What a welcome to Australia first stop Perth !

Apologies to all our followers, all has gone quiet for 11 days it’s been mighty busy ! Great flight all very quick through customs etc to be greeted by this

And this …….beautifully displayed by our resident teenager Nichole ……She doesn’t look embarrassed 😳

First night and we are invited to a gathering at my sister Irene’s for some lovely German cuisine all lovingly prepared by Claus, just the best goulash you have ever tasted , because it winter at 19 degrees. Iain unveiled his gifts for the whole family and yes there was a theme …..

A great evening as Iain got to finally meet the rest of my entire family after 23 years ! Though some were a little camera shy

And others were a little too friendly 😂😂IIain’s first misdemeanour of the trip was a collision with a fly screen door, a few cuts and bruises and a lot of laughing meant he needed a lesson from Claus on how to open it. It’s ok folks only his pride was damaged as Rory ( nephew) witnessed the whole affair and chuckled for the rest of the evening 😂mm

Next day we were out exploring following a late start , the jet lag really got to us. We went to Fremantle, or as the locals call it “Freeo” much to Iain’s conclusion that the Aussie’s are too laid back ( or lazy) to use full vocabulary for anything ” Servo, Bottleo” a complete new language he needed translating …..where is our daughter when you need her ! A lovely place to visit quite colloquial though we were out of season so the markets are only open on a Friday and Saturday.

A quiet night in was planned watching the rugby, as Iain cooked for our hosts Rory , Renae Nichole and Kiera, …………ummm another late start the next day !

Iain has made another new friend Bru the dog who had no hesitation in getting up close and personal

More touring of the area again today with the coastal relatives Lorraine, John and Irene. Beautiful beaches and a revisit for me to Scarborough Beach which has certainly changed since I last visited 20 years ago. This certainly shows the Aussie culture and infrastructure at its best the facilities in the public areas were absolutely amazing apparently this is THE destination for surfing and Christmas Day celebrations. We had the best tour guide in John ( Brother in Law) who is a mine of information having grown up in Perth but is actually from Yorkshire !

On into the City and to King’s Park, again a lovely place to meander with some breath taking views of the City

We are on Bielsa’s tour on this leg of the trip so who can resist the beautiful marble benches surrounding the war memorials ….for those of us who are uneducated as to who Bielsa is and the significance of the bucket ( Ladies, Aussies, and practically everyone else, except Iain and Fred ) Bielsa is Leeds United’ s Manager and he always sits on the touchline on a bucket ! I promise it’s true !! Google it 😂 Leeds also have a blog for the supporters and so Iain had heard a recommendation for a Lebanese restaurant in the City near Victoria Park so we decide to go in search of the ” best falafels in town ” at this place called ” The Prophet ”

To kill two birds with one stone, we meet up with ” Pauric” a second cousin who has recently become an Aussie citizen. The owners name was Jihad Christian, a 75 year old man who has worked in the restaurant every night for over 20 years and never had a holiday. The food was fantastic and did not disappoint

Iain has no trouble converting him to a Leeds Fan ….though to be fair I don’t think the poor man understood a word of Iain’s accent

And one for the family Pauric the City dweller who knows Perth’s best pubs better than the rest of our entire party ……well he is still Irish !

Christmas in July ….say no more commercialism gone mad !

Onwards to visit Margaret River region will be back soon.

Protestors invasion in Kowloon…..

Well they invaded by the thousands all over the tourist districts today, riot Police the full monty …..they must have been quiet as we didn’t see a single one and managed to sleep in until 2pm ! Taking the advice on the news to avoid the crowds we went back out to the Island to continue exploring the hidden gems, however most places were closed. On meandering the streets we see a lovely young lady dressed in what looked like a wedding dress. She was inviting us in to a party in a small bar / restaurant called Asia’s, which was positioned just up a little side street off the main drag. It turned out to be their opening launch party……Tony Morton you would have been proud of us …..”out for nought give me a shout” free drinks and amazing food being served by lovely people. The owners were from Nepal Buri and Mena welcomed us with open arms to meet their friends, family and long serving customers ……and yes we met another Leeds fan. A lawyer from New Zealand Iain nicknames ” Ash the cash” he was happy to have his photo taken and delighted to be included on our blog.

As usual we like to party and we’re soon the only Westerners in the place dancing along with the locals to their traditional tunes……lucky there kind of dancing was like “Dad dancing” Iain felt right at home

Sadly it’s our last night here in Hong Kong and what can I say it’s been amazing. Tips if you are coming here to visit, travel is easy they have a local travel card called The Octopus much like London’s Oyster card and the subway is really simple and easy to get around. We could learn a few things from these guys as public transport was spotless and all air conned thank goodness.

Kowloon is a busy area with all the markets, Street food and hagglers however Hong Kong Island has all the trendy bars and restaurants and more culture to see….aka the posher side ! Onwards to our next destination Perth

Day two a visit to the Old Town …..

Before I begin to tell you all of the wonders of the Old Town I feel there is a need to explain the title of our blog to the uneducated. The title has been chosen by Iain ( no surprise there ) and is about Marcelo Bielsa the Leeds Manager who uses a bucket instead of a bench ! As it has taken Leeds United on tour to get Iain to travel far and wide I thought it best to pay homage….and pray they win !

Anyway we decided to go across the water today on the local subway network not only is it proving to be cheap and efficient but gives us a break from the sweltering heat outside. As always Iain likes to converse with the locals and upon seeing a young child wearing a Tottenham Hotspur top he proceeds to point out that Leeds United is his team, the child can’t understand him so Iain takes the boy’s autograph pad and writes Leeds United on it. Suddenly the boy’s mother is up with her camera asking Iain to pose with the child clearly thinking that Iain is some kind of footballer from the Premier League I think that kid will be very disappointed when he Google’s that one ! 😂😂

The Old Town Central – encompasses sloped streets and small alleyways that make up Central and Sheung Wan – it encapsulates Hong Kong’s rich and diverse spirit, and is the wealthier part of Hong Kong. The Old Town is where century-old temples share the same streets as fashion-forward concept stores, and traditional authentic tea houses are alongside modern art galleries.

Immensely walkable and brimming with attractions, this neighbourhood is perfect to experience on foot. There’s plenty to discover here, from heritage buildings the Tai Kwun meaning “big station” dates back 170 years and shows the old cells and the barracks which have been transformed into various art galleries, shops, bars and restaurants

Street art can be found all over the walls of the city attracting the attention of the tourists as they are now a popular part of the walking tours

As night falls we make our way back over the river to the night markets at Temple Street which is packed with all kinds of souvenirs, designer knock off and street food. Here Iain uses his language skills to barter with the stall holders ….he actually managed to translate his well known term ” split your spuds” on the price …..mortifying!

Both still a little jet lagged so back to the hotel for a cocktail. Clare you have me hooked on the Asperol Spritz …..thank you

And we are off …..

Leaving Manchester, first destination, Hong Kong. For those who usually follow the travelling blog you will know that I have left my usual long distance travel buddy Clara at home …she has her own adventures planned. This year I am travelling with a boy 🤪aka hubby, love of my life; who has me spoilt rotten for my birthday; who is carrying my really heavy case; and general pampering me ….5 more weeks to go !

Packing for trip ” have you got the straighteners” blank look 🙄 from hubby ; of course not we are on a Leeds United tour ! Girly requirements are not on his agenda !

Great flight have arrived safely in Hong Kong and had a little look around. Very hot but great hustle bustle. Found a statue of Bruce Lee on the movie walk down by the river. Iain couldn’t resist a pose

A little snooze only to discover that Hong Kong really comes to life at night with good food, street markets dedicated to us ladies, one for handbags and shoes and other finery and another ( the Jade Market ) especially for jewellery……again i am travelling with a boy !