PERTH

While my peers all headed to beaches in Fiji or the Gold Coast for spring break, I headed to Perth : the quaint supposedly boring city located on the opposite coast of Sydney. I'm surprised how much of a trooper I am about flying after sitting 20 hrs just to get here, 5 hours was weaksauce this time around.

What amazes me the most about this time in Australia is that I'm still blessed with so much. I'm sure everyone had a good time, but I'm positive that no one had a time like I did. Everything is still catered to me, even if my parents aren't the ones to hand it on a silver platter. I'm always thankful and a little confused as to how I could be so lucky, not complaining..but still..how..why???

Perth is beautiful and I have to admit, I like it a lot more than I like Sydney. It's so much more comfortable to me because it's more Minneapolis than Sydney is. I was closer to home there than anywhere else I've travelled to. The people I met a long the way, I'll never forget. As I boarding the plane, teary eyed and aching I couldn't help but wonder if I preferred not meeting everyone. It would have been so much easier, and I wouldn't experience such a void. But along with everything else, these people were brought into my life for a reason. It shows how easy it is for me to really care about people, and difficult it is to leave when you're unsure when you'll meet again.

North of Perth : Pinnacle

Two hours north of Sydney is this desert looking place, by the ocean. It was beautiful, and a great day to go, it wasn't too hot, just crisp and windy. It was very cool to see all the different shaped stones protruding from the sand as if they grew right out of the ground.  I think it was believed that these were originally tree trunks gradually concreted with sand over thousands of years...who knows? Very cool place, I loved seeing them in person.

South of Perth: Margaret River

About two hours south is Margaret River. An area sprinkled with vineyards and chocolate factories, caves and beautiful forests, it was another tourist 'must-see'. Despite my vow never to go wine tasting, I didn't feel like I had a choice but to sip a few glasses while I was there. I don't have a taste for alcohol, although I doubt many people drink it for taste so much as the effects. Either way I'm not interested. It was fun nonetheless, these little road trips allow me to see as much of Perth as I can in the short time span I do have.

The Kari Forest was my favorite. I'm no artist but I want to draw this when I get back. The mystical stillness, the way the light glittered the trees and the seemingly endlessness of the forest was beautiful. It reminds me a lot of avatar minus the glow in the dark features of course. This was THE highlight of all the road trips, I'd never seen anything like it and I doubt I ever will.

Strawberry Field

It's the little things that really stand out to me. For a strawberry lover such as myself, this was utopia! I loved picking my own strawberries, all ripe and sweet just the way I like them. It was a beautiful day as usual, Perth's weather is perfect! Strawberries are picked and packaged by hand, made to order. Everything is fresh and business was BUSY. The field looked endless with tiny red specs scattered in the leaves. This was my FAVORITE. 

What sold the entire experience for me was my new little friend Mary. I have a hard time with people my age but I'll meet a child and come out a friend. Interesting how real children are. I can't ever say that about a peer. She taught me how to pick strawberries ( there is a specific technique to it btw) and from there we became the best of friends lol. Very cute this little one, nothing like an Aussie accent on a little asian girl. Mine is in the works but it's a sorry excuse for a cool accent I'll tellya that.

So many more things to document, but I feel like this entry is more photos and captions than anything else. It would have been a lot more interesting if I'd done it right away. I've neared almost two weeks after and the zest for the trip is a bit lost and my recollections aren't as accurate.

Today is my time out day for I'm feeling every overwhelmed with unfavorable emotions which facilitate the homesickness I hadn't experienced for weeks. I'm sitting out of the halloween festivities and decided that I will regain my sanity this weekend.