Blogs from Fremantle, Western Australia, Australia, Oceania - page 19

D really enjoyed this little cultural excursion, S tolerated it! The prison was built in 1850, mainly by the 10,000 English prisoners shipped over to Oz, in exchange for the new settlers receiving economic help from the UK. It was a working prison until 1991, which is a frightening thought, since it was never supplied with mains electricity/plumbing. Also had its own gallows. In order to cheer ourselves up, we set off on the long road to Monkey Mia around 850 km from Perth ...to meet the wild dophins! 5 hours later, stayed over in Geraldton (do not stay here, it's duller than dull), drove onto Monkey Mia the next morning.... read more

Woken at 1am by the sound of an express train and a jack hammer. Then realised Richie was snoring!! Slept in the family room on the floor. Woke at 8am. Had a cup of tea with Mum. Watched morning television. Woke Richie at 9am. He was sound asleep and I think he would have slept until 12 with no problems. Decided to get the 9.52 bus into Fremantle. Set up Mum’s computer and left to go to the bus stop. Bus came before we got to the stop so came back home. Mum wanted to go to Social Security so she drove us to Spearwood and we got the 136 bus in to Freo. When we were getting off the bus Richie tripped and twisted his ankle. We were outside the hospital and he decided ... read more

Up early and headed to Freo. Just before leaving Margaret River, called into one last vineyard for good luck, cue Palandri . Highly recommend a visit. It's a huge set-up, but well managed and some great ranges. It was our longest tasting session yet! Unfortunately, as Spencer was driving he had to spit out most of his wine! Whereas, D was quoffing hers and then finishing off Spencer's! Purchased a few bottles including a sparkling Merlot! Had brunch in their restaurant - very nice. En route stopped off at Bunbury and then Rockingham in the hope of seeing dolphins! Rockingham beaches are pure golden sand , spotlessly clean and deserted. Got chatting to an old fisherman who had lived in Western Australia all his life and never left! He also does some gold prospecting in his ... read more

Hired a car - made 1 hour drive to Freo. Checked into The Old Firestation backpackers hostel. Wandered around the lovely old town - it's a bit like an old western movie set. Trams, harbour, markets etc. Shackled Spencer in the old round house stocks and had great seafood. Later got chatting to another couple travelling from the UK, and got incredibly drunk with them on cheap wine and beer in the backpackers bar. Not pretty!!. Hangovers too bad to do the Prison tour the next day - intend to do on the way back.... read more

- FOOD: Coffee and cake whilst chilling in the sun; squid and chips and wine. - PEOPLE: Old hippy dormmate with lots of incense; families filling all the many fish and chip restaurants; lary, towny teens. - AREA: Bohemian, small town - Cappucino Alley, nice market, quiet harbour, deserted South Beach with white sand and distant dolphin; 'Little Fish' at the cinema - WEATHER: Occasional sun Sat 10th Sep: I left the horrible hostel early and checked my backpack into the YHA (I caved). Feeling 15 kilos lighter I struggled with the maze of escalators, stairs and platforms at the central station to find my train to Fremantle. This gorgeous town is a lot smaller than I expected, has a bohemian feel and hardly any people walking the streets. After chatting to the old hippy woman ... read more

After searching high and low for a whole day we finally found the perfect transport, a toyota tarago (tessy for short). The next day we were out of Fremantle and off on an adventure, we decided to head south for margaret river. Our first night was spent in Yalgorup and was there that i got to see my first Kangaroos. The next day took through Bunbury then busselton where we stayed the night. we did the tourist thing the next day, went down the jetty, had lunch by the sea and generally shopped in town. We spent that night still in busselton but another campsite where we met a lovely family who had bought a massive camper to take their two sons around oz. Friday 17th Drove through Dunsborough and checked out cape naturaliste and sugar ... read more

Ok... time has run away with me. I'll do my best to update without boring! During our time in Fremantle, we had two tours of the prison... the first was a scary ghostly torchlight night tour with some other hostelers. We were given a reduced rate for a daylight tour so we went back a week later and were taken on a 'Great Escapes' tour. It was fascinating learning how prisoners plotted escape routes, knocked through walls etc. In an attempt to keep fit, we force ourselves to swim or jog a few times a week. A children's playground near the Old Firestation proved most useful for pull-ups, press-ups and allsorts - even in the rain!! It was lovely having a beached section to jog next to. We made a few feeble attempts at car shopping, ... read more

Sorry guys, just added all those emails as Blog updates and most of you have read them before so I thought I'd better add a new Blog!! We've been here at the Old Firestation in Fremantle for a week now and, after James initial impression of no-one being friendly, we have made some ickle pals and the place has grown on us! Fremantle is lovely, and the sun was out for us all last week, which was glorious. James has begun to chill and has settled, seeming much more confident and more like himself. We even spend a whole day sitting on a swingchair, reading and doing nout!! Fremantle is only about 1/2 hour away from Perth, on the train. It's on the coast and there is a harbour as well as beaches. This hostel has ... read more