The one where we get to our new home

For the first month while we are in Perth...we are living like Monopoly.  We are staying at a hotel called the Crown Metropol.  It's very beautiful...huge!  The nice thing about it is that there are like 23 restaurants.  And since we don't have a kitchen and have to eat out every meal...it's nice that we have a choice.  Plus the hotel also has a beautiful pool, full gym, spa, salon...and a CASINO!!  It turns out that an old friend of mine who lives in Perth is having her birthday here this weekend and Jaret's company Christmas party is here in a couple of weeks...so it appears we are in the hot spot!
We will be here until the end of the year...and then we will work with a realator from Jaret's company to find a furnished apartment.

So now for our new home... this is right as you walk into our room in the entry way.

 

Right as you walk in...to your left is the bathroom.  A nice big bathtub is on the right...then 2 sinks...and a shower and the toilet to the left.

 

This is right at the end of the little entry hall looking into the rest of the room.

 

And our view....

 

And this picture is standing at the window looking into the room.  There is a sliding wall in between the actual room and bathroom...which can be good for watching tv while in the tub...but it also opens the room a lot so it's not your regular closed off hotel room.

We went down to look at the pool....but the weather was not great our first day.  Almost felt like being home in one of Texas' crazy storms.  But this is the inside pool area and hot tub...it all looks out onto the outside pool.

 

And this is what the lobby looks like from our door.



Yesterday, while we were out...I needed a couple of must-have items...a hair straightener...and a chirstmas tree!!  Anyone who knows me knows that my family does Christmas REALLY big, so it is a little hard that I won't be home for christmas...and my sweet husband has been really wonderful helping me get the Christmas spirit here in Perth.  That included walking around downtown, while still getting over food poisoning, and helping look for a perfect tree that would fit in our room.
So ....here is the 2012 Troutman Family Christmas tree!!

 

I had made some little stockings for us before we left...and Mom sent us with a couple of gifts, so we were able to make our room feel a little more like home.

The one with lots of traveling....and food!

Our journey to Australia was by no means short...30 hours of total travel!
From Houston to LAX...3 and a half hours...1 and a half layover.
LAX to Singapore....17 hours...2 and a half hour layover.
Singapore to Perth...5 hours.
Phew!


Our plane from Houston to LAX was a brand new plane...been flying for only a month!

And thanks to the fact we were flying on Jaret's company....we get first class!

 

And me...who has never flown anything but coach...adjusted very well to the other half's lifestyle :)

 

 

And we got some pretty rockin' food the first leg...here's my tray, it was a chicken dish...but that's about all I remember.

 



 

 

The next 2 legs we flew on Singapore Airlines.  To which I must do a quick plug for Singapore Airlines, we also flew it for our honeymoon...and I am VERY impressed with this airline.  Even in coach, you were still pampered...the food is great, the crew is very friendly and attentive.  So if you ever can....I highly recommend them.<<now back to the show>>

 

Our plane from LAX to Singapore was all business class...and for 17 hours, it was TOTALLY worth it.  And we had nice big seats!

 

 

And yes...our seats turned into beds, so I could lay down!! Very comfy actually.

 

 

But before we slept...we were served dinner.

We started with a shrimp dish...I actually did try, still didn't like it...and of course Jaret is allergic, so he passed on that dish.

 

We had 4 choices for a main meal.  Jaret got a beef dish and I had a chicken dish.

 

The plate above is Jaret's meal....I forgot to take a picture of mine.

Then my favorite course....dessert!

I got a cappaccino moouse (sp?) with chocolate....yummo!

 

We then got a cheese plate... but I didn't get a picture of that either.

After all that...it was time for bed.  Not only were we full but it was now about 2am Houston time.

 

With about 2 hours left in the flight it was time for breakfast.

Jaret got a fritatta.

 

And I got pancakes with riccota cheese...which was actually very good!

 

Once we landed in Singapore, we headed to the business lounge.

 

The bathrooms in the lounge were very nice.  They had toiletries and stuff so I could brush my teeth.  I also changed my socks, and blew dry my hair with the dryers provided.   Really don't have any idea why I changed my socks and blow dryed my hair but after that much traveling, anything to make yourself feel clean makes you a little less crazy.  And we walked around the airport a little...wish I would have taken more pictures of the Singapore airport...it was like, Vegas meet a mall meets an airport.  Awesome!

 

Then it was one last flight to Perth....and this was the longest 5 hour flight of my life!

 

Not only was it long after just getting off a 17 hour flight...but Jaret got sick.  We think he got food poisoning somewhere.  But again...the crew on Singapore airlines did everything they could to make him comfortable.

 

Once we got to Perth, we went through customs....picked up our bags (which were easily spotted thanks to bright pink yarn!)...picked up the car...and then were met by Jaret's boss and wife who helped us get all our suitcases to the hotel!







 





The one with all the suitcases

 

So we can't take any furniture or anything with us to Australia....that means that everything we might need for the next year and a half had to fit in a suitcase.  Or in our case....many suitcases.

 

 

This is what it looked like while we were trying to get all the pieces to fit together.....

 

 

 

 

 

Then like a couple of skilled magicians....we got everything to fit into a suitcase! 

Final total....

6 suitcases

2 army duffel bags

2 backpacks....and a partridge in a pear tree (coulnd't resist, sorry!!)



And yes due to my constant fear of losing or missing luggage at airports....all our bags have bright pink yarn on them.  I figure we can just start pulling bags with pink yarn at baggage claim in Perth and then count them up!