in contact as much as I can. I also still have great affection to my birth town of Portsmouth, where I also lived for four years, before moving to Perth.
My love to this great naval city has been immortalised by local Portsmouth artist, Hannah Marsh, who I commissioned to create a watercolour painting, of a public house, close to my heart. I worked at The Newcome Arms for three years, even during the pandemic, and the love of the place, and the customers I served, was enough for me to have this special memory created. When you live on the other side of the World, it is important to surround yourself with reminders of the past, it makes the transition period so much easier.
I was lucky enough to be able to spend time, with my old colleagues over the last couple of weeks, in the shop where I began my journey in Australia. It was fantastic to catch up with them for a few days, as they prepared for the new opportunities ahead. Returning to my old work place was a genuinely happy experience. I still work within the same parent company, and I am continually impressed by the culture they foster. Not since I worked for Tesco, have I felt more comfortable in a position I love. Like Tesco, they have created a very inclusive environment; this is extremely important for such a large company, and speaks volumes for those who work there. For a gay man like me, feeling accepted is a huge thing, and I am grateful for having a wonderful place to work!
More memories of home, as I received a Lego set depicting a red London telephone box. A reminder of my childhood right there. As a kid, I remember phoning friends in the telephone box at the end of our street. In a time before mobile phones, this was where I stayed in touch with mates from school. Armed with a pocket full of two pence pieces, I would spend time, chatting away, unaware of a queue forming outside, waiting to do the same. This was also a place where I could smoke a cigarette in peace, and drink a bottle of coke from the local shop. Both things forbidden by Mum and Dad.
The red telephone box now has pride of place in my dining room and always makes me smile as I walk past!
Of course, it wouldn't be Australia, without a quick mention of the weather. This last week has been dominated by a heatwave, here in the west of the country. Temperatures soared to a high of 45 and remained high for almost seven days. Luckily for me, working in an air-conditioned building, it isn't too much of an issue. For Darrell however, working in a workshop, things are very different — He hasn't been enjoying it, not one bit!
I love the heat and really don't complain about it at all. I was forever complaining about the cold in the UK and also during the winter in Perth, but the heat doesn't bother me at all. In fact, I am already looking at holidays in tropical Asia, when winter returns — probably a short break in July.
This time we are looking at either seven days in Bali or back to our favourite destination of Thailand. I don't want to take a long ten-hour flight like last time, preferring not to contract another infection on the way home, unlike the last two times we travelled abroad.
For now, I am happy enough to enjoy the sun, even though I am too tight to turn on the air conditioner. Rather like central heating, the costs of running such a system can be high. Even though electricity costs are a third of what they are in the UK, I am still very frugal with money, which is testament to my time living in Spain and the simple life I enjoyed.
... And with the heat, comes spiders. This week I have caught a couple of Redbacks and a father large huntsman in my letter box outside. I am, of course, no fan of these pests, but I am gradually getting used to them. Today, I keep my wits about me, and I am fully versed in where these horrible things live. Yesterday I made Darrell hose down the washing line outside, another home from home for our Redback friends. As long as I am aware of these arachnids, I am happy to live alongside them. As with everything in Australia, it's about having respect for the surrounding wildlife!
Another hot week beckons in Perth, probably the hottest state in Australia, and I am looking forward to more of the same. Summers are long in Australia, so I am in my element most of the time. A friend asked me just the other day, when am I coming home to visit… My answer, 'not anytime soon!' Today I am happier than I've ever been, and the UK is fast becoming a distant memory and not a place I want to visit anytime soon — until then, I am happy to carry on forging a new, productive life down under and enjoying everything this state has to offer. When the time is right, I will go back home, creating more memories to bring back with me!
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This week, I want to briefly speak about my weight loss journey — the challenging road that has brought me to where I am today. Since 2019/20, I have been on a journey to lose weight and live a healthy lifestyle. This is in complete contrast to the existence I led before, and is something I had to do, not only for myself, but also for those around me.
At my heaviest, I weighed an astounding 120 kg, today I weigh 74 kg, a loss of 46 kg in weight, and a figure I am proud of! When you decide to start losing the pounds, nothing can prepare you for the rollercoaster ride you are embarking on. You do, however, immediately feel the benefits, as daily routine begins to feel positive again. Walking, climbing stairs, jogging, lifting and carrying, all become easier, as you achieve your weekly goals, working towards your final ideal weight!
Living in Spain, saw my weight spiral out of control. A combination of cheap alcohol, inexpensive cigarettes and discounted food, just exacerbated the desire I had, to live, in the most unhealthy way possible. To be honest, this wasn't a choice, but rather my inability to regulate my calorie intake, and look after myself in the way I knew I should.
When you have a complicated relationship with food, you are often presented with, what seems like, insurmountable problems. I didn't just eat to survive, I ate to help me overcome my own personal demons. Eating was always a way of avoiding pressing issues. A chocolate bar, a piece of cake or a pint of beer, was a crutch to ignore the inevitable, and a vice that was slowly killing me, from the inside. As the years have flown by, I have cautiously separated eating and emotions, and thankfully been able to navigate the challenges of life, without the need for culinary or alcoholic distraction.
The journey I have been on, has been long, and I have experienced many ups and downs. It has taught me much about myself — my boundaries, strengths and weaknesses, and above all, my willpower. Willpower is the key to success, and despite many setbacks, it has never let me down.
Today I have achieved my ideal weight and BMI, and I am happy and content in the body I have. My weight loss is an achievement unmatched for me, and I am immensely proud of it. Despite having to carefully monitor everything I consume, even today, I am still motivated enough to keep reaching for the sky. My relationship with food has always been complicated, but now I have finally overcome obstacles, that prevented me from achieving my objectives in the past, I know the battle is won. That is the most important aspect of living a healthy, fruitful, full and constructive life — Long may it continue, long may it last!
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Both Darrell and I, are suitably stuffed after a huge Sunday lunch, at a place I have never been to before. A colleague at work recommended 'The Last Drop, Elizabethan Pub' in Befordale, here in Perth, and I wasn't disappointed!
To be quite honest, I had no desire to go out this weekend, but after seeing the photographs of this truly unique venue, I was hooked, and decided we had to visit, and I wasn't disappointed.
Situated in beautiful countryside, the building looked every inch British, as we drove up the drive to the car park. This large, imposing house almost stuck out like a sore thumb, in the hills around Armadale. However, with the sun shining, and temperatures in the 30s, the beer garden beckoned, and I was looking forward to a relaxing few hours away from Midland!
As I walked inside the pub, I was immediately transported back to the UK, and places I had visited over the years. From The New Forest, the village of Titchfield where I grew up, and my ancestral home of Whiteparish, the feeling of history was everywhere. The difference being, this was a mock Elizabethan/Tudor house in the middle of Western Australia; the location couldn't really be any different.
There were beer mats attached to the beamed ceiling, a large open inglenook fireplace and antique furniture. This place felt like a home from home, and I instantly felt relaxed, sat in this atmospheric country pub.
After Christmas, we both just wanted something light for lunch, so ordered a pizza each. Now, judging on previous experience, we believed it would be just enough to fill a hole. The portion sizes over here are a lot smaller than Britain; so you can imagine, my horror, when these two massive pizzas, stacked high with topping, were brought to the table. The portion sizes at The Elizabethan, are huge. They were so big, Darrell and I could only manage half a pizza each, and even then we were absolutely stuffed.
I thanked the lovely waitress for the food, apologised for not eating it all, and politely refused a doggy bag. Neither Darrell nor I wanted to eat anymore; as magnificent as lunch was, it was just far too much food for us!
Today was my perfect Sunday, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I haven't felt so connected to home, since arriving in Australia, as I did today. Apparently, there is a large Expat community living in Armadale, and this makes it particularly interesting for me. I do meet a lot of Brits in my job; only this week a lady from Liverpool, where my Gran was born — for me, building a tangible connection to my past is important and helps me settle into Australian life. In reality, I will always be a little Englander, and my roots run deep through my psyche. A simple day out is a reminder of where I came from, and today, just where I'm heading; for that I was truly grateful!
Click above to visit The Elizabthan Pub Website!
In this week's YouTube video, I am sounding off about the aggressive society we are living in. From Elon Musk to Donald Trump, the World really does feel like a horrible place at the moment. Talking about my own experiences, dealing with some truly awful characters, I am really trying to put the pieces together, to discover, just why these awful people exist, and what we can do to live our lives better. After all, there are some good people in the World, even though it just doesn't seem like it at the moment!
