Peth is wonderful!

Ashley & I arrived to Perth on Sunday. Debbie & her son Adam picked us up from the airport. Debbie is my dad’s cousin who I had never met before, but instantly she felt like family. Her house is amazing – they’ve got a pool table, a ping-pong table, over 500 tv channels, & a pool in the backyard! The first full day Ashley & I just lounged around the house. We went Target (yes just like the ones in the U.S.) & the grocery store. Then laid out by the pool & later watched a movie.

Today Ashley & I went out to Rottnest Island. The ferry ride over was full of interesting facts. Here are a few:
1) Perth is the most isolated capital city in the world.
2) Perth is the second sunniest city in the world, only next to Honolulu.
3) Perth is the third windiest city in the world, first being Chicago & second being Wellington, NZ.

Rottnest Island was so beautiful & we had a beautiful day – not a cloud in the sky. Ashley & I laid out. I got a bit of a tan. We even swam a bit – it was my first time in the Indian Ocean! Walking around the island we saw the cutest little animals. They are called quokkas (kwa – cuz, not Quakers). They appear to be part rat, part kangaroo. It sounds strange, but really they are adorable. The island got the name Rottnest because the first European settlers thought the quokkas looked like rats. Originally they called it Ratsnest, but the name changed over time (Thank goodness too cuz rat’s nests are what I got in my hair as a child after not brushing it for a few days & goodness knows I don’t want to relive that). We saw these little guys scurrying & hopping all about eating leaves and nuts. Luckily we didn’t see much other wildlife like the poisonous snakes or stingrays. Saw loads of annoying squawking birds though.

Took the ferry back & met Debbie. Went back to her house for a nice family dinner where Debbie & I told stories about all our crazy relatives. It was a wonderful time & we had some good laughs.