Oh yes indeed here I was back in Brisbane, seems to be my nest don’t you think??
Well two days into Brisbane and for the first time during my traveling, I was feeling a little down and somewhat homesick….strange I know but it lasted for a day or two when suddenly a flash of inspiration, yet again struck me, I was now going to go to Western Australia! I mean I didn’t have this planned either but there you go!!
So again armed with a flexible friend of mine I booked for 10days in western Australia and a tour from Perth up to Exmouth! Whilst taking in a few spots on route. Now to say this was not another highlight of my trip, would be a complete and utter lie, I met a multitude of people from all over the world, and frankly just didn’t stop laughing.
I flew into Perth, arriving late in my normal, well normal in so much as when I was traveling about, you know creased t-shirt, clean though I have to add that bit, good old trusty trainers and my red backpack hugging my back to the most Australian accent I have ever heard, and asked for a decent hostel to stay in and transport to get there, guess what my transport was….go on guess??? Yeah another minibus…. so again I had to fold myself and my backpack into the back of the minibus, and away I went heading for the underground, thats the name of the hostel by the way, not some gangster cult I had joined, or a code name for an AA meeting.
The underground was an old station like place, you walk in and are welcomed by huge ceilings, an internet area, then just past the reception a small and cosy bar with a pool table, a staircase leads the way up to the next floor.
For the first day or two I did feel a little on my own, I walked around the beautiful, yet small, city, sat on a bench over looking the river, watching dolphins fish, and pelicins enjoy what bits the dolphin did not finish, with my companion the IPOD…ha ha. painting a lonely picture, but it was kind of my mind set at time, my mind was now focused on New Zealand, but at the same time what was my alternative…work???? I don’t think so……so again my credit card and the internet came to the rescue, I booked myself in to a nice hotel for two nights.
The hotel was called Chifley and I stumbled across a deal on the web when I could stay there on a two night special, now this was the dogs…a modern looking building with a resturant on the lower floor spilling out to a patio heated balcony, a posh looking reception and modern lifts…and this was just the start….after I booked in, funny looks fired at me because here where people in suits checking in with a mere back packer in jeans and t-shirt amoungst them, it was a cool feeling ha ha.
I got in the lift and went up to the 4th floor, carpet hugged the warm walls, I opend my door and infront of me….my own kingsize bed, darned in a white quilt, my own private bathroom, with my own bath, oh at this point may i just elabaorate…I did shower every morning and night whilst I travelled…..but to have my own bath, made me feel instantly, if only remotly, human again, and of course the piece de la resistance a white dressing robe…oh yeah I was in heaven, after creaky bunk beds and comunal shower areas, this was amazing!! So that night consisted of bed, movie and snacks! blish. After the next few, my tour up the west coast would begin. Oh this was the start of me spoiling myself a little more.