Perth, Australia

Perth felt like a journey back in time. I first visited seventeen years ago, and ever since then I had wanted to return, partly out of curiosity and partly out of a quiet desire to see how much of the city I remembered. Walking through the streets again was a strange mix of recognition and surprise. Some corners looked exactly as they did all those years ago, while others had changed so much that it felt like discovering a new place layered on top of an old memory.

One of the things I was most excited about was revisiting Rottnest Island. Cycling around the island was just as enjoyable as I remembered, and the beaches were even more beautiful than in my memory. The water, the quiet bays, the open views, it all felt like a reminder of why this part of Australia leaves such a lasting impression.

I also made my way back to Fremantle, another place tied to that first trip. It was fun to see how it had evolved, but also how much of its character remained. And of course, I had to stop at Little Creatures Brewery. It was one of the first craft beer breweries I ever visited, and returning felt a bit like closing a loop. The atmosphere was still lively, and the beer still tasted as good as I remembered.

Perth offered something different from the other stops on this journey. It was not just a new destination, but a chance to revisit an earlier version of myself and see how both of us had changed. The mix of nostalgia, discovery, and coastal calm made it one of the more meaningful chapters of the trip.