Off you go Julia!

Day 51: With a heavy heart, I left the farm and Albany yesterday. I know that what will follow now will be good, yet my heart feels a bit heavy, leaving a place and people that are familiar to me. I am familiar with this feeling from previous travels, but I am still surprised by its intensity.

Nevertheless, onwards we go!

After a long bus ride, I arrived in Fremantle in the afternoon, a nice little town outside of Perth.

And once again, I realized that hostels are universes of their own. Here's a little anecdote:

When asked what type of room I prefer, I habitually answered, 'the cheapest dorm room you have.' However, when I saw the room (14 beds, 13 occupied by men, dark, stuffy, and smelly, with a full trash can next to the bed assigned to me), I decided to ask for another room. After a short moment of consideration, my conversation partner said that since I am a woman, I would be charged the female rate anyway, so I could choose in which dorm I wanted to sleep for $20 (1$ more). Furthermore, there was a 'female only' area with beds, showers, a kitchen, and a TV. I ultimately chose that option and was more or less satisfied with my choice.

Once again, it has been confirmed for me: listen to your gut feeling and stand up for yourself. It also makes sense to check out the rooms beforehand, note to self.

Now I am waiting for some twist of fate tomorrow that will allow me to travel to Kalbarri at a low cost. Let's see what that will be..

Hello from the sun!