Our trip to Western Australia last April 2016 * * * The possibility of visiting Australia never crossed my mind, until Von had to go to Perth for an official trip. We agreed that I could follow him there and explore on my own. I applied for my separate Australian tourist visa and got approved. I flew to Perth alone since Von was already there for about a week ahead of me. I had the option to go earlier, but I also couldn’t bear the thought of leaving Elise behind for such a long period. In the end, I thought 6 days would suffice. I left Manila at 5AM and reached Perth around 11PM, almost 18 hours: 2-hour flight to HongKong + 7 hour layover in HK International Airport + 9-hour flight to Perth. I did enjoy the feeling of traveling alone, although I got a bit lonely during my layover in HKIA as I ate in the food court and wandered the shops by my lonesome self. During the flight via Cathay Pacific, I enjoyed the peace and serenity of sleeping and watching in-flight movies to my heart’s content, things I missed out during our 24-hour flight to the US when I took care of Elise the whole time. Haha! SO IN LOVE WITH PERTH... Prior to visiting Perth, the only thing I knew about the city was the fact that it is isolated, and that it was mentioned in the movie Kill Bill. Sorry! Perth is in Western Australia and known for its gold mining industry, the Swan River, and King’s Park, the largest in-city botanical garden in the world, twice the size of Central Park in New York. The fact about it being isolated is correct as I soon found out that it is the most isolated metropolitan city in the world, with the next major city of Adelaide being about 1,300 miles away. It is not the usual go-to place in Australia for tourists, unlike Sydney or Melbourne. But I found it so charming! By the end of the trip, I was wishing Von would be posted in Australia (not in Perth though since there is no Philippine consulate yet in the area).
I loved this city’s vibe. I mostly saw young professionals. There were some tourists, but definitely not as crowded or busy as Hong Kong, or wild like Las Vegas. Since Von was working during the day, I was prepared to tour the city alone. I read an article before that Perth is one of the safest cities to visit when you’re a female solo traveler, so that gave me a bit of security. From our hotel in Rendezvous Perth, I walked alone to the malls in Hay Street and in Elizabeth Quay and sat at the benches, waiting for Von to take his lunch break or finish his work for the day. I didn't feel unsafe at all! During the evenings after Von was done with work, we walked around the Central Business District (CBD) and saw only a few restaurants or bars open, really a stark contrast from the crazy happenings in Manila at night. As for dining, I admit I'm not familiar with Australian cuisine, but I must say Von and I thoroughly enjoyed everything we ate during the trip. Everything was so yummy, from the fish and chips, and the Angus beef burgers, to international fares like Peri-Peri Chicken at Nando’s and Quesadillas at Mad Mex. It’s like all the ingredients were so fresh. During the second night, Von also surprised me with a romantic dinner at the fine dining Opus Restaurant at the Richardson Hotel, where we got to try rabbit! After Von’s conference, we just had one more day to explore the city via the Perth Explorer Hop On-Hop Off (HOHO) Bus Tour.
* * * Read: Part 2 of our Perth experience and Day trip to Fremantle. For more pictures from our trip, check out our Australia Gallery. Enjoy!
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