I was dropped at the wharf at Cairns rather early for my cruise. Fortunately I was able to leave my bags and head into Cairns to grab some lunch before heading back to the Coral Princess II, a small cruise ship. On my trip there were 35 passengers and a crew of thirteen. They like to have you on board an hour before departure to settle you in and provide a safety briefing. This was bad news for me as I am not a good sailor, and by the time we set off I was feeling rather queasy. While everyone else was bonding over pre-dinner drinks, I was in my cabin sleeping off a sea-sickness tablet. I went to dinner, but turned tail as soon as I smelled the food. Fortunately I was able to compose myself and join the other passengers for dinner. Thanks to the tablet, I went straight to bed after dinner. I woke about four hours later with no idea where I was when the tablet wore off, and tried to get out of the wrong side of my bed. The wall was in the way! Clearly I should say no to drugs.

Olive backed oriole

Water lily, Cooktown Botanical Gardens

We travelled all night and and in the morning arrived at Cooktown, where Captain Cook landed to repair the Endeavour after he holed it on the reef. Owing to the tides, we had just two hours to explore the town. Having left a crucial item behind in Port Douglas, I had to find a supermarket. I eventually did after finding someone to give me directions, which left me with just an hour to explore and return to the wharf. I decided on the botanical gardens over the museum as I would not have time to do the museum justice, and spent a few minutes there photographing some olive-backed orioles before I had to head back to the boat. They were facing one another, singing, but sadly one was obscured by leaves so only one appears in the pictures. As the tide was out, we had to be transferred on the glass bottomed boat back to the ship. Once back on board, we headed towards Lizard Island. On the way, the crew announced that there were dolphins off the bow, but they did not stick around long enough for anyone else to see them. It was nice to stand at the front of the ship and get some fresh air though.

Blue sea star

We got there in the afternoon. Lizard Island was hammered by a cyclone in April, so the resort there is closed, and it was looking rather bare, with many of its trees stripped of leaves. We were transferred to Turtle Beach to have a snorkel. Even though the reef was damaged by the cyclone, it gave us an opportunity to start to see what the Great Barrier Reef had to offer. I saw an octopus sticking out of a crevice, colourful parrot fish, and lots of other fish I could not identify. I had been hoping to test my newest toy, a GoPro which I bought after being frustrated at not being able to record my underwater experiences in Maui, but I had not charged it properly, so it would have to wait until the following day. As the sun began to sink we went back on board, and all went to bed straight after dinner after our early start.

The Coral Princess II at dawn, from halfway up Cook’s Look

Cook’s Look – we made it

View over Lizard Island

The following morning, we had an early start to hike up to Cook’s Look. Captain Cook scaled a hill on the island to look for a way out of the reef. He found one, but soon returned to its sheltered waters. Our guide, Chris, set off at a frantic pace that soon saw me confined to the rear despite being younger than most of the others on the trek. Fourteen of us braved the climb, and he did say it was the first time no one had turned back. It is a steep climb, and hot even at first light, but taken at a slower pace it is perfectly doable. On the way I finally tested the GoPro. Back at the beach, there was just time for a quick snorkel to cool down after passing a catamaran which had been parked on the beach by the cyclone. Hopefully the owner will be able to get it back on the water, otherwise it will be an expensive houseboat. We then returned to the ship to head off to Ribbon Reef No. 9.

Houseboat

At Ribbon Reef No. 9 I decided to go for a dive. I am a PADI certified diver, but other than the brief Snuba experience in Maui, I had not dived for years. I gave it up because I suffer from such bad motion sickness, but I decided that off the back of a big boat like the Coral Princess II, I would not suffer in the same way as diving from a rubber dingy. There were four of us who went down with Elayna, the instructor; father and son Mick and Nick and novice diver Angelo. There was a strong current, which meant that we did not get very far, and we got through our air very quickly, so it was not the best dive, but at least I was not sick.

Sea cucumber

That night at dinner saw a young person’s table form, as I sat with Nat and Scott, a young couple from Sydney having a last holiday before the birth of their baby, and Sonia and Clemente, honeymooners from Italy. Sonia spoke good Spanish and Clemente’s French was better than his English, so we had a conversation in four languages. Dinner was a barbecue cooked by the captain on the back of the boat. Tiny blue fish were attracted to the lights on the boat, in turn attracted scores of mid-sized silver fish. Three huge gropers also circled around, although they were not feeding. Perhaps they were just showing off for us. It was hypnotic to hang over the back rail and watch them all. After the hike and battling the current, once again we all retired to bed very early, although perhaps it was having to dig up my French that left me so exhausted!

The next morning I went on a glass bottomed boat trip with Chris, who is a marine biologist. He told us lots of fish and coral reproduction stories. It seems fish swap genders rather a lot, the saucy things. After that, we dived at Ribbon Reef No. 3. This time there was no current, and I had an excellent dive with Mick and Nick. There were so many fish it was like being almost like an aquarium. I tested the video function on the GoPro, and managed to film Mick and Nick on their dive but avoid the fish! All accompanied by a Darth Vader soundtrack.

After the dive I jumped in to have a snorkel on the reef, which is actually better for photos as the light is better in the shallow water.

Whale versus snorkelers

No sooner had I got in when I heard someone on the ship shout that there were whales off the front of the boat. I swam out to where everyone was gathered together in the deep water. Chris told us to stay together and let them come to us. After just a few minutes Malcolm, the mate who was in the glass bottomed boat watching them from the surface, told us they were headed our way. I peered down into the inky blue depths and suddenly right below me was a dwarf minke whale. It swam slowly beneath us, looking at us very closely.  I almost forgot to breathe, I was so awestruck.

Dwarf minke whale

Chris and the captain were free diving, both capable of staying under for ages. The captain in particular could dive for so long I was sure he was half fish. I, on the other hand, was so buoyant in my wetsuit it was almost impossible for me to dive under, and by the time I got below the surface I had used all my air in the effort to get underwater! There were three whales, and they circled round us, as curious about the brightly coloured group of snorkelers as we were about them. Each time they came a little closer, and we had an amazing time with them. As one came right underneath us, it turned to look at some of the snorkelers more closely. It was not at all frightening, just awe inspiring. Despite being small for whales, they were still impressively large. By this stage the captain had urged the crew to jump in, so they were all there, still in their uniforms, having just grabbed a mask and fins. What a nice boss, making sure no one missed out on a rare and magical experience.

Back on the boat we were all buzzing after our close encounter. As a farewell, the whales breached near the boat, but I missed it having gone inside. This meant that even those who were unable to get in the water got a lovely view of the whales. They left, and we too set off, this time for for Escape Reef.

Ribbon Reef No 9

Once at Escape Reef, I decided to do a final dive, as I am not sure whether I will get the chance again. This time it was just me with Elayna and Julie, another crew member. As I moved onto the platform at the back of the boat to put on my fins and my scuba gear, I stepped onto the lower step and just kept going. Once I realised I was slipping, I let myself go so as not to hurt myself and slid off the platform which was about a metre and a half above the sea. When I surfaced, still clutching my GoPro and my mask in one hand, I could see Elayna peering very anxiously at me. She dived in, frantic as I was wearing a weight belt, but in my very buoyant wetsuit I was fine. She pulled off the weight belt and let it drop before ushering me back onto the boat. Once back on board, Foxy, the engineer and safety office who had been watched from the deck above, appeared in fits of giggles to lighten the mood. Poor Elayna got a big fright, but I was fine, despite falling off the boat, and after collecting another weight belt, completed the dive. We did pick up the first weight belt before surfacing!

Brain coral

There was no time for a snorkel after that last dive, as we started to head back towards Cairns. After dinner we had a quiz on all the information imparted by Chris over the course of the cruise. I was in a small team with Scott and Nat, and to our surprise we tied for first place. The decider was a picture round, which we lost resoundingly after getting into a helpless fit of giggles when my picture was inadvertently suggestive. It made Nat think of the reproduction stories she had heard from Chris earlier that day. Marine sex is all the boy talked about on his glassy trips. The more I tried to fix it, the worse it got and the more we laughed. We did not mind losing though – we saw whales earlier in the day!

Flying foxes

Flying fox

We docked in Cairns early the next morning. I then had the day in Cairns before my evening flight to Darwin. I checked my suitcase in but was carrying all of my hand luggage, so I just had a little wander around. There is a very nice esplanade, complete with free wifi and a lagoon pool along the mudflats. Right in the centre of town, I could hear a lot of squawking and looked up to see hundreds of flying foxes roosting in giant fig trees. These amazing bats have beautiful doggy faces and large black wings that they flapped gently to keep themselves cool. It seems the local council has tried to evict them by cutting the trees they like to roost in. I am sure they are a bit messy and they are certainly noisy, but they are gorgeous. Leave them alone, they add to the tropical feel of the place. Also on my wanders I saw a shop selling museum quality shrunken heads. Well, I had been wondering what to get the family. Problem solved!

Australian pelican

I headed back to the esplanade and watched some pelicans for a while, chatting to a Dutch girl called Franke who had just arrived in Cairns. She was a PhD student who was in Australia to speak at a conference. Nice work if you can get it! We admired the rainbow lorikeets roosting in the palm trees along the esplanade before I headed off to the airport to catch my flight to Darwin, unsure if Queensland could be topped, but at the same time knowing more exciting experiences were waiting for me.

Sunset at sea

Rainbow lorikeets

Upon arriving in Cairns I boarded a bus to Port Douglas. We drove an hour and a bit up the lush coast to the outskirts of Port Douglas where I was dropped at my hotel. After my pre-dawn start, I was asleep on my feet and a bit dehydrated. A receptionist rushed to meet me to tell me I was to be sent to a different resort as they had maintenance issues with some rooms. I had an excursion booked for the following day, and after a bit of a delay trying to find contact details for the guide, we managed to ask him to pick me up from the correct hotel. By the time I reached the new resort I was practically comatose, even though it was only about 6 in the evening. They assured me it was Port Douglas’ finest and that I had been very lucky to be sent there. I went to my room, featuring a huge bathroom containing a spa bath which would comfortably seat four.

Lewin’s honeyeater

After washing my hands and face, I decided to go out to eat rather than simply collapse into bed. I walked to the Beach Shack which was about half a mile away. The beginning of the walk was well lit, but there was a small section in the middle where it was pitch black. I have got better about eating at restaurants on my own, which is the only real drawback of solo travel. I had a tasty meal and then allowed myself to go to bed. I stopped in the dark section of the walk back to admire the stars before deciding that maybe standing around in the dark was not my best idea. The stars were beautiful though.

Yellow spotted honeyeater

I had an early start for my excursion to the rainforest. It was just me with my guide, David Armbrust. He told me he would soon be retiring, and that we would be walking on his property where he has allowed the rainforest to grow back over land once cleared for cattle grazing. It was a fascinating, different and magical experience. He is like a pied piper, having got the local animals used to his presence, and occasionally whipping out something for them to eat. It started as soon as we got out of the car. A little bird hopped onto a bush right next to me and stared at me. David suggested I hold out my finger, and the little bird hopped right on. He then told me I would struggle to shoot with a 400mm lens, something I wish he had mentioned when he picked me up and I could have grabbed something smaller. Unfortunately I had taken everything else out of my camera bag to lighten it. Not only was it too dark to hand hold the big lens, it was not necessary as all the animals were so used to people.

Pademelon

He put some banana pieces in a tree, attracting a small flock of Lewin’s honeyeaters, one of which had just hopped on my finger. There were also some yellow spotted honeyeaters, a cat bird, a Victoria’s Riflebird and a female satin bower bird. As predicted, I struggled to photograph them, only successfully shooting ones that were quite still when I pressed the shutter. Thanks, satin bower bird, for posing so beautifully. She is the one at the top of this post.

Mary and her joey

We set off into the forest, and David explained that the area we were walking through had been completely stripped for cattle farming. He had replanted some trees, and after 30 years there was a high canopy, although there was enough light for some grass to grow on the forest floor. He pointed out a cycad which had a trunk about 30 centimetres high, and explained that they grew about one metre every ten years. As we walked, I heard a noise behind me, and I turned to find a little red-legged pademelon right behind me. “Hello Alice” said David, and offered her a slice of raw sweet potato, which she accepted gratefully from his hands. As we entered a small clearing, we were joined by Mary, another pademelon with a joey in her pouch. While Mary ate her slice of sweet potato, I took pictures of her. In that light, I could not increase the F-stop enough to get her and her joey in focus. One of Mary’s daughters turned up to join the party, as did Belinda, a very pretty pademelon. Mary was very grumpy with the others, growling at them if they got too close to her. David could teach them to trust him, but not to have manners, it seems.

The beautiful Belinda

As we walked further through the forest, followed by our little gang of pademelons, as well as a number of birds, we saw noisy brush turkeys, which are rather thuggish, trying to chase off the other animals, and periodically fighting with one another, and some scrub fowls. These are pretty birds, with huge orange feet, round dark blue bodies and brown wings. The backs of their tiny heads have a pointed crest. They were much less friendly than the other animals, as a new male had chased off the one David had accustomed to him.

We walked into an area which had never been cleared, so was ancient rainforest. There was no longer grass on the ground as the canopy was higher and thicker. The trees were diverse and very beautiful, and included a palm with enormous fan like leaves.

Musky rat-kangaroo

Suddenly tiny musky rat-kangaroos appeared at our feet. They darted about, frequently rushing back under cover, seldom stopping for long enough for me to take a photo. David explained that he had been getting them used to people so they could be filmed for documentaries, as they are very shy creatures. They are very pretty when the light shines on their coats, which are dark brown with red highlights.

David then pointed out another cycad. This one was at least 20 metres tall. At a rate of one metre every ten years, that was one old tree. Another fascinating tree was a palm which had the root of another tree growing up out of the ground and all the way up its trunk, tapping into the palm’s nutrients.

I heard a soft bleating noise behind me. I turned to find a badly scarred pademelon at my feet. Once the most beautiful of David’s pademelons, Audrey was attacked by a gang of young males after the death of the dominant male, leaving no one to keep them in check. They injured her badly but she survived, although I would not blame her if she does not like men anymore.  She was very polite, gently asking whenever she fancied another slice of sweet potato.

Bee hive ginger

We came to a small picnic area where David gave me a cup of coffee and poured out some food for all of the animals. I did not even attempt photographs in the dappled light of the forest, but it was magical and slightly surreal to sit there in the forest, surrounded by birds and pademelons, while the musky rat-kangaroos darted around our feet, with the peace only spoiled by the sound of bikes going past on the highway, which is obviously popular with bikers, and the occasional brush turkey altercation which would send the other animals scurrying for cover. All too soon it was time to return to my hotel at Port Douglas.

Four Mile Beach

Where to sit?

The lagoon

I decided to explore the resort, as it was the fanciest in the area. The lagoon pool, while pretty, has the unfortunate effect of placing all the sun loungers together at one end as there is no room in front of the buildings. Rather than feel penned in, I headed to the beach. That is where I discovered why people come to this part of the world. This was a much better option. Four miles long, it has a narrow stretch of brown sand. I picked a deserted spot (it would have been hard to find a crowded one) and decided to go for a swim. This was a challenge as the water is extremely shallow for a long way, so after a bit of a wade without managing to get my knees wet, I went back and snoozed happily on the beach until woken by a very friendly dog. Even a Labrador can give you a scare when you awake to find one with its tongue in your ear!

After a float in the huge spa bath in my room I went to explore the little resort town of Port Douglas. It is a collection of restaurants, ice cream parlours and beachwear retailers. At one end is a nice park in which one can sit and enjoy the sunset.

Sunset in Port Douglas

Yellow bellied sunbird

The next day there was just time for a little run on the beach (I confess I did not cover the four mile stretch), some photos of a beautiful yellow sunbird and a quick trip into town to buy another swimsuit before I had to head back to Cairns to join my cruise to Lizard Island.

Patterns in the sand

Melbourne skyline

I arrived in Melbourne to find my friends’ lovely Victorian home in the Eastern suburbs. I was to stay there and feed their cat during their absence. When I arrived there was no sign of the cat, but when I popped to the supermarket for some food, the cat was in the house on my return. After some initial distrust, and much plaintive miaowing, the cat decided a warm human was a good thing and settled in my lap, very much my new best friend.

Hosier Lane artwork

More Hosier Lane street art

The following morning I drove into central Melbourne to return the hire car I had driven all the way from Adelaide. It took a while to return the car, as it was busy. I mooched about the centre for a bit getting my bearings before finding Federation Square, a large public space on the river. I checked out nearby Hosier Lane, famous for its graffiti. It was a bit of a let down, being mainly tags and not street art, so there was not much that was witty or had anything to say. It turns out there is better street art in other parts of Melbourne. I popped in to the visitor centre at Fed Square, where I bought a Myki card, which is a transport card allowing one to ride on the trams. A very sweet volunteer showed me that I would need to get off my tram at stop 43. Is there an announcement of the stop number on the tram, I asked? No, she replied, but it is written on the stops. I was not convinced how helpful that would be, as it was about to get dark.

One for the boys

After having a wander around Fed Square, I braved the tram. It trundled along past some of Melbourne’s many and most distinguished sporting arenas until I had no idea where I was. I spent the next 40 minutes or so peering anxiously out the window, trying to read the signs by the side of the road. Two things made this a challenge. First, the stop numbers are rather small. Secondly, Melbourne is not big on street lighting. However, my eyes got accustomed to spotting the tiny numbers in the dark, and I only overshot my stop by one! Success! Note to public transport chiefs of Melbourne. Please announce the stops; it would meant I did not have to concentrate for the whole journey!

Black swan

I slept badly that night. The cat woke me repeatedly by standing on my chest and butting my head. I think he was missing his family, so I forgave him and had a lie in the following morning, letting him lie on my lap for a bit of reassurance. When I set off to the city I was feeling sluggish so I walked for the first couple of miles to get myself moving. I went back to Fed Square and crossed the river for a walk along the bank, past the boathouses and towards the botanical gardens. It was a lovely walk, watching swallows swooping over the river, the odd crew rowing past and a beautiful black swan eating the grass. For once I deliberately went for the rear shot, as they have such pretty, frilly back ends.

Melbourne Botanical Gardens

The botanical gardens are beautiful. Directly across the river from the Rod Laver Arena and the MCG, they have views of these fine sporting venues. I promised myself I would not take loads of bird photos (there have been a few comments on my bird fancying) and then I immediately saw a wattlebird posing so beautifully it would have been rude not to oblige. After a very pleasant wander, I headed back past scores of early evening joggers to meet a friend for dinner. You can always tell when a park is nice, as all the other tourists in the botanical gardens smiled hello as they walked past. Either that or I had something in my face.

Burning bush, Melbourne Botanical Gardens

Ornamental Lake, Melbourne Botanical Gardens

Melbourne Botanical Gardens

My friend Kathy took me to the vibrant suburb of Fitzroy, where we started proceedings at a bar with a couple of drinks at Naked for Satan, a lively tapas bar with a lovely rooftop terrace. Patio heaters kept us snug while we waited for her boyfriend to join us for dinner. We headed to the Vegie Bar for delicious vegetarian food once he was able to escape the office.

Yarra Valley

Yarra valley vines

The next day I joined a tour group called Wild Wombat for a tour of the Yarra Valley. In the group were some Spanish honeymooners, a couple from the UK and the States who lived in Sydney, a father and son from Glasgow and a couple of nurses from Perth. I was the odd one out as I was the only one who was neither a teacher nor in a medical job! They were all very nice. We arrived at our first winery at 11 am. It was a French owned operation called Dominque Portet. The wines did not go down very well so early in the day, and I could feel the effects after tasting six wines, even though I only had a sip of each.

Next up was St Hubert. This one had the nicest wines. At noon we moved towards De Bortoli, where we had lunch. We ordered our food and then returned to the cellar for our third tasting. This one was very speedy, as we were rushed through each wine with the result that I do not remember any of them! A delicious and much needed lunch followed, accompanied by a glass of wine that was perhaps not quite as necessary. After lunch, the others went to sample desert wines but I decided to take some pictures of the scenery instead. Probably for the best!

On then to our fourth stop, which was a small winery, Graeme Miller Wines, where the owner took us through his wines. I confess that by then I could not face another sip and just played with his dog, a beautiful German Shorthaired Pointer.

I had recovered a bit by the last stop, another small winery owned by Italian Australians and former restauranteurs, the Corniolis. This was the most fun by far. Lucy, the owner, sat us all down before passing out wines to taste, together with some cheese and biscuits, all the while telling us stories. She made me pronounce her surname in my most English tones, as she likes the way it sounds. Her non-stop talking was very entertaining and endearing, and I felt a bit guilty that I did not buy any wine, but I was due to go straight out to dinner on returning to Melbourne and did not fancy carrying it around. I can recommend their Sangiovese, however.

I was a bit relieved when my friends called to reschedule dinner to the following night. Having been drinking steadily since 11 am, I was keen to head back to my borrowed home and warm up and sober up, as the Melbourne night was freezing. So cold, in fact, I ordered a pizza as I could not face popping out for dinner. I was grateful for my warm and clingy feline friend!

Angel, apparently

On my last day in Melbourne, I had to do some laundry, pack and clean my borrowed home. In the afternoon I joined a friend, Gareth, who took me to two trendy Melbourne bars. The first, the Croft, was down an alleyway decorated with bright street art in Chinatown. Inside, it is decorated like a funky chemistry lab. I told the young barman to make me a nice cocktail, since a G&T or glass of wine would not challenge his chemistry credentials. He made me something delicious with gin, apricot brandy and lime. We then moved on to Madame Brussels, a rooftop bar where all the unfortunate waitstaff dress in tennis gear, which must have been chilly, even if they did look cute! This place is decorated like an old-fashioned English garden terrace, with white wrought iron furniture and faded floral cushions. And hot pink fleece blankets if you cannot handle the Melbourne winter. The views were lovely and the cocktails very nice, if a little sickly sweet.

We joined Peta, a client I have enjoyed working with for years but never met, for dinner in Port Melbourne. We went to Corte, a trendy restaurant in an old courthouse (very apt for three lawyers) and had a lovely meal and a lot of red wine. Thanks Gareth and Peta, it was really good fun, and great to finally meet Peta. On the way out, there was a possum sitting in a tree, avidly watching something we could not see in the darkness. It is odd to see something which looks exotic to me, but is as common as a squirrel here (but nocturnal).

Words to live by

I got up before dawn to get ready to leave, and was at the airport by 7.45 am for my 9.00 flight to Cairns. Only my flight was at 1.00. Another fail for the travel agent, so I spent the morning hanging out at Melbourne Airport when I could have been having a lie-in followed by some leisurely packing. I did get some entertainment at the airport when I was asked to participate in a survey. She asked me a question to which I told her that I did not tend to have strong feelings about airports. This set up the next question perfectly. It went something like “if you were talking about Melbourne Airport to a friend and you gave it a rating out of 10, what rating would you give it?” The absurdity of this question gave us both a fit of giggles from which we took ages to recover. If anyone cares, I would say about a seven out of ten, because I managed to get the free wifi to work for me! There was one major irritant though – Virgin Australia insists on referring to its passengers as guests. Would you charge guests for a sandwich on a lunch time flight? It grated with every announcement.

After my foiled detour to look at rock art in the Grampians, I arrived at Port Fairy around lunch time, and as I had been driving for more than three hours, I decided to stop for lunch and a coffee. I had a bit of mission filling up with petrol, as for some reason the pump would not work, and someone had to come out and help me. This was a bit of a waste of time and rather embarrassing. My lunch at Rachael’s Cafe was a delicious pumpkin couscous burger (highly recommended if you ever find yourself in Port Fairy), but it did take quite a while especially since I had spent so long getting petrol, so I decided I had no time to explore the town and should set off for Apollo Bay along the Great Ocean Road. I programmed the GPS and set off. It was still pouring with rain. After a while it became apparent that the GPS was steering me inland, away from the Great Ocean Road. I turned left towards the sea, ignoring its imperious demands for me to make a U-turn as soon as possible. After a while it reprogrammed itself and I made the mistake of listening to it, only to realise that once again it was taking me inland, this time along a gravel road. As it was bucketing down with rain and intermittently foggy, I decided to give up on the Ocean Road to try to make it to Apollo Bay before dark. Having entirely missed the Great Ocean Road, I descended towards Apollo Bay on a road that was narrow, steep, winding, and slick with rain. To add further difficulty, it was occasionally so foggy I could barely see the road. It was one of the longest and most stressful hours of my life before I finally emerged onto the coast. The road was so winding I felt nauseous even though I had been driving. It got dark just as I arrived in Apollo Bay, making it hard for me to find the Apollo Bay Guesthouse, where I was staying. When I eventually found it, the owners took ten minutes to answer the door, by which time I was consulting my guidebook for local hotels and feeling slightly hysterical. However, they made up for this initial lapse by feeding me some cheese and crackers so I would not have to go out again in the rain, along with a much needed gin and tonic.

Twelve Apostles

More Apostles

The next day my hosts lent me some gloves and a warm jacket so I could explore the coast I had missed the day before. The first part of the drive was challenging as it was very winding and the rain was very heavy at times, but once back at the coast (the road goes inland for a bit) it brightened up a little. The bad weather meant there were not many people at the famous Twelve Apostles, especially since it was too early for the day trippers to have made it from Melbourne, so I played about with my neutral density filter after taking a few normal shots, in between strong gusts of wind and rain showers. Periodically the sun would come out and illuminate what is a really striking coastline. There are not twelve apostles, and probably never were. The number does change, as some of the stacks have collapsed. These formations were originally called the Sow and Piglets, before someone decided the Apostles sounded a bit more upmarket (and everyone knows Apostles come in twelves). It was so breezy here that a small waterfall was flowing back up the cliff. With my hood on to protect my ears and wearing my borrowed coat, I was not too cold. I spent almost an hour there, occasionally hunkering down to avoid a shower, before carrying on to Loch Ard Gorge.

Waterfall flowing upwards

Loch Ard Gorge

The Loch Ard was a ship which sank with the loss of all but two people. The ship’s apprentice was washed into the gorge. He heard cries for help and found a girl clinging to a broken piece of mast. After he brought her to shore (she could not swim) and revived her with some brandy, he climbed out of the gorge and got help. Climbing from the gorge must have been a challenge before the stairs which now helpfully take you down to the beach and back were installed. Although towards the back of the beach the cliffs are no more than a couple of storeys high, they are sheer and crumbling. He was given a medal for his efforts.

View from Broken Head

There is also a nice walk past Thunder Cave where the water rushes in to a hole in the cliff, competing with the water pouring back out, along a path to a beach featuring a limestone stack which is almost rectangular. It was beautiful but wild. I did not wander onto the rocks as I was afraid of rogue waves in the strong winds. I noticed others were not as cautious, wandering right out towards the sea which was thumping into the rocks, neatly illustrating how it carves the limestone. It was sunny until I headed back towards the car, when it began to rain a bit, so I gave the Loch Ard cemetery a miss (not many of the unfortunate victims of the Loch Ard were recovered) and headed further along the coast.

The Arch

London Bridge

Further along is the Arch, which is as its name implies an arch of limestone. I had another play with my neutral density filter before heading on to London Bridge. This formation used to have a second span connecting it to the mainland. In 1990 it collapsed, leaving two tourists stranded on the new island from where they had to be rescued by helicopter. I bet they had to change their trousers after that experience. Now they encourage people to stay away from the edge of the cliffs.

i had another excellent cafe lunch, this time at Karoa at Port Campbell to warm up for the drive back. Amazing sweet potato chips.

On the way back I went to look for koalas on the drive down to the Cape Ottway lighthouse, but just passed a few cows on the road. The drive back was less scary than the drive out, as it had largely stopped raining.

Hike to Cumberland Falls

Cumberland Falls

The next day I said goodbye to my hosts and headed towards Melbourne. I stopped at Cumberland Falls and hiked about ten minutes up a steep path to look at the falls. They are pretty enough, tumbling down the hillside, but I rather liked the mossy trees I passed on the short hike. Back in my car, I drove slowly along the edge of the sea. I noticed two things. One was that there were lots of signs saying 80 kilometres per hour, often right in front of a sign warning you to take the next curve at 45, and the other was that after every pull out there was a sign saying drive on the left in Australia!

Breakfast time for koalas

Curious koala

Koala ball

The views were very pretty, with lots of pristine beaches and rocky cliffs. I pressed on to Kennett River, where there are lots of koalas. Once there, a sharp left turn took me onto a dirt road which winds slowly up the hillside. I drove along, scanning for koalas but could see none, so I stopped, got out and began to walk up the road. I immediately saw three of the little marsupials, clinging to trees. One was munching away on some leaves. It began to rain again so I headed back to the car, where another car pulled up and asked how many I had seen. An Aussie family of three, they were delighted to tell me they had seen seven without leaving the car! So competitive! Of course, they had two non-drivers to do the spotting. They refused to lend me their child to help me look, but did helpfully point to all the ones they saw as they drove ahead of me. In the end I saw about nine or ten, although some were just furry backs huddled high in a tree. Most of them were curled into tight little balls, sleeping their way through the cool morning showers. Only one paid me any attention, peering down at me through the leaves. After a couple of kilometres, the trees changed and there are many beautiful tree ferns, but no more koalas. As it was raining pretty steadily, I turned around and headed back down the hill. Had it not been raining, I would have walked a kilometre or so along the road, and am sure would have seen many more koalas.

Another koala ball

Crimson rosella

Juvenile crimson rosella

Australian king parrot

At the bottom of the road I could see a lot of people blocking the road and looking into the trees. I parked and walked back, and as I did so the sun came out. There was a koala high in the tree, but all the people were feeding parrots who suddenly appeared and were perching on the arms, shoulders and heads of the tourists whilst ducks pecked around their feet. A group of Japanese girls shrieked loudly every time a bird landed on them. I am not sure why they were encouraging them as they were so afraid of the birds which were very tame.  The tour guides obviously instigate the feeding, which is a little sad to see, but it was lovely to see all the beautiful birds.

Cockatoo

Wood duck

I left Kennett River and kept going to the town of Lorne. I was going to stop for a coffee, but having admired the town, and its pretty beachfront park, I decided to keep going as it had begun to rain again.

Lighthouse at Aireys Inlet

I stopped at the town of Aireys Inlet where I hiked up to the lighthouse and to the cliff edge to admire the view. A sign said whales could often be seen from the point, but none were passing that day. I admired the inlet on the way down, and photographed a galah that was eating the grass next to my car, before heading on to Anglesea.

I decided to grab a sandwich to have a picnic lunch at Anglesea, but ended up eating in my car in the car park as it was raining again! The rest of the trip into Melbourne was uneventful. I passed through the surfing town of Torquay without stopping as the beach was not appealing in the rain, and I thought about stopping for a coffee in Geelong, but it is a big and rather busy town, so I simply headed into Melbourne to locate my friend’s house, where I would be staying, in daylight.

All this talk of rain might sound a bit negative, but on the positive side there were loads of signs by the side of the road saying the risk of fire was low. Always a silver lining! It would have been much more crowded had the weather been better. The biggest downside at this time of year is the shortness of the days, I did a lot of rushing trying to see things before it got dark, when really I had to be patient waiting for the gaps in the weather. As you can see from the pictures, there was plenty of sunshine between all the showers.

Galah

I drove from Adelaide to Dunkeld at the southern end of the Grampians after picking up a hire car. This time a Toyota Corolla. I carefully made sure I located the lights, indicators and windscreen wipers before setting off, noting that I was going to struggle as the wipers and indicators were on the opposite side to that I am used to. I also noted that, whilst an automatic, it had a squiggly gearbox. I manoeuvred down the squiggle and set off, only to find the engine shrieking, and every time I had to turn left I switched the wipers on. Fortunately I soon came to a traffic light which gave me a chance to sort out the engine (turns out I was in M, not D; I had gone too far down the squiggle) and switch off the wipers, but it was not a relaxing start to my journey. As I joined the motorway out of Adelaide, it began to pour with rain and the car began to fog up, matching the fog on the outside. I switched the indicators on and off before locating the wipers, and had to open a window in the pouring rain while I figured out the air conditioning, but eventually I sorted that out, the car de-misted and I drove along okay in the rain and the fog, except that I turned off the windscreen wipers every time I tried to overtake a truck. Given how hard it was raining, this meant I was immediately unable to see. Fortunately I was able to see the funny side, and managed not to kill myself or anyone else.

Common correa

It rained for the first 300 km or so. I stopped briefly in Bordertown, where there is a reserve with white kangaroos. I was feeling tired, and tried to buy a sandwich for lunch, but was told orders for sandwiches closed at 1.30 – it was nearly 3.00. So I relied on a walk in the rain and a diet coke to wake me up. I decided to leave the white kangaroos and press on as I did not want to be driving in the dark. I passed the reserve on my way out of town, and saw the white kangaroos as I drove by, which made me a bit sorry I had not taken a few minutes for a picture or two. The sun then came out and it was a beautiful afternoon and a nice drive through the farmland of South Australia. I suddenly realised I was low on petrol, and fortunately stopped, as it was to be the last chance to get any. It also then quickly got dark, and suddenly I was driving along in the pitch dark, seeing lots of signs warning of kangaroos on the road, and no other signs of life. In two hours, I saw one marsupial, which I fortunately managed to evade, and about three cars. The three cars were all heading towards me on a one lane section of road, so I had to drift half on, half off the road to let them past. Eventually I reached the tiny town of Dunkeld, where I was staying. I had great difficulty finding the hotel as the sign is hard to read at night, but eventually found it on my third pass through Dunkeld’s four blocks when I stopped to call and ask for directions, and realised I could see it!

Flame heath

As I was exhausted, having driven about 550 kilometres in challenging conditions, I was pleased that it was a really nice hotel, the Royal Mail. I eschewed its fine dining restaurant though, as I could not imagine chewing my way through a degustation menu on my own! I had a nice meal and a very well earned glass of wine at the bar instead.

Kangaroo on the Mt Sturgeon trail

The easy part of the trail

Getting steeper

After all the rain, it was a beautiful day the next day, so I decided to do the 7 km hike up Mt Sturgeon to admire the view. It starts with a gentle meander through the forest, where occasionally I would get the sense that I was being watched and look around to find a kangaroo gazing at me. Mostly they have little fear, and simply watched as I hiked past, although I did set a couple bouncing away when I sneezed loudly. Despite being the middle of winter, there were lots of red and pink flowers around. After a couple of kilometres, the path began to climb and went from a sandy path to a steep rocky one. I clambered upwards, occasionally turning to see the view behind me. I often thought I was nearing the top, only to discover more hill beyond what I thought was the top! The views were spectacular, although unfortunately for photographs, directly into the sun. Eventually the path started to descend again, and up ahead I could see a rocky escarpment that I knew must finally be the summit. Descending through another little forest, the path then climbed steeply upwards to the summit, giving me amazing 360 degree views of Dunkeld to the south, the Grampians to the north and farmland on either side. It was very windy at the top, so I was careful not to get too close to the edge. After a quick snack and some water, I started back down again.

The view from the trail

The summit in sight

The view from the top – Dunkeld

The view from the top to the west

On the way down I appreciated how steep the climb was. In a way it was harder on the descent, as I was constantly having to look down to check where I was putting my feet. I passed a young couple heading up, the only other people I was to see on the hike. It was nice to hit the level part towards the bottom and be able to spend more time looking around at my surroundings rather than focused on the path. When I got back to my car, I had climbed 450 metres, walked 7 kilometres and had a thoroughly nice time.

By the time I had checked back with the hotel to let them know I was safely down and eaten lunch, I knew I did not have enough daylight left to drive to the Aboriginal shelter which was at least an hour’s drive, hike to the shelter to view the rock art and be back before dark, so I decided to leave that for the following day and just go for a drive. Driving at night is not recommended because of the wildlife on the roads.

The head of the lawn mowing team

Little roo

As I was driving along through the Grampians National Park, I saw an animal moving by the side of the road. I slowed and could see it was an echidna. Unfortunately, by the time I had stopped and turned around, he had scurried across the road and disappeared into the bushes. Still no decent echidna picture! I then turned into a camp ground which was completely empty, other than a team of kangaroos diligently mowing the lawn. They were amazingly relaxed in my presence, most not even lifting their heads when I got out of the car. They are amazingly adept at ducking under fences to get at the grass they enjoy. I watched them for a while, nearly jumping out of my skin when a cockatoo began to screech in a tree nearby, interrupting the peace of the evening. As I headed back, I nearly ran over an emu which suicidally dashed across the road in front of me. While my heart was still racing, and fortunately before I had sped up again, a kangaroo ran across in the other direction. I was relieved to make it back to the hotel without eliminating any wildlife.

After checking out the next day, I set off towards the Manja Shelter, where the Cave of Hands can be found. It was raining on and off, but I was optimistic that I might get a break in the weather. However, once I turned onto the dirt road towards the trailhead, it began to pour. My little car began to slide on the slick muddy surface, and as there were no other cars around, I decided that I had better turn around, as there was no one to rescue me if I slid into a ditch. There was water running across the road in places, so even though I was crawling along, this was a real possibility. I did not suppose any of the many kangaroos I passed would be much help. I turned around and headed south towards the town of Port Fairy, from where I would join the Great Ocean Road, feeling that I could have used another day or two in the Grampians.

I flew to Adelaide from Sydney. The time difference is a bizarre half an hour behind Sydney, although I am sure that some wags might say the time difference is more like a few years! They do like to point out to Sydney residents that the original residents were settlers, not convicts, round here. When I arrived it was raining heavily on and off, and although Adelaide looks like a charming city, I decided to sit out the rain in my rather nice hotel room, writing the Sydney blog and doing boring but essential laundry, emerging only briefly to stock up on essentials. Early on Tuesday morning I flew to Kangaroo Island, just south of Adelaide. It was a 20 minute hop on a 30-seater twin prop plane. I was met by Tim, a local beekeeper and part-time tour guide who was to drive me and a couple from Sydney around the island for the next couple of days. Ron and Vivian have been married for more than 60 years, have lived all over the world and were really great company.

Galah

Crimson rosella

Tim immediately found us a koala, clinging to a tree and looking rather cold. It was high in the tree, so Tim promised to find one lower down later.  As well as the koala, I was delighted to see a galah and some crimson rosellas. These beautiful brightly coloured birds are common in Australia, so I think the Australians were somewhat bemused by my delight. We then stopped for a cup of tea at a billabong. Some black swans drifted past and disappeared rather quickly, but despite the lack of birdlife, it was a beautiful spot.

Billabong

Koala

As promised, Tim then found another koala in a smaller tree. He gazed down at us while I took his picture.  They are not the most intelligent looking animals, but they certainly are sweet.

Wallaby

We then set off looking for wallabies warming themselves in the sun at the edge of the bush.  They cannot wander into the open as wedge tailed eagles patrol the skies looking for them, but can be seen at the edge of the road enjoying the winter sunshine. The first one we saw bounced off, but suddenly there were loads of these small creatures, gazing at us with big eyes.  I will find it hard to be intimidated by the Australian rugby team having seen the creature for which they are named, which could not be cuter.

Crimson rosella

We then visited an area of protected endemic plant life where the endangered glossy black cockatoo can often be found. Although we saw none of those, we saw lots of other birds, including another crimson rosella, and wallabies and kangaroos which were remarkably relaxed about our presence as we went for a short hike. Occasionally one would decide he did not like the look of us and bound away, but for the most part they continued dozing or grazing.

Scarlet robin

Australian sea lion

Would you like to play with me?

I guess I’ll just amuse myself then

After a delicious picnic lunch in the bush featuring local produce and affording the opportunity to snap a tiny scarlet robin perched on a fence, we went to see the Australian sea lion colony at Seal Bay. Most of the sea lions lie snoozing in sheltered spots in the sun, but one young pup was playing in the waves at the beach, and came racing over when he saw us, eager to show off. It was hard not to react to his antics, but since he will grow to 350 kilos it is important he does not grow up to think of people as playmates. He raced up and down the beach, coming to within a few feet of us, rolled over and threw a piece of seaweed around.  He was obviously looking for someone to play with whilst the rest of his kind dozed. As we left, we saw one small pup suckling from his mother right next to the boardwalk.

Australian sea lion suckling

I stayed at a B&B on the island called Molly’s Run where I was the only guest.  It is a lovely Tuscan style villa with coastal views which has been beautifully decorated.  The owner Paul made enough food for about twelve, so I had to sit and eat as much as I could so as not to hurt his feelings. He was feeling a bit low as the eponymous Molly, a boxer dog, had very recently died. Eventually I retired to my room to collapse into a food induced coma for the night.

Australasian pelican swimming

Australasian pelican flying

Australasian pelican walking

The following day we headed up to Flinders Chase National Park after looking at the Australasian pelicans near Kingscote. As well as many of these large pelicans, there was a host of cormorants warming themselves in the morning sun.

Pelicans and cormorants sitting on the dock of the bay

Pied cormorant

Cape Barren goose on the nest

After a beautiful coastal drive, punctuated by frequent showers, we arrived at the park. Cape Barren geese, with their high visibility beaks, nest by the roadside at the entrance. We went to look at the colony of New Zealand fur seals that haul out of the Southern Ocean here where an arch has been carved from the cliffs by the sea. It was very windy and blustery, but the section where the seals lie is sheltered and once again we could see many seals snoozing contentedly in the sun, including lots of tiny pups waiting for their mothers to return. Other more energetic seals played in the strong surf nearby.

Sleeping adult New Zealand fur seal

Sleeping baby New Zealand fur seal

Nothing feels better than a snooze in the sun

The only one awake

Surfing fur seals

Remarkable Rocks

Still remarkable

We beat a rain shower back to the car and continued to the rock formation known as the Remarkable Rocks, which are granite boulders left behind as the cliff erodes around them.  As it was raining when we left the car, I left my camera behind and decided to use my phone. It is a bit of a shame as the shower passed and it was wonderfully sunny, and they are really quite remarkable close up, and my phone snaps do not do them justice.

Superb fairywren

As the winds were so strong, we headed back to the visitor’s centre for our picnic lunch, closely watched by some magpies. In the bushes nearby, some tiny superb fairywrens were foraging. The males are stunning in their breeding plumage whilst the femI have read that they are socially monogamous but sexually promiscuous. Sounds like an open marriage.

After our late lunch we continued our coastal drive, keeping an eye out for whales, but none appeared. We went by the local golf course where the green fees are just $2. This might be because the lawns are cut for free by the residents for whom the island is named. We saw one with her joey peeking out of her pouch. Tim told us this was the first he had seen this year, so were lucky to see it.

Kangaroo with joey

As we headed back to the airport, we saw an echidna train. An echidna is an amazing creature which looks like a porcupine, but which lays an egg which it keeps in a pouch and then feeds milk to the resulting baby, which is rather wonderfully called a puggle.  Occasionally two or more males will follow a female they wish to mate with – we saw three animals in such a train. Unfortunately, as we watched hoping they would emerge from the roadside bushes, several cars went by very fast, and only one came out into the open.  Sadly it was almost dark, and he crossed the road rather quickly, so the pictures I got of him were all rather fuzzy.

Kangaroo Island was wonderful, with such a proliferation of wildlife that sadly rather a lot of it ends up dead at the side of the road. Tim was a very knowledgeable guide, and he also pointed out many of the island’s idiosyncrasies as we passed them.  One is a smart bus stop, with a tarred area for the bus to stop on and a shiny blue shelter.  What is wrong with that, you might ask. Well, there are no buses on Kangaroo Island! There seemed to be rather a few such things on Kangaroo Island.  Perhaps they need a new council!

After boarding the tiny plane back to Adelaide, I just had time to catch up with my old friend George from university days. From Adelaide I will be driving to Melbourne via the Grampians and the Great Ocean Road.

I am in love! The object of my affections is the beautiful city of Sydney. On first landing in Sydney I experienced a bit of culture shock. After three weeks of sleepy small town life in Montana and Hawaii, interrupted only by two days in San Francisco, it seemed impossibly big and busy. I arrived in the evening after a ten and a half hour flight which lasted more than 24 hours! I lost a day, crossing the international date line. I was all set to go and explore the city but the effects of the time difference and a horrible flight with a very unhappy baby sitting two rows behind me caught up with me when I was buying some water and I retreated to the hotel to bed, thinking I could use the jet lag to get up early.

Sydney Opera House

Sydney Harbour Bridge

This was the first time on this trip I struggled badly with jet lag. I woke at 3.00, went back to sleep at about 6.00 and did not wake again until 9.00! So much for my early start. I set off eagerly towards Circular Quay, feeling much better for the sleep, in the wrong direction as is my wont. I stopped to ask for directions, and suddenly could see the Harbour Bridge peeking between buildings. I headed towards it and found myself facing the harbour, with the bridge on one side and the infamous opera house on the other. In glorious midwinter sunshine I gazed at these sights. Being here is a bit like being in New York for the first time, oddly familiar as one has seen it so often before on TV. I wandered around just soaking it up, scarcely able to believe that it was 22 degrees in the middle of winter! I was amused by the antics of two gulls, who stood in front of me squawking in turn, and tried to tune out the dance didgeridoo going on in the background (I took this to be a form of Aborigine revenge on the tourists). I could see people walking over the top of the bridge (you can just about make them out if you click on the picture to enlarge it). If I had realised quite how lovely the weather would be I would have signed up for it.

After grabbing a quick lunch I decided to try the open topped bus tour of Sydney. This was long and rather boring, although it did give me the chance to orientate myself well. Amazingly I did not get lost again! The city is a mix of rather neglected Victorian homes, stylish modern skyscrapers and handsome 19th century buildings all centred round that stunning harbour. By the time the tour was over it was nearly dark and in hindsight I do wish I had taken a trip out on the water instead. The only sign of winter was the early evening on what was the shortest day of the year. Otherwise it was a day which would have been considered delightful in London in August!

The Coathanger by night

I grabbed my tripod and headed back to Circular Quay to take some pictures of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge at night. They are even more beautiful at night, all lit up. I had a nice meal overlooking the bridge sitting outside, in winter! While eating I decided I would head to Bondi the next day.

Red hot pokers

Australian magpie

Noisy miner

Ficus macrophylla columnaris

Sacred ibis

Red flowered tree

After again waking terribly early, I was feeling rather dazed as I set off the next morning. It was overcast and quite chilly, so I decided to wander around the Botanical Gardens before heading to Bondi, to see if the clouds would burn off. The Botanical Gardens are stunning, with lots of weird and wonderful plants and birds, and amazing views of the harbour.

Sydney does not seem to have many pigeons. Instead of these rats of the sky, Sydney has sacred ibises, which skulk around in the bushes and hang around rubbish bins foraging for scraps. They are filthy and often mangy looking with missing toes, but I manage to find some more salubrious specimens to photograph. The gardens are also full of dusky moorhens, which scrap vociferously like drunks at closing time. There are also bold noisy miners everywhere, chunky and comical, gazing at me with beady eyes. Even the magpies are different here, looking like pied crows.

Dusky moorhen

There was, amongst many fascinating plants, a tree which has many trunks. It is called a ficus macrophylla columnaris. Apparently the largest one found occupies more than a hectare. That is a big tree! I was really tempted to join the tour of the gardens, especially as I was sure there were loads more birds to see, particularly cockatoos, but with so little time to explore Sydney and winter daylight in short supply, I decided to press on to Bondi.

Bondi beach just before the sun came out

To get there I joined another open topped bus.  Upon arrival I had that odd sensation of it not being quite real, being so familiar to me from my favourite guilty pleasure, Bondi Rescue. If you have never watched the show, do catch up with the antics of Bondi’s loveable lifeguards. To ensure it was indeed real, I walked the length of the beach and back again to the south end where the bigger waves and more able surfers were located to take a few action surfing shots. While I was walking, the sun burnt through the remaining clouds and it was another gorgeous winter’s day that could pass for the height of the English summer. The beach itself is truly gorgeous, a curve of golden sand licked by bright blue seas and flanked by cliffs, all overlooked by expensive real estate. There were a few die hard swimmers and many surfers, with the skilled riders at the south end and those developing their skills towards the middle of the beach where the waves were more benign. People jogged up and down, did yoga on the sand or posed for photos in front of the famous waves.

Bondi surfer

Surfer still going

As I was snapping the surfers, I saw the Rhino used by the lifeguards approach. I was delighted to recognise Harries, the most outgoing of the lifeguards from the show, and snapped a paparazzi-style shot of him.

It’s Harries off the telly!

Beautiful Bondi

I ate a delicious and disgustingly healthy salad sitting on the grass overlooking the beach, still amazed to actually be there, before setting off on the cliff top walk to Coogee. This is a five kilometre walk, so I though I could do it easily. Alas, it was not to be. A blister on the side of my heel, which was a mild annoyance I had been ignoring for a couple of days, suddenly became a throbbing pit of pain, causing me to limp along the path like an arthritic 90 year old. I made it to Tamarama, about one kilometre away, before conceding defeat and returning. Despite this, it was a hugely enjoyable walk, with gorgeous views. It is immensely popular, crowded with tourists, dog walkers and joggers. It must be a frustrating run, despite the lovely views, with all the meandering tourists in the way, but it is a delightful place for a sunny Sunday stroll.

Bondi Icebergs swimming pool

Bondi in the sunshine

Tamarama

As I sat and waited for the bus back to central Sydney, resting my poor foot, I narrowly avoided being defecated on by a myna. A young lady sitting next to me was not so fortunate, and had to wipe bird droppings from her hair, which might have slightly soured her Bondi experience! I assured her it was good luck (whilst being glad I had not been the one to be so blessed), but she moved away, muttering about not being in need of further good fortune. From the bus I saw parrots flying overhead; sudden flashes of jewel colours against the darkening evening sky. I hope I will get a chance to see some closer up.

Sydney Hospital’s lucky boar, il porcellino

Hobbling back to the hotel, I just had time to admire the boar outside Sydney’s hospital. You can donate a coin and then rub his nose for good luck. It is worth a go, as the money donated goes to the hospital. Judging by the shine, his nose is not the only thing people have been rubbing for luck! I just hope his snout works on blisters!

That evening I went to Longrain, a Thai restaurant, to catch up with Josie, the first of my Aussie mates that I will see on this trip. The portions there are huge, and we managed less than half of our food before conceding defeat. It was delicious though. We were joined by a friend of hers but unfortunately he had already eaten and was unable to help us with our food mountain, although he did give some of it away to the young couple sitting next to us!

So far I am loving Australia as I head towards my second stop, Adelaide. If it is half as nice as Sydney, it is going to be great!