Four of us played “truant” from the group today. The organised optional excursion was a 90 minute ferry ride from Perth to Fremantle, returning by coach in the early afternoon. We decided that we would like more time to explore, so we booked independently on the same ferry, getting there first to grab the best seats, and returned later by train. A big bonus was that we saved A$45 by doing it this way; needless to say, the tour manager was not best pleased. Fremantle turned out to be picturesque and full of historical interest. Many of the original 19th Century buildings have been preserved and new buildings have been well designed to fit in and retain the character of the town. We took a guided tour of the infamous prison and then wandered around the large market (fresh strawberry kebabs, coated in chocolate were to die for!) and a wide range of small independent and interesting shops. Fitting in two stops for coffee and one for lunch, all at pleasant locations, we got back into Perth at 6 to find a ghost town. On a Saturday evening in the UK, any City centre would still be bustling at this time but, here, all the shops had already closed and the streets, bars and restaurants were all empty. Clearly Perth is in need of an injection of night life.
The Beast's Pen 