G'day mate!
We left the hotel at 7.30 am to go to Curtin University and the King Edward Memorial Hospital for Women (KEMH).
We took the Red CAT from the hotel down to the Perth busport. From there we took bus no. 102 to Curtin University. We got down at the Transperth stop at Curtin U and walked to the library. The commons was closed off for renovations. The campus has conifers. There were lots of cones on the grass. The campus appeared empty. Uni commences on 22 February 2013. There was a campus map but I didn't have time to read it.
We took the bus back to Perth city and took another bus to Subiaco. We got off in front of the KEMH, where Ibrahim was born 24 years ago. I remembered the prenatal clinic building across the road. I remembered the second floor postnatal ward where I laid alone without a baby as my son was placed in the ICU soon after he was born. I remained in the ward for 12 days without my baby son, and only saw him a few times after his antibiotic regiment. He was a screaming baby. He survived the ordeal and now has a university degree.
We`went to Insan Cafe twice today, once for lunch and another for tea.
There is nothing else to do in Perth today. Affandi is doing all the packing.
We head for the airport in a few hours and leave for Malaysia on 14 February 2013 at 6.30am. I should be at LCCT by 12 noon. We fly home to Kota Bharu at 3.30 pm. InsyaAllah.
Showing posts with label Writing from Perth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Writing from Perth. Show all posts
Wednesday, 13 February 2013
Writing From Perth (2)
G'day mate!
I'm writing in dim light as the other 2 are sleeping.
We left the hotel at 8 am and visited UWA today where I dropped off my 2 books at the Reid Library. I also walked past my old lab where I had done my PhD under Prof Redgrave. We meet him tomorrow evening, insyaAllah. He offered to drive us to the airport.
The weather was still warm at 8 am. I didn't need a sweater. It was windy and that cools down the temperature a bit. I saw the Malaysian tourism office on Wellington St but I didn't enter as we wanted to go to UWA.
We took a bus from its last stop to get to the Perth busport (depot/station). The last stop to the busport is free on any bus. We waited at platform E1 downstairs along with some students.
We reached UWA and got to Winthrop Hall, took a lot of photos of the admin buildings and the sunken garden. I remember representing my university for the UWA's 75th anniversary and walking to enter/exit Winthrop Hall. I was clad in academic dress for a PhD and was the youngest representative at that event.
Walking towards Reid Library and seeing the UWA logo printed on the grass for its 100th anniversary felt heavy. But I didn't cry. I handed my 2 books to the staff and we took photos. Then I went down to the front lawn. It was great to be back on the front lawn of Reid Library, the same lawn where I had posed for a Sydney-based professional photographer for a university prospectus many years ago.
I remember the sundial behind the Physiology building where I had posed with my labmates for a group photo. I don't know where everyone is today except for BC and my PhD supervisor.
We stopped at the Co-op to get myself something but got something else better. I received 3 SD cards (4MB each) free from the lady there (Alison). We took a photo to commemorate that lovely event.
We then walked to Broadway Fair to get ices, Turkish kebabs and fries. Kebab costs AUD$9.00. Fries are for AUD$4.00. We paid AUD$22.00 for 2 kebabs and 1 fries. Affandi got the ices from the store across upstairs.
I then went to the University Cameras to get a card reader for my camera/SD card. They don't have the cable that I need for my Lumix camera.
Returned to Perth busport by bus #102. Switched to Blue CAT at platform E3. Got down at the Town Hall bus stop.
Walked to the AUD$2.00 shop and got souvenirs. Met a Singaporean lady at the shop. She is Zuhaidah, a Universiti Malaya staff/student/graduate. She has lived here 5 years and her uncle has lived here for 30 years. She wanted to invite us to her place in Mirabooka but we were short of time.
We walked to Insan Cafe for lunch. We had mi goreng and lots of fruit juice. We all agreed that mi goreng here was delicious.
At Hay St Mall, we shopped at Betts for a pair of boots for our youngest daughter, Yusrina. She's 14 and likes boots and phones. She picked a pair of blue suede boots for AUD$70.00. Socks are not for sale at Betts - BYO (bring your own).
We then walked to the Samsung store to get her a Samsung Galaxy III for AUD$760. Rebate is possible at the airport. There is 10% rebate for all goods bought above AUD$200 on a single receipt. The Samsung Galaxy III uses a micro sim card, not the standard sim card. A new standard sim card is AUD$2.00 but a new micro sim card is AUD$30.00. We will try and get her a micro sim card here to try out her new phone. Her brother Ibrahim has the Samsung II which uses the standard sim card.
Update: When we reached the airport in Kelantan, the girl at the Hotlink booth trimmed the standard sim card to fit the micro sim card slot of Samsung Galaxy III. There is no need to purchase a micro sim card after all.
I'm writing in dim light as the other 2 are sleeping.
We left the hotel at 8 am and visited UWA today where I dropped off my 2 books at the Reid Library. I also walked past my old lab where I had done my PhD under Prof Redgrave. We meet him tomorrow evening, insyaAllah. He offered to drive us to the airport.
The weather was still warm at 8 am. I didn't need a sweater. It was windy and that cools down the temperature a bit. I saw the Malaysian tourism office on Wellington St but I didn't enter as we wanted to go to UWA.
We took a bus from its last stop to get to the Perth busport (depot/station). The last stop to the busport is free on any bus. We waited at platform E1 downstairs along with some students.
We reached UWA and got to Winthrop Hall, took a lot of photos of the admin buildings and the sunken garden. I remember representing my university for the UWA's 75th anniversary and walking to enter/exit Winthrop Hall. I was clad in academic dress for a PhD and was the youngest representative at that event.
Walking towards Reid Library and seeing the UWA logo printed on the grass for its 100th anniversary felt heavy. But I didn't cry. I handed my 2 books to the staff and we took photos. Then I went down to the front lawn. It was great to be back on the front lawn of Reid Library, the same lawn where I had posed for a Sydney-based professional photographer for a university prospectus many years ago.
I remember the sundial behind the Physiology building where I had posed with my labmates for a group photo. I don't know where everyone is today except for BC and my PhD supervisor.
We stopped at the Co-op to get myself something but got something else better. I received 3 SD cards (4MB each) free from the lady there (Alison). We took a photo to commemorate that lovely event.
We then walked to Broadway Fair to get ices, Turkish kebabs and fries. Kebab costs AUD$9.00. Fries are for AUD$4.00. We paid AUD$22.00 for 2 kebabs and 1 fries. Affandi got the ices from the store across upstairs.
I then went to the University Cameras to get a card reader for my camera/SD card. They don't have the cable that I need for my Lumix camera.
Returned to Perth busport by bus #102. Switched to Blue CAT at platform E3. Got down at the Town Hall bus stop.
Walked to the AUD$2.00 shop and got souvenirs. Met a Singaporean lady at the shop. She is Zuhaidah, a Universiti Malaya staff/student/graduate. She has lived here 5 years and her uncle has lived here for 30 years. She wanted to invite us to her place in Mirabooka but we were short of time.
We walked to Insan Cafe for lunch. We had mi goreng and lots of fruit juice. We all agreed that mi goreng here was delicious.
At Hay St Mall, we shopped at Betts for a pair of boots for our youngest daughter, Yusrina. She's 14 and likes boots and phones. She picked a pair of blue suede boots for AUD$70.00. Socks are not for sale at Betts - BYO (bring your own).
We then walked to the Samsung store to get her a Samsung Galaxy III for AUD$760. Rebate is possible at the airport. There is 10% rebate for all goods bought above AUD$200 on a single receipt. The Samsung Galaxy III uses a micro sim card, not the standard sim card. A new standard sim card is AUD$2.00 but a new micro sim card is AUD$30.00. We will try and get her a micro sim card here to try out her new phone. Her brother Ibrahim has the Samsung II which uses the standard sim card.
Update: When we reached the airport in Kelantan, the girl at the Hotlink booth trimmed the standard sim card to fit the micro sim card slot of Samsung Galaxy III. There is no need to purchase a micro sim card after all.
Tuesday, 12 February 2013
Writing From Perth (1)
G'day mate!!
I'm writing to you from Perth. What is Perth like? It's like Riverside, California existing in Kelantan.
Perth is very cold in the early morning (need a sweater), hot at midday, cool in the evening and at night. Nice to stroll by the river at sundown.
Shops are many. Shops open 9am - 5.30pm. It's the off-season now so it is nice to be here - few people, not congested, nice to stroll. Boots are at 4 places: Betts and another down Hay St Mall. There's another fur boot (ugg) outlet at London Court and somewhere else. Long jackets for ladies (petite) are lovely but heavy and with big buttons. Lighter plastic jackets are AUD$190-AUD$200. Lots of pretty hats for kids. Lots of souvenirs, Made in China mainly, very few are Made in Australia. Very pretty souvenirs/gifts for the loved ones.
Halal food outlets are few. Insan's Cafe (Murray St, Perth) serves good Malaysian-Indonesian rice and kuah with delicious terung goreng, curry puffs, ayam rendang, etc. Turkish Kebab (Broadway Fair, near UWA in Nedlands) sells very tasty kebab, large serving - delicious with BBQ sauce.
Travel is easy with Transperth. Use the Blue CAT or Red CAT for free travel within city limits. Use the Family Rider ticket for WA school holidays and for weekends (AUD$11.00 per family, free travel anywhere, whole day). Family travel for 2 adults and a 14-yo is AUD$4.00 x 2 + AUD$1.60 for the small one = AUD$9.60 for 2-hr unlimited travel for 2 zones. Perth-Freemantle by train is AUD$11.00 (Family Rider, during school holidays/weekends) or AUD$9.60. Perth-Mandurah is the same as for Perth-Freemantle. Take the free service bus at each town (Freemantle. Mandurah) - we took both the Red CAT and Blue CAT. I love the trains and buses - there are good for sight-seeing.
Met a young Muslim man, our neighbour's son, Faisal, who helped to update about the current situation of Perth Muslims and Rivervale Mosque (it is now the Islamic Community Centre). The toilets facilities here are good. The houses around the mosque have all been demolished long ago after I left Perth in 1989. Only the mosque remains there and the name has changed from Rivervale Mosque to Islamic Community Centre. A high brick wall stands behind the mosque. Nothing else is there, just dry grass and sand.
Met a man at Perth Mosque who updated us about the mosque extension - almost ready, quite big. Perth Mosque is at the corner of Beaufort St and Robinson Avenue, close to Brisbane Rd. Here, toilets and prayer spaces are good and well laid out. There are 2 dry fountains, one in the front courtyard and another at the rear courtyard. Very nice to stretch out and breathe in fresh air. Peaceful place too. Front garden has rose bushes and a lime tree. The front gate is locked after hours but left unlocked during office hours. The rear gate is left unlocked outside prayer hours.
Met a Muslim Blue CAT bus driver, Faysal, who explained about the buses to us and informed us of the Halal food outlets along William St in Perth.
Affandi says Kailis at the boat harbour in Freemantle is Halal as they do not mix the oil, etc. So we ate at Kailis. Tersilap order a Family Pack of traditional fish and chips for AUD$27.00 (5 fish fillets) and had to take home a bag of 2 fish fillets and lots of potato chips. I forgot that the Australian "Family Pack" is a feast! LOL. But very nice with salt, pepper and vinegar.
Lots of fresh fruits, fruit juice and salad greens in Perth and Freemantle. Good thick bread and preserved olives - Black Mission Olives and Kalamatta Olives.
There are quite a number of small fruiting olive trees in Freemantle. There is one near the old gaol. I think they are replanting for landscape or other. Very nice and good alternative to green the environment.
Going out now to UWA to drop off my books at the Reid Library. Returning to Hay St Mall by noon to shop for boots and mobile phone for Yusrina.
Catch up later.
From me,
Writing from The Melbourne Hotel, Room 204, Perth
I'm writing to you from Perth. What is Perth like? It's like Riverside, California existing in Kelantan.
Perth is very cold in the early morning (need a sweater), hot at midday, cool in the evening and at night. Nice to stroll by the river at sundown.
Shops are many. Shops open 9am - 5.30pm. It's the off-season now so it is nice to be here - few people, not congested, nice to stroll. Boots are at 4 places: Betts and another down Hay St Mall. There's another fur boot (ugg) outlet at London Court and somewhere else. Long jackets for ladies (petite) are lovely but heavy and with big buttons. Lighter plastic jackets are AUD$190-AUD$200. Lots of pretty hats for kids. Lots of souvenirs, Made in China mainly, very few are Made in Australia. Very pretty souvenirs/gifts for the loved ones.
Halal food outlets are few. Insan's Cafe (Murray St, Perth) serves good Malaysian-Indonesian rice and kuah with delicious terung goreng, curry puffs, ayam rendang, etc. Turkish Kebab (Broadway Fair, near UWA in Nedlands) sells very tasty kebab, large serving - delicious with BBQ sauce.
Travel is easy with Transperth. Use the Blue CAT or Red CAT for free travel within city limits. Use the Family Rider ticket for WA school holidays and for weekends (AUD$11.00 per family, free travel anywhere, whole day). Family travel for 2 adults and a 14-yo is AUD$4.00 x 2 + AUD$1.60 for the small one = AUD$9.60 for 2-hr unlimited travel for 2 zones. Perth-Freemantle by train is AUD$11.00 (Family Rider, during school holidays/weekends) or AUD$9.60. Perth-Mandurah is the same as for Perth-Freemantle. Take the free service bus at each town (Freemantle. Mandurah) - we took both the Red CAT and Blue CAT. I love the trains and buses - there are good for sight-seeing.
Met a young Muslim man, our neighbour's son, Faisal, who helped to update about the current situation of Perth Muslims and Rivervale Mosque (it is now the Islamic Community Centre). The toilets facilities here are good. The houses around the mosque have all been demolished long ago after I left Perth in 1989. Only the mosque remains there and the name has changed from Rivervale Mosque to Islamic Community Centre. A high brick wall stands behind the mosque. Nothing else is there, just dry grass and sand.
Met a man at Perth Mosque who updated us about the mosque extension - almost ready, quite big. Perth Mosque is at the corner of Beaufort St and Robinson Avenue, close to Brisbane Rd. Here, toilets and prayer spaces are good and well laid out. There are 2 dry fountains, one in the front courtyard and another at the rear courtyard. Very nice to stretch out and breathe in fresh air. Peaceful place too. Front garden has rose bushes and a lime tree. The front gate is locked after hours but left unlocked during office hours. The rear gate is left unlocked outside prayer hours.
Met a Muslim Blue CAT bus driver, Faysal, who explained about the buses to us and informed us of the Halal food outlets along William St in Perth.
Affandi says Kailis at the boat harbour in Freemantle is Halal as they do not mix the oil, etc. So we ate at Kailis. Tersilap order a Family Pack of traditional fish and chips for AUD$27.00 (5 fish fillets) and had to take home a bag of 2 fish fillets and lots of potato chips. I forgot that the Australian "Family Pack" is a feast! LOL. But very nice with salt, pepper and vinegar.
Lots of fresh fruits, fruit juice and salad greens in Perth and Freemantle. Good thick bread and preserved olives - Black Mission Olives and Kalamatta Olives.
There are quite a number of small fruiting olive trees in Freemantle. There is one near the old gaol. I think they are replanting for landscape or other. Very nice and good alternative to green the environment.
Going out now to UWA to drop off my books at the Reid Library. Returning to Hay St Mall by noon to shop for boots and mobile phone for Yusrina.
Catch up later.
From me,
Writing from The Melbourne Hotel, Room 204, Perth
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