My mummy is making a gigantic trip
from one side of the world to the other on her lonesome to some see
me down-under. Ahh, how nice and how pleasant!
This also means an action-packed
fun-filled road-weary scenery-overloaded itinerary that has been
planned by me over the next couple of days, as I drag my mummy around
Perth and surrounding areas, we both explore this place together for
the first time.
-----
15th March
Mum arrived and had a Chinese with my
housemates, to be what I consider an explosive start to the
itinerary!
16th March
I had to work
during the day leaving a blank space of events until I returned, to
hear my mum getting ready to go out to The Garden in Leederville with
the girls from home and work, which oddly I wasn't formally invited
to, as I'm sure these devious girl were just after getting gossip on
me, I duly put it upon myself to gatecrash the event therefore
regulating and stopping any vicious lies and rumours from being
spread about me.
17th March
Going for a walk
in the car, I drive us through the 'burbs from Leederville down to
Matilda Bay and along the Swan River to end up at Cottesloe Beach for
a late tasty breakfast of, blah on blah with a side salsa baked
beans.
The annual event
of sculptures by the sea was still going on so we walked along the
bustling beach in-and-around the various indoor and outdoor displays,
looking at and deciphering metal steps, ambiguous bodies, sandbag
living rooms, fabric things with trunks, shoes made of maps,
multicoloured cars, red pigs and rods of perspex.
Leaving Cottesloe,
we drove up the coast past the scrub dune land, to City Beach to
spend the afternoon, soaking the sun while walking along the sand and
partaking in a little bit of swimming/not drowning.
From there we
drove back in land towards Perth's Downtown and to East Perth to take
a late afternoon walk from Claisebrook Cove along the riverfront,
passing the WACA we spot some dolphins, which was met with lots of
verbal ecstatic liveliness, continuing to the Lucky Shag by Perth's
infamous bell tower for a post-walk lager cooler. We finish the walk
going through the gardens near the council building and getting a CAT
bus back to East Perth.
Evening brought
entertainment in the form of an Aussie BBQ by the pool, hosted by a
Scottish friend, cooked by an Englishman, and mostly attended by
everyone else, though mainly Scottish...
18th March
Morning walk on
the Dog Beach down near North Fremantle with my housemate, always a
good spot when you're feeling a little dog sick to help realise that
your own dog would probably panic kill most of the dogs here, if
placed in this situation.
We drove north to
Matilda Bay so my housemate and I, could teach mum how to paddleboard
which considering her timid and stiff scared paddling and balancing
technique managed to accomplish half hour of getting out and back
without falling in, very impressive!
My housemate and I
ditch my mum on the shoreside as we went for a proper paddle to annoy
some pelicans. We returned back to shore and sat on the riverside
looking at the other energetic people, then, we spot some dolphins,
which was met with lots of verbal ecstatic liveliness.
After a early
afternoon rest and recoup, we drove back down the Fremantle to
experience the joys it has so that'll be a packed Little Creatures
brew house, a look at The Roundhouse and 'umming' and 'ahhing' at old
building in the vicinity.
The evening we had
a meal at Clancy's Fish Restaurant at City Beach as we (I'm sure
there were other there, not sure now) all watched the sunset.
19th March
Driving north to
Caversham a small out posted village in nowhere's ville, we
eventually find in amongst all the oddly placed attractions, namely
the steam engine train museum, the Wildlife park, where we enjoyed
looking at animals from all over Australia, which was a pleasant
experience, though anything behind cages, especially birds is a bit
awkward, regardless the main reason for being there was to see
kangaroos and that we did, in a central enclosure we walked amongst
them as they bounced, lied and poop'd around us as we coaxed them to
come near us with free food.
Driving further
north, we enter the Swan Valley and experienced a few wine tastings,
though mostly enjoyed the chocolate factory snooping, overwhelming
coffee tasting and information overload and the unbelievably serene
and tasty lunch overlooking the vineyard of River's Edge.
We continued our
exploration as we aimed the car towards the Perth hills, where we
were greeted with hazy views over Perth and (personally fun, probably
less so for mum) empty country roads, we stopped off at Kookaburra
for a small walk into the forest the treated us to a spectacular view
over the Mundaring Reservoir and neighbouring hills.
As we began our
long way back drive to Perth we passed the dam we'd saw from above
and walked along it, and admired the old pump station and further
views through and over the hills on one side as still wind tampered
surface of the water adjacent were reflecting the tree line and sky
almost perfectly.
20th March
Today we head
south, deep south, not that deep, but deep enough, to Margaret River.
The drive was
typical with long brick walls, motorways with the occasional
deviation through to the Scenic Tourist Drive, which was both scenic
and a drive, not much in the way of tourist though, we stopped off at
Bunbury to take in the panoramic view of Bunbury from the aptly name
Rotary View, before grabbing a quick coffee from some social
club-on-sea
Arriving into
Margaret River, we check into our unbelievably amazing apartment,
with its high bright ceilings over an open planned layout with a
large balcony overlooking the forest, which was a little bit
unexpected.
We head out to
stretch our legs and get our orientation as we walk through town and
down along Margaret River itself, stopping off along the way to ask
some commoner with a regal attitude where the path for the walk
begins.
The walk along the
river was so calming with the sights and sounds of real nature,
snapshots between gaps of the trees as the river created a
jungle-like view with small sand islands with dead Karri trees poke
out of the water, with kookaburras flying around as mum sang the
accompanying theme song for them.
Crossing a quiet
part of the river over a dam, we were treated to something I found,
so incredible and calming; the sun was beaming down on the mirror
like river onto our faces, a cloud above started to gently burst with
soft raindrops that floated towards and around us like gentle cherry
blossom, the wind meandered and rippled in between the trees leaving
long rippled footprints on the water's surface, all the while a duck
was idly swimming and quaking along, unaware of all this goings on.
Walking back into
town, it was happy hour so we stopped off at Corners Bar for a drink
outside as we feigned a intellectual conversation to really bitch and
judge other people that were coming in and out of the bar. The
evening was spent relaxing with a Goodfellas salmon pizza while
watching a film or documentary on the telebox.
21st March
Expedition today
of Margaret River's Cave Road. Starting off at Edward's wine makers
which was closed, but wanted to show mum the story of the owner who
flew an old bright yellow plane from Bristol, UK to Margaret River.
Next we drove
further north, to Gracetown a small hilly village situated on the
middle of the this South-Western Australian peninsular, we parking up
after a small bit of off-roading and a lizard sighting, we arrive to
a brilliant outlook of the ocean and surrounding cliffs, we walk down
a few hundred steps to the beach to walk along the sand and get a
better look at the surfers carving wakes into these massive waves.
Driving back south
through the landscape of farming, cattle, deer and grapes we stop off
a the Historical site of Ellensbrook a farm, or something, a small
white building surrounded by burnt trees and the like.
Continuing south,
Surfer's Point at Prevelin Beach was our next destination where the
Margaret River Pro Surfing Competition was on, we didn't stay for
long, but long enough for me to see prolific surfer and world
champion, Kelly Slater.
Our drive south to
Leeuwin Lighthouse in Augusta saw us blown away by a truly
spectacular and unbelievable section of the Boranup Karri Forest,
that was magical and out of this world, a look beneath the canopy and
behind the bushes as this section presented you with an endless view
of seemingly bright white bark, it's hard to explain it as anything
but, awesome. Lighthouse was OK.
Taking a scenic
drive back up north via Flinder's Bay to learn about whaling and
Hardy's Inlet to admire the kite and windsurfers, we spot some
dolphins, which was met with lots of verbal ecstatic liveliness.
Venturing back
into the forest we stop off at Jewel Cave to be guided through the
largest/biggest touristic cave in the world, which was both large,
big, wonderful, errie, informative, very impressive and when the
lights are off, dark. Probably could've been made better had our
guide been less concerned about the animals that were trapped down
here years and years ago and more about something else like, rock.
Afterwards we head
to my favourite spot, Hamelin Bay a large open sandy bay with a
shallow reef and magnificent mysterious limestone cliffs, walking
towards said cliffs passing the remnants of an old shipping pier,
there was something in the waves. A big bastard of a stingray, that's
what, which took mum by surprise.
Walking along the
beach as the sun began to drop, the clouds come to cool the place
off, we decided to try and get to a prime spot to admire the sunset
at its best, Boranup Outlook, driving a Toyota Corolla getting
semi-lost in semi-offroad conditions in a forest at nightfalling
probably wasn't the best idea I've ever had.
The reward up top
was more than enough, worth the danger for me, with panoramic views
over the top of the forest canopy streaming down to the ocean as the
sun, hidden from view by a slither of clouds sitting on the distant
horizon, was a murky orange explosion as it eventually got dark and
the first stars started to come out, it was time to head home.
22nd March
Margaret River is
food and wine country, so obviously that calls for a wine tour and
being guided around some of the estates to see if their produce is up
to standards.
Starting off at
the big beautiful estate of the Watershed, where we were taught how
to appreciate and drink wine as we worked our way up and down the
reds and whites, then we off we went to Leeuwin estate tucked away in
the forests, famous for its outdoor festivals that pulls in 'the big
names' and it's extensive and expensive barrel room art gallery in
the basement. Voyager estate for an amazing lunch and tasting, based
on a South African villa with fantastic a rose garden kept by 7
gardeners.
Afterwards, we
visited a boutique establishment that specialised in not just wine,
but nougat also, obviously food was appearing more into our schedule
to help sober us up, as we then visited the chocolate and cheese
factories, before continuing the liquid testing at another boutique
place that made lots of sweet wines and very seemed knowledgeable
about alpacas and pigs. We finished up at a brewery, where I got a
paddle taster of 5 or 6 different beers.
That evening was a
little bit humiliating as I pretty much passed out on the sofa while
mum kept on trucking and being lively.
23rd March
Our last day in
Margaret River, we grabbed a very good coffee to start our day at
McHenry's and drove north to Bunker Bay, stopping off at beaches and
various interesting points along the way from Moses Rock beach,
Injidup Point with it's amazing deep sanded empty and serene beach,
Super Tubes beach, Canal Rocks, with it's impressive display of water
smashing and coursing through the rocks, Yallingup village for
watching surfers at it's big busy beach and Cape Naturaliste where we
were bombarded and swarmed by flies, then at Bunker Bay enjoying
another peaceful sunny beach walk before grabbing a drink at a nearby
beach side cafe.
Leaving there via
a short and scenic Eagle Road we begin our drive back to Perth,
stopping off at Busselton Jetty, the longest jetty of its kind in the
Southern Hemisphere, and yes, they'd be right, it was long, very
long, pretty though.
Deviating from the
highway home, we snuck into a very atmospheric and quiet Tuart
Forest, wide unmarked roads bordered by big established trees with
the occasional small farm building, one of an historical importance
as the forest mellowed away into marsh land, following the road from
here to a small village attached to an endlessly long narrowish calm
beach called Peppermint Tree, tranquil was is the only word that
comes to mind with this area.
Driving back onto
the main highway and the sun was dropping deep, we get ambushed by
hundred of Kangaroos as they littered the sides of the roads and
near-by field.
Time was getting
tight but we managed to reach Bunbury again and complete our
holiday-within-a-holiday at the social club-on-sea to have a drink
and watch the sun go down, marking the end of an incredible trip down
to Margaret River.
24th March
After an energetic
trip the last few days, taking it easy was definitely on the agenda
for today, and there's nothing more relaxing than a 15 mile walk
around Perth, from Leederville to Harbour Town and into Perth City,
exploring the Barracks, shops, historical buildings and eventually
making our way to the lacklustre King's Park, though the war memorial
and the view over Perth was interesting.
Heading back to
Perth and stopping off at The Aviary for a late, late lunch we cross
Horseshoe bridge into Northbridge and explore the more creative Asian
side of the area, stopping off at the pretentious but actually quite
good PICA, before heading back to Leederville to collapse.
25th March
Exploration of the
North today, as we drove to Scarborough (OK), Trigg (Quiet) and North
(Good) Beaches before stopping off at Hillary's to explore the
harbour area and see all the British ex-pats annoyingly enjoying
themselves.
Continuing up
Ocean Reef Road to Burns Beach and more sedate, still British heavy
beach, surrounded seemingly moronic mass of tightly compacted large
gardenless villas and to be greeted by a man on a giant motorised
parachute floating up and down the coastline.
Reaching Mindarie
Keys Harbour, a low key and relaxed area, with houses close to the
calm waters with accompanying large boats, and a long section of
bars and restaurants, all naturally filled up with British people
speaking loud inane nonsense about the weather and Spam ruined what
would've been a nice pit-stop. Heading back south, to see what Lake
Joonadlup was all about, seeing as it was dry and filled with British
people having BBQs with their kids, not much of any interest was
going on.
The evening we had
a rather pleasant BBQ in suburbia with real certified Australians!
26th March
Exploration of the
South today, as we drove to Mandurah and enjoyed a cruise through the
canals and estuary, admiring the intriguing war memorial, even more
intriguing mostly ugly large manors and seeing lots of wildlife and
being told lots of history about the place.
Heading north to
Rockingham and Point Peron for a small beach walk then through to
East Rockingham for an ice cream break, overlooking the causeway to
the military base on Garden Island.
Afterwards, we
went spent some time reflecting at the giant war memorial at Kwinana
and going 'wow' a lot at the top half of a submarine, before
exploring the industrial side of Perth with its oil refineries,
marine centres and various other things that were going on there,
even though it sounds a bit bleak, I found it to be quite marvelling,
as I'd never seen anything like that, on that scale before.
Getting back to
nature we became one again with the countryside as we took a quick
stop at Woodman Point in Coogee to walk along the pier filled with
fishermen, tame inquisitive pelicans and we spot some dolphins,
which was met with lots of verbal ecstatic liveliness.
The sun was
starting to set so, we decided to get a sundowner at the Left Bank in
Fremantle, watching boats and traffic pass us by as we recalled all
the photos that were taken, albeit were forced to take.
With the sun
orange remnants on the horizon, we drive to one of my favourite spots
of Perth via the suburbs of impressive houses to, Point Walter, a
parkland that has a spit of sandy beach that reaches out into one of
the corners of the meandering Swan River, as traces of the sun truly
disappeared.
27th March
A quiet relaxed
day, as it was my mum's last day, starting off with a spot o'
shopping in the morning and driving the wrong way and ending up being
way inland and up far north (instead of west and south) but we did
see some large satellites, so ever cloud...
Arriving at our
intended destination, City Beach we spend a few hours, soaking in the
sun, body surfing and general relaxation and recouping.
We leave City
Beach and drive to Downtown to have lunch at the C Restaurant, a
revolving restaurant with great views over Kings Park, Swan River,
Downtown, surrounding suburbs, with great visibility that day, we
could see for miles all around us to the Hills, Fremantle, Ocean and
beyond.
We walk around the
shops and take an (accidental) drive down the river and spend the
afternoon doing nothing.
The evening saw us
back at City Beach with housemates, friends etc. basically everyone,
to admire one last sunset and tasty food at Clancy's, before driving
mum to the airport and making sure she gets on that bloody plane out
of here!
-----
Busy, immensely
fun and very rewarding time spent with mum, exploring all that Perth
and its areas has to offer, amazing scenes, tastes, sounds,
information and just beautiful, something that I will treasure
forever, if not, a fairly long time until a better experience comes
along.
