Want to get away from it all? You can’t get much farther than Western Australia

It’s the year of the far-cation, and almost no place is farther from the United States than Western Australia.

Perth, Western Australia’s capital, is halfway around the world from the East Coast. To get there from Washington, D.C., you’ll spend a day on a plane and endure a mindbending 13-hour time difference.

It’s not easily accessible, but it’s perfect for visitors like Darren Butts, who plans to fly to Australia’s largest state in May with his wife, Pamela. They’ve been to Western Australia before, but this time they’re headed to Broome and Kununurra, both in the northern part of the state.

“Western Australia is unique,” says Butts, a retired facilities director from Green Valley, Ariz. “And it’s deeply rewarding.”

Long-distance international trips are “in” this year -- and for adventurous travelers like Butts, the farther, the better. Flight searches to Perth during the region’s autumn season, which runs from March to May, is nearly 180% ahead of the same period last year, according to Expedia.

That’s quite a rebound from just a year ago, when Western Australia reopened its borders after the worst of the pandemic ended. Tourism Western Australia estimates that international flights into Western Australia from all global markets will return to 85% of pre-COVID levels between now and July.

But what can you do in Western Australia, an obscure destination that became even more so during the pandemic because the state sealed its borders? It turns out there’s more than meets the eye, including options for visitors who are interested in culture, history, and cute mouse-like marsupials.

What to do in Western Australia

A glance at the map suggests there’s not much happening in Western Australia, when it comes to tourism. It’s vast and sparsely populated. But look closer and you’ll find:

Cool beaches. If you’re looking for powdery white sand and turquoise water, there are plenty of beaches that check all the boxes. Popular spots in Perth include Cottesloe Beach, Scarborough Beach, and City Beach.

Famous wineries. Margaret River, considered one of Australia’s premium wine-growing regions, has more than 150 wineries. Cullen, Leeuwin Estate and Vasse Felix call Margaret River home. Best of all, they’re just a quick three-hour drive from Perth.

The great outdoors. Western Australia offers a selection of natural landscapes, from Eucalyptus forests to red-rock deserts to white sand coastline. There’s hiking, camping, and wildlife watching in places like Nambung National Park, home of the famous Pinnacles rock formations.

But what sets Western Australia apart from other places is that the few things to do are remarkable, according to visitors. Margaret Ghielmetti, author of the book Brave(ish): A Memoir of a Recovering Perfectionist, says Western Australia’s beaches are as close to perfect as she’s seen. Her favorite, Yallingup, is a three-hour drive south of Perth.

“There’s an espresso truck overlooking the crystalline turquoise water,” she recalls. “I would fly back to Australia just for that view -- and brew.”

Western Australia is ready for international visitors

For the last three years, Western Australia has been cut off from international visitors -- which has only made the state even more intriguing to outsiders. But tourism operators are anticipating an influx of visitors soon.

Paul Clark, general manager of the recently opened boutique Samphire Rottnest hotel on Rottnest Island, says he sees more arrivals from Singapore, the U.K., India and the United States every week.

“Rottnest used to be popular with locals, but we’re seeing more interest from international visitors now,” he says.

With good reason. Rottnest Island -- or Rotto, as the locals call it -doesn’t just have a new hotel. It also has miles of biking trails, postcard- perfect beaches, and quokkas, the friendly marsupials that look like giant rats (hence the name Rottnest). Quokkas are listless during the day, but if you spend the night, you can see them at dusk, and they are quite animated and completely unafraid of humans.

A short ferry ride away, there’s another signature attraction: Fremantle. The port town escaped the developers’ wrecking ball in the 20th century and now has one of the largest collections of restored colonial architecture. Plus, there are indoor markets, the famous Fremantle Prison, and Cappuccino Strip, where you can get some of the best coffee and Italian food in Western Australia. It attracts visitors by the boatload -- literally.

“The cruise ships come in here, and three thousand passengers come ashore,” says Michael Deller, owner of Fremantle Tours, a local tour operator. “It increases the town’s population by 30% for one day.”

Exploring Aboriginal Western Australia

Human civilization dates back 45,000 years in Western Australia, and there are many opportunities to explore that aspect of the state. At the Western Australian Museum’s Boola Bardip campus in Perth, you’ll find exhibits exploring the state’s fascinating and often troubled relationship with the indigenous Nyunga people.

You can also tour Kings Park with Nyungar Tours and hear ancient stories about what Australia was like before colonization. The park, which overlooks Perth, was once a sacred site where women came to give birth. European settlement changed Western Australia permanently, but the memory of a quieter place that was in harmony with nature lives on in the stories told by the aboriginal guides.

In Nambung National Park, a two-hour drive north, there is another sacred site, also said to be used for “women’s business” by the Nyunga. But in this place, where the desert meets the sea, you can also experience the surreal rock formations known as pinnacles. It’s easily accessible as a day tour from Perth. One operator, Autopia Tours, also offers a stargazing tour in the park after sunset.

The limestone rocks, many of them as tall as a school bus, are thought to be the remains of an ancient forest. They stand in the reddish sand, casting long shadows on a hot summer afternoon. The Nyunga say young men wandered into this sacred palace and were turned to stone as punishment.

Is Western Australia worth a visit?

So should you plan a visit to Western Australia this year? If you love being outdoors and learning about ancient cultures, and you like getting out of town -- way out of town -- then it’s worth considering. If you have young children who could tolerate such a long plane trip, it’s better to wait until the little ones are older. And a visit takes time, not just to get there, but also to adjust to the time zone.

But there’s no question about it -Western Australia is worth adding to your bucket list.

“It’s truly a special place,” says Carolyn Turnbull, managing director of Tourism Western Australia.

Christopher Elliott is the chief advocacy officer for Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@ elliott.org or get help with any consumer problem by contacting him on his site.

For years California has had the nation’s highest energy costs. Recent price increases for natural gas have added to the misery, and have led to renewed interest in the California Public Utilities Commission, which has held hearings on the price increases under its authority to regulate and oversee utilities.

The CPUC was created in 1911 when voters approved a constitutional amendment to reorganize the Railroad Commission. Commission authority was expanded in 1912 to cover utilities such as gas, electric and telephone companies, and in 1946, voters approved renaming the Railroad Commission the California Public Utilities Commission. The CPUC’s commissioners are appointed by the Governor and approved by the Senate. All five current commissioners were appointed by Governor Newsom.

The CPUC has sole authority to establish rates charged by investorowned utilities through its “revenue requirement,” based on the costs of maintaining, operating and financing utility operations. This requirement is the basis for determining rates paid by customers. However, decisions by the Governor and other policymakers outside the CPUC can have a huge impact on utility costs. For example, between 1985 and

2021, California’s natural gas production decreased by 72%. We now import over 90% of our natural gas, making us vulnerable to price spikes that result from decreased national production, pipeline interruptions, weather fluctuations, and federal policies that export gas overseas, despite current shortages.

California has vast reserves of natural gas and oil, mostly in the Central Valley. Over the years, state policymakers have limited exploitation of those resources, policies that have accelerated in recent years. Shortages and cost increases are the inevitable result.

Obviously, we need to protect the environment. But we can do that without cutting local production that results in self-induced shortages. It makes no sense to reduce production here, limiting supplies and driving up costs, only to purchase more expensive oil and gas that we must have, elsewhere. California’s hard-pressed ratepayers can’t be squeezed any more.

Assemblymember Marie Waldron, RValley Center, represents the 75th Assembly District in the California Legislature, which includes the cities of Poway, Santee, portions of the City of San Diego, and most of rural eastern and northern San Diego County.

A Word from San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones Emergency Preparation for San Marcos

several items to add to your family’s emergency go-bag.

• First aid kit

• Flashlight

• Battery-powered or hand crank radio

• Nonperishable food and water

• Personal documentation

• Cash

• Toiletry items

5th District Supervisor Jim Desmond

Help for Seniors

While there are many layers to homelessness, one group I’m focused on preventing from becoming the next in line is seniors. Inflation and rising utility prices are crushing seniors on fixed income, and we don’t want our seniors being priced out and ending up on the street. Last week, I mentioned the affordable senior housing we are building across North County, but this week I want to talk a new program.

Last year, the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to establish a rental subsidy pilot program for seniors who are at risk of becoming homeless. In order to qualify applicants must, have a household income at or below 50 percent of the area median income, be using more than half of their income toward housing, have their name on the lease or rental agreement, have a landlord willing to participate in the program, not be receiving any other rental subsidies and sign consent forms to participate in the program.

The senior Shallow Subsidy Pilot Program is designed to improve housing stability for low-income older adults who, without financial assistance, may be at risk of losing their housing. The program will serve approximately 220 households by providing a $500 monthly subsidy over a period of 18 months.

To join the application list, email HSEC.OHS-HHSA@sdcounty.ca.gov or by calling 619980-4168. Application packets will then be sent to those on the list. Pilot program participants who meet the eligibility criteria will be selected at random.

San Diego County District 5 Supervisor Jim Desmond, 1600 Pacific Highway, #335, San Diego, CA 92101, United States http:// www.supervisorjimdesmond.com/

Problem Solved

by Christopher Elliott

Lyft charges Peter Leung $80 for spilling a drink in one of its cars. But he says he didn’t drink anything. Does he still have to pay?

Q: Lyft charged me an $80 damage fee for spilling a drink in one of its cars. However, my friend and I certainly did not bring any drink -- not even water -- on the ride. We are not responsible for the spill.

The driver has sent me photos that show liquid on a floor mat. But I’ve asked Lyft multiple times to provide evidence of when it took the picture. Lyft has ignored my request.

the damage occurred, including the time and date. And they have to include two clear photos of the damage. Unlike Uber, however, drivers do not need to show a receipt for the cleaning.

But here’s the problem with your damage claim: First, the photos did not have any metadata attached to them, which would have shown when they were taken. And second, Lyft did not give you access to the driver’s incident report, which would have helped you argue your case.

The City of San Marcos recognizes the importance of emergency preparedness. We value our community’s safety and well-being and take the utmost care in supporting resiliency and recovery efforts after an emergency.

An emergency go-bag is a helpful tool to have prepped and ready to take if a disaster strikes. Here are

To better prepare yourself for any form of emergency, I encourage all community members to have an emergency go-bag on hand. Following a disaster, you could potentially be without immediate help for up to 72 hours while emergency personnel respond to the situation. Take steps now to prepare and help your family stay safe in case of an emergency.

For additional information on emergency preparedness, please visit Ready San Diego at www. readysandiego.org.

I don’t know how to appeal this to Lyft. The company keeps giving me the same reply and will not share the driver’s damage report. Can you help me?

~ Peter Leung, Etobicoke, Canada

A: Lyft needs to send you the evidence that you spilled a drink in one of its cars. If it can’t, it shouldn’t charge you for the damage.

But that’s not how Lyft works. Its drivers can report damage to their cars and receive $20 to $150 in compensation. Drivers must submit a written report noting where

The only option you had was to deny the report was true. Lyft responded to your denials by saying it had conducted an investigation and found that you were responsible. But that didn’t make any sense. Had it investigated the matter, it would have asked you more questions and gathered more information. Instead, it just reiterated its position.

You could have refused to pay Lyft’s charges, but then Lyft would