Impressions from Perth

Western Australia encompasses about one third of the continent and has approximately 2.5 million inhabitants. About 2 million of them live in the Perth metropolitan area. I will conclude my blog with some impressions from Perth. For those who are now also excited about the magnificent landscapes and friendly people of Australia, here is a quote from the book 'In a Sunburned Country' by Bill Bryson about the 'danger' of this continent:

Australia is the sixth largest country on Earth and the largest island. It is the only island that is also a continent and the only continent that is also a country. It is the first and last continent to be conquered from the sea. It is the only nation that began as a prison. It is home to the largest living organism on Earth, the Great Barrier Reef, and the most famous and impressive monolith, Ayers Rock or Uluru, to use its now official, more respectful Aboriginal name. There are more creatures in Australia that can kill you than anywhere else. The ten most venomous snakes all live in Australia. Five of its animal inhabitants - the funnel-web spider, the box jellyfish, the blue-ringed octopus, the stonefish, and a certain tick species - are deadly to humans. In this country, even the fluffiest caterpillars can incapacitate you with a toxic nip, and shells not only sting here but sometimes even attack. If you happen to pick up an innocent cone snail on a beach in Queensland, as innocent tourists like to do, you will experience that the little rascal not only reacts surprisingly quickly and irritably, but is also extremely venomous. However, if you are not suddenly and unexpectedly stung or impaled to death, you may be eaten by sharks or crocodiles, carried helplessly by treacherous ocean currents out into the sea, or stumble alone to a pitiful death in the scorching hot Outback. A tough country.