Well I made it to Australia and it’s just as exciting as I thought it would be. I swam in the Indian Ocean off Perth on my first day here and that was a thrill. The bottle of wine I had just scoffed with my host Kathy helped.
I went to Freemantle prison and looked for any ancestors but I don’t think I can claim an Australian passport just yet.
There was a lovely parade in Perth on Sunday, and I met Stephen Keegan and his girlfriend Hilary and their friends. I think they like it here but it will never be home for them. I thought Paddy’s Day abroad brought out the best in the Irish – very family orientated, controlled drinking and everyone looked great. Couldn’t miss the big Irish heads and county jerseys but everyone looked fantastic. Like they were on holidays.
And I bought myself a real Aussie hat, because as Laura Kane says the sun is like laser beams over here.
Have moved down the coast now and just had a fabulous dinner to celebrate the day that’s in it. Not that I need an excuse to eat and drink. Oiche maith.