Day 3 of our sPERTHacular Australia trip: 14 December 2013
Stay at the Hougoumont hotel was very comfortable with great pillows and bed!
Only thing about this hotel is that it has this sawdust smell since the place is relatively new (will go away) and their strict checkout timing is at 11am. Other than that, we had a good stay! #hougoumonthotel
Before we checked out, headed for some breakfast!
Back to Fremantle Market to have some crepes!
We reached at 9+am just to make sure the shops are fully opened (opening hours for the market is 8/9am to 6pm).
Ordered the much raved about Michele's Crepe Suzette's crepes and shopped for macadamia nuts while waiting for the food.
Michele's Crepe Suzette
Fremantle Markets 1
Fremantle, WA 6110
Had a savory (ham, pineapple & cheese) and a sweet (Nutella hazelnut) crepe. Cost us AUD9.50 & AUD6.50
#yum sinfully good! The serving was generous with lots of ham and the warm Nutella oozed out with every bite! The hazelnut added a good crunch to the crepe!
After check out, went over to Fremantle train station to catch our ride to Perth city. We understand from the locals that there was a forecasted heat wave swarming Perth during the weekend we are there. What luck! Starting to feel the heat. >_<
On-board the train. Cost AUD4.20 for a Transperth ride within 2 zones.
The good thing about Perth transport system is that it works on a FTZ (free transit zone) system whereby you pay a flat rate going by zones and you are free to transit without limits within a stated time frame.
Not knowing this we paid whenever we board another bus until this friendly bus driver told us we didn't need to. >_< Wasted a good AUD16+ and thinking how exorbitant the public transport fares are in Perth.
View outside our ride to the city.
In the trains, they have these buttons on the inside and outside of the train and should you need to alight or board, you got to push the buttons to open the doors.
Took the train to Perth station and continued on the Midland train line to Bassadean station to catch bus 955 to Caversham wildlife park.
The moment we stepped out of the train, a gust of hot wind engulfed us and we could literally feel the unforgiving heat bitting onto our skins. You don't want to experience this, I tell you. #heatwave #unbearable
Thankfully the bus was quick to come and we boarded it quickly, into the arms of air conditioning!
After alighting from the public bus, we took the free shuttle bus into the park itself. #noaircon
Free buses only operates on sat and sun. Phew!
Can't imagine walking into the park (quite a distance) in this heat.
Whiteman Park, Whiteman, WA, 6068
Opening Hours: open every day of the year from 9.00am to 5.30pm
(excluding Christmas Day – December 25th)
In Caversham Wildlife Park (cost AUD25 per adult), you can get really up-close with the animals. We went to the kangaroo enclosure with tons of them lazing around in the hot summer heat. Free to touch and feed (kangaroo food provided!) them!
Pics of us with the white and brown roos.
I think it's the heat so i didn't see them hop around much :(
We then started searching for mummy kangaroos with babies in the pouches. Just wanna see how their pouch work... lol!
Kangaroo food. Take as much as you want by the sign says: Do not overfeed the kangaroos. Strictly for kangaroos only.
How kangaroos #relaconecorner
Nearly giving up on finding mummy kangaroos, we spotted this roo with 2 extra legs!
And then a little joey head popped out! =) Yay, finally saw one!
Wouldn't it be cooler staying out of the pouch in this heat? =/
Went for the Wombat and friends show after visiting the kangaroo enclosure. Met this huge 20kg animal - star of the show.
Check out this video for the animals you can see at the show.
This animal chewed a live chick right in front of us... >_<
We are not allowed to touch it as it's a carnivore (as we all saw)...
A shot with the Wombat which only allowed us to touch his hinds. #bigshot #likeastar
Next up, meet the koalas! Super cute this one!
Among the koalas sat in a row, most of us were snapping away with this little one. Smallest of them all and obviously the more adorable one! #cute #koala
As everyone was shooting the small one, we went right to the end to take individual shots with another. We were also told to just stick to taking pics with 2 of them in order not to disturb the rest who were snoozing.
Koalas sleep an average of 20 hours a day and spend the rest of the hours eating low energy eucalyptus leaves. #goodlife and this reminds me of the saying that this is an example of how we can eat veggies all day and still get fat. #notIsayone
That was our last stop in the park as the heat was really unbearable! Plus, NB was lugging around a huge and heavy backpack containing all our nuts.
The park.
Thankfully the convenience store in the park was offering affordable lime popsicles at AUD1.20! Quickly grabbed one each to quench our thirst! #perpetuallythirsty #bestthingever #saviour
And with that, we travelled back to the city on the train and alighted at Perth station!
Now, to our first airbnb homestay experience. Needed to start this off, believe we need to book more of such for our Europe trip next year!
Perth's rails.
Lugged our bags and the tired bodies in search of the free blue CAT (central area transit?) service which runs through northbridge area to where our homestay is!
It's great how they have such complimentary rides around the central area. Definitely easier on our pockets!
Our host is called Amy and she was nice to let us in though we arrived much earlier than planned and the room was still in a mess from guests last night.
Her house was pretty modern and nicely decorated with an open concept kitchen and island counter top.
She blasted the air con in the living room and her bedroom to keep the house cool. Our room didn't have air conditioning but there was a fan to use. Not complaining as staying there kept our accommodation cost down. A night cost us just SGD86 whereby hotels would easily cost twice or thrice the amount.
Our room with an open balcony. A tad noisy at night though cause we could hear people on the streets talking loud and clear.
Chocolates with compliments from the host!
Took the blue CAT bus again to Hay street for our lunch cum dinner.
Made a dash to #McDonalds when we saw the sign.
Every time I land somewhere in the world, I will make a point to visit this fast food chain just to try something new on their menu.
So far, the only place I visited and have not tried is South Africa. That was then when we didn't dare to roam the streets of Johannesburg by ourselves.
Our meal for the night. Took the honey soy grilled chicken wrap and NB had the champ chicken burger which set us to about AUD16+
I liked my wrap containing 2 slim chicken patties and lots of veggie (lettuce,tomatoes and cucumbers) the sauce was sweet with tinge of honey. Champ burger came with a fried chicken patty, slightly peppered so does have a little spice to it. Patty slightly thicker than Sg's. Fries were a lil under packed though. =/ nevertheless, still quite value for money
After the meal, took a walk around the area and ended up at the
Swan Bell Tower.
Tower was closed when we were there so we walked along the pier before heading back to rest.
