It was Papa's idea that we needed another holiday after our experience in Taiwan. We felt cheated of a genuinely enriching experience of travelling. So Papa suggested a Perth trip to erase our bad memories. Initially I cringed at the thought of taking another trip with my young and ever-so-demanding kids. Surely there ought to be a better way to enjoy a break from daily routine and schedules. However, I soon found myself looking forward to Perth. After all, it's got better weather and the change in scenery would do me and my obsession of finding a cure some good.
At the airport very early in the morning, we checked in manually. Sophie's passport expires in less than 6 months, so we couldn't do so online. It was still hassle-free though, especially when a ground staff opened a new lane for me at check-in. That gave us some time to grab some breakfast in case the kids were hungry.
Once boarded, Sophie was basically on 'autopilot' mode. She was happily combing the pockets behind the seat in front of her for inflight magazines and safety brochures. She was also eager to start navigating the inflight entertainment system for games and shows. Alfee was much as enthusiastic. Although he was excited about the flight experience, he wasn't too thrilled by the safety belt that restricts his freedom. He's also a little anxious about the take-off and landing.
Look who I found on board! Mrs Phang and her family! We haven't met for ages and it was so wonderful that we were taking the same flight to perth. I'm so glad Papa took this picture because it kind of reminded me of the JB trip we took when I was still in service.
Alfee cried during take-off and refused to get off my lap until it seemed steady and safe again. But the screen was too high for him so he sat on me throughout his Mickey Mouse Clubhouse cartoon. After what seemed eternity, he fell asleep. I used to have no problem sleeping in a plane but somehow, I couldn't quite fall asleep.
Alfee seemed to have become our little Sophie. He needed to walk around in the plane and he talked to everyone who didn't mind some company. Although he isn't as socially needy as Sophie, he enjoys social interaction and he's not at all shy.
Papa rented a car so we had to do some paperwork at the airport before collecting it from the carpark. By then, the kids were restless and I was tired. The scorching sun didn't help much. I was hoping for cooler weather but it was 30 degrees! I'm never good in the sun and heat. Although sunglasses help a little, I could barely open my eyes because my eyes are very sensitive to glare. I could almost feel the chaotic firing in my brain, believe it or not.
By the time we found the Settlers' Rest, my energy level was reduced by half. Yet it was a great feeling to be in a real farm for the first time. We intended to leave our bags and hit the road for groceries. At this point, I was still hopeful that we could cook some meals. What was I thinking about, honestly?
The farm looked more like a ranch than the image of Old McDonald's Farm with a big red barn. Somehow, it reminded me of 'McLeod's Daughters'. It was huge and rather bare piece of land, partitioned with wooden fences. Just two nights before we arrived, it rained very heavily so the soil was still damp. We could still see the eroded river of harden mud down the field. The owners live in one house and rented us a separate cottage nearer to the animal barn (I wonder why that is...).
The owners were not always farmers, in fact, they were city dwellers before they decided on a lifestyle change and bought the place. They keep some farm animals but I wasn't impressed by their management. Although the animals were kept relatively well, the place somehow looked a little disorganised. The animals have their own designated rest place, but they are allowed to roam freely in the fields sometimes.
The heat, flies and smell of manure affected me more than the rest of the Loys. I thought if they operate as a place for farmstay, they ought to have some sort of organized activities to show the guests. However, everything seems very ad hoc and spontaneous. All they told us was they feed the animals around 4.30 pm so if we wanted to participate, we ought to be there around then. Having said that, the owners were quite friendly and helpful people. At least they kept our kids entertained and left a good impression on them.
After we did a quick feeding and ice breaking, we were off to the nearest Woolworths for groceries. To my disappointment, it wasn't as big as I had imagined. Maybe it was also the time of the day, we couldn't really find much fresh meat there. They do have plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit though. In the end, we got some fruit, tidbits, milk, juice, chicken stock, seasonings, frozen fish, eggs and rice for food. And detergent for washing...
It grew much darker by the time we unload the groceries. My desire for cooking dinner was greatly affected by the condition of the pots, pans and cutleries. Even the stove looked too rustic for cooking. Trying not to sound like a whiner, I am not much of a cook in the first place. After a long day, I really don't feel like scrubbing before and after a meal I had to cook myself and the family. I also know the kids would protest against 'simple' food so there would be a struggle as well. Plus the DVD player was not working so the kids were restless. Thus, we gave up and headed out for dinner instead. We ate in an Italian restaurant and choke at the price of our dinner. I didn't realise the cost of living has risen that much in Perth. It cost us almost AUS $100 for two main courses.
Frankly, we were too tired to think about the cost by then. We just wanted to quickly settle dinner and let the kids sleep. When we reached the farm again, it was pitch dark. We had to keep our headlights on to see where our cottage was. When we were settling in for the night, CK saw them - cockroaches. He hates cockroaches almost as much as I hate lizards so he couldn't rest until they were all killed. Fortunately it was near the laundry area, far from the bedrooms. Unfortunately, it was also near the only toilet. Thus, I armed myself with the insect repellent and killed as many as I could see. I killed 4 big ones and a couple of baby ones before he was was alright to call it a night.
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