Dullsville

Perth is often referred to as "Dullsville" because some people perceive it to be a boring city with nothing to do. But I think that is nonsense, people who think Perth is boring must be very boring people themselves if they can't find at least 20 things that they can do to occupy their time.

Last night, I had German classes at Central TAFE (hey look! there's something one can do in Perth), and during break, I walked down James Street in Northbridge to get something to eat. The street was alive with people walking around, having a meal at one of the various restaurants, or just sitting outside with an ice-cream or bubble tea and chatting with friends.

Many people avoid Northbridge at night because they have an image of a dangerous dark area with drunken people beating each other up and criminals out to stab you up and steal your wallet. But as I walked down James Street to withdraw some cash so I could buy something to eat, I didn't feel threatened at all, nor did I see any unruly behaviour. Enjoying a night out in Northbridge is just one of the many things that one can do in Perth.

Western Australia has some really nice beaches to visit. For example, Sorrento Quay in Hillarys has many attractions. You could visit AQWA (The Aquarium of Western Australia), or have some fun at The Great Escape which offers water slides, mini golf, trampolines, etc. If you don't feel like spending too much money, you can always bring some sausages and have a barbeque by the beach, go swimming in the harbour or just take a walk down the beach and enjoy the sunset. There are also several shops and restaurants to keep one occupied.

There are many beautiful natural attractions to explore and get yourself lost in, most notable would be Kings Park which is just lovely during the wildflower season. If you want to take a break from the great outdoors, there are various cinemas and theatres, and surely at least one of them will be showing something worth checking out. Why not visit Luna Cinema and pick a random foreign film to enjoy? Or how about joining a social group for something you're interested in? For example, I enjoy anime and manga, and in Perth, there are at least two anime clubs that run regular screenings and events which are open to all. Maybe you would like to try your hand at the art of bonsai, or scale modelling, or breeding finches? Again, there are groups in Perth that would be more than happy to see you.

If you can't find something to do in Perth, then it's not Perth that is boring, it's you that is boring.