Travel Guides and Stories

This year, to prepare for Jiuzhaigou, I learned a lot on Mafengwo, and after reading everyone’s travelogues, I got the itch to write. Having just finished writing about Jiuzhaigou, I immediately dug up last year’s notes to reminisce about my Western Australia journey. First, this is for myself—to turn memories into words. Second, to share a few tips for anyone who needs them. Here’s a Perth landscape shot to start.

After getting my Australian visa in January 2010, I started working on getting leave and buying plane tickets for April. My English isn’t great, so my wife handled it all. There are several ways to get from Shanghai to Perth: direct with China Southern, via Hong Kong with Dragonair or Cathay, or via Sydney with China Eastern. Since we were on a tight budget, we chose a cheap combo: AirAsia + Tiger Airways. Speaking of planes, here’s a photo from an air show in Perth.

Once your main direction is set, deciding on entry and exit points is another puzzle: Hangzhou, Haikou, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore—a string of stopovers took some planning. Factoring in flights and costs, we picked Hangzhou + Malaysia + Singapore + Perth going there, and the reverse on the way back. A reminder: budget airlines often change or cancel flights, so don’t book your connections too tightly. Out of six flights, four departure times changed, and I had to cancel my Malaysia hotel booking on the way there (luckily I resold it for a discount to another traveler). One change came just a week before departure. Also, watch out for baggage weight and in-flight meals—extra baggage is how they make money, and they’re strict. For long international flights, it’s hard to resist the “delicious” airline food, so I recommend pre-ordering to save money. AirAsia takes CNY on domestic routes but only bills (no coins). Shanghai, Hangzhou, KL, Singapore, and Perth all use Beijing time, so there was no jetlag for me. On April 8, 2010, after work at 5pm, my wife and I met at Shanghai’s Zhongshan Park subway station and took the train to Hangzhou. After arriving at Hangzhou South Station, we braved the rain by taxi to Xiaoshan Airport for our 9pm AirAsia flight. In hindsight, it was cutting it close—one hiccup could have ruined things. Thankfully, everything went smoothly, though my old sneakers started leaking (they were eventually sold by my mother-in-law!). AirAsia was actually better than Tiger Airways—big planes, more comfortable. Next to me was a handsome and polite Indian guy, but my English is poor so I didn’t chat much. There was a lively Chinese tour group nearby, probably civil servants. After a while everyone fell asleep. I never sleep well on planes or buses, so I kept watch. Around 2–3am, the flight attendants handed out entry forms (in English, so my wife handled them). The Indian guy kindly lent us a pen. Shanghai in April is cold, but it was hot as soon as we landed in KL. We didn’t rush through customs, but stopped to take off layers. In the restroom I saw a water hose by the faucet (for Indian travelers, I guess). I also saw showers and prayer rooms—very user-friendly! You don’t need a visa to transit Malaysia, as long as you have onward tickets; Singapore is stricter—without a visa, the airline won’t let you board. I checked this with a Tiger Airways staff member. Since the first day was mostly travel, not many photos—so more words here. Here’s a photo from later on.

AirAsia lands at what I think is called LCC Terminal in KL, the old airport for budget airlines. After a long walk, we got to Tiger Airways’ desk—no staff since we were so early. Even at midnight, the KL airport was bustling. No wonder Malaysians say their planes reach everywhere, even if the roads and trains aren’t as developed as China’s. We saw armed security, but Malaysia felt safe. Still half-asleep and unable to check in for Singapore, we had to nap on the airport chairs. Since then, whenever someone says they’re booking a hotel for a long layover, I say, “Just sleep at the airport!” I never really sleep, so I kept an eye out for staff. Finally, we checked in (again, you can’t board Tiger without a Singapore visa). AirAsia planes are bright red and white, Tiger planes have a tiger on them. As our plane approached Singapore, I looked at the sea—it was a beautiful green with cargo ships dotting the water. Once inside the terminal (also for budget flights), I managed immigration okay, but my wife had an issue—the officer kept asking if she was coming to Singapore to study, since so many Chinese do! She said she was just passing through to Perth.

I have colleagues who studied in Singapore, and legend has it that Changi Airport has a pool, free games, and all sorts of fun things. So I took my wife to explore (we had to wait for our Perth flight anyway). We took a shuttle to Terminal 1—there are three terminals, 1 and 2 for full-service airlines, 3 (ours) for budget carriers. Most entertainment is in T1 and T2, so we couldn’t access it. Food is better in T1; we found a Chinese-Singaporean fast food place tucked away. We went early, so the special rice (wrapped in lotus leaves with a coconut flavor) wasn’t ready yet. The old man who brought our food was really elderly, with a uniform that had “18xx” on the back—it felt historic! Portions in Singapore are small, so I ordered several dishes to get full. They also have soft-boiled eggs made by pouring hot water—really tasty.

After eating, we wandered the airport. With three terminals, there are both buses and a light rail. While waiting for the shuttle, we saw a teacher leading kids on a “field trip” to the airport.

Looking out from the light rail, Singapore is clean and well-organized.

After exploring, we went to an info desk to ask about Singapore’s free city tours. We didn’t have enough time, but the staff were friendly and helpful. The airport staff’s Chinese was about as good as my English! Many airport cleaners are elderly—maybe that’s due to an aging population. And lots of the shop staff are from mainland China, but most couldn’t answer questions about sightseeing—they just work and go home, not much travel. I guess that’s our “hardworking” tradition. Here’s a candid shot of a stylish local girl.

The flight from Singapore to Perth is a bit of a haul—we landed late at night. Behind us were three Chinese-speaking young women; one was visiting her boyfriend in Australia, the other two were headed to farm work. I noticed their green Taiwan passports. I’d heard that overseas customs officers have lots of power, and I saw it firsthand: a Singaporean woman ahead of me had her dried foods opened and tossed out by staff, no chance to protest. I got nervous because I had some half-eaten snacks mixed in my luggage, but when my turn came, a friendly young officer barely checked us and wished us a good trip.

The moment we exited customs, we saw my wife’s friends—“Old An” and his wife—who had helped guarantee our visas. Out of Perth airport, it was really dark—nothing like Shanghai’s brightness. We got in their white Hyundai and relied on this car for the next few days. I complimented them on the car, and they said they’d just replaced it after an accident. Here’s a bit about Perth’s roads and traffic.

Maybe we went to more remote places, but out of thousands of kilometers, I only saw traffic lights in Perth itself. The city does get traffic jams, and their parking garages are 6–7 stories high. Drivers are courteous—if a car behind is faster, the driver in front will move over, and the one behind won’t pass recklessly. I once read a joke online: Chinese drivers in Australia start out slow (not used to right-hand drive), then go fast since there’s no traffic, then slow again after hitting a kangaroo. Many cars here have a tow hitch for campers or boats. Without a car in Australia, it’s really inconvenient. Old An’s family lives in Fremantle, near the beach. His sister’s house is a developer-built garden home, while he says his own house’s foundations are over a century old. Here’s a photo of one of those garden home communities.

A few photos from Old An’s neighborhood.

New neighborhoods are beautiful, just like some nice ones in China. Old neighborhoods have their own charm—like scenes from old European or American movies. Notice the “for sale” sign in the last photo. Old Perth homes aren’t expensive, and they come with land. The market hadn’t boomed when I visited—would have been a good time for investment. But Chinese seem to prefer city apartments. Continuing the story: before heading home, Old An’s wife wanted to stop at an ATM. Like in China, there are fees for using other banks’ ATMs, so they had to try several. In China, ATMs are inside buildings, but here they’re outside—makes me think of movie scenes with muggings! By the way, my Ping An debit card works with certain logos worldwide without fees. At Old An’s, I was greeted by two dogs. I’m not a fan of furry creatures—never cared for petting people’s hair, let alone animals. So two dogs was a bit much for me. The big dog, Billy, is a retired racing dog—he’s like a cheetah, with a small head, very calm. When his tail hit my foot, I could feel the weight—think how deadly a tiger’s tail must be! Here’s Billy:

And here’s the little dog, Finny—a chihuahua, just like a clingy kid.

They also had a cat named Grace, but she was too shy for photos. After getting close to these animals, my aversion to fur eased. Now in my own complex, I don’t avoid dogs and cats like before. After Finny did a few tricks, we settled into the guest room. As I said, there’s no time difference with Shanghai, so we slept well. Next morning, I joined Old An on his dog walk (with Billy). They drove to a dedicated dog park several blocks away. There, I saw other dog walkers—Aussies do follow the rules. I also saw old houses and RVs—some people might still live in them, so there’s rich and poor everywhere.

After the dog walk, we went grocery shopping. The big supermarket was similar to home—lots of meat and milk on display. As I was browsing, a young man hurried by, adjusting his work uniform and starting to stock shelves. An older staffer scolded him for being late: “I pay you—part-time or not, you need to work hard!” Even in a laid-back city, you can’t slack off at work. The small supermarket (like a convenience store) was run by a Singaporean; we chatted in Chinese. He splits time between Singapore and Australia, but prefers Aussie life. After shopping, we had breakfast at Old An’s. From this meal on, I changed my breakfast habits: cold milk with cereal, apples, bananas, nuts—whatever you like. It’s nutritious and quick—3 minutes to make, 5 to eat, done in 10. They also had toast with spreads, eggs, bacon, and coffee—that’s a bit much for daily life, though. I liked this breakfast style. I was about to ask about sights and routes when Old An said, “You took care of us in China, so this trip, let me arrange everything.” Fair enough! We toured his home studio (badges and souvenirs), and a few days later his warehouse, which amazed me—he does everything himself, even has equipment for heavy lifting!

Here’s the dock where Old An keeps his boat. He admitted he can’t fix it himself, so it was in for repairs and he couldn’t take us out. In China, kids are pushed toward math competitions, but few actually succeed. We need more hands-on classes. Many kids, including me, lack practical skills. Recently, a Uruguayan girl made headlines for saving someone in West Lake—her rescue technique was textbook, clearly trained.

Here are two photos of Old An’s garden. They made the paths, lawn, and flowers themselves. The little house with cutouts is for Billy; if it rains, he gets walked inside (very humane!). In the second photo, notice the bare tree. When I arrived, it was full of leaves, but since April is autumn in Perth, Old An cut it back for the next year’s growth. Before we set off, Old An gave us his address, phone number, and a local SIM card, just in case—a great idea, also used by hotels. In the bathroom, I remembered a James Bond movie where he figures out he’s in the southern hemisphere by the way water drains. I tried this experiment myself—can’t remember the result, but it was my first “real” experiment since graduation!

On April 10, Old An took us to downtown Perth to get a feel for the city. First, we drove to Fremantle Port to catch a boat to downtown.

The sky was so blue—bluer even than Jiuzhaigou. The sun was dazzling; the reflected light off the water was blinding. I brought sunglasses, but left my prescription glasses in my bag, so when I saw something jumping out on the water (probably a dolphin), I couldn’t film it! A few days ago I watched a Japanese documentary about dolphin hunts—strongly against that kind of behavior. Now, enjoy some shots of waterfront homes, yachts, and scenery.

Australians love the water. According to Old An, owning a boat is a status symbol. In every picture, the water looks blue because it reflects the sky. Here’s a photo of green water up close.

Before and after the cruise, the staff line up to greet or send you off—stylish and friendly! Before departure, a young sailor sounds the horn, which is quite stirring. After about an hour, the boat arrives in downtown Perth.

Every city has its landmarks—here, the Ferris wheel and glass spire are the symbols. Went to the Shanghai Expo last month and saw a Ferris wheel on the Huangpu River—Guangzhou and Singapore have them too. Who’s copying who?

This is the barge dock. Perth is split by water—the dock is downtown, opposite are the zoo and other attractions.

Tourists disembark—snapped a photo of two stylish girls. There are lots of Western tourists, but not many Asians (most Chinese prefer Sydney and the Great Barrier Reef). In several days, I only met one Chinese tourist.

Western parents rarely carry kids—big kids use strollers or are carried on their backs. Can anyone tell me if that girl’s jersey is West Ham or Aston Villa? I’d love to see a football match in Europe or South America someday.

The spire is a clock tower but was closed. To explore a city, you have to walk it. We followed Old An into a big lawn where people were gathered—turned out to be a Buddha’s birthday celebration. Any Buddhist friends know which Buddha?

People of all backgrounds run stalls—not all are Buddhists, probably. Just like “culture sets the stage, business sings the show.”

We tried their food—basically flatbread with sauces, but tasty.

After eating, of course you need water—here’s a public drinking fountain in Perth. It’s like the sand filtration fountains I had in school as a kid, but you rarely see them in Shanghai anymore.

Before leaving the event, I snapped a photo—don’t these people look stylish? I used to think Westerners were all overweight, but in Perth, most people are fit. The only fat people I saw were foreign tourists. No wonder Nicole Kidman had to go to America—here, her figure and looks wouldn’t stand out!

Is this an Aboriginal item? It was a pity not to see any traditionally dressed Aboriginal people on this trip.

Kangaroo drinking water.

I also saw roadwork—wanted to see if their construction methods are less polluting.

Every time there’s a wedding in my neighborhood I love to see the beautiful bride—so of course I couldn’t miss a big wedding here! Spotted a crowd and wedding dress across the street and had to check it out.

Flower girl and cool uncle.

Crowds of guests, and the bride and groom arrive by carriage.

Groom and bride greet the guests. Turns out it was an Indian groom and a Western bride—congrats! Notice the no-parking sign? But the wedding carriage gets a pass. Just like special wedding plates at home—police turn a blind eye.

Carriages are for fairy tales—nowadays, fancy cars are the modern touch. Here come the luxury cars.

Why such big cars? The best man realized the reason after seeing the impressive bridesmaids.

Weddings are a show—so much fun! After the ceremony, we headed for Perth’s pedestrian street—London Court is even listed in guidebooks. Here’s a graffiti shot (not the best, but worth sharing).

As you get closer to the mall, the buildings take on a distinctly British look.

Urban modernization is unstoppable—even old buildings can’t hide the new ones behind them.

Walking is eco-friendly but inefficient, cars are efficient but not eco-friendly—so let’s all ride bikes. In Jiuzhaigou, I saw many cyclists on Route 213.

Chinese pedestrian streets are always packed. Once, when AC Milan visited Shanghai, my classmate drove Carlo Ancelotti through Nanjing Road—when the light turned green, the crowd surged like at San Siro! Perth’s pedestrian street is much quieter, though busier than elsewhere in town.

The girl in this shot isn’t bad, right?

Checking out London Court and its shops and postcards. We mailed a few—only my mother-in-law received hers!

After London Court, we had lunch in a mall. Westerners generally eat lunch late, around 2pm. My old Singaporean bosses did too—maybe it’s a Western thing?

After lunch, we headed back. Passing a small square, we caught a street performer’s act.

He “challenged” a police car, who played along by pretending to chase him away. All in good fun!

He also interacted with a girl in a wheelchair—very touching. Writing this, I thought of Wu Qizhi from “China’s Got Talent”—street performers who bring joy deserve respect. No going back! On the way home, we took the Perth metro. Here’s the system map.

Next, buying tickets—$3.60 (AUD). In Shanghai, the starting fare is 3 yuan, so looks like our prices are high!

Our station was a major interchange. No security checks like in Shanghai—staff are friendly.

This station felt like a city-center terminal, maybe a converted train station—lots of European stations are like this, as is one in KL.

Napping on the metro is universal!

The bike parking area is nice, but probably not ideal for China, the “kingdom of bikes.”

On the train, my wife decided to make dumplings for everyone. We went to COLES supermarket to pick ingredients (it’s a big chain you’ll see everywhere near Perth). After shopping, we headed to the beach.

According to guidebooks, Perth has a “City Beach” where you can swim right after work. We ended up at a “wild” beach—there are so many to choose from, like Sanya, but better than Shanghai. We’d see even better beaches later.

On April 11th, we began our second day’s journey—today’s plan was dolphin watching. After a long drive, we reached the area where dolphins are often seen. Here are some photos of seabirds along the way.

Next, some pictures of other boats out searching for dolphins with us.

The captain announced we had entered the dolphins’ activity area, and everyone on board began to get excited.

In the end, we didn’t see any dolphins—my disappointment was like that little girl’s in the photo.

With no dolphins to watch, we turned our attention to the luxurious houses along the shore. They’re newly built, waiting for wealthy residents to come enjoy a “natural” life.

Let’s take a look at their marinas—boats here are as common as cars.

With no dolphins, everyone “took out their frustration” on ice cream.

The outing on April 11th ended as quietly as this little duck.

Here are some pictures of dinner—Thai food, with a garlicky aroma.

After a while, I forgot one thing we did on April 11th—so here’s a note. Before going abroad, I wanted to see how foreigners do Sunday worship. That Sunday, I attended their service. Maybe there was no church nearby, so about 50–60 believers (half Asian, half Western) used a school auditorium. Each family brought lots of food. People sang, played instruments, and led worship themselves. We were taken to a side room where a Malaysian Chinese engineer explained the Bible in Mandarin, together with an elderly Chinese lady. After half an hour, we joined the main hall for singing. Before the end, everyone received a small cup of red liquid and a white wafer. We were about to eat when the engineer’s wife stopped us—she said if you eat, you must commit to the faith (she hoped we would). In the end, we didn’t eat. After the service, there was a big meal. My English is poor, so I chatted with Chinese girls, while my wife mingled with everyone. On the way back, I asked what they talked about—she said almost everyone asked about her plans for studying in Australia. After lunch, we walked the campus and then went dolphin watching.

April 12th, a new day. Old An had some errands, so my wife and I explored their neighborhood and took photos. The area is really quiet and the houses are diverse.

On the main road, we found a bus stop—waited 10 minutes and saw only one bus, with few passengers. The shelter was like those in Shanghai, with broken glass and empty bottles. The next morning, the glass was already fixed.

Around noon, we headed downtown to visit the Perth Mint—a recommended sight, as Western Australia’s gold rush history began here. The mint is a bit like a show; what could be a simple process is made dramatic and sacred. It’s like how Western parents take kids to see their first school play—cheering and clapping at the end. Before the mint, we had a buffet lunch.

See the bottles? I want to point out: in local restaurants, they always serve cold water in bottles, sometimes colored, sometimes clear—not like us, who use kettles. At the mint, photos aren't allowed inside, just outside. There are several areas: a live gold smelting show, a global gold exhibit (with a scale that tells you your weight in gold and its value), a coin-making process, a gold rush scene simulation, and a gift shop.

After visiting the mint, we wandered the city and did some street photography.

Now, two photos: first, the “Red Cat” bus. In Perth, if you don’t have a car but need to get around the city or to distant suburbs, just take the “Red Cat,” “Blue Cat,” or “Yellow Cat” bus—like tourist bus routes.

Second, crows—there are lots in Perth, along with flies and seabirds. Since I went in autumn, I didn’t notice the flies, but the seabirds are everywhere. If you leave your food unattended by the sea, the birds will eat it for you!

How do you tell the difference between a Catholic and a Protestant church? The next two photos give a simple answer. In the first, do you see the confessional? In Catholicism, you can't talk directly to God—your words go through a priest, and since these confessions are private, you need a small booth.

The second photo should be the Madonna. Catholics believe she is also divine, while Protestants see her as a regular person.

In traditional Chinese architecture, doors are often carved with old stories; in Western churches, stained glass windows play a similar role.

April 13th: today we left Perth for a trip to the Karri Forest. Here are some shots from along the road—taken from the car, so please excuse the quality.

Why grapes after so many scenery shots? During a long drive, we snacked in the car. In China, we spit out grape skins/seeds, but Old An and friends eat the whole grape. I remembered the tongue twister: "Eat grapes without spitting out the skins." After a while, we stopped at a small roadside shop selling farm products and ostrich goods. Here’s an ostrich in the pen outside.

The shop’s layout—China has these too, but I like their style better.

The owner introduced us to ostrich oil, wine, sauces, etc. I spent 18 AUD on a little bottle of ostrich oil—Baido later and found it has many uses.

I also bought an ostrich egg for 16 AUD—worried it’d break on the way, but it made it home intact.

Labeled farm products.

We also tried an ostrich meat pie.

After the shop, back on the road—one pie isn’t enough, so we had fast food too.

The cashier’s eyeliner was heavy! I also saw a jukebox—wanted to play a song, but didn’t. Burgers and sandwiches are everywhere along WA highways. "Chicken" logo fast food chains (like the French team’s rooster) are also common; I ate at one in the airport, too. Local shops sell homemade foods, like what mom makes. Oddly, I only saw one McDonald’s, and no KFCs, even in Singapore and KL (maybe I missed them). As we drove, cars got fewer—it felt like we were leaving civilization. Time for wild animals! But mostly we saw kangaroo roadkill, not live ones. Those tourist ads showing kangaroos chasing cars? Not very likely. First, they’re not everywhere; second, some are penned; third, maybe kangaroos have become lazy. But we did see some live ones—see photos below.

After seeing the roadside kangaroos, we continued on. Since Karri Forest is quite far, we checked into a private farm stay that night. They had a black labrador, not allowed in the house and very obedient. A bit too much fur for me, but I petted it anyway. Here are some farm photos: kitchen,

sitting area,

At night, in the forest, it's cold if you don’t light a fire.

Guestbook and visitors’ photos.

Dinner was at a hotel outside the farm. Driving out at night, Old An asked us to watch for wild animals—not because he didn’t know the road, but to keep an eye out for wildlife. About restaurants: in all my experience (and on TV), private dining rooms are rare abroad. Here are some photos.

See the saw? That was once an essential tool for logging these forests.

That huge tree in the old photo—I saw it myself, it’s massive. Food photos:

April 14th, it was cloudy and rainy in the mountains, with occasional sunshine. I spent the downtime at the farm just spacing out.

“What are you looking at? I’m the Bull Demon King. Bring your cows if you dare.”

Breakfast time.

Unfamiliar fruit and sauces.

Here’s some “original” fruit.

Not sure what Old An and the farm owner discussed, but the owner offered to sell his farm for AUD 500,000. If I were rich, I’d be tempted. After leaving, we stopped in a small town for a breather. Bus stop:

Of course, the parking lot near the forest uses giant logs for decoration.

Here’s a trailer shot as mentioned before.

Even a small town has real estate development. Not sure if their harsh winter affects business.

Karri Forest revealed! Totems and decorations at the entrance, plus cute kids.

To make visiting safer and easier, they built a treetop skywalk in the forest. It’s safe and scenic, but not for those afraid of heights. At the highest point, it started raining and blowing hard—the bridge swayed and I clung to the handrail, scared!

Off the skywalk, you see many huge trees, each with a hollow at the base—big enough to hide a person.

Fresh air after the forest.

I really like this kind of tree—when I bought a new house, I made sure the neighborhood had them.

Before coming, I read about another famous "brave tree"—the lookout tree for bushfire watch. It can only be climbed one way, like scaffolding with no protection. Once you start, you can't stop, because climbers behind you can't back down. I got nervous just watching the video. Glad Old An didn’t take us up that one! On the road again—this trip really was a road movie. Here are a couple of “oil painting” style photos.

The sun came out again.

Another little town. Old An’s wife knows I love sweets, so she bought me a bunch—I was so stuffed, I never bragged about my sweet tooth again. Birds here are never disturbed.

And now, a surprise for bird lovers!

My wife tried to get close to the birds, but they teased her—when she stepped forward, they hopped forward; when she stepped back, they hopped back!

The birds took flight, and so did we.

Was this old sailing ship left by the first settlers?

The scenery from the boat was truly stunning.

This may have been a landing port, now converted—the building is an exhibition center.

After disembarking, we explored the next town—a much bigger place with several main roads.

They say seeing a rainbow brings good luck. Do you believe it? I do.

Another day’s journey ended with another lovely cottage.

Why show this photo last? I want to discuss: at every home and hotel, we saw CRT TVs—Chinese homes all use LCDs now. East Asians really do love electronics! Also, there’s rarely a TV wall behind the set. In China, that’s a must-have. On the night of April 14th, I saw a sky full of stars for the first time in a decade—no streetlights, so the night was pitch black and the stars dazzling. Alas, my camera couldn’t capture it. In Jiuzhaigou, I never saw the stars because of clouds. I also haven’t seen fireflies in ten years—maybe next time I’ll see stars and fireflies together.

April 15th, a new day—today’s goal: the most beautiful beach. First, shots of the farmstay in the morning sun.

The sunlight in front of the farmhouse.

The BBQ area behind the house.

The guardian of fruits and vegetables.

A bit of a pity I didn’t get to spend a night in the treehouse.

The lovely little host.

After saying goodbye, we started a new day’s journey. As soon as we set out, we saw a huge group of kangaroos in the distance—probably several hundred.

Then we reached the seaside. From here on, the photos are just blue, white, and green—please forgive me!

This was my favorite beach of the trip—maybe it was the perfect sunlight that day, but it was truly beautiful. The sand was so fine and clean, I couldn’t resist bringing a bag home.

After saying goodbye to the beach, we started our journey home. Here’s a photo of local people protesting—these socks on the fence are a sign of opposition to a plot of land being fenced off for development.

The vast sky meant we could see all kinds of weather—overhead, dark clouds; in the distance, brilliant sunshine.

Our car “raced” the stormclouds and won.

The return trip was like a beautiful road movie.

Finally, we returned to Fremantle. At dusk, we went to the Fisherman’s Wharf by the sea to begin our seafood adventure.

The beautiful sunset was intoxicating, but I was brought back to reality by a sentence in a heavy Dongbei accent: “Cao, it’s really pretty!” I turned around—it was a Chinese tour group of about ten people. Many Chinese love pets, but take them everywhere, even where it’s not suitable. Australians, on the other hand, really know how to arrange things for their pets. We’ve got a lot to learn!

Of course you eat seafood by the sea, but I found Aussie seafood presentations not that impressive.

My meal.

After dinner, we went home early and watched an Aussie Rules football game with Old An (felt less exciting than American football). Then we rested early. April 16th was our last day in Australia—short holidays mean you have to go home. We packed up and I asked my wife if she had any last wishes—she said she wanted to go to the beach again and see a koala. Over breakfast, we learned that Perth’s only place to see koalas is the zoo. So, off to the zoo!

Early morning by the sea:

After the seaside, we took the subway to downtown Perth and then the ferry to the zoo’s location. Because there was an air show the next day, planes were flying overhead in rehearsal.

The zoo isn’t very big—about the size of Shanghai’s Peace Park. The animal exhibits are arranged by continent. Didn’t get photos of the tiger or lion since it was too hot at midday.

Next, some native Australian animals.

As I mentioned, kangaroos are very lazy—see for yourself, they’re adorably lazy.

After kangaroos, it’s time for koalas. We walked by the koala enclosure three times and didn’t see one. Just as we were about to give up, we tried a fourth time and finally found it. Before leaving, we asked a staff member if you could take photos holding a koala. He told us, “It’s not allowed in Australia.” I showed him a photo of a Chinese celebrity couple holding one—he shrugged and said, “That’s illegal.” I saw the same on TV—tour hosts aren't allowed to hold koalas either.

There are also some impressive trees in the zoo—huge, and with no bark.

Now, a few more birds and reptiles.

After the zoo, since our flight was at 9pm, we wandered around shopping, then lay down by the riverside to enjoy the view.

Just lying down, relaxing—back to China, it’ll be back to hard work.

As night fell, our Perth trip came to an end—here’s a night shot as a farewell.

Thanks to Old An and his wife for their warm hospitality, and to Australia for all the wonderful memories. I’ll definitely return to this beautiful city. Our return trip was exactly the reverse of how we came. Because of a flight delay, we arrived in Singapore around 4am. Our next flight to KL was at 3pm, so we did a bit of sightseeing in Singapore city. After landing, I stored my luggage at the airport (not cheap!), then went to the same small restaurant for breakfast—too early, no customers yet.

After breakfast, we took the MRT to the city. In Singapore, you can get your deposit back when you return your MRT card, so don’t lose your ticket! The stations are named by line (E1, E4, W9, etc.), so it’s easy to navigate. The airport line is like Shanghai’s—have to change trains to get into the city. Early in the morning, the train was empty, but after a couple stops, it filled up. Many construction workers from China take the early train to Sentosa and other sites. We got off at Raffles Place. The moment I left the station, I realized why the Chinese soccer team always struggles in Southeast Asia—it’s so humid, you just don’t want to move. Singapore is full of large churches, a sign of colonial history. Here are some photos.

This bridge is very similar to Shanghai’s Waibaidu Bridge.

That “durian” is actually the concert hall.

Ferris wheels everywhere in the world.

There are two Merlions—I couldn’t tell which is the real one.

The weather was so stifling I didn’t want to move. After a break at a coffee shop, my wife suggested we visit Little India—so off we went.

Looking at the map, we realized it was too far to walk, so we took a taxi. Singapore taxis aren’t too expensive, and most Chinese drivers are quite old. One driver was a Manchester United fan—his car was full of MU merchandise. He told me he was looking forward to the Manchester Derby that night. In Singapore and KL, you see people everywhere in Man Utd and Liverpool shirts—only saw one Arsenal shirt. When I wore my Barça shirt in KL, a policeman gave me a thumbs up and said “Barça IS GOOD!” Here are a few more photos:

On the streets of Singapore I saw a super long bus, and there are still people who run red lights (I accidentally did it twice myself). They really value education—schools are everywhere, and the buildings are beautiful. Little India really has its own flavor.

And a few more—Hindu temples. When entering their temples, just like mosques, you have to take off your shoes. If it’s busy, you’ll see lots of shoes outside. Here are some shots of Indian restaurants. My wife said she doesn’t like Singapore and won’t come again, but if she does, it will be to eat curry at this place. The food was great. After we came home, we tried an Indian restaurant at Shanghai’s Old Wharf, but it just didn’t taste the same.

Here’s a picture of the KL metro turnstile—colorful! The flight from Singapore to KL is quick. After landing at the budget airport, the first thing I did was withdraw cash from the ATM—Malaysia’s ATMs give you mixed denominations, which is great. Just outside the airport, you’ll find the buses to the city; AirAsia’s is 9RM, yellow bus is 8RM—just take whichever leaves first. The yellow bus ticket seller spoke great Chinese. On the way to the city, you’ll see the National Mosque and lots of hills (not very high). After 40 minutes, you reach the city, which is crowded and the buildings are low and old—felt like Shanghai’s old town (but without ancient architecture). The final stop is a big transit hub connecting to the airport, metro, inner and intercity buses. Note: KL’s metro is run by several different companies, so you can’t use a single ticket for all lines. After the metro, we found our very old but characterful hotel. But first, street food! Everything is wrapped in brown paper, like zongzi.

After eating, we took the metro to the Petronas Towers. Here are some interior and mall shots.

The shopping experience is like Shanghai’s malls, but the customer base is unique—being an Islamic country, there are lots of Middle Eastern and African shoppers. We ate dinner at "Little Penang Café"—great taste, bustling, and good value. To catch the last metro, we left early. Here are some night shots of the Twin Towers.

April 18th, breakfast time. The hotel is truly old—here’s the buffet hall.

Ancient staircase.

Top floor hall.

Corridor.

Reception.

Elevator.

Rooftop terrace and Islamic-style roof decorations.

View of the KTM building across the street from the hotel.

Our hotel was converted from an old railway station. The original tracks are now used by the metro, and the building is a hotel. If you visit KL, you’ll notice a marker on the roof indicating the qibla for Muslim prayers. Here are some shots of the metro—it’s just like Perth’s stations.

After checking out, we started our 4-hour KL tour. First, a mosque—if you’re in shorts or short sleeves, they’ll give you a purple robe so only your face and hands show. The kindly auntie who helped us dress also took our photo. That day, a ceremony for someone important was being held at the mosque.

Next stop was the flagpole. Along the way, we passed more mosques but didn’t go in—just snapped pics outside.

We toured at a brisk pace, not focusing on any particular site. Some groups that like to advertise everywhere were a bit annoying, but here’s my favorite Malaysia photo—this trip is over. We had lunch at a small local restaurant, drank several cups of teh tarik, and after some friendly banter with the owner and staff, I boarded the flight home. Malaysians love spicy food—try it and see!

End of travelogue—hope that in 2012, there’s a new place for my wife and me to happily explore together!