Hi everybody!
This time my blog will be in English. A bit scary! I have been talking English for three weeks, but writing in English is a bit different! But I have English speaking persons among my friends, and some of them we visited this holiday😄!
We had 19 days in Australia and 3 days in Singapore. Our trip started in Perth, by Pam and Ron van Dam (yes he is a dutchie, his father is Dutch). This couple we met on a cruise from Rotterdam to Norway. Through FB, Messenger, Whatsapp and Skype it is a lot easier to keep in touch with people around the world! We caught up in Lissabon in 2014 and Christmas last year at our place. And this is our second time to Perth and surroundings. We have been to the east side of Australia in 2001, so in total, our third time in Oz!
We went on a roadtour with Pam and Ron in their new and comfy car. After one night in Perth, we went to Kalgoorlie (600km) for 2 nights, then to Esperance (400km) for 2 nights, and to Albany (500km) for 3 nights. So a lot of K’s as they say in Oz!
A long and not so winding road, goes on for miles and miles….but we had a really comfy car😄!
The great Pit, goldmine in Kalgoorlie. The cars in the mine just look like cars kids would play with! But as you can see…….and it goes on 24/7!
And we met Herman and Marry in Albany, he is a cousin of René. Rene’s uncle moved over here in 1958, with his 8 kids. So the Schoof family has been here for a while! And there are quite a few now😄. His other cousins live closer to and in Perth. We went back to Perth by bus, a 6 hour drive, because Pam and Ron went back to Perth after the first night in Albany. Ron had to get back to get to work. On friday, the 11th of November, we met a few other cousins of René, also in Perth. We had a lovely day at Rita’s house!
Day out of town with Herman and Rita, to the Gap, Elephant bay and the Green Pool. Australia has a very beautiful coastline!
As you see, I’m not going to write about everything we have seen, because I want the pictures to speak for themselves. We have seen so many beautiful things! Australia is such a beautiful country. It was a great trip, so I want to thank Pam, Ron, Herman and Marry for taking the time to show us around. Seeing Australia without a car is a bit difficult, and they drive on the wrong side of the road. And I’m not used to drive so many kilometers. For me, driving to the other side of Holland is already too far! We really had a great time! And it feels like home……..but we are too old to emigrate to Austalia😉! And don’t have enough savings, we are spending it on trips like this!
After all the driving, we had a week in Fremantle (also known as Freo, as the locals say. And we feel a bit like locals😄). A small town next to Perth, close to the beach and to some nice restaurants. We did some nice trips: Rottnest Island, Yanchep National Park, Fremantle city centre.
Rottnest Island, with the quokkas! So cute! The island got his name because the Dutchies thought they were big rats……
We visited the Old Prison in Freo, London Court and Mint in Perth
Another day with Pam and Ron, to Yanchep National Park. Koalas, birds and cars!
Sadly that we both got a bit sick at our last night in Perth, we spend most of our last day in bed, instead of some nice beach😏. Still feeling not so good when Pam and Ron brought us to the airport for our flight to Singapore. Happily we had been here before, so if we wanted to spend all our time at the pool, that’s fine too! We did both, some time at the pool, some sightseeing, some shopping, a bit of eating….
Singapore, a big city, a big port, many restaurants and nice hotels. The pool of this one is on the deck, with a nice view! But too expensive for me!
We really like Singapore. The weather is always nice, 24 at night and 31 during the day. Most of the time a bit cloudy, and sometimes a bit rainy, but always warm! The weather in Australia was a bit different, we had from 18 till 36 degrees! And naturally the cold wind was there when it is only 18 or 22 degrees. But this year I was better prepared, so I brought the right clothes with me. Last year I only brought summer clothes, just had one jeans in the suitcase……
Funny, all the shops in Singapore have their Christmas decorations already, and you hear Christmas songs everywhere! In Holland we first have Sinterklaas (you can google it, if you don’t know it😉) on the fifth of December. And then we start with our Christmas decorations, and a Christmas tree in the house.
At this time I’m sitting by the pool, only a few hours left in Singapore. Have a last lunch by the pool, just another drink……take a shower, do some last shopping in Chinatown……then get an early dinner, and it is time to go to the airport for our flight home, 13:50 hours! It is a long flight back home…………
See you next time!
rinaschoof 