We arrived in Adelaide on Thursday. Everything is different, but still similar. Are we still in the same country? The weather is colder (we have to wear sweaters during the day and jackets at night) and there are a lot more people – both on and off the highway.

The place we got via airbnb was not good at all. They had two ferrets (we knew that) and the whole house was smelling like that (we didn’t know). But most of all it was super dirty and not at all like the place we got in Perth. On top of all it was more expensive. We’re glad that we booked only two nights.

Besides from visiting the central market and the “Mall’s Balls”, we also had a look at Tanundya. It’s an aboriginal institution, which has an art gallery and some performance every day. It was quite interesting, but I wonder why we got to learn about the culture and the dances of the Torres Strait natives (from the islands in the north of Australia) instead of getting to know more about the local Aborigines.

We got a new car as well. They didn’t have the size that we booked, so we got an upgrade. So far so good. The new car is quite spacious and has a four wheel drive. However it uses much more gas, especially in the cities.

That’s why we were looking for someone to join us on our travels. First we found a Canadian girl, who obviously had the Canada bonus. But her plans changed. Then there were two German girls. It didn’t work out, but that is ok, because it wasn’t the best match. Nick, Tom and Vivian are coming with us instead. Next destination: Kangaroo Island!

There is more to see between Perth and Exmouth. We drove by on the way up, but now we had some more time to have a closer look at them.

For one, there is Kalbarri National Park, which consists of the Murchison River gorge and the Zuytdorp Cliffs at the coast. We hiked a bit in each part and discovered Natures Window and the Natural Bridge.

Further south we encountered a pink lake, which looks quite like it. Unfortunately it doesn’t show very well in the pictures. The color is due to some algae in the water.

Our next stop was the Hutt River Principality, where we had an audience with his royal Highness Prince Leonard. He is the ruler of this independent sovereign state of the size of Hong Kong. He gained independence in 1970 and therefore does not pay any income taxes to Australia.

In the evening we set out to explore the Nambung National Park. It is home to the Pinnacles, thousands of pointed rocks in the middle of a desert. The limestone pillars were surrounded by soil, which eroded over the years.

After driving for more than a thousand kilometers we’re up north at the Ningalo Reef. I finally get to use my underwater camera that I bought in Perth for only AUD 40 (28€).

First we went to have a look at Cape Range National Park. It has several superb spots for snorkeling. After we got some flippers, snorkel and goggles for Eiko, we went to Turquoise Bay. It is really cool, because you can walk on the beach for 100-200m and then you get into the water. The tidal current brings you back to where you started. You just have to exit before the current pulls you out into the sea.

While floating, you get to see lots of corals and fish in many different colors. We also saw a turtle and a reef shark (usually not dangerous) up close.

Today at Coral Bay, the southern end of the Ningalo Reef (in total 300km long), I went snorkeling again and I got to see a Manta Ray. Very beautiful creatures!

The part of the reef close to the shore is bigger but not as colorful. It’s still amazing and feels like being in a giant aquarium or a zoo tank.

As we left the metro in downtown Perth we were greeted by a military band who was playing “Let me entertain you” with a really cool performance.

But that was not the only good impression of the city. Another highlight is King’s Park, located on the river side and slightly elevated (242 steps lead to the park). The park is huge and full of trees and plants from all over Australia. There was even one tree, about 750 years old, that has travelled all the way from the north of Western Australia (more than 3000km). It doesn’t have any leaves, but it seems to be growing.

For dinner we went to Annalakshmi, an Indian restaurant right at the river docks. It wasn’t only delicious, but also for free! Lunch and dinner are offered every day of the week, except Mondays. They do it based on donations – you can pay as much as you like when you leave the restaurant.

Once more we were lucky and there was a free music festival that day in Northbridge (a district of Perth), the “Saturday Spectacular” with young bands from Western Australia. There were quite a few spectators due to the great quality of music. Then we wanted to enjoy a cold beer with the music. However, it seems to be forbidden to drink in public as there were plenty of food stalls but none for drinks. Instead we had to invest in two scoops of Ben&Jerry’s ice cream.

The next day we set off to explore Fremantle, or Freo as they call it here. We had a look at the Fremantle prison, a world heritage site, which was in operation until 1991. The Shipwreck Galleries were also interesting. They had several artifacts from sunken ships (also coins from Hamburg) and a piece of the famous merchant ship Batavia on display. The rest of the day we spent watching parades, street artists and people drawing on the streets.

After flying 10.5 hours in seats that felt like flying first class (emergency exit row with lots of leg space and a half empty plane that allowed for sleeping in three seats at a time) we left the plane.

But where were we? The destination was supposed to be Perth, but this could be somewhere in America… The two directions on the highway are separated by a large piece of grass, bushes or trees. However, all cars are going on the wrong side of the road (we’re trying to imitate them as much as possible). Then there are the shopping malls, a large complex with parking lots in the middle and the shops all around, which are very typical for the US. But if you go inside, everyone is greeting you with a muffled “G’day” that sounds almost like “Hello”. When it comes to houses you’ll find that they are the same type as in the states – large ground floor, no upper level, no basement, and walls and windows are as thin. Only the red dirt from front- and backyard could be seen as an indication for a foreign country.

By the end of the second day we had found proof. First it was a sign. Then we saw lots of them – Kangaroos! It’s got to be America, I mean Australia. As we already found out, they’re cute animals but not very smart. They like to come out at dawn and graze in open fields (such as golf courts), but also like to stand really close by the roads. Luckily we haven’t hit one, but we’ve seen quite a few dead ones…