Perth - first impressions, plus preparations for camping

The flights went well and passage through Perth airport was very smooth. Sonja at Thrifty car rental was a bubbly sort, very happy to see us and to explain (as several have done since), that WA is much the best part of Australia.

The hire car deal has been great. At £17 per day we thought that there might be a catch but the car is great - with plenty of ground clearance and 4WD with diff lock ( not planning to use that feature but you never know).


We are getting over jet lag whilst staying with hosts Judy & Peter, at an Airbnb place in a northern suburb. It's really good to have what's effectively an apartment to ourselves ( we have upstairs plus use of the kitchen).
Today (Wednesday) we have been shopping for the camping gear we couldn't bring and non perishable food. So Kmart was first stop where we bought a cheap picnic table and the chairs that once you sit in them, you can't get back out, a big plastic box for all the bits, a water container etc. etc.
Then it was off to Coles for food, because as we go further north, the shopping opportunities are scarcer.
Once the shopping was over we headed west to Scarborough and Brighton beaches. The sky was clear blue, but it's a little cooler than normal. Max today was 21C (over in Sydney it's a staggering 39C). So it's been very pleasant although with a stiff breeze the beach felt a little cooler.
Typical Australia: look at the first warning sign we saw...

We enjoyed our first glimpse of the Indian Ocean.

Then it was south, skirting Perth City to go to Cottesloe beach in time for a drink and sit on the grass to watch the sunset over Rottnest Island

Not a bad first day.