1 December 2023, Friday

For my last day in Perth, I woke up at 7am, did my final packing and checked out of my room at 7:50am. I had a few hours to spare before my SQ226 flight at 2:20pm. My flight was originally supposed to depart at 1:50pm but I received an email from Singapore Airlines yesterday saying that the flight had been retimed due to operational reasons. After depositing my luggage at Hostel G for safekeeping, I rented the bicycle from Reception again (for free), and cycled to Little Willy’s for breakfast. I was there three days ago and I loved it so I decided to go back.

This time round, I ordered the breakfast burrito with bacon and eggs, and a large flat white coffee. The burrito was really yummy. I love the vibes and the friendly staff at Little Willy’s. I feel very at home there and I will definitely go back again if I return to Perth in the future.

At about 8:45am, I left Little Willy’s and started cycling. A few days ago, I did some research and found the Destination Perth website (click here), which featured some cycle trails. For my ride today, I decided to do a modification of the Perth City River & Park Explorer Cycle Trail – covering only the Swan River and without the King’s Park section, and in an anti-clockwise direction.

From Little Willy’s, I cycled south to Elizabeth Quay and followed the cycling path along the Swan River. I then crossed Narrows Bridge to South Perth, located on the south bank of Swan River. I haven’t been to this side of Perth so it was nice to explore a new area and see some different scenery.

The bike trail was well marked out and it was great for cycling. It was a very fine day – in fact, it was a little too warm for comfort as the temperature was around 28 degrees C. It was the kind of weather where it was hot but not humid so you don’t perspire. I had already packed all my clothes in my luggage so I was dressed in my “airplane attire” of jeans and T-shirt, not the most appropriate outfit for cycling in this heat. Many people were out walking or cycling and they looked at me funny as I cycled past them.

At 9:20am, I had a short photo and rest break at Mends Street Jetty. The jetty is used primarily for the ferry service between the Perth CBD and the Perth Zoo, which is just around the corner from Mends Street. I have never been to the Perth Zoo before.

The South Perth foreshore is reserved for parks and wetland areas so it was very nice and green, with superb views of the Perth CBD skyline across the water. It was honestly, a joy to cycle. Along the way, there were plenty of rest stops, toilets and drinking fountains. I also loved the fact that the standing water pipes were catered to dogs too, with a cute little dish attached to the bottom of the pipe for dogs to drink from. It’s little details like these that make a city great and liveable.

As I cycled northwards, I caught a glimpse of the distinctive wavy form of the Matagarup Bridge in the distance. I soon reached the Crown Perth complex, which houses a casino, convention centre, theatre, restaurants, nightclub and three luxury hotels. In Singapore, we would call this an Integrated Resort.

At 10am, I reached the massive Optus Stadium, the third largest stadium in Australia with a capacity of over 60,000. The stadium is normally used for Australian rules football matches, cricket, rugby and soccer, but it also hosts concerts. Less than two weeks ago, on 18 and 19 November 2023, Coldplay staged two sold-out shows here. I will love to watch a concert here someday.

From Optus Stadium, I crossed the magnificent Matagarup Bridge, which connects Burswood to East Perth. Matagarup is the name given by the traditional landowners to the area around Heirisson Island, meaning a place where the river is only leg deep, allowing it to be crossed. The bridge stretches 400 metres across the Swan River with a central arch 72 metres above the water at its highest point. Its flowing, wavy design is meant to evoke the image of ribbons, swans or the Wagyl (a rainbow serpent in Aboriginal Australian mythology), symbolising the coming together of diverse cultures. Thrill-seekers can climb up the bridge or ride a zipline down the bridge.

After crossing over to East Perth, I continued cycling along the riverside and soon reached the Bell Tower. I was back at Hostel G just before 10:30am. In all, I cycled about 16km, not a bad morning workout. After a short rest, I retrieved my luggage, left Hostel G at 11:03am and walked to McIver station, arriving seven minutes later.

It was now blazing hot at 31 degrees C, the hottest it had been all week. I’m glad it wasn’t this hot when I visited Rottnest Island yesterday, because it would have been a bit too much, even for a sun-loving person like me. For this trip, I was really lucky with the weather because I missed the heatwave last week and the hot weather from today onwards, so I just managed to catch a cool break in between.

At 11:25am, I hopped on the train to the airport. En route, two TransPerth train attendants came onboard and checked our tickets. A guy in my cabin was caught for fare evasion as he did not buy a ticket or tap in (his stored value card) when he boarded the train. In the past few days, I’ve seen ticket checkers positioned at the exit gates of major train stations but not at small, suburban stations like McIver, where there are no gantries and it is largely based on integrity system to pay for your ride. The attendants recorded the fare evader’s particulars and issued him a ticket. I’m not sure what the fine is, but I’m sure it’s much more than the A$5.10 fare. Not worth risking it and getting caught.

The rest of the ride was incident-free. At 11:41am, I arrived at Airport Central Station and walked to Terminal 1. Everything was automated so I printed my own boarding pass and luggage tag, then dropped my luggage into the self-check machine, all without interacting with any human being. The whole process was smooth and fuss-free.

As I still had some time before my flight, I went to the Aspire Lounge to chill. I utilised my last remaining Priority Pass entitlement for the year so I didn’t have to pay the A$66 entry fee. The lounge was very nicely furnished and it had a gorgeous view of the airstrip. I chose a plush, comfortable sofa seat overlooking the tarmac while I had my lunch and dessert. At 1:15pm, I saw my ride home pulling in to the boarding gate, which was my cue to leave.

I always enjoy flying with Singapore Airlines. It is our national carrier, the pride and joy of all Singaporeans. As it was approaching Christmas, the cabin was decorated with laurel wreaths adorned with red baubles and gold ribbons, adding to the festive mood. Small touches like these make all the difference.

As we flew out of Perth, my window seat gave me a wonderful aerial view of Rottnest Island below. Rottnest Island looked like a tiny speck in the middle of the great blue ocean. But even from the plane, I could see all the lakes and white sand beaches. To think that I was there just 24 hours ago!

Dinner was served at 5:10pm. I’m all for saving the environment but I’m really glad they ditched the eco-friendly bamboo cutlery for metal ones. I’m also glad they brought back the bread roll. For a premium airline like SQ, these things do matter. I also ordered a Singapore Sling for fun because I won’t pay S$39++ for it at the Long Bar at Raffles Hotel. Of course, it’s not comparable because the Singapore Sling on board the plane is served in a disposable plastic cup instead of a fancy glass. Same same, but different.

After five hours in the air, I touched down at Changi Airport Terminal 1 at 7:33pm. As usual, mum and dad were there to pick me up and send me home. And that concludes my short but highly enjoyable trip to Perth. I think I’ve fallen in love with Perth even more after this trip. Hope to be back soon!

Here’s a video of the highlights from my five days in Perth, enjoy!