Perth

What strikes an English person on arrival in Perth, after the wonderful climate, is the absence of litter, drunks and groups of noisy youths. The waterfront looks like something from a science fiction movie. The air is crystal clear and full of spring sunshine, yes, it's spring down under. People really do talk with that funny accent and their only fault is that they're obsessed with physical fitness and a need to cover up and protect themselves from the sun. This lunacy has actually led to a Vitamin D deficiency in some Australian children.

All over the city are traces of earlier Brits - Government House, a couple of old Catholic high schools, and a church or two. Unlike in Britain, the whole city is booming.