Week 1 of Mum & Dad Farren's holiday - Visiting Emma and Lee!!

Mum & Dad arrived at Perth International Airport on Sunday evening, and we spent that evening settling into our home for the week - Villa Maria in Kalaroo.

The next day was bank holiday, which means that pretty much everything is shut here, so it was a good day to spend getting to know the area and relaxing on Mullaloo beach. The evening was spent in great Aussie tradition - BBQ!

Tuesday we drove into Perth city and spent time looking around the city, we walked down to the Swan River, saw the swan bells at the bell tower, and then headed off to King's Park for a picnic lunch.

On Wednesday we spent the day at Perth Zoo, where mum and dad got their first chance to see some of Australia's natives - koalas, kangaroos, crocodiles and snakes, as well as non-Aussie residents, such as the very rare sun bear, which has a population of less than 1,000.

Thursday morning we went on a Captain Cook cruise of the Swan River, from Perth city to the port of Fremantle. This cruise is a must for tourists, as you get to see an entirely different view of the area from the river, and you get a running commentary of the area from the captain along the way.

After a relaxing morning on the river, we spent the afternoon on the golf course - 9 holes at Hamersley; where as well as a great game of golf, mum and dad got their first chance to see a wild kangaroo.

Friday morning was spent at AQWA, the Aquarium of Western Australia. This aquarium has an amazing underwater tunnel through which runs a travelator so you don't even have to walk. We managed to get there at just the right time - feeding time, as we got to see the fish, turtles, rays and sharks being fed.

We relaxed at Marmion beach in the afternoon, before we headed off to Fremantle night markets, and then on to Little Creatures for dinner. Little Creatures is a working brewery with a restaurant inside, a great place for a different dining experience that serves great food, and in Emma's opinion - the best place to eat kangaroo!!

Saturday, we took a drive up into the hills - to Cohunu Koala Park. We went mainly because this is the only place in WA that you can hold a koala. It turned out to be a great day and we saw tonnes of Aussie animals, so when mum got to hold Tilly, the koala; it just topped off the day brilliantly.

It was a great first week.

See you soon,

Love Emma and Lee

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