A busy day around Perth

As yesterday was a relatively quiet day, today will be a tiring day. Back on the bus, one of the optional tours included a trip to the Swan Valley which meant four stops in total. By the end of the last stop I wanted to go back to the hotel and sleep for quite a long time.

a seal

The first stop was in a large park next to a modern housing estate in a suburb called Joondalup. Gerry explained that we had to try and feed the gathering birds with the bird seed that he gave enthusiatically to everybody. The birds themselves looked like pigeons back home but there were a few with more colourful plumage (pink heads and various shades of green). It seemed like a team building exercise; who could get the most birds to land of there outstrecthed arms. A bonus if you could get one the the rarer green birds to feed from you.

a small ray

Next stop was Yanchep National Park, where Koalas and Kangeroos live. I make my way through a small wood where the Koalas made there homes. I saw a few Koalas, lazyily sleeping on branches high up in the trees. When one Koala began to move and climb down slowly from his high perch there was a flurry of activity within our group; excited cries and clicking cameras. I did'nt realise that Koalas were so sleepy; it must be the weather.

We saw two Kangeroos from the bus. They were in the middle distance not moving at all. I took two pictures of them. On closer inpection the pictures looked identical; which made me feel like they were stuffed Kangeroos to please the tourists. Apparently though, half of our group saw some other roos later on; and they did move.

bird feeding

Later on we arrived at the AQWA (Aquarium of Western Australia). It was nice to get out of the sun and walk though a darkened building looking at colourful fishes. Most of the creatures they housed were deadly poisonous; and if you were stung by one of these brutes sometimes there was no antidote to be had. Things like the Stone Fish, Lionfish and the Box Jellyfish. The sort of fishes I will try to avoid when I will visit the Great Barrier Reef later on in this holiday.

The best bit of the aquarium was went I walked through a tunnel within this huge tank. I watched loads of sharks and a big manta ray moving silently just the other side of the protective glass.

bird on a branch

The very last stop was a winery; where we all got slightly tipsy. Luckily the coach driver did'nt have any. 

Coral reef in a tank

it that a real Kangeroo?

koala 1

koala 2

Shark and a Manta Ray

two eels

warning sign