Rottnest Island

Tues Oct 21
21:13 Perth Domestic Airport
Perth is so not for me. Don’t get me wrong; it’s a beautiful place, but there’s nothing to do, and everything closes early. I’m also not a fan of the climate, or the proliferation of flies. They’re a bloody nuisance.

Onto better topics. Went to Rottnest Island today. Quokkas are so cute! Not as cool as wombats, but cute. They just wander around the island. Oh, another reason why young kids should not travel: They’re bloody savages to animals. This one kid, couldn’t’ve been more than 4, was running around, trying to kick, poke, and stomp on the quokka, even after his mother told him not to. I wanted to throttle the brat. Yea. This trip is not endearing me to young children. Thank goodness I teach high school.

Right, better topics. The ferry ride to Rottnest was nice. Perth has regulations as to how fast large boats can travel in certain sections of the Swan River, so as to minimize the damage to shorelines caused by the wakes. As soon as the guide said it, the Fast Cat Fiasco came to mind.

Didn’t rent a bike, knowing that my leg is still a little screwy from the hike in Kalbarri. One of my roomies said that the island is a bit hilly, and I had the train and gun tour anyway, so I just walked around. The tour was interesting. I can’t really remember much of the information, only that the shell was 9in in diameter, and the initial velocity is about twice the speed of sound. I have a feeling the guys in my life would have hung onto more of the guide’s commentary than I did. =P

Had a HUGE dinner at Sassella’s Tavern in the city: 350g ribeye steak with fries, salad and veggies. When I saw the platter, I was wondering if I could finish it. I did, but it was a near thing. Oh, something else that I’m going to miss is how common blackcurrant juice is. So yummy!

I have basically 3 hours to kill before my flight. Why am I here so early, you wonder? The last shuttle to the airport got me here at 8, 4 hours before my departure. See what I mean about how Perth is not for me? Melbourne’s got the 24-hour Skybus to get you to and from the airport. I have a feeling, though, that I can actually take public transit here. Just no one around here knows about it, or there’s a conspiracy to get as much money from us as possible by only advertising the shuttle and taxi.

Gonna geek out and play solitaire. Can’t wait to get to hop on that flight home tomorrow! This is gonna surprise everyone! ^^