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Western Australia brought back so many good memories for me in yesteryears. It was 2005 when my parents sent me to Perth for my final year in Bachelor of Commerce (Marketing & Public Relations) in Curtin University. The year I made the most out of in Australia and the year that really opened my eyes to the world. I saw beauty at its best. Although it was then my second time to Australia (first was in 1997 in Gold Coast), it seemed like every part of Australia had its own to offer. Now based in Victoria….. Western Australia those years did not seem too far ago. Missing it? Definitely and very much indeed. I also know that I haven’t explored Western Australia enough!

I missed Australia so much that I insisted on participating on a competition hosted by Tourism Western Australia called the Extraordinary Taxi Ride. Tourism WA were in search for a pair of ultimate travellers (through short essay submission and a live interview) to go on a journey that embraces all the extraordinary attractions and activities in Western Australia. The ultimate winners were driven around by taxi driver Doug Slater who received the most votes in an online campaign for the driver of the Most Extraordinary Taxi Ride.

Through my initial submission, I made it to the following round, the physical interview.

Unfortunately, I could not make it because I could not fly back to Malaysia for the interview in time (within a week) and my grandmother had just passed away then. My father (my companion I was going to invite with me on the trip) and I definitely could not have made it for the interview, so we had to let it go. Guess I’ll have to make other plans then for next time. *sniff* I was hoping to win a competition that was not logistically viable for me.

The Malaysian winner of the  Extraordinary Taxi Ride were Dr Ling and his travelling companion, brother Shaun who recently explored the Great Southern Explorer route which travels through the deep South West of Western Australia on leg two of the Extraordinary Taxi Ride. Dr Ling was pronounced the winner in a ceremony held in Kuala Lumpur in March and presented with his award by Western Australia’s Tourism Minister Elizabeth Constable. 41 year old Dr Ling was accompanied by his brother Shaun for the journey which started from 13 to16 April. The Malaysian siblings are one pair out of 11 couples from Australia, Singapore, New Zealand, United Kingdom and Germany who joined driver Doug Slater in the Extraordinary Taxi Ride which commenced from 9 April until 14 June. Covering a total distance of more than 10,000 km across Australia’s largest State, the Extraordinary Taxi Ride is an epic nine week journey by taxi visiting extraordinary locations, many exclusive to Western Australia.  Some of these include the Bungle Bungle Range in World Heritage Listed Purnululu National Park; Ningaloo Reef – the largest fringing reef in the world; and, Australia’s whitest beach – Lucky Bay in Esperance.

From left: WA Minister of Tourism Dr Elizabeth Constable, Shaun Ling and Dr Ling Shih Gang

They blogged about their experience here at the Great Southern Explorer leg. So nice, seeing how much fun they had in their Wilderness Cruise, Treetop Walk, helicopter ride and so much more.

Here are some photos (highlights) I captured in my earlier days in Perth.

Jeremy brought Elaine and I to have a nice fishy meal at The Red Herring, Fremantle. More oysters and various seafood to make us salivate before it was served. This restaurant at the jetty is well known and has received many awards for its food and service. Even the waitress was made to ask if we want distilled water or sparkling water. We replied distilled. Then, she probed if we wanted Australian water or international water. The three of us had our eyes wide open. We opted for ‘anything’, and she gave us Australian made bottle of Mount Franklin. How precise. The food on the other hand, definitely had quality, cooked to perfection.

It is also Fremantle that serves the best fish & chips with a cleansing pale-ale at the award-winning microbrewery.

Above: Photo taken from Cicerello’s Website.

There’s also the Maritime Museum or the underground prison tour. For a romantic dinner for two or party for 15, go for Clydesdale dining in a carriage pulled by two huge Clydesdale horses through the historic streets of Fremantle. Oh so much to do, so much I haven’t done in that one year student stint.

An artiste outside Fremantle Market (FREO).

Kings Park & Botanic Gardens in Perth, Western Australia, is one of the largest innercity parks in the world – at more than 400 hectares (988 acres) it is larger than New York’s Central Park. Showcasing some of the world’s most unique flora, here you will find towering trees, natural bushland, lakes, grand lookouts and sculpted botanical gardens.

There’s also C-Restaurant, a revolving restaurant on St. Martin’s tower.

So that’s a really good recommendation for a perfect date out. I had the chance to go a little far out into the outskirts of Perth into the town of Pinjarra. It was a project for one of my Public Relations final projects then, to help create a PR plan for Hotham Way.

Hotham Way is a newly established road from Pinjarra to Pingelly. It’s 175km off Perth. To get there, we passed Fremantle, Rockingham and Mandurah and we finally hit Pinjarra within less than two hours. Whilst we were at Pinjarra, we stopped by certain locations to take pictures and understood the community. It’s generally a rural area and considered quite unhappening. The last “happening” spot would be Pinjarra as they had a McD’s (Mackers) outlet and some familiar supermarkets like Coles and Woolworths. After that, it was just very different to city, and it was best kept that way.

Amidst the lack of development lies the beauty of nature on Hotham Way. Natural trees stood tall welcoming us as we entered. We reached the Shire of Boddington to meet the president of the Hotham Way Committee who also presides in the Shire of Boddington, Brian John. He also brought a friend with him. I bombarded Brian with all the possible questions and fully utilised the only time I had there which was about 6 hours in total.

Brian took us on a trip in his car to the certain highlights of Boddington and I must say that it is quite rich in culture although there was a lack of any aboriginal mention. That was what we were supposed to do, to lure tourists and such into the area. Finally, we left Boddington by cutting through to Albany Highway back into Perth.

Let’s get back into the city. Many people who have visited the CBD of Perth (Hay St / King St) might chance upon this bench.

Above: My photo taken by Tim (Sg buddy), without realising that my future husband (current husband Josiah) had also been in that seat before! There must be something about that bicycle image behind.

Above: Josiah, in that same seat I was in 2005, several years later. *grins*

Perth, Western Australia, has plenty to tempt shoppers with over 900 specialty shops that can be enjoyed seven days a week. Fashion lovers should head to the King Street precinct housing leading fashion houses including Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Tiffany & Co. There are also unique opportunities to purchase jewellery items made from gold nuggets, Argyle diamonds, Australian opals and Broome pearls. For local handicraft and designer wares, visit Perth Upmarket at the Perth Town Hall. Or go on the The Bling Trail spanning some of the City’s diverse jewellery stores such as the Perth Mint, Pandora, Tiffany & Co, Kailis and Costello’s, with the trail providing information on the history of various metals, gems and jewellers.

And here’s the train station in Perth.

CT and I went to Cottesloe Beach for a scenic view and a walk on the sands.

Yes, it looks really amazing, like a fake water-colour painting!

Next, is a view from Mill Point.

One can take a tour on the Transperth boat ride across to the other side. Beautiful view!

The famous Bell Tower in Perth.

So much more to explore in Perth. There’s an entire list I can go on and on about.

I had clearly missed out on Australia’s South West.

AUSTRALIA’S SOUTH WEST

Apparently, Western Australia grows more black truffles, one of the most expensive food items sold in the world, than the rest of Australia put together. Each year, from June to August, you can buy fresh truffles or enjoy truffles at one of WA’s fine restaurants.

The South West region of Western Australia has been named one of the world’s Top 10 Regions in Lonely Planet’s BEST IN TRAVEL 2010, and is famous for its internationally renowned forests, beaches and wineries.

Margaret River Wine Region is the only wine region in Australia where you can experience stunning beaches, tall-timber forests, premium wineries, world-class surfing and caves all in the one place. The Margaret River Wine Region is one of the largest and most diverse wine regions in Australia boasting labels such as Mosswood, Vasse Felix, Cullen, Leeuwin Estate, Lenton Brae, Evans & Tate and Pierro. Cape Lavender is also renowned for its lavender scone teas and retail products. The Margaret River Farmers Market is also hugely popular.

I’d definitely like to take cooking lessons from Cape Lodge’s new Gourmet Retreat and Cooking School.

Then there’s also The Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk, 10 minutes north of Walpole on Western Australia’s south coast, was the first walk trail of its kind in the world. At 600 metres (656 yards) long and 40 metres (44 yards) above ground (wow!!!), it has been specially designed to minimise impact on the forest. I can imagine walking amongst the tall forest trees is a breathtaking experience.

THE CORAL COAST

Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia, is one of the best places in the world for swimming with the largest fish in the sea, the gentle Whale Shark which grows up to 16 metres (52.5 feet) long. Ningaloo is one of very few regions in the world where Whale Sharks gather regularly in coastal waters and are easily accessible to visitors.

Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia, is the largest coral reef in the world found so close to land. I don’t mind snorkelling to see them – turtles!

Monkey Mia, Western Australia, is renowned for its amazing 40 year wildlife ritual, where wild dolphins have a daily ritual of coming close to the shore, to the delight of visitors. It is one of the best and most reliable places for dolphin interaction in the world – the dolphins visit almost daily, not just seasonally. They said dolphins are quite “affectionate” and “intimate”. Hmm…

The Shark Bay World Heritage Area in Western Australia is one of only 16 sites worldwide that satisfy all four natural criteria for World Heritage listing – for its natural beauty, biological diversity, ecological processes and link to Earth’s history. Shark Bay’s sheltered waters are also home to the world’s largest dugong population, and 10% of the world’s dugong population are found here. DUGONG! Remember DUGONG???

The Pinnacles, Western Australia, is regarded as one of Australia’s most unique landscapes. You can walk amongst these incredible limestone spires that rise eerily out of the sand, some several metres tall.

Shell Beach is one of only two in the world, formed from billions of the same tiny shells made from just one type of animal. Walk across the shells along a beach that stretches for approximately 110 kilometres (68 miles) and is between seven and ten metres (23 and 33 feet) deep, then take a dip in the azure blue waters of the Indian Ocean.

Hamelin Pool in Shark Bay, Western Australia, is one of only two places in the world with the oldest living marine fossils known to man – stromatolites. The mystery surrounding their origin has attracted scientists from across the globe, who have compared the find to that of a zoologist discovering a living dinosaur. Access to Hamelin Pool and the stromatolites is easy via a 200 meter (219 yard) boardwalk with interpretive signage along the way. Sharks for me, hmmm…maybe not.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Here’s more information about WA:

Western Australia is home to more than 12,000 species of wildflowers, the largest collection of wildflowers in the world. Over 60% of these species can be found only in Western Australia. The wildflower season starts in June in the north of the state and sweeps south, finishing by November – meaning you can enjoy different species at various times and destinations.

Western Australia is one of the largest states in the world, with a landscape that is inspiring in its grandeur and includes pristine beaches, rugged gorges, unique rock formations and secluded waterfalls. The climate is also varied, from the Mediterranean climate of the south, to the tropical climate of the north, meaning that you can find summer in Western Australia at any time of year. At 2.5 million square kilometres, the United Kingdom could fit into WA 10 times over.

Western Australia has one of the longest whale-watching seasons in the world, running from June until December each year and stretching the length of the West Australian coast. The largest population of Humpback Whales in the world migrate along the pristine waters of the Kimberley coast, using the area as a breeding and calving ground. In many places along the coast you can see whales from shore, or join one of the many whale watching tours.

Western Australia has more beaches and the longest coastline of any state/territory in Australia. It is also home to some of the whitest and most pristine beaches in the world.

The one thing I’m glad is that AirAsia flies to Perth, real value-for-money. Now if only this was available back in 2005,  I would have saved alot more money! 5 hours from Kuala Lumpur to Perth, pretty good. Definitely planning my next Western Australia trip. Josiah? Ahem ahem! Hint hint!