I just arrived in Perth this evening after a flawless flight from Denpasar. I had the usual inquisitive/long bag search of the customs in look for any dust I could bring from outer space or cheese from somewhere else (France ?). I have been asked 3 or 4 times between the visa desk and customs if really understood what was written in the customs declaration form or if I had any food. Do you have any food items ? Are you sure ? Are you really sure ? Are you totally sure ?
I'm staying at Billabong as Shiralee was full (and mostly all backpackers) because of the Rugby World Cup match of today: England vs South Africa. So it looks like it is packed with Brits (but as everyone knows Brits are in Oz while Aussies are in UK). Strangely all the girls I have seen for now in this place look like prostitutes. Not that they are (who knows ?) but they obviouslly go shopping for makeup every 2 days considering the ugly load of painting...
Techno music is good here at the radio though.
And I must say that I'm freezing in this place ! Temperature ranges between 10 and 20C in Perth while it was between 25 and 30C in Indonesia.
I will have to take a picture of the dorm. This is such a mess that Oz backpackers reputation is at its stake here. Anyone having travelled in Oz usually have tales about 16-bed dorms with lads coming straight from a booze party in the early morning and do as much noise as a steel factory when going to bed or alternatively shagging in the dorm. Nothing like that for now. It is a 2-room dorm with 4-bed/2-bed but it looks like there has been a riot in it.
At first glance and after reading the local backpacker ads, I must say that backpacking in Oz seems to be equivalent of roaming the local bars. The Rugby World Cup obviouslly does not help.