Hi Everybody! (Hi Doctor Nick!)......Anyone remember me??? Anyone???

[Pert_UK]

Well all good things have to come to an end, so after 14 months I have finally returned to the UK.

I spent the last 3 months driving about 15,000km around Australia with my girlfriend, the previous 6 months living and working in Bunbury (Western Australia) and before that I was in China and Thailand.

I can now ask for a cold beer in Putonghua (Mandarin Chinese) and have developed a fondness for sparkling Shiraz wine.

I have now gone from the highpoint of 45 degree sun in Alice Springs to the cold, wet and miserable winter of the UK and am not really enjoying it very much. I tried to spread the word of DU on my travels and ALMOST met up with Rooboy near Brisbane....but then failed to, which was a great shame. I may have set a new record for the most unlikely place to post of DU from - the small Thai island of Koh Chang just off the Cambodian border.....or I may not have.

Thanks to the anonymous DUer who mailed me just before I set off on my trip to warn that they'd "had a vision that my plane would crash" - that was just what I needed to hear.....

:-)

So.........anyone remember me, or have I got to start building my bad reputation all over again?

:evilgrin:

Fondest regards.

Pert.

[Spentastic]

1. I remember you

Unfortunately.

[Pert_UK]

3. Get back to work you slack-jawed gawker.....

:-)

I nearly brought you back my fishing gear as a present, but donated it to some children instead......I suspect that they will get more use from a barramundi lure than you would in the Kennett...

P.

[Spentastic]

5. You gave it to some children?

Whilst I praise your charitable nature I curse you with all my being.

Did you catch any Barra?

[Pert_UK]

7. Didn't catch any barra unfortunately, but did buy and eat some....

Very nice indeed.

However, shark was fantastic to eat and very cheap so we had that a lot.

I only caught a catfish and something that looked like a stonefish, both of which I returned to the sea unharmed......well, mostly unharmed.

I was already 7kg over the luggage limit and had paid $200 to send my bike and bodyboard home, so I wasn't going to bring you back a load of lead weights mate!

P.

[Ediacara]

2. I remember you

back in the old days :-)

[JaySherman]

4. So, how does it feel to be back in England?

[Pert_UK]

8. It doesn't feel anything....I'm too numb with cold!

Seriously though, it will take some getting used to. It's great to see family and friends, but I LOVE Australia..........so I feel like I'm about to cry all the time (that might be the jetlag).

P.

[T_i_B]

6. Enjoy the rugby?

Good to see you back!

[Pert_UK]

9. I went to the England vs South Africa match in Perth.....it was FANTASTIC!

I did the whole facepainting thing and everything....I'll send you a pic if I can find one!

The final was wicked and the Australians were very sporting about our victory......which was nice!

P.

[blondeatlast]

10. We remember, though we try to forget...

Just kidding. Welcome home!

[GOPisEvil]

11. Welcome back Mr. P!

Good to see you! :hi:

[Pert_UK]

14. Thanks!

It's nice to get back into heaping abuse on Bush again!

P.

[GOPisEvil]

15. It never seems to get old, does it?

Then again, every day he and his minions give up plenty of new material.

[SOteric]

12. Wait, - who are you again, and why do we care...?

Of course I remember you. One of my top ten favourite reprobates.

Welcome back it's good to...erm...see your moniker.

[Pert_UK]

13. That's very kind of you....it's nice to see that the old crew haven't

all got themselves banned!

P.

[supernova]

16. I thought you were on a walkabout

not a driveabout!

:hi:

It's good to see you again Mr. P! :D You're just in time for our General Election gear up!

[PartyPooper]

17. Welcome back, Pert!

Glad you made it home okay!

:hi:

[matcom]

18. how ya been buddy!

glad to have you back :hi:

[Pert_UK]

20. Nice to see a familiar arse!

:-)

P.

[soleft]

19. Hey Pert UK! Welcome back

[Lydia Leftcoast]

21. Welcome back, Pert_UK!

Qing ni gei wo yi ping lingguode pijiu!

[Pert_UK]

24. Hmmmm....tricky..........

Something about a bottle of beer.....is it "Please give me a beer" or are you offering to get me one? Or none of the above?

Xie Xie

P.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

22. I have SOOO missed you and your dry humor

Welcome back! (YOU KNOW I wouldn't forget you)

[Pert_UK]

25. That's "humour"..................bloody Americans......

:evilgrin:

Surprised but pleased you haven't been ejected!!!

Lots of love.

P.

[proud patriot]

23. Of Course

Good to see you :hi:

[wickerwoman]

26. Welcome back! Did you pick up any good recipes?

[Pert_UK]

27. One or two.......but it's hard to get kangaroo steaks in the UK!

:-)

I picked up a couple of recipes in China.....stir-fried eggs and tomato which is really nice (don't see much tomato in Chinese cooking in the UK) and an unbelievably kick-arse Szechuan / Sichuan / other alt spelling prawn dish, where you have huge prawns literally buried in a mountain of dried Szechuan chilli peppers.

I have discovered that I love the baozu (sp?), Chinese steamed bread stuffed with pork, and also the crazy deep-fried vanilla custard that they sometimes do for dessert.....never seen either in the UK but will be searching Chinatown ASAP!

P.