1st Day in Perth - I think this group will be okay!

As I sit in the courtyard of a former prison that has become our home for the first three nights of the trip, I think back to the first minutes of the beginning of this journey.

It was our 3:50 am departure that marked the start of our trip. We left from the Perry Fiske parking lot and headed to the Kona Airport where we prepared for our three flights ahead of us. First to Oahu (45min), then to Sydney (10.5hrs), and finally to Perth (5hrs). With layovers and all, our complete travel time was almost exactly 24 hours long. At first, the group of people selected to go on the trip left me in doubt. I was unsure that the combination of diverse backgrounds and personalities would mix well. Now, after spending an entire night and full day with people that were previously unfamiliar to me, I have to say that I wouldn’t alter a single person on the roster. From my peers to teacher chaperones to the Rustic Pathways guides, I am so pleased and excited to experience what is soon to come.

As I am sure you are wondering, I am going to share a small portion of our day in Perth City with you. Perth, a city that is home to 2.6 million people, just received its newest guests. I have nothing but a huge smile following an action-packed day. I think what made me so happy today, is knowing that no matter where I go on this planet, a refreshing dip in the ocean will put a grin on my face. We spent a couple hours at the Scarborough beach and although the white sand and vibrant blue waters were not too unfamiliar to me coming from Hawaii, I couldn’t help but have an incredible time.

Due to poor internet access it might be a bit of time before we can upload pictures!