There is nothing better than a surprise and we were pleasantly surprised by the Perth metro area. In fact, after visiting Sydney and Melbourne, we liked Perth the best! Perth metro area has a population of about 2 million. It has a wonderful juxtaposition of purposeful old and new architecture, which I tried to capture with my photos. There are so many parks and green spaces and they’ve got an expansive network of biking and walking paths.

Perth and Fremantle sit in the Australian state of Western Australia. The state’s land mass is about the size of 5 Texas’s. If Western Australia, or as the locals say “WA”, was a country of its own, it would be the tenth largest country in the world. WA’s primary industries are mining and energy production, and Perth is the capitol. Fremantle is the smaller town next to Perth, where the port is located. It has a vibrant wharf district and a charming shopping area.

We started our day early and met up with our private tour guide Sergio Libertino of Tours by Locals. Tim and Mary tagged along and we had a nice drive from the port, through some very impressive neighborhoods along the Swan River, to Perth. We visited Kings Park and Botanic Garden with the impressive eucalyptus trees and an expansive view of the city. From there we saw the famous Swan Belltower, housing 18 hanging bells, the second largest in the world. Next, we went to St. George’s Anglican Cathedral and had a coffee in the former Treasury building which is now the Como Hotel complex. We finished our tour driving along the west coast of Perth, and we saw the Indian Ocean for the first time.

Back in Fremantle, we enjoyed some terrific fish and chips at Cicerello’s in the wharf, then walked to town to pick up a few items. Marshall had ordered a piece of tech from Amazon, and had it sent to a drop box in the local pharmacy. Easy, peasy! We went to a Target — yes, you heard that right, and got a couple items. It’s not exactly the same Target as in the states, as it’s mostly clothes and toys, but when you’re hunting a black men’s belt, it worked!!

We said goodbye to land tonight. It’s kind of weird to think we won’t see land for 7 days. Our journey across the Indian Ocean begins!

Next stop: Port Louis, Mauritius Islands.

Recommend: Tours by Locals
https://www.toursbylocals.com/tours/australia/perth/tour-details/perth-and-fremantle-panoramic-half-day-private-tour-664d230cf7e596905bcbf5cc