Perth Airport - Ready For Our Night Flight To Singapore

Perth Airport - Ready For Our Night Flight To Singapore 

Flying back to Singapore from Perth had meant fewer options for flights with Singapore airlines; so that we could maximise the time we had in Perth, Wendy had booked us on a flight leaving at about 1.00 a.m. Although it meant a long wait at the Airport, we thought it would be good to have the chance to enjoy an extra day in Perth, visit Mundaring Weir, look round the Mundaring Weir Hotel, and we were glad it had all gone according to plan.

Sunset at Perth Airport

Nightfall at Perth Airport

Because we had had such a long - although very enjoyable - morning and afternoon at Mundaring Weir, after arriving at the Airport we still had many hours to wait before the Singapore flight departed. With this in mind, after checking in, we thought it would be a good idea to book some time in the "Aspire" Premier airport lounge, where we'd be able to relax, have a cup of tea, and some rather nice refreshments, including things even I like to eat!

Well, it certainly was a good idea, but when we first checked into the lounge, I was so weary, and - (I will admit it!) - quite tetchy; I'd already had enough of waiting for our flight, and there were still hours to go before we could get on board.  Where we first sat down, the air-conditioning was blowing really strongly; I don't like such a cold air blowing on my head, and I said so, quite firmly. We tried a couple of other double booth positions, but it seemed all the vents were on full blast, and I really wasn't in the mood to put up with it. After about four moves of trial and error in different places in the lounge, we finally landed in a position deep into the lounge, at the back, where there were sofas (not just chairs) and tables and, thank goodness, we were out of range of the chill.

Soothed by a gentle piece of wall art behind us, at last I could settle down happily, whilst Wendy went off to get us the complimentary teas, etc. to which we were entitled. Whilst she was choosing the food and something to drink, the hostess who was still on desk duty checking people in and out of the lounge saw Wendy and came over to talk to her. I think she probably thought I was a virago of a mother - (I could almost hear her unspoken words to Wendy: "You poor thing, having to cope with her!") - because she was extremely sympathetic to Wendy, and said reassuringly: "Have a drink on us...!" And she did not mean tea, but something much stronger! Well, we all know what a sweet, diplomatic, patient old dear I am... (DON'T WE?!) but Wendy certainly didn't turn the offer down, and thoroughly enjoyed a complimentary pink gin for all her pains.

In the end, we were both settled, with delicious food: there was soup, and rolls, with extra butter for me; chicken and rice (and I could have everything plain!) - it was very nice indeed, followed by a lovely selection of cakes, and tea. We both had our fill, and then - oh, the bliss - somewhere to curl up and doze on the sofas! AND we also ended up being allowed to stay there for about 4 hours, which I am sure was much longer than usual; but I also think that, apart from me being tetchy, we unwittingly flashed the age card as well, which brought kindness and understanding for the pair of us.

Thank you, Aspire Lounge!

Wendy In The Metro Blu Apartment - And A Friendly Lizard

Wendy In The Metro Blu Apartment - And A Friendly Lizard

Before checking out of our Metro Blue Apartment, we had taken a couple of photographs. Apart from one or two interesting moments at the outset, when access to the apartment proved problematic, discovering the lock to the front door had been fitted upside down, it turned out to be a very comfortable choice of accommodation. 

Being so close to the Airport was also a big plus, and the large Woolworths nearby meant getting shopping was quick and easy. 

Another advantage was the price. Wendy had checked other apartments in the City Centre, and they were all extremely expensive; we weren't sure why this should be so in Perth, unless it is because Western Australia is more remote than other states, but Metro Blu was comfortable, and the reception staff had been charming, kind and helpful; and Eddie the Maintenance Man deserved top marks for solving that problem with the front door!

A photo of Wendy in the Apartment - and you can see me in the mirror!

Our little lizard 

Our friendly lizard - still basking!

The Mundaring Weir Hotel

The Mundaring Weir Hotel

After our visit to Mundaring Weir, Wendy and I also recalled her Dad telling me about the Mundaring Weir Hotel, where he and his friends had stopped off for some refreshment; fairly basic at that time, it was run by an older gentleman who, upon hearing the English accents at the bar, said: 

"Oh, you're from England! You must meet the wife... she's a POM! (Prisoner of Mother England - referring to the time when felons and other so-called "undesirable" citizens in England had been sentenced to deportation to Australia!) and he called out, "Come and meet some of your fellow countrymen!"

A minute or two later, a dear old lady came in to the bar, greeting them with a very pronounced Australian accent: 

"I came out to Australia when I was a baby of 6 months... but I'll always be a POM to him!"

She remembered nothing of England! but Wendy and I remembered the story her Dad had told us, so when we took the opportunity to revisit Mundaring Weir, we also found the Mundaring Weir Hotel.

A trifle more elegant now, perhaps, than back in the 1960s, it was good to see it; and maybe the ghosts of people who have been there before us, and who had all those conversations, are still there, and pleased to be remembered: Forever relevant to modern times. 

The sign to Mundaring Weir Hotel

Look carefully, and spot the birdie!

Well, now I've enlarged the picture a bit - is that better now?

Pipeline to Kalgoorlie

And now, a little digression about the origin of the word "POM," used to describe people coming to Australia from England:

I had always thought POM - or POMMIE - was a shorthand way of describing former felons sentenced to deportation from England to Australia; it was considered a slur. 

In the 1800's, men and women faced severe penalties for what we may now consider fairly trifling misdemeanours, and could be sentenced for deportation lasting 7 years - or for life. Poor people who were starving might steal a loaf of bread and, if caught, no account was taken of their dire circumstances: the stocks, prison, or deportation was the order of the day. 

A sign on the Town Bridge over the River Stour in Sturminster Newton in Dorset threateningly proclaims: 

"Any person wilfully injuring any part of this COUNTY BRIDGE will be guilty of FELONY and upon conviction liable to be TRANSPORTED FOR LIFE. By the Court  T FOOKS"

Well, I suppose no-could say they weren't warned!

In hindsight, such a sentence might be considered a "light" punishment, as execution faced those having committed more serious crimes, for example stealing a sheep. From this era comes the expression, "You may as well be hanged for a sheep as for a lamb:" If you are going to face the death penalty, at least go for a bigger animal, rather than a smaller one! 

A less violent explanation comes from an idea that people fresh out from England disembarked from the ships looking pale and pasty-faced. They then faced the hot Australian sun and high ultra-violet rays, and soon turned a bright shade of red - there were no Factor 50 sun-protection creams available in those days! - and resembled fully ripe, red pomegranates. 

Pomegranates could be loosely rhymed with "immigrants," which was further rhymed with "Jimmy Grants," and used to describe the new citizens of Australia. Pomegranates were then shorted to "POMS," and there you have another, more palatable, idea about the origin of the word POM. Take your pick! and if anyone has more ideas, I would love to hear about them. 

Driving back to Perth in the dusk

After spending an hour or so at the Mundaring Weir Hotel, and having had a little walk in the area around it, marvelling at the length of pipeline exposed at the start of its journey to Kalgoorlie, and disappearing into the distance, we left the Hotel and drove back to Perth. We had already checked out of the Metro Blu Apartment earlier in the morning; it had been lovely to make full use of the extra hours available before we had to check in for our flight to Singapore. This was a good day!