The five-day trip to Australia, Perth

Last year, in mid November, I went to Australia, Perth with some of my primary school friends and teachers for five days. A few days before the trip, I was very excited and happy as this was my very first time going to a faraway country and the first time I will be taking the plane as the furthest country I had went to before is only Malaysia and that is because my family is not rich.  

Just on the day itself, I was supposed to arrive in the school by seven in the morning as the bus would be leaving the school to Changi Airport by 7.15am. My father sent me to school by motorcycle and as I had brought two bags – one luggage and one school bag – along, I had to hold one of the bags in my hands. I remembered that it was very tiring to hold it as it was very heavy.

When I arrived in school, I saw my friends sitting outside the General Office chatting happily. As I settled down, I saw my father still outside the school looking at me, probably waiting for me to leave the school. At that moment, my eyes were filled with tears. I did not have the mood to chat with my friends. As this was the first time I am leaving my family for five days, I was reluctant to leave them. However, I wanted to go to Australia too. I was really confused. 

 I looked down at the floor and pretended looking at a booklet as I was afraid that my friends and father would see that I was crying. About five minutes later, I had calmed myself down and hence looked out of the school to see my father for the ‘last’ time for that particular five days but unfortunately, he had already went home.

         

On the way to Changi Airport, I chatted with my friend named Clarin who was sitting beside me. As she chatted with me, I did not think about my family anymore, which was quite a good thing or else I might cry again. We treasured the time to know more about each other. It was really fun listening to her life story.

   When we arrived at the airport, it was still early hence our teacher allowed us to explore the airport but before that, we took a group photo. 

The things sold there was very expensive! Luckily I ate my breakfast at home or else there will be a hole in my pocket. About an hour later, we went into the plane. It was very cold in the plane, thus I wore on my jacket. In the plane, I played the electronic games provided by the plane. The stewardess was very friendly. She was extremely polite when she asked me what I want to eat.

          When we arrived at Perth airport, it was really hot. It seemed that the air-conditioners in the airport were not on, thus I took off my jacket. On that day, we met our bus coach, Uncle Bob. He was very friendly and the English he spoke was very fluent. He had a big tummy. He then sent us to a hotel where we will be staying for three nights to place our luggage or else we will have to carry our luggage wherever we go.

After placing our luggage, Uncle Bob drove us around Perth. As he was driving around Perth, he introduced to us the different places in Perth. We had a great time talking to him. 

At night, Uncle Bob brought us to a pizza restaurant to have our dinner. The pizza was so awesome! My friends even ordered for more cheese!
After eating dinner, we were sent back to the hotel after spending the whole day outside.

On the second day, we went to the Perth Zoo. The zookeeper was also very friendly. The zookeeper introduced to us the different animals in the zoo. After the introduction, we were given a map and a task, which is to find out the different details of animals and to write them down on a piece of paper provided to us. We were divided into groups and a teacher was assigned to our group. We were to compete ourselves with the other groups and the criteria was to fill up the paper and the first to return back to the original location will be the winner. Very unfortunately, we lost the competition. But never mind! At least we put in our best to finish the competition. After the game, the zookeeper brought us to a room where small creatures were living in. After some basic introduction, she brought out a snake and taught us how to touch the snake which was to use two fingers – the second and middle fingers – and gently slide past the snake’s body. Although it was quite disgusting, I still touched it. After that, my mischievous friends used the method of touching a snake to touch Uncle Bob’s big tummy.


After that, at about 4pm, we went to have our early 'dinner'. After the 'dinner', we went to the nearby beach to enjoy the wind but our teacher did not allow us to step on the beach as they were afraid that the sand that were stuck on our shoes after stepping on the beach will dirty Uncle Bob's bus. And that was really sad... D= But at least, we could enjoy the wind... :P
Because of the early 'dinner', our teachers brought us to a supermarket for us to buy some snacks just in case we get hungry at night before sleeping and so, if we get hungry, we will have the snacks to eat.

On the third day, we went to a school in Perth. It has a name of Peter Moyes Anglican Community School. 

Unlike schools in Singapore which have the students' bags with the student, the Australian students' bags are placed neatly on a shelf outside their classroom.

The first thing we did there was to present a few PowerPoint slides to the Australian teenagers for them to know more about Singapore.

After presenting the slides, we went to explore the school. We went to different classes with different ages of students. The primary one kids were very cute!

After that, we went to their hall that has NO doors for a dance that is known as their PE lessons. Their instructor was vey muscular!

The Australian teenagers were awesome at their dance but we, the Singapore teenagers, failed at the dance, most probably because we just learnt the dance. =P

After the dance, we went to their field to have a baseball game. During the game, we took turns to play the game but it was really difficult. We have to be quick in our actions or else we might lose. Of course, I played really badly in the game. It was such a shame…

After all the activities, a piece of cake as given to each of us by the principal of the school and the cake tasted absolutely nice. While we ate the cake, we talked to the Australians and exchanged our contact information, including our facebook name. We enjoyed the time doing that as the kids were very friendly and polite.

After all sorts of activities in the school, we went back to our hotel. But before went back to the hotel, we took a few photos.

My friends, teachers and I went to a farm, which have a name of Windmill Farm, on the next day and spent one night there. The owners of the farm were a couple, both in their forties. I really admire them as they are able to manage the big farm with their own hands and did not employ any people to help them. 

At there, I saw orange and peach trees and get to taste the fresh peach. It was really sweet. I also get to ride on the horses. At first I was very afraid that I would fall off the horse. But after the horse started to walk, I found that it was very fun to be riding on it. After that, we went to feed a baby twins kangaroos. While feeding them, I heard from the female owner that their mother was killed in a car accident. We then recalled that we saw a dead kangaroo on the way to the farm on the day when we went to the farm. Then, our curiosity grew. We asked the owner, “Why was the mother kangaroo outside the farm? Isn’t she supposed to live in the farm?” The owner then answered us that when the kangaroos grow up and is able to take care of themselves, they will be let out of the farm to have ‘freedom’. We felt that the baby kangaroos were very pitiful as they lost their mother at such a young age. D=

At night, the farm was extremely dark. We have to walk really carefully when we go back to our rooms after dinner as there was no street lights.  I remembered that my friends and i who shared the same room chatted till midnight 3am. We got so much to talk about that we did not even finish chatting when we fell asleep unknowingly, perhaps we are too tired. 
After the days in Australia, we will be going back to Singapore. Hence, we sang a song for Uncle Bob to thank him and the song was : Bob the builder....

 My friends and I was reluctant to leave Australia. However, we still have to leave.

The trip to Australia was really really very fun and I really really enjoy it. I will really look forward to another school trip to other countries. If I had another chance, I will want to go to Perth again with my family! =D