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Day One – Flying from Heathrow to Perth with Singapore Airlines
Today we flew with Singapore Airlines to Perth, departing Heathrow at 9:30am. The aircraft on both legs was spacious and clean. The onboard crew were very helpful and friendly, making the long flight as comfortable and relaxing as possible. Their uniforms were beautiful and traditional. We flew economy and were provided blankets, headphones and pillow. We were given breakfast, lunch and dinner during the flight, and were allowed to use the snack menu throughout the flight. There were food options suitable for meat lovers, vegetarians and vegans. All meals came with a bread roll, cheese and crackers and fruit. On each seat, a plug was available to charge your devices throughout the flight. To use the free onboard Wi-Fi, you can sign up to Kris flyer and become a member for free. Also, there is a range of tv shows and movies available, as well as some music playlists that cover all genres. Being a Kris flyer member gives you access to even more entertainment options. You can also view the flight path, how long the journey has left, and which country you are flying over. I would advise you to bring an eye mask if you plan to sleep on the flight, as some people keep their lights on throughout the trip.
Day Two – Arrived in Perth and a Visit to Rottnest Island
I arrived in Perth around 12:30, and after being transferred to our hotel, The Crown Promenade, we were given the afternoon and evening to relax or explore Perth. The room was spacious and tidy, with a big bathroom space. On arrival we were welcomed by kind staff members who gave us directions to the key areas, such as the rooms and restaurant. They also informed us of good spots to visit in Perth whilst we are here. This hotel is next to the Crown Metropole, and we had access to that hotel, so we could use their restaurants, food hall, bar area and casino if we wished.
When everyone had been checked in, we were given the rest of the day to explore the city independently. Me and my roommate decided to squeeze in a trip to Rottnest Island to visit the Quokkas. This was one of my highlights on the trip! From the hotel, we got an Uber for roughly 20 minutes, to get to the departure terminal. It was then a 30-minute ferry journey to get to the island. The last ferry leaves the island at 7pm. Luckily, in the short time we had there, we saw lots of Quokkas and managed to get our Quokka Selfie! We also enjoyed a cold drink on the beach before heading back to the hotel, where we had dinner. Whilst taking in the scenery at the beach, I managed to see a couple of stingrays swimming near the shore. Ideally, you will need a full day to be able to tour the island and witness the stunning views from the beaches. There is a range of activities to do, like bike hire, surfing, hiking, etc. For a return trip, the ferry costs 80 AUD, which is roughly £40.
Day Three – Rockingham Dolphin Swim and Welcome Event
Me and the group had an early start as we made our way down to Rockingham by coach, which is roughly an hour’s drive from the hotel. Once we arrived, we were greeted by Perth Wildlife Encounters, who allowed us time to visit the coffee shop to grab a hot drink and bite to eat before our exciting day began. The locals who were out for a morning walk spoke to us about the dolphins they see often and gave us some insight into the area.
Once everyone was on the boat and seated, one of the tour guides gave us an introduction to dolphins, how they behave and how to act and remain respectful around them in the water. Then we split into groups based on our snorkelling ability and were given a safety briefing before taking it in turns to head into the water. I was very lucky to see around 15 dolphins, including baby dolphins. They were very friendly and sociable, swimming under and over us, communicating with us underwater and showing us their bellies, which shows they feel safe enough with us to show us the softest part of their bodies. We leant that the scars on their fins are from males showing their dominance and how the grates on the female’s backs are from mating season.
After a couple hours, we said goodbye to the dolphins and stopped off in a different area to have lunch and an optional swim in the open waters. A buffet of fruit, meats, pasta, cheeses and other finger foods were provided for us, where we could help ourselves. Wetsuits are also provided, and they have a range of different sizes. Once we docked back at the port, we were given a gift bag and a warm goodbye. Whilst on the boat, you are asked to complete an electronic waiver, which takes an email address. Once completed, you will receive an email from the company. This then allows for the company to email you a link to a website where you will find photos from your trip. These are a great so you can keep hold of the memories from your time with the dolphins.
After the day was finished, everyone made their way to the Perth Zoo, where the evening was held. There was live music, aboriginal performances, a huge buffet and some heart felt speeches were shared. Everyone spent the evening socializing and getting to know one another, whilst taking in their individual experiences over the past few days.
Days Four to Six – Agent Convention and Evening Events
Over the next three days, I attended the Agent convention, where sellers from all over Australia shared in depth knowledge about their product and the location they are based in. Each seller had interesting and helpful tips about the destination and product. This helped me and other agents understand just how huge the country is. During the evenings, we went to various event locations, where we witnessed live aboriginal performances, learned how locals spend their evenings, and shared laughs with our peers. Fremantle is definitely worth visiting if you have the time. You can get here by ferry, which takes roughly one hour, or take a 30-minute drive from the city centre. I would recommend taking the ferry, as you get to see Perth’s coastline, which is exceptionally beautiful during sunset. Did you know that people will take part in a “smoking ceremony”, where native plants are burned to cleanse your body of negative spirits and to allow you access on to the elder’s lands.
Day Seven – Fly to Adelaide, Wine and Food Pairing and River Torrens Kayaking
I was up and out of the hotel nice and early to catch a short flight down to Adelaide to start my tour of the city. The flight from Perth was around two hours, and we landed around
midday, due to the two-hour time difference. Straight from the airport, me and my group were taken to the National Wine Centre by coach, where we took part in a wine and food tasting tour. We learnt about the history of wine and how important the wine industry is to South Australia’s economy. Each wine was paired with a different kind of food for us to try, each pair perfectly matched. We got to try both red and white wines. A visit to the National Wine Centre can be made via a guided tour, or you can explore the grounds independently, and relax in the garden with a bite to eat and a drink after. The service we received was lovely and we all gave compliments to the chef.
After we let the food and wine settle, we were escorted to the botanical gardens, where we engaged in a smoking ceremony, to be blessed and protected by the land’s elders. The
tour takes us to different kinds of native trees and plants, and an expert tour guide explains how the lands’ first settlers used the environment to adapt and survive, including how they used plants for medicine and tree bark for hunting weapons. We also got to try leaves from a salt bush, and yes, they did taste of salt! The tour guides shared In-depth knowledge of Adelaide’s history and about the original settlers and they were more than happy to answer all our questions at the end.
Once the tour had finished, we made our way to the River Torrens, which runs through the middle of Adelaide, to take part in Kayaking. We met with three young gents who walked us through how to use the paddles correctly and how to navigate our way on the river. They also gave us tips on how to avoid getting wet whilst in the kayak. We spent an hour kayaking up and down the river due to a tight schedule, before heading to our first hotel, The Majestic M Suites. The kayak tour tends to be 2 hours, depending on the weather.
Located just 7 minutes from Adelaide CBD, the Majestic M Suites provides a sense of luxury, whilst remaining boutique and relaxing. The room I stayed in had two bedrooms and two bathrooms, with a kitchen and a living area. This room type is perfect for friends who are traveling together or families with younger children. The reception was very welcoming and there are a few restaurants nearby that are within walking distance. The group and I went to Ruby Reds Flamingo Restaurant, which is a four-minute walk from the hotel. We enjoyed our meals whilst discussing everything we had learnt over the few days.
Day Eight – Fly to Flinders Ranges and Tours of Arkaroola
Today the group and I made our way to the Adelaide Airstrip, where we were introduced to the pilot who was taking us on a one-hour flight to the Flinders Ranges. We were lucky enough to have our own charter plane and transfer to our accommodation. The aircraft was big enough to seat 10 passengers, however the baggage allowance is 10kg per person. You are allowed to pack liquids on this flight. We took a forty-minute drive to Arkaroola Wildlife Sanctuary, where we dropped off our bags and went on a quick bush walk whilst we waited for our rooms to be ready. The transfer guide had a baby joey on his lap, who he had saved from being hit by a car. He reassured us that when the joy was fully healed, he would be released back to the wild with his family. Within 10 minutes of walking, we were already blessed with a breath-taking view of the cliffs and rocky terrain. Once we made our way back to the reception, the group and I went on an escorted drive to different viewpoints in the outback. The steep and rocky roads made quite an interesting journey, where we held onto each other to stay in our seats! When we reached our final viewpoint, a bottle of champagne and some light snacks were shared around the group, as well as some group photos being taken. This tour lasted around two hours in total.
We then made our way back to the main building, where the reception, restaurant and gift shop is located, to meet with another guide, who took us to see the wild wallabies be fed. Whilst taking in the sight of the wallabies, the guide shared how him and his wife rescued one that had been hit by car and raised it in their house until it was old enough to be released back into the wild. To this day, they still get regular visits from their friends. During the wallaby feed, the guide kept us behind some railing so we would not disturb them or scare them, however we were close enough to have a good view and take some lovely videos. When the wallabies had left, we made our way to the restaurant for dinner. The menu is varied with suitable options and for those who would like to, there is an option to try Kangaroo. The portions are quite large, so this is something to bear in mind.
When we were all full, we made our way to the next tour, which was star gazing. We were introduced to the astrology world and looked at different Nebulas through the observatory
screens before heading outside to see the Milky Way and some planets like Venus and Saturn. During the outside stargazing, it is important to keep all torches, camera flashes and phone flashlights off, so your eyes can fully adjust to the dark and see all the stars and planets. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic, which made the experience even more interesting. He also stayed behind to answer the questions myself, the pilot and my roommate had – I still think Pluto should be a planet! He also got one of the telescopes out for us so we could see Saturn up close to the point where we could see the rings around it and witness the moon rising over the outback scenery. This was another highlight of mine, as I do not get to see many stars back home. This experience was like no other and I have never seen so many stars and meteors in such detail. This is possible here because there is no air pollution, which means the sky is completely clear. I come from a city so seeing stars in the sky is not an often thing and when I was standing outside at Arkaroola with the night sky littered with stars and planets, it really was an out of this world experience. After a long day and late night, my roommate and I made our way to the room, which had two beds, a dining area and a bathroom. The rooms are close to the main building and restaurant, so any resources needed were not far away. The sanctuary also has a pool on site.
Day Nine – Guided Bushwalk and Fly back to Adelaide
This morning, we had a lovely breakfast before heading on a guided bush drive. The menu has a range of options, as well as a self-service cereal and drinks bar. We went on another bush drive to see aboriginal cave drawings and learn more about the aboriginal settlement of the elders. We managed to see Emu’s walking down the road and some lizards climbing the rocks. After this, we had a guided bush walk with a guide who has lived on the land for years, and who kindly shared his stories and experiences with us. His friendly dog TomTom also tagged along. Once we were all back, the guide sat us down to share some aboriginal stories and give us an insight into how they used to live. We then had a chance to freshen up before heading back to the charter plane.
When we arrived back in Adelaide, we said goodbye to our friendly pilot and made our way back to the Majestic M Suites hotel to collect our bags and make our way to the Adelaide Oval hotel, where we spent the remaining time in Adelaide. This hotel is located right in the centre of Adelaide, and hosts some of the Ashes games each cricket season. The rooms we stayed in had a lovely view of the city and were spacious and clean. The bathroom comes with a large walk-in shower with the option of a waterfall shower, or normal one. The place is decorated with elegant art and décor, and there is access to the balcony that overlooks the iconic cricket pitch. There is an optional excursion available, where you can take a roof climb up to the top of the Oval. These tours can be during the day or evening, and sometimes you can climb during a game. Once we got checked in, everyone got ready to have dinner at the Oval. The food was lovely and the service we received was quick and friendly; no request was too much. After the busy couple of days, everyone retired to their rooms to prepare for the next day.
Day Ten – Barossa Valley and Maggie’s Beer Farm
On our final day in Adelaide, we went to two different wineries in the Barossa Valley and had a cooking class experience. The first winery we went to be the Yalumba winery, which is located on a beautiful property with traditional buildings and plenty of areas to sit and enjoy your wine. This was roughly a one-hour drive from the Oval Hotel. We got to see how the wine barrels are made and learn the process of barrel making. Yalumba is one of the only wineries that make their own barrels. I also got to extract wine from a barrel then taste it after. The tour guides were very informative about the history of wine making and how Yalumba came to be. The spacious grounds allow you to take a guided tour or have an independent wander around the property.
After a whistle stop tour of the property, we made our way to Maggie’s beer farm for our cooking lesson. We learnt to make Gnudi, which is a version of Gnocchi without the potatoes and an altered version of chicken salad. We cooked the Gundi first, then sat down to try what we had cooked. Everyone enjoyed the meal and was eager to see how the chicken salad turned out. The chicken salad was also a favourite amongst the group. This is a lovely activity to do if you are in the Barossa region, as you get to learn a new style of
cooking. We also had a chance to look around the farm shop, which had different spreads, cutlery and oils that we used during the lesson. There is also a café on site if you want to grab a light lunch and walk around the grounds. I managed to spot a few peacocks walking around.
After the cooking lesson, we made our way to the second winery, Seppeltsfield Winery, which offers a stunning view and has an interesting history behind it. Whilst here, we got to
try a 100-year-old port as well as a port from the barrel made in the year we were born. It was very interesting to see the colour difference between the two. After this, we got to take part in a wine tasting session. This is an optional excursion, so if you are not a massive wine fan, you do not have to take part. Instead, you can walk around the grounds and take in the stunning scenery. On the way back to the hotel, we were given the chance to go shopping before heading out to dinner. My roommate and I decided to head back to the hotel where we had refreshments on the balcony overlooking the cricket pitch, seeing the sunset set before grabbing a taxi to Sunny Pizza Bar for dinner. Here, we all shared a range of pizzas and sides, whilst looking back on our time spent in both Perth and Adelaide. After dinner, we all decided to head back to the hotel bar to have one last drink together before heading to the airport in the morning. We said goodbye to our tour guide and thanked her for the experience.
Day Eleven – Fly to Heathrow with a long layover in Singapore
The group and I made our way to the airport to catch our flights back home. After a seven hour flight to Singapore, we all had around 10 hours to kill before catching our next flight back to the UK. We decided to head to Gardens by the Bay, where we got to see the light show. This experience was amazing and is perfect for people who have a longer connection time. After the light show ended, we headed back to the airport lounge, where we all showered and got something to eat before boarding our next flight back home.
