Perth - day 2

27 January 2012

Viv loves driving so he was quite thrilled at the prospect of renting a car and driving us around. I was happy to be driven around, but my only concern was how Xena would take to being strapped in a car seat. Viv advised me to sit in the back with her so I could keep her entertained while he drove. The highlight of the day was really just watching her expressions change in the car -- from absolute wonder to slight boredom to 'in the name of Merlin's diaper, get me outta here'!

It started with a sense of wonder and amazement...

...and her joy at seeing me next to her...

...and then she realised where she was...

It was very, very intriguing...

She was not tall enough to really look out of the window, so boredom started to set in...

I started singing to entertain her and she just gave me this look...

Here comes the yawn...

Full on! Thankfully, she napped for a while in the car.

But the moment she woke up, she realised she was still strapped in the car seat. "Are we there yet, Mommy?"

We were headed to Fremantle Markets, a public market (built in 1897!) with over 150 shops spread out over two areas -- the Hall and the Yard. The Hall had clothes, accessories and other craft items, while the Yard was full of fresh produce. The Markets typically open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and are quite popular with tourists. 

We had the yummiest mangoes ever at a fruit stall in the Yard!  

We bought some accessories and some craft items in the Hall. One of them was a clay-like bar that could be moulded into faces with various expressions. It was made of latex, so it was much cleaner than clay. Great to keep Xena entertained in the car! 

We had French crepes for lunch here. I'll always remember this place because it was the first time I had Bundaberg ginger beer. To this day, it remains one of my favourite drinks. I actually prefer it over any alcoholic drink. 

Soon, Xena was ready for her afternoon nap so we headed back to the hotel.

It was going to be a long drive back again, but I took out some of her toys this time to give her the impression that this trip was different! She wasn't too impressed. 

The plan for the evening was to drive along Sunset Coast. Just as we exited the city centre, I saw a sign that said 'Lake Monger'. I remembered reading about it somewhere so I asked Viv to take us there first. It was the best decision ever, because the lake and its surroundings were spectacular!

Check it out!

We saw lots and lots of birds from close quarters, including black swans. 

Xena seemed a little freaked out at the sight of the birds though. 

One of my favourite pictures from the trip

The black swans were very friendly and didn't seem to mind our presence at all. It was strange to see no one else in such a beautiful place!

Some birds were busy diving to catch their meal... 

...while others were preening themselves.

Viv points out the birds to Xena. 

Daddy and baby chilling on a bench

Us too!

Finally, she looked less terrified and cheered up. 

I can't get over how chubby she used to be!

We spotted this car near the lake and it got Viv really excited so we took a picture. I still don't get what is so special about it. Hmmm... 

I loved Lake Monger so much I didn't want to leave, but we had other things to see, so we set off again. We drove along Sunset Coast and stopped whenever we saw something interesting. 

We spotted this path leading to a quiet beach, so we parked the car and started walking. 

The beach was quiet indeed. Only three people and two dogs were there. 

Xena didn't like the sound of the waves. They were louder compared to what she was used to in Singapore so she started whimpering. 

Thankfully, Viv managed to calm her down.

Father and daughter enjoy the evening at the beach. 

I was trying to take a photo of Viv and Xena when out of nowhere, this adorable dog bounded towards us and actually posed for the picture!

Xena tries on my giant hat. In case you're freaking out, this was in our parked car. Both of us moved to the back when it was time to drive off. 

We stopped at Trigg beach, popular with surfers, but I don't seem to have any photos so I believe the camera must have run out of battery power. This beach was definitely busier, with many people surfing and playing ball. We also saw some limestone formations. 

Finally, it was time to drive back. It had been a long day for Xena and she was quite tired. We packed dinner from a Thai restaurant, and picked up some snacks at Woolworths. Back then, Singapore didn't have autopay machines at supermarkets where customers could scan and pay for their items without assistance, so I was quite impressed to see them. 

Thank goodness for the multiple hotel pillows. Xena was safely tucked into bed and fell asleep almost immediately. 

Click here for Perth - day 3 (Caversham Wildlife Park, Motor Musuem and Swan Valley)