Perth

So, my last adventure happened in Perth. I really didn’t know what to expect from the Westcoast of Australia, doing research I learned that it had temperatures and climate like LA, dry and warm even in the winter. Getting there, I received the opposite weather. I walked out of the plane and instantly get drenched as I chose the only rainy week to see Perth. I didn’t mind too much the first day, I didn’t get to explore the city very much but I enjoyed my time exploring the area I was in and got to spend some extra time in my hostel which was very cool. It was an old Barrack that was used as a precaution as the city was never under attack. I thought it looked like a castle and I had never stayed in a castle before so it made the experience kind of fun.

The next day I headed to St. Mary’s Cathedral (different than the one in Sydney). It was beautiful and modern which was a surprise, in a city as old as Perth you don’t expect a modern cathedral. I then went on a tour of the Swan Valley. I have loved getting to experience wine while I have been here. Not being Twenty-One I had not drunk a lot of alcohol. I know that makes me a goody two shoes but I just wasn’t interested in getting drunk. While in Australia that much didn’t change. I didn’t spend all my time partying and drinking but I did enjoy trying different alcohol, especially the wine. Western Australia is known for its vineyard especially in the regions surrounding Perth. I got to taste Reds and Whites and Rosés. It was all very good. I even tried the best macarons in Australia and delicious chocolate. We finished off the day with some great beer at a German Pub. The people who were on the tour with me were very nice and we all had a great time.

The next day I went to the Margaret River which is world renowned for good wine. I got to see the world’s longest wooden Jetty, Mammoth Cave (which is known as the Pink cave), drink more wine and beer and see where the Indian Ocean meets the Southern Ocean on Australia’s most southwesterly tip. 

The cave was cool, it looked a lot like the caves back home except they didn’t call the cave bacon, bacon; they called it slabs, which was very disappointing. In the early summer, the cave fills with water and the water picks up pigments in the ground that makes the water pink, sadly it was the wrong time of year.

The next day my friend Lizzie flew in and we went on a tour of the Pinnacles. They first took us to Caversham Wildlife Park where we fed kangaroos and pet Koalas. It was fun. 

We then went on a drive to the Pinnacles. The Pinnacles are these weird rock formations that scientists are still studying. They believe them to be fossilized tree roots. The roots held the sand in placed and then over time the limestone replaced the sand with hard rock.

 They are still in debate about this though. They were very cool. I had never seen anything like them. 

We then went for lunch in Hangover Bay. This was honestly one of my favorite places in Australia. I have never seen water so blue or clear before. The Indian Ocean was just stunning and a lot warmer than other oceans I have been to. I loved it. The sand was soft and white and the ocean was a mix of greens and blues that were just breathtaking. 

We then headed for the sand dunes to try sandboarding. It was a lot like sledding and was pretty fun. I was a lot better at Sandboarding than surfing.

The next day Lizzie and I went to the Fremantle Prison. Australia was a convict colony back when it was first discovered so prisons had to be built all across Australia. Anywhere where a major city was most likely built on the backs of English convicts. The prison was a little spooky walking up to it but the tour guilds we had were really great. I loved hearing about the prison breaks and the riots that took place or just how the prisoners passed time. My favorite was a prisoner who would catch seagulls and draw faces on them. I was really enjoying all the history of the building even the sadder parts of history because it gave me a better view on Perth and Australia as a whole.

My last day in Perth was perfect. I got up early and went by myself to Rottnest Island the home of the Quokkas. We took a riverboat up to Fremantle as guilds told up some of the cool things about the Swan River, showing us famous properties and the water sports that took place on the river. I ever got to see a pod of dolphins. We then changed boats and headed to Rottnest Island. So I got off the boat and within minutes had located a quokka. 

They are these cute, rodent-like creatures that are cousins to the kangaroo. On the island, there are no predators so they are very friendly and come right up to tourists to say hi. 

I got to pet them and they are softer than I would have thought. Then I hopped on a tour of the island. I saw shipwrecks and beautiful beaches, again some of the prettiest beaches I have ever seen. 

I saw lighthouses and poisonous snakes and Osprey (ocean eagles) flying over the waves. Just beautiful absolutely stunning island. I walked around for a bit but soon it was time to head back to Perth and from there to the airport to head home. I loved my time in Western Australia. The weather held out mostly so I am grateful for that.