Monday, January 08, 2007
31st Dec 06
This was our last day in Perth and our flight back to S'pore is at 1am the next day. Since we didn't get the chance to go to Magaret River on Wed, we took the chance to go there today. Our coach captain, Adam, brought us to the Dawesville Channel for Morning Tea. After tt, we went past the Magaret River towards the Xanadu Winery where the clothing were much more expensive than the wines themselves. My parents didn't buy any wines for the wines were either too sour or bitter. According to our observation, not many ppl buy wines only a couple bought. While ppl were tasting the wines, we walked down the vineyards and for the first time, we saw grapes within the vines but of coz they're still green, not ripe yet. They will only be harvest in Feb, according to our coach captain. Then, we went to the Eagles Heritage Raptor Centre where our tour guide, Philip, introduced us to some eagles and owls such as the wedge-tailed eagles and barking owls which barked like dogs and screamed as if a woman was being murdered. I saw this handsome guy, abt the same age as me, but not from our tour... so sad... we went for lunch which was the same for the past few days... so boring and the food really sucks! After lunch, we went to the free-flight display where eagles were being handled up close and audience, us, were in awe at their amazing speed. Then, we went on to the Mammoth Cave, one of over 300 natural underground limestone caves in the district. It was very cold inside and beautiful. Later, we travelled South, passed by stunning Boranup Forest, a visual highlight of the region before arriving at the Augusta's famous Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse, which marked the dividing point between the Southern and Indian Oceans. Then, we returned to the North, took a break where we had our light dinner at the Busselton Jetty, the longest timber jetty in the southern hemisphere and then returned back to Perth, arrriving at approximately 9.30pm... It was a long day... We went back to the hotel to have some cappuccinos with marshmallows and stayed up all night without sleeping. At abt 11.30pm, the maxicab came and brought us to the Perth International Airport. Our flight was 1 am and so we went to buy some clothes,nougats and chocolates in the airport and then boarded the plane back to S'pore and arrived here at abt 7 am...(The 1st photo was taken in the Mammoth Cave and the other photo was taken at the Leeuwin Lighthouse)
Sunday, January 07, 2007
30th Dec 06
We went to Barrack Street Jetty by mini-coach but it's very comfortable. Our coach captain, Philip,a very dashing young man in his 20s i guess, brought us to the jetty and would be bringing us back to Perth later on. We boarded the high-speed ferry,'Star Flyte' towards Rottnest Island. The ferry was terrible when it's travelling along the Indian Ocean, my bro, sisters and me felt sick. I'd tavelled on ferry for abt 3 times already in Australia and this was the first time we got seasickness. We were so greatful tt we had arrived and after alighting, we were introduced by a tour host, Colin,there. We first went to the lighthouse alone without the tour host becoz he has to bring the other couple to some place. We climbed the 155 steps lighthouse and viewed the magnificient views below from the lighthouse. Then, we returned back to where we first boarded the mini coach up to the lighthouse, and headed towards the museum. After tt, we went to the Salthouse, there's not much to see only photos of the past. Later, we went for our buffet lunch, it's not tt bad, at least it's much better than those lunches we had few days ago. There's barranmundi, very delicious, a kind of fish. After eating, we still had some time before going for the reef & wreck semi-submersible boat tour, where we could view the fishes and two shipwrecks underwater in the boat without getting wet!!! cool huh?! haha... It lasted for abt one and a half hrs, then we went to the cafe to have some afternoon tea, we ordered cappuccinos, hot choc and some sliced cakes. I saw this handsome waiter and guess wat? We saw a Quokka! It's so cute and adorable, how i wish i could bring it home. A Quokka looks like a big rat and a small kangaroo... well, it's a mixture of this two mammals... it's hard to explain... and the Quokka just hopped around the cafe!!! We rested for awhile before going back to the jetty. It was VERY windy and we reboarded the Star Flyte back to Barrack Street Jetty in Perth at 5pm. Then went to Shun Fong Restaurant(Chinese),which was very near the jetty, for dinner. The food there was quite nice and can view the seagulls and the ocean and in the water, u could see jellyfishes!!! (The 1st photo was taken at the Rottnest Island and the other photo is a Quokka)
Friday, January 05, 2007
29th Dec 06
It's Fri and we were going to Fremantle. This time we were going together with the tour... haha... and the Fremantle Market was open!!! My brother, who has been to the market in August with his sch, said tt the market is abt the same as the Victorian Market in Melbourne. The one we went in June the same year. Our coach captain, Peter, was a very funny guy. We all like him... I can say tt his the best coach captain among all... but it's a pity tt we would only stick with him till 10am then we would be off on our own. Peter brought us around the beautiful homes of the ppl at the Swan Vally(can never find such homes in S'pore, tt's for sure!) and to the King's Park, the world's largest park. There's spectacular views over Perth Skyline, Perth River and Melville Water form the tree top walk, but we didn't get the chance to go on the tree top walk as it's under maintanence. The King's Park is so big tt one could get lost if not familiar wif tt place. Peter asked us all to stick together as one group so if one lost, the whole group with be lost( tt's wat Peter said)... haha... He loved to say or swear,"Oh my god or damn!" Then we alighted at the Cottesloe Beach on the Indian Ocean coastline and enjoyed the cool sea breeze! My family and i alighted at the Fremantle Market whereas others were brought to other places of Fremantle. We went into the Market and realized tt afterall it's not as nice as the Victorian Market but it's gd tt we get the chance to see the Fremantle Market. It's a waste trip if one doesn't go to see the Market at Fremantle cos tt's the main attraction there. We had already visited the stunning and historic Fremantle-docks, marinas, charming heritage sandstone buildings tt day we came down here ourselves so we went for lunch at WA's no.1 fish & chips by CAT( free bus tt brings ppl around Fremantle). This time we get to eat fish & chips cos tt weather's cooler and it's quite early abt 11 plus so it's not very crowded there. Then we took CAT back to the Town Hall where we would be joining the Fremantle Tram. We reached the Town Hall quite early so we just stand there and wait, i mean not just us, there's others too. It's just tt there's not many ppl yet... Our tram tour guide(Philip) is a funny and straight-forward guy and he brought us to visit some places which he's not supposed to becoz it's "illegal" and if his boss finds out, he would be dead. After a tour around Fremantle, we alighted at the jetty to return back to Perth on a Captain Cook cruise. When the cruise was heading towards Perth, ppl were able to view spectacular waterfront views, Perth Skyline and Australia's most expensive homes where one of the homes and the largest cost abt 50 million dollars!!! can u believe it? The homes tt were close to the Swan River which look as big as the sea were very expensive... and i still don't get it...y? (The photo on top was taken in King's Park)
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
28th Dec 06
We were going to the Wave Rock today. As usual, we woke up at 5am to get ready for tt day's tour. Our coach captain, Mike, passed by the Swan River which was initally called the Black Swan River but changed it to Swan River as it's shorter. We were so tired tt we slept in the coach all the way from Perth to the York,the first township founded in the Avon Valley. There we took photos of the wonderfully preserved turn of the Victorian buildings including the Town Hall. Then, we boarded the bus and headed towards the famous Dog Cemetery, a tribute to Australian working sheep dogs, where we saw many of them which their owners had buried and decorated their tombs. It was really sad to see this cemetery. The dogs had died for abt a century and i guess the owners missed them a lot! Later, we visited the Hippo's Yawn, an unusual natural rock formation shaped like a yawning hippopotamus, regarded by the local Aboriginal ppl as a special "women's place". Then, we reached the small town of Hyden, home of the Wave Rock. We had our lunch there which was the same as the day we went to the Pinnacles. Horrible! Luckily, my dad bought some nice and juicy chicken wings... Phew! Our tour guide took us to the rock where we walked around and on top of the rock, we listened to dreamtime stories and learned abt Aboriginal culture. Estimated at being an incredible 2,700 million years old, the rock has over time been sculptured by nature into the form of a huge breaking wave. The weather was terrible,abt 38~40 degrees, everyone has sun-burned and was longing to get back to the coach to cool down. After awhile on coach, we reaced the Mulka's Cave.Our coach captain, Mike, explain the ancient Aboriginal cave paintings featured within it, which includes many hand prints, and told us abt the legend of the outcast of Aboriginal, "Mulka the Terrible". Part of the story goes: "Mulka and his mom lived in tt cave for quite some time. Then, one day, Mulka was so hungry tt he went to steal someone's baby to eat. His mother was so angry after she heard of the news and she scolded Mulka. Mulka killed his mom in a fit of rage. And so, Mulka was alone and not for long before he was found by the other group of Aboriginal and was killed." Our return journey took us along back roads through the heart of WA wheat belt to the small farming town of Babakin where we enjoy some country hospitality over an afternoon tea( including lamingtons, so delicious!!!) From here, we returned back to Perth, with panoramic views of Perth's city lights and arrived there at approximately 8.30pm...(The photo on top was taken at the wave rock)
27th Dec 06
Initially, we were to go to Fremantle but the Fremantle market was not opened. It's only open on Friday so my dad told the concierge, Zack, to swop the Fri's Magaret River with Wed's Fremantle. Zack was the one who helped us arranged our 6 days tour in WA, but he was not on duty tt day. Zack has agreed to swop the two days and he e-mailed the other concierge,Tim, tt if we can't go to Magaret River today then have to go to Fremantle. But Tim made a mess out of it. He cancelled the Magaret River tour himself without telling us. Tt made my dad angry, he insisted on going to the Magaret River tt day but the tour agency said tt there is no vacant seat left. My dad was angry wif Tim but in the end, instead of insisting to go to the Magaret River, we went to the Fremantle ourselves. We went to the Fremantle Prison, the last prison left in Aus. The weather was so hot, abt 38~40 degrees. We were supposed to go to WA's no.1 Fish & Chips but the weather was too hot and too crowded there as it's lunch hr, so we went to McDonald's for lunch as it's cooler. My dad's hates hot weather, so everytime he perspire he would get annoyed and irritated. After cooling down, we went to the Maritime Museum Galleries, it's abt shipwrecks and stuff... Then, we went back to Perth by train(Transperth), it's a one-way train. It travels all the way from Fremantle to Perth abt 16 stops. The Transperth was so comfy including the seats and the floorings were carpeted. The doors would not opened by itself everytime the train reaches a stop. The passengers alighting or boarding have to press the button inside or outside before the doors can open. The train reached Perth(North Bridge) and we went window-shopping at MYER & PLAZA as it's still early abt 3 plus and if we go back to the hotel, we have nth to do. Then, we walked back to the other side of North Bridge, where we usually have our dinner. We ate dinner at the Jade Restaurant where the food were much better than the Diamond Restaurant. After eating, we took maxicab back to the hotel and tt is the end of tt day...(The photo on top was taken at the Fremantle, beside the Town Hall)
26th Dec 06
Woke up at 5 am (Aus) which is 4am (S'pore)!! So early!! We ate breakfast at Gusti bar & cafe at 6.3oam( cos it opens at this time). We only have half an hr for breakfast then we have to board the tour bus (Australian Pinnacles Tour) to the Joondalup Yanchep National Park first to see the koalas close-up, feed the kangaroos( finally saw 2 kangaroos which are pregnant!) wombats and emus. I have seen both koalas and kangaroos for a dozen times... Then we went to the Pinnacles Desert, walked around for about an hr under the hot sun(40 over degrees!!!) till everyone got sun-burned..damn! After tt, we went for the 4WD sand dune adventure whereby we sat in a 4WD monster bus which went up and down the sand dunes just like a roller coaster. It was so fun!!! There, i saw 4 charming and cool guys (Aussies, i reckons). When i say cool they really are!!! Then we walked on the sand each holding a sand board which looked like a surf board, and went for sand boarding down the sand dunes. haha. it was great! I tried twice... easy to go down but hard to climb up. I mean the sand dunes was high and i had to carry the sand board and climb up at the same time. Only guys could do tt esp the four aussies. One of them ran up holding the sand board, so COOL! It's like he's running on the beach... I can never forget tt image of him. After tt, we went back to the hotel, as tt was our last activity for the day, by the same tour bus...(The photo was taken at the Desert where we sat the 4WD, the one behind us, and the 4 cool guys!)
25th Dec 06
It was Christmas Day and the city was even quieter than X'mas Eve. We didn't really go anywhere much just went to the Swan Bell Tower which was not opened. Then we walked around tt area for awhile taking photos and buying souveneirs then went to North Bridge,yet no shops were opened just becos it's X'mas! Not just tt, even the restaurants and cafe were not opened. How in the world do these aussies survive in such a quiet city?! We were upset cos we were both hungry and tired due to the hot weather which was 38 degrees. We had no choice, cos u can expect us to walk back to our hotel which will take us approximately 1 hr, so we hauled two cabs back to the hotel and had lunch there. Then, we went up to our hotel rooms, 716 & 717, and rest till dinner time. We went back to North Bridge becos tt's the only place wif lots of restaurants & cafe, to have our dinner at the diamond restaurant(chinese). The restaurant name may sound nice but the food sucks totally! We will never want to go back again...(The photo was taken at the Swan Bell Tower)
24th Dec 06
My family and I went to Perth, Australia. This was the third time we've been to Aus and the second time of the year '06. After arriving at Perth, we went to North Bridge for a walk. Most of the shops there were closed due to X'mas Day. It was quite quiet there and the shops looked so old like 1990s or earlier. We went to the Vietnamese Restaurant and i ordered a bowl of stewed beef noodle soup. Guess wat? The bowl was so large and it was already standard size. OMG! I ate till i was so full, tt i had to walk a dist to digest the food be4 taking a cab back to the Crowne Plaza Hotel. It is such a boring day...(The photo was taken at the North Bridge)