Family Ties

The saving graces of my trip to Perth would have to be the endearing presence of my Mum and Dad, the nestling warmth in our shared hotel room, and the treasured moments that we spent together. I wanted to spend as much time with them as possible. They were contented with just exploring the city and its peripheries, and I complied readily. My thirst for adventure at the Forest Tree Walk, the exciting town of Albany (the oldest city in WA), the delightful Swan Valley and the challenging waves of the South Coast was insatiable, but I could have done all these any time later. Nothing beats sharing my new life in the land of Oz and proudly showing the photos of my new friends stored in my digital camera to my earnest parents who were always ready to lend their listening ears and comforting shoulders.

Perhaps the highlight of this trip would have been our constant lunching and tea-breaks at our newfound favourite Chinese restaurant at Northbridge and the Forum Cafeteria at Hay Street Mall, respectively. Having similar tastebuds, we thoroughly enjoyed the succulent dim sum at affordable prices for almost the entire week, and would happily look forward to sipping the concoctions of coffee and tea while relaxing in the comfort of the spacious alfresco cafe. We tried out different cakes daily, from parvola to black forest and cheesecakes, choosing to ignore the gradually expanding waistlines and strangling pants. The sweetness of the desserts and the cherished time of indulgence lingered lovingly in our hearts.

We made a new friend as well. Shall I call it fate? While waiting for the returning train near the casino at Burswood, we chatted up a fiesty energetic lady from Christmas Island who had been residing in Perth for 20 years. We ended up having a cordial yum-cha session, before arranging casually to meet at the Subiaco Market the following day if fate should prevail. As it turned out, we did bump into one another again and parted this time after exchanging our numbers. As the Chinese idiom goes: "Si Hai Yi Jia" (Four Oceans, One Family), it was indeed a special occurence of friendship and union.

It was with heavy hearts that my parents and I bade farewell once again, as I board the shuttle bus to the domestic airport first. As I gazed through the huge glass panel at the arriving planes, streams of tears flowed haltedly as I tried hard not to attract unwanted attention. It may be a short one week for us, but the heartfelt warmth and love are everlasting and eternal.