Day 1: Perth Scotland

The day began with the first photo opportunity of my trip. Perth railway station. As I would be arriving in Perth Australia by train, it seemed only fitting I should leave Perth Scotland by train. Although I wasn't ready to leave yet, I'd only just arrived, and I had a busy day ahead of me.

I was due to meet Hazel Lorimer, the registrar in Perth, and announced myself at reception of the modern and traditional council buildings that used to be an insurance office. I knew Hazel from my days working with registrars in the National Records of Scotland, and she had kindly offered to show me an Australian connection in the building.

Before this though, my Mum (who was acting as my cameraman) and I, were given a tour of the spectacular Perth marriage rooms. Speaking of marriage, this reminds me of a random event that happened before I left Gibraltar. I met an old woman at a bus stop and we started chatting. She asked my age and whether I was married. When I told her I was 41 and unmarried, she told me that was too old not to be married, and she asked my birth year. She said that made me an Aries and I should marry a Virgo. So if I find a Virgo girl, Perth registration office will be in the running as a venue!

Hazel then took me to see the first of many connections to Perth Australia that I would experience that day. It was a print hung proudly on the council chambers wall, that states Perth council have a friendship agreement with Perth Australia. Hazel had earlier shown me similar prints relating to twinning agreements with cities in Europe and Canada. She joked that with Perth Australia they weren't twins just good mates. I thought this was funny and loved the Australian connection.

After a nice morning at the registration office it was time for coffee, and a scheduled call with a journalist. But outside the registration office was the Tay river and bridge. This was another connection to Perth Australia as the river Swan runs through Perth.

There was just time for a drink before I got a call from Adam Robertson from The National newspaper. He asked me about the inspiration for my trip and I was able to send him my Mum's photos. He's a professional writer, so I'll let his article explain my motivations!

Read The National Article on my trip here.

After coffee, I studied the list of local attractions that Hazel had given me. One of them was a bronze statue of the Fair Maid of Perth (a character of the novelist Walter Scott). This was only metres from the cafe, so I got a photo opportunity. She was a right 'Sheila' as the Aussies would say.

Across the pedestrianised street from 'Sheila' was tourist information. There we met John, who provided a lot of helpful information about Perth and it's history. Apparently Perth was historically always a city, but then was stripped of city status in the late 20th century, and then had it reinstated in the 2012 Queen's Diamond Jubilee. Coincidentally John also had family connections to Perth Australia! His wife was from Perth Australia and his son now lived and worked there.

John and Hazel had both recommended a trip to the new Perth Museum. So my Mum and I rocked up to see a very famous rock, the Stone of Destiny. The audio visual presentation the museum put on about the history of the stone was really impressive. It was done over three different walls of a room and was pretty immersive. It really brought the history to life. The museum is worth a visit, and it's free, my favourite price!

It was early afternoon now, and a sunny 19 degrees. By this stage my Mum and I were very impressed with Perth. It was calm, clean, the key areas were pedestrianised (so you could easily walk about), and people were friendly and helpful. I would be able to pass on my feedback to the top man when I met the Lord Provost in a few minutes.

Back at the reception desk of the council building they were getting to know me, and the guy at reception made a call to the provosts office to say I'd arrived. The Provost Xander McDade appeared. He was young, personable and seemed genuinely interested in my journey and establishing good relations with Perth Australia. He generously gave me a Scottish quaich, pens and badges and a letter to present to the people of Perth Australia (such as the local council there and Scottish societies). I was amazed at his generously giving me these kind gifts and taking the time to speak with me. Mum and I told him how impressed we were with Perth.

We remained impressed when we found lunch was two courses for £10 in a famous local hotel. The Salutation Hotel has hosted political party conferences and provided bed and board for many famous celebs. There were many pictures on the walls of the great and good who stayed there. We had a good Scottish lunch of fish, potatoes, and vegetables (you were expecting haggis and deep fried Mars bar weren't you?), and I had local berries for dessert.

Well fed and watered, my time in Perth was getting short. The final task of the afternoon was to source some tourist tat (sorry quality cultural merchandise), to give to the host family I will be staying with in Perth Australia (as a memento from Perth in my native country).

There was nothing specifically from Perth in the tourist information office, so we scoured the streets looking for a tourist shop. I'm just back from Gibraltar, where you can't throw a stone without hitting a tourist shop, and likewise in my native Edinburgh. But while there are visitors to Perth, it's not over commercialised or ruined by tourism. My Mum and I couldn't find a single tourist shop! We were just about to give up when I randomly looked in a charity shop window. They had a whole bunch of Perth related souvenirs.

So we rushed in, bought a selection, and marched back to the train station before my train left for Edinburgh.

Back at Perth Station, I got on a train that stopped at South Queensferry. I was keen to get a photo opportunity at the Forth Bridge (for anyone reading outside Scotland that relates to the river Forth, not the fourth bridge. There are actually three bridges over the forth, if you see what I mean! The Forth Bridge is the rail bridge).

The train went along the Fife coast and stopped at Aberdour a beach area. While nothing like the beaches that await me in Perth Australia, it is one of my first memories of a beach. In primary school we had a school trip there, and we got on a packed train over the Forth Bridge. The train was like a half squashed tin can, and the doors wouldn't close. Us kids were packed into the corridor and were holding on for dear life as we went over the Forth bridge, loving every minute of it. These days this would be a health and safety officers nightmare!

The day finished with a quick reunion drink with some long time mates in a local watering hole, before rushing off home to pack for the train to London tomorrow. It had been a great start to my adventure!