As you will get to know me better and better with every single post, this is what I can already tell you: I love to travel!
I have done my fair share of travelling and I am far from done! So let me tell you about my 11- day road trip (in a campervan) through Western Australia, 4 years ago. This was my second time in Australia. At that time I lived in the Netherlands and in my country there is no need to own a car. Almost everything can be done by bike or public transportation. Ideal! But… not so much when you want to do a road trip in Australia.
I have a driver’s license, but at that time I hadn’t driven a car for at least 3 years, and we drive on the RIGHT side of the road. This might be a bit of a challenge, considering my partner doesn’t have a driver’s license at all, so I have to do all the driving!
Researching on the internet for a small campervan, I found a good one! Not too big and an automatic. Perfect! When we arrived in Perth, we picked up the campervan. The lady that worked there enthusiastically said: “Congratulations madam! You have been upgraded!”
“Oh no!” That was my first thought. What do I do now? I got stuck with a campervan with an extended roof and it wasn’t automatic! After the initial shock, I took it for a test drive in the parking lot. This went quite well, so I was ready to take it on the road!
The first couple of hours I tried to get used to shifting gears with my left hand and the sudden turns on the highway. We lost some of the contents of our fridge and might have broken a few cups. My partner said that my driving style was comparable to the ‘Dukes of Hazzard’ and that he feared for his life a couple of times! But the road trip itself was amazing! There is so much to see. Our route was from Perth to Albany and back.
First stop: Albany! We found a nice parking spot for our van and saw some kangaroos lying on the grass. I mean, what does going to Australia mean if you do not see any kangaroos! The next morning we enjoyed the view out over the ocean with a perfect cup of instant coffee.
Our second stop was Denmark. The weather that day was terrible, but we still went to Greens Pool. The hard wind and rain made it actually more special. This is where I felt I was really in Australia. I would go back now if that was possible!
Stop number three was Pemberton. A charming little town where we met some seniors in one of the local pubs and we had a few drinks together and talked. The ladies made it very clear to my partner that they found him very handsome. It was really funny to see him getting a bit uncomfortable because of the unexpected attention. Another great thing in Pemberton was the Tree Top walk. Very special walking high in the sky in between the trees.
Our fourth stop was Margaret River. This is a good region for wine tasting. We also met up with our friend that we met in the Netherlands, but is originally from Perth. We did a craft beer tour to some really remote and amazing beer farms and some wine tasting. Nothing beats spending time with friends!
Second last stop: Busselton. Here we visited the Jetty and spoke to some locals about squid fishing. This jetty port is big for fishermen and has a lot of history.
Final stop: Bunbury. We went whale watching!!! It is the best thing ever! Going out on the ocean and looking for whales. I remember the feeling when we first spotted them! They are so gracious and enormous!!
We finished our trip to Western Australia in Perth and visited Rottnest Island. A must see when you are close to Perth! Go and meet the quokkas, enjoy the gorgeous blue water and the surprisingly cyclable island.
Highlights of my trip to South-West Australia:
- Greens Pool – Denmark
- Tree Top Walk – Pemberton
- Beer and Wine Tasting – Margaret River
- Whale watching – Bunbury
- Rottnest Island – Close to Perth
Australia will always be special to me, and I can’t wait to go back one day and share my adventures with you.
HLD by Renee 
Thank you for sharing you story!
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I love Rottnest Island and the Quokkas…a lovely post about your road trips with some great images, Renee…I can’t wait to go to WA again…Thank you for following CarolCooks2 🙂
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Thanks Carol. Me too! WA is one of my favorite places in the world! And you are welcome. Enjoying your posts!🙂
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Thank you, Renee…I have enjoyed what I read of yours 🙂
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Beautiful trip and even more beautiful pictures!!!
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Thank you! 🥰 I hope to post some more very soon!
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