A couple of weeks ago I discovered a friend from Texas had been living in Perth for several months and neither of us knew the other was here! She has been making the most of her time, including volunteering her time and skills at local charities. Last week I went with her to visit the Pregancy Problem House, a pregnancy resource center in Nollamara, a northern suburb of Perth. I've commented before that Perth reminds me of cities in America in the 1960s and this place fits that description too -- on the outside. It's an older house converted into a welcoming place for teens and young adults who are pregnant (or think they might be), with counseling services, childbirth and parenting classes, and a brand spanking new 4d color ultrasound machine, plus every possible thing a newborn or new mom could need. There are centers in Texas that are not this advanced or well-equipped. Here's a a link http://www.pregnancyproblemhouse.com.au/
How is it that a non-profit, non-government supported charity can be so leading edge when so many businesses and organizations are not? Answer: they have learned from the Americans. The Director of the Pregnancy Problem House is Australian who has spent most of her life in Perth, but lived in Illinois for a few years and volunteered at pregnancy resource centers in different parts of the US midwest. She set up the center in Perth using the American model, and she keeps the center up to date by participating in American and international organizations which specialize in this kind of care. I am impressed and pleased to know that young women, couples and families have a place to go for pregnancy testing, counseling, free healthcare referrals, baby furniture and diapers, and all the things infants and their parents need. They are a Christian organization too, but like the one I worked with in Katy, Texas, their first concern is for the emotional and physical well-being of the people who walk through their doors. It's a busy and cheerful place, and the warmth and care for people is evident in the comfortable surroundings and first-class services.
It shouldn't come as any surprise that I am going to join their organization as a volunteer. After 8 years away, it's time to use my pregnancy resource center experience to help others. Perhaps this is a partial answer to the question "What is God's purpose for me here?" I will share more as I get better acquainted with the Perth version of this wonderful ministry.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Monday, June 7, 2010
Foundation Day
Today is Foundation Day, when Western Australians celebrate the founding of their state. Their history is not unlike the U.S. - in 1826 a small British Army outpost settled on the beach at Albany (think Plymouth Rock), which is about as far south and west as you can get in Australia. A year later Captain James Stirling of the Royal Navy led several boats full of English settlers (think the Nina, Pinta & Santa Maria) in explorations of the Swan River. Stirling spotted the coast, started the Swan River Colony there and became its first Lieutenant-Governor. Around the same time, Captain Charles Fremantle anchored off an island which he also claimed for Britain. This busy port and city is named after him. There is a tenuous yet charming connection between Oz and USA here. The story goes that on August 12, 1829 Helen Dance, wife of a ship's captain, cut down a tree to mark the founding of Perth, the capital of the colony (and now the state). Did she know about our first President's relationship with a cherry tree?
Reading between the lines of Wikipedia, I reckon the English settlers had issues with the locals (Aborigines), so much so that 5 years later Captain Stirling decided they needed an annual celebration of some sort. I guess having a great big party once a year helped folks get along, kind of like giving your kids a project to work on to keep them from killing each other :o> .Stirling picked June 1st as it coincided with the day his boat first spotted the coast as well as a significant British naval victory (over France) 40 years earlier.
Of course everybody gets the day off. In fact they celebrate it on the first Monday in June and make a 3-day weekend of it. We celebrated by indulging our inner gamblers. Vince has become interested in Poker lately and like a good engineer, has read several books on the subject: how to spot a bluff, winning strategies to use, etc. and then practiced his new skills at poker evenings with friends. Figuring we were ready for the big time, we joined another couple and visited the spiffy-looking casino in the Burswood Entertainment complex. Vince and his mentor, an experienced poker player, went off the to Poker Room to seek their fortunes while we ladies opted for the slots. We left our ATM cards at home, lest we be tempted to overdo things...
I started at the poker slots where a dollar buys you the chance to push a couple of buttons and pray for a win. This noisy, neon-lit, electronic machine offered 3 different games requiring pairs of jacks or better, kings or better, or traditional with deuces wild. We hung in there for about an hour, getting sucked in by small wins and eventually losing about $50 each. While my buddy took a rest room break I moseyed over to the keno machine, which allowed 20-cent bets. Now I don't even know what keno is, but you really don't have to. You don't even have to pull the handle any more - just push the "play" button. In a gambling fever I quintupled my bets to a dollar each and within 3 minutes got a full house! Hearing the whoop! whoop! whoop! of the machine and the sound of $50 worth of tumbling dollar coins dropping loudly into the tray sent my pulse racing. Woo-hoo - I won! And I recovered my "investment." :o)
Energized by this win, we cruised the casino floor for more exciting games to play. I was attracted to the craps tables but unwilling to risk that much money. After passing up dozens of slots with names like "Indian Princess" and "Pirate Millionaire" we decided to try our luck at "Diced Chicken." The guys eventually lost their stake and sought us out. They found us just as we were tiring of the game, which involved barnyard animals and golden eggs in a bingo-esque fashion. With the "help" of a fellow gambler who seemed more interested in flirting with us than winning, we were fast losing the contents of our gold-coin-filled plastic cups. Although I had a net loss, I scored the biggest win of the evening, which means I got to pay for dinner. Over pasta and chicken, the guys explained their losses: "the cards weren't good tonight," and "there were a lot of good players at our table so we couldn't bluff much." We thought of this as a learning experience, albeit a trifle expensive. Will I try it again? Hmm...
Reading between the lines of Wikipedia, I reckon the English settlers had issues with the locals (Aborigines), so much so that 5 years later Captain Stirling decided they needed an annual celebration of some sort. I guess having a great big party once a year helped folks get along, kind of like giving your kids a project to work on to keep them from killing each other :o> .Stirling picked June 1st as it coincided with the day his boat first spotted the coast as well as a significant British naval victory (over France) 40 years earlier.
Of course everybody gets the day off. In fact they celebrate it on the first Monday in June and make a 3-day weekend of it. We celebrated by indulging our inner gamblers. Vince has become interested in Poker lately and like a good engineer, has read several books on the subject: how to spot a bluff, winning strategies to use, etc. and then practiced his new skills at poker evenings with friends. Figuring we were ready for the big time, we joined another couple and visited the spiffy-looking casino in the Burswood Entertainment complex. Vince and his mentor, an experienced poker player, went off the to Poker Room to seek their fortunes while we ladies opted for the slots. We left our ATM cards at home, lest we be tempted to overdo things...
I started at the poker slots where a dollar buys you the chance to push a couple of buttons and pray for a win. This noisy, neon-lit, electronic machine offered 3 different games requiring pairs of jacks or better, kings or better, or traditional with deuces wild. We hung in there for about an hour, getting sucked in by small wins and eventually losing about $50 each. While my buddy took a rest room break I moseyed over to the keno machine, which allowed 20-cent bets. Now I don't even know what keno is, but you really don't have to. You don't even have to pull the handle any more - just push the "play" button. In a gambling fever I quintupled my bets to a dollar each and within 3 minutes got a full house! Hearing the whoop! whoop! whoop! of the machine and the sound of $50 worth of tumbling dollar coins dropping loudly into the tray sent my pulse racing. Woo-hoo - I won! And I recovered my "investment." :o)
Energized by this win, we cruised the casino floor for more exciting games to play. I was attracted to the craps tables but unwilling to risk that much money. After passing up dozens of slots with names like "Indian Princess" and "Pirate Millionaire" we decided to try our luck at "Diced Chicken." The guys eventually lost their stake and sought us out. They found us just as we were tiring of the game, which involved barnyard animals and golden eggs in a bingo-esque fashion. With the "help" of a fellow gambler who seemed more interested in flirting with us than winning, we were fast losing the contents of our gold-coin-filled plastic cups. Although I had a net loss, I scored the biggest win of the evening, which means I got to pay for dinner. Over pasta and chicken, the guys explained their losses: "the cards weren't good tonight," and "there were a lot of good players at our table so we couldn't bluff much." We thought of this as a learning experience, albeit a trifle expensive. Will I try it again? Hmm...
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Old Friends and New
Someone once told me that the only certain thing in life is change. Part of the Expat learning curve is confronting the painful truth that family and friends in Houston did not put their lives on hold when we left, breathlessly waiting for our return. Change is part of their lives too! And it has certainly been true for the Perth Vetters this month, starting with our address. For those who want to send us cool things in the mail, our new address is:
Unit 6
152 Mill Point RoadS. Perth WA 6151
Australia
We packed up our old apartment before going on our Houston holiday, but we didn't count on Vince having to return to Houston two weeks after our vacation ended. So it's been nonstop lately. As I stayed in the US longer, we had only 3 days together between the time I arrived home in Perth and the time he left for Houston again. We used the time to finish the travel laundry and pack up the last few bits of our apartment. Then Vince rented a truck and we moved our things a couple of blocks up the road to our new place. We didn't have THAT much stuff, but the exercise still left us exhausted. The next morning Vince was off to Houston again and I began the journey of getting the gas, electricity and phone turned on. We have a land line now, which means we can try skype soon! If you have a skype account, please let us know so we can talk live via webcam.
Our new apartment is completely unfurnished. I am proceeding cautiously, looking for bargains on gumtree.com (Australia's version of Craig's List) and Quokka, Perth's version of the Green Sheet. So far I've bought a small leather sofa and 2 matching chairs and a double bed. I am grateful for new friends who willingly offered their truck to transport my finds to our new home. And of course, IKEA has featured prominently in my travels this week. They're just the best when it comes to solutions for storage and organization.
Tomorrow Vince returns from Houston to Australia, but instead of going to Perth, he'll stop in Brisbane to attend a conference. I will join him and finally get to see some more of Australia. I am especially excited about this trip because in addition to seeing Brisbane, I will be visiting my longtime friend Pat, who was my flatmate in London in 1984. We lost track of each other for a while but I found her last year, through her daughter's My Space page. She looked so much like her Mom that I took a chance and wrote her a note explaining how I knew Pat. Fortunately she didn't think I was an axe-murderer or online predator, and Pat and I reconnected last summer. We had no inkling that we would actually meet again, and in Australia of all places. But life is amazing and... full of change. She lives in a town called Hervey Bay (pronounced "Harvey Bay" which in photos looks a bit like Clear Lake/Kemah. So... another reunion and a great reason to explore some of Australia's east coast.
And speaking of old friends, it was wonderful to reconnect with Rick Wacula, "my intellectual friend" from USC days. Thanks for getting up early on a Sunday to have breakfast with Alice and me! And as if two friends from the past turning up wasn't enough, a third friend has also re-entered my life. Lisa Kraig, a friend and mentor from my Pregnancy Help Center days is now living in Perth (her husband works for ConocoPhillips) and looked me up recently. The city is filling up with Texans -- yay! Now all we have to do is teach folks here how to make real enchiladas and brisket.
It's late and I still have to pack, but I'll sign off with some photos from Dr. Bartner's 40th Anniversary gala at USC. Fight on!
Dr. Bartner thanking everyone for celebrating him, accompanied by this year's Trojan Marching Band, also known as TGMBITHOTU (The greatest marchingb and in the history of the universe!).
Prior to the gala was a reunion and memorabilia display. Here are the uniforms we wore back in the 70s. They didn't make gold boots in size 11 back then, so I bought white ones and spray painted them gold before every game! Note the white windbreaker in the far right corner -- you had to march for two seasons to earn it.
Just for fun - here is that 70s flag girl uniform in action at the USC vs. Cal Berkeley game c. 1974 :->
And today ... with my sister Alice who flew down from San Francisco to attend the gala with me.
Coach John Robinson, star quarterback Rodney Peete reminisce about special moments with Dr. Bartner and the Trojan Marching Band. Rodney Peete began the tradition of quarterbacks coming to band practice and conducting from the "God Tower." The band loved it and it really psyched up the team.
Friend and squad member Jeannine "Chickie" Zakaryan Barba and her significant other, Craig. Her nickname refers to her practice of bring along her favorite rubber chicken to many of our parties, dinners and other events when we were in band together.
Monday, May 3, 2010
California Dreaming
Can it be only 5 days since I arrived in Los Angeles? Feels like I've been here for years. Familiar landmarks made me feel at home: the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, The Hollywood sign, Palm trees galore and traffic-choked freeways, Inn-n-Out - the best burgers and fries anywhere. Time to visit the Knutson side of the family including my Mom, two sisters, niece and nephews. The pink UGG boots went over big with Michelle, and we all spent an evening at Miceli's restaurant on Cahuenga and Vine, where the waitstaff break into Italian arias and Broadway standards at the drop of a fork or by request. The wall of 8x10 glossies in the waiting area attest to the influence of "the biz" here. Young and talented dreamers still flock to this town in hopes of being discovered.
The next day took my Mom and me to Porterville, a small rural town nestled in the cetnral part of the state, south of Fresno and a short drive from Sequoia National Forest. We visited with my mom's friend and future traveling companion and talked about what to see and do in Australia. They did more visiting than planning, but at least they've got their passports. We can do the rest later. Then it was back to the San Fernando Valley, known as simply "The Valley" to Californians. I spent the next two days clothes shopping with my sister Dianne and hanging out with her family. A pleasant surprise was the affection shown by their cat Clover. I enticed her with a plastic ring from the top of a milk jug and she let me pet her. Maybe I'm on the rebound from Oscar and Finney's rejection, but I loved my moments of chin-scratching and playing with pieces of string. Clover is a few cards short of a deck, but she let me pet her and she thinks I'm okay, which was a big help to me. Guess I'll always need a cat in my life, even if it's 2,500 miles away.
The showcase of this visit was the 40th Anniversary gala celebration of the Director of the USC Trojan Marching Band, Dr. Arthur C. Bartner. They put on quite a show, with guest appearances from former coach John Robinson and notable USC alumni including football great Rodney Peete, Olympic gold medalist John Naber, singer Monica Mancini and musician Arturo Sandoval and many others. One of my favorite moments was the mini-concert given by the rock band War, who invited us all to sing along with them to the songs "Why Can't We Be Friends" and "Low Rider." It was wonderful to reconnect with so many fellow band members from the seventies and share what we've all been doing for the past 30+years!
This visit has been fun and rewarding, but it has also confirmed that Perth is now my home. I've enjoyed my time with family and friends but I miss Vince terribly. And I'm ready to drive on the left again, resume my morning walks along the Swan River, and play Mahjong with my favorite ladies.
The next day took my Mom and me to Porterville, a small rural town nestled in the cetnral part of the state, south of Fresno and a short drive from Sequoia National Forest. We visited with my mom's friend and future traveling companion and talked about what to see and do in Australia. They did more visiting than planning, but at least they've got their passports. We can do the rest later. Then it was back to the San Fernando Valley, known as simply "The Valley" to Californians. I spent the next two days clothes shopping with my sister Dianne and hanging out with her family. A pleasant surprise was the affection shown by their cat Clover. I enticed her with a plastic ring from the top of a milk jug and she let me pet her. Maybe I'm on the rebound from Oscar and Finney's rejection, but I loved my moments of chin-scratching and playing with pieces of string. Clover is a few cards short of a deck, but she let me pet her and she thinks I'm okay, which was a big help to me. Guess I'll always need a cat in my life, even if it's 2,500 miles away.
The showcase of this visit was the 40th Anniversary gala celebration of the Director of the USC Trojan Marching Band, Dr. Arthur C. Bartner. They put on quite a show, with guest appearances from former coach John Robinson and notable USC alumni including football great Rodney Peete, Olympic gold medalist John Naber, singer Monica Mancini and musician Arturo Sandoval and many others. One of my favorite moments was the mini-concert given by the rock band War, who invited us all to sing along with them to the songs "Why Can't We Be Friends" and "Low Rider." It was wonderful to reconnect with so many fellow band members from the seventies and share what we've all been doing for the past 30+years!
This visit has been fun and rewarding, but it has also confirmed that Perth is now my home. I've enjoyed my time with family and friends but I miss Vince terribly. And I'm ready to drive on the left again, resume my morning walks along the Swan River, and play Mahjong with my favorite ladies.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Yes, It's Possible to Have Enough Mexican Food
The past three weeks in Houston have been a gastronomic dream. Meal after meal of our favorite foods at our favorite restaurants. Enchiladas, nachos, fajitas, brisket, ribs, red beans and rice, cornbread... The dream skirted nightmare territory as we hit Marble Slab and R.J. Goode's with their chocolate cake from scratch. We are now safely removed from the land of temptation: Vince is back in Perth and I am visiting my Dad in Seymour, Tennessee, a picturesque town in the shadow of Dollywood and the Great Smoky Mountains. It's a respite from restaurants and calories. Not too many dangers here except the occasional Krispy Kreme, which I have avoided thus far. It's been mostly water and salads for the past couple of days as I crawl my way back on the weight loss wagon.
In between feedings, we managed to accomplish a few other things. We brought all of our summer clothes (now too big) with us and donated them to charity, then bought new ones for the coming cooler weather. I found some great bargains at the winter clearance sales, and now my biggest problem is making sure my suitcases don't exceed the 50-pound limit. After our gluttonous indulgences, will these smaller clothes fit? Yes, we'll make sure they do! Fortunately, I was able to work with my former trainer Karla who offered great encouragement while torturing me with squats and ab crunches.
With help and inspiration from the teachers at Lone Star Scrapbook, I finally finished a scrapbook I promised Vince's daughter over two years ago. Now I can move on to the other projects on the list, and of course all the photos I've taken during this trip will need a home too. We also "visited" our house and the folks who are currently living there. Neither of my cats appeared to recognize me after an absence of 5 months. Oscar (dark grey Siamese) was more friendly and settled on my lap for a while. After a few moments of cautious sniffing, Finney (orange striped Tabby) allowed me to hug him and scratch his neck, but quickly grew impatient. On my second visit Oscar remained friendly but Finney scampered off and did not reappear. My heart took a thrashing. Next thing? We sold our cars. At least they went to good homes: Vince's son Greg bought my car (2 months old when we left) and Tom, a longtime friend, bought Vince's Z4. I'm sure Tom will get the same testosterone rush from it as Vince always did. There's just something about a convertible.
I think I'm experiencing some separation anxiety as a result of all these changes. Life in Houston as we knew it no longer exists. Our house is now a home to others and looks completely different, we no longer have our cars, and while our friends and family have been happy to see us again, they're busy getting on with their lives without us. Rather humbling!
One more stop to go on the visit-America train. In two days I'll head for Southern California to visit my sisters and my Mom. Gotta limit my trips to Inn-n-Out Burger. I'll deliver the UGG boots to my niece and free up space for necessities to take back to Perth: towels, Crest toothpaste, Velveeta... I'm looking forward to some girly time and to seeing the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains again.
Home. It's where you are.
In between feedings, we managed to accomplish a few other things. We brought all of our summer clothes (now too big) with us and donated them to charity, then bought new ones for the coming cooler weather. I found some great bargains at the winter clearance sales, and now my biggest problem is making sure my suitcases don't exceed the 50-pound limit. After our gluttonous indulgences, will these smaller clothes fit? Yes, we'll make sure they do! Fortunately, I was able to work with my former trainer Karla who offered great encouragement while torturing me with squats and ab crunches.
With help and inspiration from the teachers at Lone Star Scrapbook, I finally finished a scrapbook I promised Vince's daughter over two years ago. Now I can move on to the other projects on the list, and of course all the photos I've taken during this trip will need a home too. We also "visited" our house and the folks who are currently living there. Neither of my cats appeared to recognize me after an absence of 5 months. Oscar (dark grey Siamese) was more friendly and settled on my lap for a while. After a few moments of cautious sniffing, Finney (orange striped Tabby) allowed me to hug him and scratch his neck, but quickly grew impatient. On my second visit Oscar remained friendly but Finney scampered off and did not reappear. My heart took a thrashing. Next thing? We sold our cars. At least they went to good homes: Vince's son Greg bought my car (2 months old when we left) and Tom, a longtime friend, bought Vince's Z4. I'm sure Tom will get the same testosterone rush from it as Vince always did. There's just something about a convertible.
I think I'm experiencing some separation anxiety as a result of all these changes. Life in Houston as we knew it no longer exists. Our house is now a home to others and looks completely different, we no longer have our cars, and while our friends and family have been happy to see us again, they're busy getting on with their lives without us. Rather humbling!
One more stop to go on the visit-America train. In two days I'll head for Southern California to visit my sisters and my Mom. Gotta limit my trips to Inn-n-Out Burger. I'll deliver the UGG boots to my niece and free up space for necessities to take back to Perth: towels, Crest toothpaste, Velveeta... I'm looking forward to some girly time and to seeing the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains again.
Home. It's where you are.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Roadrunners and a Wedding
We arrived in Houston on April 2nd and I haven't stopped running yet. So much to do, so many friends to visit, not to mention the Mexican dinners to consume... and best of all, a wonderful wedding. Vince's daughter Sharon married Lynn Horne on April 10th on the Riviera Maya in Mexico, just south of Cancun. The reception was held in her brother's back yard this past weekend -- the weather was perfect, food was great, friends and family were wonderful.
The wedding was held on the beach at sunset, the bride wore a beautiful white dress and white flip flops, the groom wore Tommy Bahama linen. It was beautiful. The professional pictures are in process, but I employed my trusty camera to the tune of about 300 shots. I'd love to upload them all, but here are the highlights.
And now I must pack for the next leg of this journey -- 5 days in Knoxville with Dad & Ann. The Smoky Mountains will be beautiful, and it will be a chance to slow the pace. Until next time...
The wedding was held on the beach at sunset, the bride wore a beautiful white dress and white flip flops, the groom wore Tommy Bahama linen. It was beautiful. The professional pictures are in process, but I employed my trusty camera to the tune of about 300 shots. I'd love to upload them all, but here are the highlights.
And now I must pack for the next leg of this journey -- 5 days in Knoxville with Dad & Ann. The Smoky Mountains will be beautiful, and it will be a chance to slow the pace. Until next time...
Vince and Sharon at IAH Airport
Rehearsal Dinner: Left to right - Lynn (Groom), Sharon (Bride), Vince (Father of Bride), Anita (Stepmom of Bride), Mark (Bride's younger brother), Greg (Bride's older brother), Melissa (bride's sister-in-law)
Groom & family - Doug (Groom's to-be brother-in-law), Lynn, Claudette (Groom's Mother), Tricia (Groom's sister)
Proud Dad Vince escorts Sharon down the rose petaled path as the sun drops in the sky.
Saying their vows
Mr. & Mrs. Horne
Happy Dad!
First dance as husband and wife
So much love... Father & Daughter dance
More love... Mother & Groom dance
A joyful toast
We're family now! Bride's Dad, Groom's Mom, aka Vince & Claudie
We're family now! The Vetters and the Hornes.
Dinner at sunset
Amorous groom :->
Sparkler Sendoff
Friday, March 26, 2010
New Digs
It is wonderful to have the delightful friends and family we enjoy. Not bragging, I just think y'all are the best! We feel greatly complimented that so many of you want to come all the way down under to visit us. Just one problem - where will we put you? Our two-bedroom crackerbox is cute, but not very practical for more than a couple of people at a time. Since our apartment lease expires in May, this is a great opportunity to find something more suitable for entertaining guests from near and far.
I've been searching for about a month and learned all kinds of things in the process. It is common to rent apartments for 6 months, and 12 months is considered a long lease. Lease contracts specify a termination date and you must move out on that day, unless you request in writing that you want to stay longer. Almost all renting is done through real estate agents, and the system works very differently here. In the States, you look in the real estate section of the paper, or go online, or ask a friend, or just drive around until you see a location or apartment building you like. Then you go to the management office, fill out an application, and if you are accepted you negotiate a move-in date, which can be up to 3 months in advance. Not so here. First, the majority of listings appear online. Apartment buildings do not have management offices. Most of the apartments are owned by individuals. Some occupy them, others buy them as investments and rent them out. The owners choose the real estate agent they like best to manage their properties. I found this rather bewildering when I started my search. For example, the building we live in now contains 64 apartments. Six of them are currently for rent, through 4 different companies. So if you want to see different apartments in the same building, you might have to visit several different real estate agents.
View from the southwest balcony of our new apartment
I've been searching for about a month and learned all kinds of things in the process. It is common to rent apartments for 6 months, and 12 months is considered a long lease. Lease contracts specify a termination date and you must move out on that day, unless you request in writing that you want to stay longer. Almost all renting is done through real estate agents, and the system works very differently here. In the States, you look in the real estate section of the paper, or go online, or ask a friend, or just drive around until you see a location or apartment building you like. Then you go to the management office, fill out an application, and if you are accepted you negotiate a move-in date, which can be up to 3 months in advance. Not so here. First, the majority of listings appear online. Apartment buildings do not have management offices. Most of the apartments are owned by individuals. Some occupy them, others buy them as investments and rent them out. The owners choose the real estate agent they like best to manage their properties. I found this rather bewildering when I started my search. For example, the building we live in now contains 64 apartments. Six of them are currently for rent, through 4 different companies. So if you want to see different apartments in the same building, you might have to visit several different real estate agents.
Vince checking out guest bedroom #1
This can be convenient, though. If you are looking for an apartment in a certain price range and/or location, you can pick a real estate agent, tell them what you want, and they will show you properties which fit your criteria. The different agents don't often share listings, though, so you still might have to work with more than one agent in order to see everything on the market. That's what I did. I looked online, found 19 properties I liked and visited 13 of them, which required talking to 6 different agencies. (I only dragged Vince to see 5 of them ;->) The result? A perfect fit -- a 3-bedroom apartment on the sixth floor of an 11-story high-rise on the crest of Mill Point Avenue, just a few doors up the street from our current place. The building is less than 2 years old (our current one is closer to 50), the apartment has never been lived in, and it has two balconies -- one overlooking the north bank and the other looking southwest. We're across the street from Perth Zoo, which means we can open our windows and hear kookaburras and other animals in the morning if we want to. We're vlose to two sets of shops and cafes, and we're still near Mends Street, home of good restaurants, nightclubs and boutiques.
In Australia, "unfurnished" means no fridge or washing machine. However, the current renting market is slow, and we were able to negotiate a bit. The owner agreed to provide both items before we move in.
Vince tries out the baby grand in the elegant foyer.
A pretty place to come home to.
Happy to have found a place to call home for the next couple of years!
We signed the lease today and we'll move in after we return from our US vacation (5 days til we leave!). I've already started packing things up! So... if you can make the trip to Perth, we'll leave the light on for you. No, we'll meet your flight and show you the town. You'll have a place to stay and we'll throw in breakfast on the balcony. We hope to see y'all soon!
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