Shoalwater Safari

by Petra Bucheli
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Saturday 3rd March, 2012

In the morning we went to the Shoalwater Bay. Here we boarded the boat and the safari started. Only about 5 minutes out in the sea we already saw a few dolphins. The next hour we followed and watched them. For me it is the first time I saw dolphins swimming in the sea, but not for Konrad. As I had taken my pills against motion sickness I could stand in the front of the boat and take pictures. Konrad could not believe it as he remembered of the opposite in Island were the pills had not helped and I had been very sick. Our ride was not yet over. The boat went to Bird Island were there are cormorants and pelicans nesting. Then we met again a dolphin which was playing with a ray. Next was Seal Island with its seal colony. As it was very warm, they liked more to sunbath than to move around. We often saw flying pelicans. At the end of the tour we left the boat at Penguin Island. Here every hour a ferry goes back to the mainland. First we enjoyed our pick-nick as there is no shop here. We also observed a few of the local lizards. One just walked over the pick-nick area. Then we went onto the two kilometre long path around the island. First we saw a decayed tractor stand in the middle of the nature. Passing nesting pelicans we went to the beach. We enjoyed the refreshing bath and the waves and then we let us dry by the sun. Back at the start we went to see the feeding of the penguins. A few of them live in the visitor centre. They are not able anymore to live in the wild. Four times a day they get fresh fish. After the feeding we went back to the mainland and from there back to the motel next to the airport. As there was still some time left we went to the centre of Perth and walked a bit in the Kings Park. We heard some parrots in the trees and saw them flying away. The evening we closed with a dinner with sight to the city.

Rockingham

by Petra Bucheli
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Friday 2nd March, 2012

We soon left Perth and followed the highway towards the south. We wanted to go to the sea. After passing big industrial facilities we came to Rockingham. A bit ahead of the town we stopped and enjoyed a walk along the sea. From there we could see a grain terminal where grain was pumped into big cargo vessels. In Rockingham we soon went to the tourist information to find out about accommodation possibilities. We got a list and the information that it might be a bit difficult as in Western Australia there is a long weekend due to Labour Day. First we walked to a nearby Motel and asked, but without success. We called different places, all booked out. But the first Bed&Breakfast we called had still some free accommodation. With the certainty of having a bed in Rockingham we went to the quay of the ferry to Penguin Island. Here we booked a tour for tomorrow. More I do not want to tell yet. As it was only early afternoon, we walked around Lake Richmond. It look a bit far, but after 40 minutes we were around. In the lake there were many pelicans, some were also flying. At the lake there were also thromolites. They are algae and bacteria which together grow to kind of rock (living rocks). At one point at the shore there were many information panels explaining the landscape and its formation. Also the animals living here were introduced. I realised that the snakes here can get up to two metres long. As we checked-in to the B&B we saw the same white parrots as yesterday. I was astonished that they also could raise their head feathers like cockatoos. We drove to Peron Point to watch the sunset. Unfortunately there were clouds hiding the sun, so we thought that there is no sunset, but just before it touched the sea, there was a hole in the clouds and so we still got to see a nice sunset.

Cultural landscape shook

by Petra Bucheli
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Thursday 1st March, 2012

I was walking for 30 minutes with my big backpack on my back and a smaller one in my front. The destination was the car hire company where I had hired a car. The fist thing I did was start up my navigation system to find a way out of the City. At the time I had no idea where I should go and so I drove in the direction of Armandale. Used to the green countryside in Tasmania I saw here only dryness and red soil. Till I arrived Amandal I found nowhere to stop. My fist thing in Amandale was shopping and after I drove to the tourist information. I asked what I could see here and the lady gave me some information. I droved to Churchman Brook Dam because the lady in the office had told me it would be nice there. I walked there and ate my lunch. After that I droved without a destination and at last I drove back to Armandale. I was walking in the garden and spent some time reading. I also looked at the ducks in the pond, the ibises and the white and pink parrots. There were many parrots in the garden and it was funny to observe them playing together. At 5.30 p.m. I started to drive because at 11.00 p.m. Konrad was arriving here and we were staying close to the airport. I had to get used to early sunsets in the west. In exchange I could look at the stars.

Go West

by Petra Bucheli
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Wednesday 29th February, 2012

Exactly at 8.45pm I was at the bus stop. In a few minutes the shuttle bus should arrive. The minutes passed and I waited and waited. After 25 minutes the bus appeared. The traffic should be the reason and some more stops are required. I thought: “Come on, that will run short on the airport”. Everybody around me was nervous as they have to do the check-in even earlier than I. On the airport the idea was to as fast as possible get the backpack and get to the counter. I got there just on time and should go immediately to the plane. At the gate they said the plane arrived late and thus boarding will be in 15 minutes. OK, somehow everything is a bit late today. After a bit more than an hour we landed in Melbourne. Here I had 40 minutes to change flight. The nice lady next to me said I should take the backpack. So I was the first leaving the plane and I could have a breather before getting into the next plane. Another three hours of flight were ahead. Shortly before landing there were many air holes and slowly I got a bit sick. No wonder as I did not eat anything except crisps and two cookies. Unfortunately I did not find anything without wheat in the hurry. In Perth I could again wait for half an hour for the shuttle bus. The first one said that my destination is not on his tour and I should take the next one in a few minutes. Around 4 o'clock I arrived at the hostel. It took a while until they found my reservation. Tired from travelling I put my luggage into the room. I just wanted to check where I will get the car tomorrow. I started walking equipped with the city map. I soon found the office of Hertz. As it was not yet late I went to the Kings Park. That was a good idea. There is a beautiful view about the northern part of Perth. While walking in the park, I saw three wedding couples. OK, the date is very special. A couple had its ceremony in the park with view to the city. I sat down in the grass, watched them and remembered me of my own wedding. As it is 3 hour later as in Tasmania I was now very hungry. Around the corner I saw a Japanese and as I love sushi, I went there. I was a bit overstrained by the big assortment they offered. A kind Japanese recommended a sushi with chicken and avocado served with a sweet-and-sour plum sauce. Lovely! Then I went tired back to the hostel.

Last day in Tasmania

by Petra Bucheli
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Tuesday 28th February, 2012

The programme of today is told fast. After sleeping in I went walking. I started in the harbour. There I watched a huge ship which was in the harbour since Saturday. Along the shore I walked to Sandy Bay and was surprised how fast I got there. Back I went through Battery Point which I visited already at the beginning of my trip. After lunch I had to wash the clothes and to put everything into the backpack. To save some space my old trekking shoes finished their trip here. They are definitively gone and the holes are too big.