Prologue

I fllew from Darwin to Perth on Qantas arriving 7.30pm while the AFL grand final was being played in Perth.

The taxi from the airport to the hotel Citylights Hotel Perth ($69) on Newcastle Street cost $78.95 plus $4.00 airport departure fee for a whopping $82.90. I saw a bus at the airport and thought about catching it but had not done any research beforehand I was in a bit of a hurry to get to the hotel then have dinner. After checking in I dined at the Baan Baan across the road. It was a Thai restaurant an dI decided on the GF Pork Belly salad. Too hot/spicy for me and too much fat on the pork for my liking.

That night I thought I would check my Transwa ticket for tomorrow. I thought it was funny to say Perth Central Station- isn’t that the train station? Or is it East Perth bus depot? Checking online was no help. Typing in Central station got no results while East Perth was called East Perth station. I decided I’ll go to the train station early the next morning and ask someone and if not I still had time to get to East Perth bus depot. Next day it was raining so with the wet weather gear and umbrella off I walked to the Perth train station platform 3. Asked a Transwa person about is this the Central station and does the bus leaves here, “No that leaves at East Perth station”. I know where it is, so off I walked and after a long short cut arrived at the bus station at 9.15am for the 9.30 am bus to Dunsborough. No bus, so I asked the station ticket officer who said it leaves from the Perth Train Station and you’ve missed it, a taxi would not arrive and depart in time to get there. The Augusta bus also left at 9.00am so that option was gone to.

After checking with him the  options, I decided to get the Bunbury Bus at 1.30pm, no accommodation so taxi to Busselton, overnight accommodation there and catch a local bus in the morning to Dunsborough. Only 3 passengers were on board, one with a backpack looking to do a walk but where I do not know as the bus final stop is at Pemberton. Where is Pemberton well it is in the middle of the huge Jarrah forests so maybe she was looking to do some of the Bibbulmun track. While on the bus I decided to listen to an eBook I downloaded (for free) titled “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” by L Frank Baum.

I received a 9.00 refund on the bus ticket going 100km less, the original price was $43.45 plus a $130 taxi got me to the Busselton Backpackers and for a $80 double room with a shared bathroom. Except what about gas? That night after arriving in Busselton, famous for its long jetty, I rang the bus company TransPerth help line to find out what time the local bus departure was going to be on a public holiday , Queens Birthday in WA, the next day. This holiday, I was unaware of, would affect the opening of shops and the bus timetable. The lady on the other end of the phone advised me the first bus was 11.15am. Strange the website said 7.15am, the timetable on the bus stop post said 7.15am too. So I had two options, catch the early bus to Dunsborough at 7.15am and hope the camping store was open in Dunsborough or catch the 11.15am after a little sleep in and getting gas in Busselton and checking out the jetty. I decided for the early bus and text the Dunsborough camping store if they are open.

In hindsight lessons learnt.

• Show your ticket to the Transwa person not just talk to her.
• Read the whole ticket not just the bold words
• Transwa also includes Australind trains even though it may not be the fastest route ie on the way back.
• You have a tent and you can camp at a caravan park in every town.
• Look up South West coach lines as a bus departs to Augusta at 1.20 arriving at 5.55pm or 6.45pm to get you to Busselton, even going past the airport (too late for me for the previous day but helpful to know in future). I remembered this when waiting at the Dunsboroughbus stop for half an hour as across the road from the stop was the South West Office.