"Bunbery Lighthouse"After the six hour flight across Australia to Perth I had finally left the East Coast behind and made it to my destination city which I was flying out of to get to Bangkok, and my final stop on my trip.
I first arrived in Perth around midnight and quickly learnt just how different the West coast is to the East. On the East coast it is completely over run by backpackers, tour agents, and services that make your life really easy. But unlike the East, when I arrived in Perth I found out that its a lot more, "figure it out your self," and there isn't even a bus or shuttle connecting the airport to city center.
Paying a taxi, which by the way are outrageously overpriced, is not something that penny pinching backpackers likes to do especially, in my case, a penny pinching backpacker at the end of a trip that's budget is blown a long long time ago. I did walk around aimlessly and look for a alternative route there but ended up having to suck it up and jump in a cab.
The cab fair wasn't even the thing that really got to me by the end of the night it was the fact that this was literally the first cab I have been in in almost a year and still I managed to get completely fleeced. One of the security guards said it should be no more than 20 dollars but by the time my cabby drove me in circles around Perth I ended up paying almost 40 and thats only because I got mad and jumped out in the middle of a residential area in the middle of the night. . .Great Idea! If it wasn't for a nightclub shooting waving lights into the sky I would have had absolutely no clue where I was going to head. Following the lights, which seemed like a logical idea seeing as big buildings and and shooting beams seems like a place that should be somewhere near city center, turned out to work for me and after a short little 45 minute walk (with all my 40 kg of gear!!) I was nestled in bed sleeping like a baby.
I am pretty sure I have said this before but no matter where you are, from Tokyo, to Bangkok, to Sydney, to Edmonton, a city is a city is a city. This proved to be true with no exception to Perth so after 2 days wondering aimlessly around town and into shops I couldn't afford, I was well ready to escape the city life for my last few days in Australia. I decided to rent a car, seeing as I had a great time in the camper van, and just drive south with no maps and see where I would end up. So with my bags in the boot (trunk) and Ipod rocking, I set out for a little road trip.
My first stop was in Margret river that is famous mainly for wine. It is one of the main areas in Australia for vineyards and retired couples with a lot of money. It is also on the map for surfing and holds Pro surfing competitions and is said to be one of the top 5 big wave places in the world. I stayed here for one night and continued south once again the next day.
After driving for almost 4 hours I realized just how big Australia was when I looked on the map how far I had gone and it was honestly not even a centimeter. This is when I decided it would be a good idea to change my heading and start slowly making my way back to Perth.
For my last two nights I landed in a little town called Bunbury and, with no ambition left to drive, made it my new home for my remaining days and just did little day trips to Gnomesville and the Gloucester Tree to amuse the daylight hours.
Gnomesville is the place to be if you happen to be a gnome of coarse. It is a city of virtually thousands of different gnomes and figurines. It apparently started when there was a car crash where two teenagers passed away and there parents put gnomes out at the scene on the accident as a memorial. One thing led to another and now there is over a thousand, some for memorials, some representing people, and others just for fun. No matter what they are there for it makes a very unique, unforgettable, and somewhat creepy (if ya ask me) tourist attraction.
The three day adventure was fun but after I had returned my car to Perth I was well ready for my trip back through Asia for the remainder of my trip.
I am now in Bangkok after a night in the Perth International Airport, 7 hours at 35000 feet, and a few minor complications.
Ya know just little tiny things like missing my flight by a month, a security nightmare, and running a marathon in the Singapore airport to board my flight as the gates were closing. Just some of the many unforgettable stories that I am "lucky" enough to have when I return home at Christmas.
I first arrived in Perth around midnight and quickly learnt just how different the West coast is to the East. On the East coast it is completely over run by backpackers, tour agents, and services that make your life really easy. But unlike the East, when I arrived in Perth I found out that its a lot more, "figure it out your self," and there isn't even a bus or shuttle connecting the airport to city center.
Paying a taxi, which by the way are outrageously overpriced, is not something that penny pinching backpackers likes to do especially, in my case, a penny pinching backpacker at the end of a trip that's budget is blown a long long time ago. I did walk around aimlessly and look for a alternative route there but ended up having to suck it up and jump in a cab.
The cab fair wasn't even the thing that really got to me by the end of the night it was the fact that this was literally the first cab I have been in in almost a year and still I managed to get completely fleeced. One of the security guards said it should be no more than 20 dollars but by the time my cabby drove me in circles around Perth I ended up paying almost 40 and thats only because I got mad and jumped out in the middle of a residential area in the middle of the night. . .Great Idea! If it wasn't for a nightclub shooting waving lights into the sky I would have had absolutely no clue where I was going to head. Following the lights, which seemed like a logical idea seeing as big buildings and and shooting beams seems like a place that should be somewhere near city center, turned out to work for me and after a short little 45 minute walk (with all my 40 kg of gear!!) I was nestled in bed sleeping like a baby.
I am pretty sure I have said this before but no matter where you are, from Tokyo, to Bangkok, to Sydney, to Edmonton, a city is a city is a city. This proved to be true with no exception to Perth so after 2 days wondering aimlessly around town and into shops I couldn't afford, I was well ready to escape the city life for my last few days in Australia. I decided to rent a car, seeing as I had a great time in the camper van, and just drive south with no maps and see where I would end up. So with my bags in the boot (trunk) and Ipod rocking, I set out for a little road trip.
My first stop was in Margret river that is famous mainly for wine. It is one of the main areas in Australia for vineyards and retired couples with a lot of money. It is also on the map for surfing and holds Pro surfing competitions and is said to be one of the top 5 big wave places in the world. I stayed here for one night and continued south once again the next day.
After driving for almost 4 hours I realized just how big Australia was when I looked on the map how far I had gone and it was honestly not even a centimeter. This is when I decided it would be a good idea to change my heading and start slowly making my way back to Perth.
For my last two nights I landed in a little town called Bunbury and, with no ambition left to drive, made it my new home for my remaining days and just did little day trips to Gnomesville and the Gloucester Tree to amuse the daylight hours.
Gnomesville is the place to be if you happen to be a gnome of coarse. It is a city of virtually thousands of different gnomes and figurines. It apparently started when there was a car crash where two teenagers passed away and there parents put gnomes out at the scene on the accident as a memorial. One thing led to another and now there is over a thousand, some for memorials, some representing people, and others just for fun. No matter what they are there for it makes a very unique, unforgettable, and somewhat creepy (if ya ask me) tourist attraction.
The three day adventure was fun but after I had returned my car to Perth I was well ready for my trip back through Asia for the remainder of my trip.
I am now in Bangkok after a night in the Perth International Airport, 7 hours at 35000 feet, and a few minor complications.
Ya know just little tiny things like missing my flight by a month, a security nightmare, and running a marathon in the Singapore airport to board my flight as the gates were closing. Just some of the many unforgettable stories that I am "lucky" enough to have when I return home at Christmas.
"The Village Of Gnomesville"
"One Of The Many Families"
"Climbing the Gloucester Tree"
This is the highest natural fire lookout in the world. It stands about 300 ft and you climb up to the top on nothing but these metal bars that form a spiralling ladder. No Ropes, No Safety's, lots of fun!
"Lookout From The Top Of The Swaying Tree"
"Margret Rivers Absolutely Huge Surf"
1 comment:
sà wàt dee Travbone! The waves at Margret Rivers is unreal. Your pictures always amaze me. Take care
Post a Comment