PERTH, WA
Perth, Western Australia - a place where the sunsets perfectly over the ocean every evening.
In the middle of December 2018, my dearest friend Ellen Young sent me a text that said something along the lines of "I might be coming to Perth, wanna come visit?" And that was that. Within a few days, I booked a flight 2 weeks before I actually left. I only planned to stay a few days but flights were cheaper to fly back on a random Tuesday so I guess 7 days it is!
I had a rowdy New Year's Eve of going to bed at 10:00PM with a 3:00AM wake up call to catch a flight the next day on January 1st, 2019. I got to watch the sunrise on New Year's Day as I touched down in Perth after a 4 hour plane ride across the country.
I realized I hadn't seen Ellen in over 2 years. Wild. We go way back - we worked at a smoothie place together and used to get so bored in the dead of winter, that we would spend hours peeling stickers off all the apples. Once we had a competition of who could last longer in the walk-in freezer. We've known each other for over 5 years and actually only lived in the same town for 1 year together. However, we're always in contact with one another so she never feels too far away.
My stay in Perth lasted one week. At the beginning, our plans were to relax on the beach with no plans. I don't even know how it happened, but we did the exact opposite of that. Everyday was full of adventure and all of a sudden we had so much to see and do. It's weird on "vacation" that we still make routines for ourselves.. humans are strange. We would wake up stupidly early everyday, run to the beach with the dog we were looking after, come home to make smoothies, have a busy day of exploring and then come home at the same time to watch Bondi Rescue, Botched or anything on the Food Network while we made dinner. Then sunset at the beach. Every. Night. We would drive along the coast to a new beach, or quickly run to the beach in our backyard before it was too late. The sun sets in the West over the ocean and Western Australia does not disappoint. Perth is so underrated. I never had plans to visit, yet I'm so glad I did. People kept laughing and asking why I was going out there. Boy, you are missing OUT. The beaches are pristine and untouched probably because there aren't any tourists destroying them. It has small town vibes where everyone knows your name, with the perfect mixture between city and beach.
There were highs and lows during the trip. For example, Ellen lost all her luggage while travelling. Huge low. Then, we went thrifting and scored some sweet items and discovered new, little local brands. High. Also one night, we had a full-on duel, battle, quarrel, fight with a giant cockroach in the house. Big low. On the weekend, we were lucky enough to attend Falls Festival - a music festival travelling to the major cities of Australia that we didn't even know was in Perth the same time we were and got last minute VIP tickets the day before. Big high.
I couldn't have asked for a better way to start a new year. The whole week, Ellen and I kept shaking our heads at each other in disbelief. We couldn't believe this is the life we get to live. Also shoutout to Sam Coombes and your swooning underaged moustache. Here's some moments from the most magical week - but selfishly I had to keep some for myself...
If you ever make it to Perth, here's my top 6 must sees and do's. If you don't, it's okay - but really try to because I said so.
6. The sun is setting - just watch the sunset. I cannot stress this enough.
6. Go sand boarding in Lancelin. Less than a 2-hour drive from Perth, Lancelin has a few general stores that you can rent sand boards from. $20 for 2 hours for 2 boards? Steal. There's stand-up boards and boards you can sit on. After a few tries, it's easy to get the hang of and so much fun. Pro: The views are well above average. Only con: Sand... everywhere. I was scrubbing sand out of my eyebrows for days.
6. Salty Shoes - a Perth made and owned clothing brand. "No shoes, only salt water and dirt." They only make limited edition handmade garments so once they're gone, they're gone. Only certain stores in Perth carry the brand so it's an adventure in itself trying to find a one-of-a-kind Salty Shoes surf lifestyle piece. Very cool.
6. Fremantle Markets - Sun. Beach. Fresh food. Cool clothing. Handmade jewellery. Puppies. Live music. Good vibes all around.. what more could you want?
6. Raw Kitchen - 181A High Street, Fremantle
6. Rottnest Island - the only home to the happiest animals on the planet: quokkas! White sand beaches and secluded coves - the only way to get around the island is by bike so get your training wheels ready.
Ryley