ROTTO!

We finally got to Rottnest today! We've always said we'd go during previous holidays but full schedules and a light wallet meant we'd skipped it. So, filled with the type of excitement only new adventures bring, we hooked up with Fi and Jay and boarded the Rottnest Express at Freo this morning.

Rottnest sits 22km south of Perth and is famed for its crystal clear waters, reefs, traffic-free roads and quokkas - the island's native marsupial. It also has an impressive 63 beaches, 20 bays and the best bakery we've found. The pies in Perth are pretty flavoursome as it is but man alive they are nothing on these babies! D and I shared a beef and bacon (delicious) and lamb and rosemary number (delicious x 2) whilst the kids happily gobbled down fresh sausage rolls. With the bellies full, we followed our guides for the day (Fi, Jay, Marni, James and little Ben) and headed to The Basin - an award winning beach that's great for a spot of snorkelling.

This was one of the busier beaches we've been too, but the place has a special feel to it - calm, slow, tranquil with a steady flow of happy, contented people. Fin had a go at snorkelling and D and I saw some lovely fish a bit further along the reef. Bay preferred to hang out closer to shore and build fairy tale sandcastles: one for Cinderella, one for Sleeping Beauty, one for Snow White and so on and so on.

Lunch was at the Quokka Arms Hotel followed by a few delicious G&T's and much entertainment from Bay and Ben dancing around. It was nice to see the lady having fun with a new friend...she misses her London crew :(

The day ended with the kids launching themselves off the jetty followed by a rather hairy ride home on the Rotto Express. Fin and I wussed out big time and ended up clinging on to each other for dear life whilst the boat bounced from side to side and the horizon disappeared from view. I managed to avoid a big hurl (just...) and generated a few sympathetic (or maybe that's pathetic) looks from aussies who had obviously witnessed our distress en route. And this is apparently the slow boat......

All in all a great day, can't wait to go back.