In February 1998, I had an opportunity to visit a place I had only dreamed about since I was 10 years old. Below are some photographs of one of the most beautiful, intriguing places in the world. If you have been there, or have dreamed of going there, I would love to hear from you to talk about it. My trip was limited to the West Coast of Western Australia, Perth in particular.
Some interesting facts about the country and the state of Western Australia in particular:
Australia is approximately the size of the United States...the population of the entire country is less than the population of the Los Angeles basin.
Western Australia is four times the size of Texas...the total population is approximately 1,900,000...of this, 1,500,000 live in the city of Perth.
Australia is the home of the 10 deadliest snakes in the world, and has the biggest damn insects I have ever seen. I thought the roaches in Texas were big...they are NOTHING compared to the ones in Australia.
To the left is the 'bush' in Star Swamp. To the right is a Keri Tree, classic Australia.
Do I even need to tell you what these are? These were taken at Yanchup National Park. There were about 20 of these cuddly creatures out in the wild the day I was there.
Kukkaburra sits in the old gum tree...
A few of the "roos" I saw at Pinneroo Cemetery. They come out in the early morning and late evening to eat the flowers off the graves. They are a danger on the road, especially at night, similar to our deer here. In fact, there are "Kangaroo Crossing" signs, just like the deer crossing signs we have here.
Sunset on the Indian Ocean.
The incredibly clean city of Perth, as seen from King's Park.