Laura-Jane Adventures

A life I could get used to: 7 a.m. Pilates, grabbing a coffee afterwards and watching beautiful sunsets (noticing a few good-looking men out running didn’t hurt either…).

Last month I helped my ‘not so little sister’ Sarah move to the other side of the world. Dundee to Perth, Australia, swapping the cold for Perth’s sunny beaches. The trip was a refreshing break, and I felt lucky that my sister had asked me to help her settle into her new home. As hard as the goodbye was, I am so proud of her and excited to see her flourish out there.

Whilst in Perth we lived the stereotypical Australian life: early morning workouts, enjoyed the coffee culture, I tried surfing and we watched many a beautiful sunset. This blog post is my recommendations and tips for a visit to Western Australia’s capital.

Surfing, Pilates & Run Clubs

One of the things I enjoyed most about my first trip to Australia was the workout culture. The jetlag helped us – whether we wanted to or not – get into the swing of the early mornings and every other morning we booked a pilates or yoga class at a local studio. I used ClassPass while there to let me book into classes and found one studio I loved close to Scarborough in Perth, where we were staying. It was called Form Society and it was the perfect location to wander to in the mornings for an intense pilates workout. We tried their Fire and Fit workouts. If you are looking for a spicier workout that has more Barre movements, opt for Fire!

Another workout studio I tried when there was The Hundred. The studio has a stunning view of the Pacific Ocean, and when the instructor at the start of the class told us all to “turn and face the ocean”, I thought – ‘wow’, that was a phrase I could get used to hearing. This studio has a multitude of different classes. We tried their Reformer Pilates, and what I liked about the class we attended was that it was attended by various ages. There were many people of retirement age, which I don’t often see in London!

My favourite and most challenging thing I tried when in Perth was surfing! I was thrown about by choppy waves and came away with an array of bruises but it was worth it. I took two lessons with Scarborough Beach Surf School. The instructor Craig was patient, and the lessons were in small groups so everyone could receive the support they needed. I may not have been a natural at surfing but I was proud of myself for standing up on the board at least once and pushing myself to keep trying even when I was close to giving up.

One of the other things which is super popular in Australia right now, much like its popularity in London, is Run Clubs! I ran a couple of times on my own when in Perth and have attached a 5km run route below boasting views of Scarborough Beach. Although I did not get the chance to run with one of the clubs when in Perth this time, I hope to when I next return. The Early Ones is a run club I heard a lot about from locals and people who have moved to Perth. So I am keen to try it in the future. However, there are many on the go and this article helped me find out about those available.

Açia bowls and beach clubs

When you think about Australia, what springs to mind? For me, it is the beaches and açia bowls – both did not disappoint.

Two places I recommend for açia bowls are Daisies in Cottesloe and C-Breez Kiosk on Scarborough Beach. C-Breez is the perfect spot to grab a smoothie bowl or iced coffee and read in the sunshine.

We spent the majority of our time at Scarborough Beach as this was closest to our AirBnB, but another beach and a waterfront area I would recommend visiting are Trigg Beach and Hillary’s Boat Harbour. Both locations are north of Scarborough, with Trigg being a little quieter, and Hillary’s more of a hangout spot with lots of bars and restaurants.

Cafes & Coffee spots

I honestly did not have a bad coffee when I was in Perth! Cafes bring people together and are a hub for communities. I dragged my sister Sarah to many a café while we were together, here are my top 3 suggestions for your caffeine fix:

• Micrology Coffee: these guys are independent coffee roasters in Western Australia, and I noticed that they stock a lot of the cafes around Perth. Their focus is to show off the unique flavours of their beans, and their cinnamon swirls are extremely tasty.
• Livid Skate Café: This one is a favourite for the coffee and the vibes. I am not a skater (which should be no surprise to anyone) but I love a skater café. The coffee here was great; it was close to Form Society, so made it our go-to coffee spot for after a pilates class.
• The Neighbourhood Attadale: A café and bottleshop, this is a great location for breakfast and brunch. Their salmon croissant and smoothies were delicious.

Markets & day trips

Visiting Perth at the start of Australian summer meant the outdoor markets were in full swing, and they were so much fun! Two which run regularly are: Scarborough Beach Markets (every Thursday night) with live music on the beach, a wide choice of food trucks, and small businesses; and Summer x Salt Market at Trigg Beach which is every two weeks until March but make sure to check the schedule for full details.

One of the most famous indoor markets in Perth is Fremantle Market. Fremantle, or Freo to the locals, is a neighbourhood in Perth known for its Maritime history, and the architecture in the area is stunning. The market is packed with unique things to buy and twists on foodie classics.

If you visit Perth, make sure to include a day trip to Rottnest! This island is a 45-minute ferry from the city and boasts incredible beaches, great cycling routes and the famous quokkas. We decided to rent bikes and spent a day cycling around, found a quiet beach spot, and swam in the clear blue water. If you are looking for a nice place to either grab breakfast before setting off for the day (that is what we did) or fancy a nice drink, then check out Lontara.

Neighbourhood recommendations & transport

As mentioned we stayed in Scarborough while in Perth, before Sarah moved to her new home close to Freo. It was a beautiful and very safe place to stay with the beach being a 20-minute walk for us and everything we needed nearby. The only more frustrating thing I would say about staying in Scarborough is that the public transport links are not the greatest. If you want to get around on public transport 9 out of 10 times you will have to head into the centre and get a bus back out to where you need to go.

Therefore, if you are not planning on renting a car, I suggest staying in the CBD, which stands for the Central Business District, so that you have better access to transportation. Otherwise, public transport is accessible if you don’t plan on moving around too much.

All in all, I loved the trip with Sarah to Perth. Not only because it allowed me to get a feel for her new home and have the opportunity to help her get settled but because it was also a restorative break for me. Taking time away from London puts things into perspective and makes me feel grateful for the life I am currently living.

Here’s to hopefully more memories made in Perth.

Lots of love,

Laura-Jane x

P.S. if you want more places to check out for food, here is a little list for the Foodies:

• Il Locale Pizzeria Scarborough – authentic Italian pizzas made with amore
• Six Senses The Quay – amazing Thai
• Hillarys Beach Club – quality pub food
• Tom’s Italian – pasta and views
• Grill’d – fast but yummy burgers
• Little Sisto – a brunch spot
• Dumbo Gelato – gelato of course!

If you want a full list of the places covered in this post & to see when I add more locations, then be sure to save my Perth Google Map here.