Leaving Perth - Touring the West Coast

BOOKED MY TRIP

Been into Perth today with Joe, my new friend at the hostel. There are about 8-9 people here, many of which are working and are not around often. Met an English lad called Joe - 20yrs. He is nice and we got on straight away and chatted about my plans and his experiences etc. We decided to go to Perth together today. I had a good sleep (9hrs again) sleeping better here than at home, must be relaxing!!. The bed was really comfy and the girls dorm has an en-suite so that was good. We took the bus in to Perth about 11.30 after a short trip down to the beach. Scarborough beach is lovely with loads of surfers!! I bought another jumper just in case as I only have one after sending my other back home like a plonker. I also booked my trip up the West Coast to Broome (where it's warm), Yippeeee. This is my most expensive trip at 1250 dollars (620 quid) and don't anticipate any other big trips costing this much apart from diving course, if I can pluck up the courage to do it, not sure Deb???. Hopefully I can do a lot for free on the East Coast. Anyway I have decided to change my flight to Broome - Darwin instead of coming back down to Perth. Perth is lovely but it's just too cold for a budgeting backpacker to keep entertained!!! I have seen a bit of the City today and took a walk to King's Park and saw the biggest tree and it's roots that I have ever seen in my life, like something off a disney film, half expected it to start talking to me!!! Park is massive so only saw part of it. I will be back here anyway next year to fly home so will see it properly then and everything else in the warmer weather!!
Can't wait to see the dolphins though and we are right on time to see the whale sharks migrating and eating the spawning coral in Exmouth (Ningaloo Reef). They come to the surface for food and you can snorkel / dive with them!!!! They can be up to 18m long with a 1m mouth!!! They have no teeth so it's fine!!!
As we get further North the weather improves. Should be about 25 - 30 degrees by the start of Tuesday but not as humid as Singapore hopefully, then getting hotter as weg get further up, I so dying to get to swim in the sea.

This is my Itinerary......................................

Mon - leave and stop off to see koalas at Yanchep National Park and end up in Cervantes to see sea lions and then the Pinnacles (amazing rock formations) at sun set and a full moon hopefully.

Tues - travel up North and go to Hutt River Province (Lou has told me all about this). This crazy couple declared war on Australia and created their own country. We were told to bring our passports!!!! Then off to Kalbarri national park and may see some whales migrating. Then its a big Aussie BBQ in the evening.

Weds - Bit of hiking down some cliffs and an abseil!!!! Then a visit to Shark Bay and Shell Bay.

Thurs - MONKEY MIA - Get to see the wild dolphins that come in for feeding. Then staying at an Outback Sheep Station where I am told we drag our mattresses outside and sleep under the stars. Plenty of mosquito spray on me thinks!!!

Fri - Pass through Tropic of capricorn and then reach Coral bay and Ningaloo Reef. Lots of white sandy beaches, yippee!!!. Snorkelling and a relax I think. Then travel up to Northwest cape and Exmouth.

Then Onwards to Broom - Will update again on this section later in the week!!!

The trip includes the hostels and all food too so it's quite good value actually. Joe is going to tomorrow but on the Greyhound bus so may be catch up with him in one of the hostels along the way as he is doing the same route too. Just been the "Bottle Shop" as supermarkets don't sell alcohol - you can drive through too,how cool is that! Bought a cheap box of wine they call "Goon" and it is not great I can tell you. I'm drinking it now with Orange juice (as advised by the shop assistant, they must know!!) to disguise the horrible taste and starting to feel bit dizzy.... Getting picked up at 8.00 so gotta be up early too!!!! oops

So I will get to Darwin early July after this and then I hope to get a job for a few months to pay for the trips and bump up my pennies for the Cairns and Whitsunday part of my trip. I then hope to working Brisbane for a while and then do the East Coast, I'm hoping my money will work out just fine, will definitely need to work though. It is a lot of money for the trip and extra for snorklelling / diving / swimming with sharks but I would have so many regrets not doing it.

Bye for now. Will be quiet on the blog front for a few days but will update you all asap.
lots of love

x Janey x

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