Day 31: Country #6

Instead of just watching commuters get off the train, I got a transit card and jumped on a  train going the opposite direction, south, to the far off suburban sprawl of Mandurah where I explored their massive mall before walking to the beach, while also visiting a random  employment center that I saw along the way so that I could ask about the economy and why so many houses seemed to be on sale. Turns out that despite the reports of Australia’s world record positive GDP streak, the growth was not evenly distributed and West Australia, which is very mining intensive is going through recession. After a relaxing stroll through the beach and marina, I got the bus to Fremantle, Britain’s first penal colony, where I viewed some museums and galleries and took the prison tour, then walked the beach line during sunset and discovered the University of Notre Dame before returning to the city center via bus.

Tip:
If you’re on the west coast of a country, definitely catch the sunset. Likewise, catch the sunrise if you’re in the east. It seems obvious, but it’s very easy to get caught up in other activities unless you structure your time around being at a specific location at sunset or sunrise. Check a weather app for the precise time and get there 15 minutes early.

Sunset in Fremantle, Australia

Published by BE

I write about my travel and money experiences. View all posts by BE