The Road to Nowhere

In Western Australia the legal age to drive is 17.  At 16 you are able to get the Australian equivalent of a Learners Permit.  However, Australia also recognizes drivers licenses from recognized countries, like Canada.  So, what this means is that the boys can drive in Australia because they hold valid Canadian drivers licenses, however, they can't drive in Australia because they're not 17 yet.  When Nadia and I went to get our WA licenses we asked about this and after some deliberation, head scratching and blank looks we were informed that the boys could drive in Australia for 3 months after their arrival and then they'd have to get a WA license that they could get until they turn 17.  Only later did we find an email from the very same department that said that they could drive here.  In any case, we've decided that for now both Zaren and Cyrus need to practice on the roads here before they can drive alone, legal or not.  We've started letting them drive here and so far so good.

 

Here's an action shot of the boys driving.  Cyrus in on the left.  To make it extra hard he's put all of his hair in front of his eyes and driven in the dark.  He just got a haircut too, if you can believe it.  On the right, Zaren is demonstrating the Australian 'no hands' technique.  Actually, he's in the garage just preparing for take-off.

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Perth really is a lovely city.  It has a lot going for it:  nice beaches, a vibrant central area, good transportation, good infrastructure, nice communities, great weather, lots of work, etc.  There are obviously a couple downfalls, however.  One is the very high cost of living here.  That said, if you work here your remuneration reflects the cost of living.  So, while we're not much further ahead we're not falling behind either.  The other, less flexible downside of Perth is the isolation.  Here is the distance to the other Australian major cities:

Sydney- 3938km
Melbourne- 3422km
Brisbane- 4363km
Canberra- 3723km
Adelaide- 2695km
Darwin- 4042km

So, getting anywhere in Australia from Perth takes a while.  Singapore is about 3900km away.  So, the distance from Singapore from Perth is shorter than that to Sydney, Brisbane & Darwin.  Although, it does make flights to SE Asia, South Africa and Europe a little easier.

There are some world class holiday destinations near Perth.  These include Monkey Mia, Margaret River, Ningaloo Reef, the Pilbara and others.  Unfortunately, the closest is about a 4 hour drive away from Perth.  It ain't called the 'most isolated city in the world' for nothing.

Sure, it means we can't just up and go away fro the weekend.  But a little alone time is good for the soul.