How far west can you go, without actually moving continent? In Europe you might say west Kerry. In Australia, you wouldn’t be far off, if you said the west coast of Rottnest Island, which is off the west coast of Perth, which is on the west coast of Australia…….. Are you following all this? Anyway, that’s where we go for a swim. The water seems cool, against the heat of the day, but in truth, it is pleasantly warm. It refreshes us after a few hours cycling along the coast road in the sun. 
The island, once a prison colony, now a tourist haven, is very beautiful. We get a room, in what was once a reformatory for wayward boys, (I don’t think they had the pool and bar in those days).
We meet the quokka, a small friendly, marsupial, who lives here in great numbers. The quokka is very small, compared say, to the wallaby. The Dutch explorers, who originally came here, thought at first that they were rats, giving the island it’s name, rats nest. I kid you not!
Today, it is buzzing with holiday makers sailing, swimming, snorkelling, and generally having a good time. No better place to do it. There is even a nine hole golf course. We’ll leave that for another time.
mrbrianking 