Koala Park

Tuesday, Feb 21

Laundry, email and re-packing.  Yay for down days.  I am a bit under the weather today, so I needed this.  I learned the school route and Gemma also showed me how to get to Manly beach, the nearest sandy paradise to our neighborhood.  It is calm and refreshing.  The beach is in a crescent shaped bay.  Inside the bay, there are cobblestone pathways and streets lining the authentic stores and picturesque eateries.  I am so excited to spend my time off during the days here!

We had dinner with the family and then I took a bus and train to the hotel.  Diane, my aunt from Pennsylvania, is visiting me here.  She comes in tomorrow and will be here over a week.  She owns and operates CSSI and has a client in Sydney, so she was able to combine work with pleasure on this venture across world.  I’m excited to explore Sydney with her.   We’re staying at the Courtyard Marriot.  The receptionist gave me a free upgrade to the room, so it’s dual level suite with a view of the city.  Pretty swanky.  We’ll be staying in the Sydney Harbor Hotel on the weekend- I can’t wait!

Wednesday, Feb 22

I really like our dual level suite.  I slept in and then pushed the button to raise the blinds that revealed our view.  Diane arrived around 11 and then we updated each other and took showers.  Then we went out to the Macqaurie shopping district and ate some Thai food.  It was great just to enjoy talking about everything I’ve been experiencing.  Then we headed in early for a movie at the hotel.  We had an interesting time connecting our laptop to the TV so we could watch a bootleg movie with a glass of cheap wine.  Living the dream, I tell you.  We had a few laughs as we waited for the movie to continue uploading.  Who wants to pay to see a movie in the theater when you can have this high-class experience for free?

Thursday, Feb 23

Diane and I went to the Koala Park today.When we walked up and saw them in the trees, they looked like they were dead or paralyzed in the trees, completely slumped over or squeezed between two branches.  They were so adorable yet silly in their comatose state. 

I had to figure out the train and bus we had to take to get there, but it was worth the effort.  We had the privilege of petting a koala up close.  For those of you back home, apparently, they are not called Koala Bears, simply Koalas.  Even though they look like bears, all the locals insist that you remember they are not bears.  Koalas are marsupials, or mammals that give birth to their young prematurely and then carry the young, in their pouch, kind of like an protective incubator and nursing station, until the young have fully matured. Other marsupials include Kangaroos, possums, sugar gliders, and squirrel gliders.

Koalas sleep around 18 hours a day.  They are so cute, but they do have very long nails so in the wild, it is not recommended to pet them.  But at this Koala park, they are tame, so we were able to pat the soft, fuzzy, thick fur of this adorable marsupial. 

When a koala first gives birth to its young, the baby is only about the size of a jellybean.  The baby koala, also known as a joey, is hairless, earless and blind.  At birth, the joey will climb down into its mother’s downward facing pouch and latch on to a teat.  The young koala will feed on milk and stay in the pouch for around 6 months.  Then for the next 6 months, the joey will start to venture out of the pouch, riding on the mothers back.  We didn’t see any joey Koalas, however, it would be hard to even know if one of the adult Koalas had a joey in her pouch, due to its size.

This is Tadpole, my friend, the Koala

Echidna

We also saw an Echidna, a monotreme native to Australia. Monotremes are like marsupials only they are egg-laying mammals. They lay their eggs and once hatched, the mother feeds the underdeveloped young and carries them until they are fully matured.

A platypus is another type of monotreme.  Upon his return to London, Captain Cook brought back a platypus skin to identify and introduce the newly discovered monotreme. The well-educated members of the Royal and scientific society thought this was a practical joke. Then, they concluded that Cook mixed several different types of animals together, to form the Platypus.  When proven wrong, they were shocked to find that such an animal does exist. 

Other interesting animals we passed include wombats, wallabies (smaller kangaroos), cockatoos, emus and sheep.  We were able to watch a demonstration of sheep sheering and sheep herding.  One of the sheep being sheered was so relaxed.  I was surprised he didn’t put up any struggle.  He even seemed relieved to be free of his heavy coat.

Lastly, we walked into a kangaroo-petting zone. Kangaroos are marsupials, just like Koalas.  They were everywhere- small ones, big ones and younger joeys.  After petting a few, we saw a mother and her joey!

Here is a mother Kangaroo with her joey in her pouch.  You can only see his big foot sticking out of the pouch.  Talk about uncomfortable for the mama! The things mother’s do for their children.

Kangaroos can have up to 3 joeys at a time.  The reproduction of Kangaroos is similar to opossums.  The egg drops from the ovary into the uterus.  When fertilized, it develops into a neonate.  After only 33 days, it emerges, hairless, blind and earless, with only stumps as hind legs.  The neonate uses its forearms to climb across the abdomen of its mother to reach the pouch and attach to one of the four teats to feed. Can you believe the neonate instinctively knows to crawl to the pouch, at such a small size?  I’m surprised he doesn’t get lost in the fur or fall off.  (This could be an argument against abortions in humans, by recognizing that even in animals, the embryo is full of life, a baby, only after 33 days, because it has the wherewithal to crawl to a pouch and further develop.  Something to consider.) 

Diane making friends

I'm petting where the joey is sleeping
inside the mother's pouch.  You can see his foot
and tale sticking out :)

Once the tiny, growing neonate begins to feed, another egg descends into the ovary.  Once the next egg is fertilized, its development is temporarily halted, until there is room for him to make his way to the pouch.  Then the first neonate “incubates” in the pouch for 190 days until it matures into a joey, complete with ears, hind legs, fur and opened eyes.  The joey will poke his head out of the pouch and venture outside, starting to eat grass.  The mother’s four teats are for the various types of milk for the different stages of the neonate or joey. 

To the left is a picture I found showing a neonate sucking on a teat in its mother’s pouch, ready to develop into a joey.  You can see the other teats as well.  Look at how tiny he is! (only a few centimeters) 

This is how a Kangaroo can have 3 joeys at a time: one neonate, latched on one teat with high nutritional value, one joey attached to an alternative teat with a different type milk, and another joey outside of her pouch that stays nearby until ready to live on its own.  I am so fascinated with the reproduction and life of kangaroos and other marsupials.  God was extra innovative with these little guys.   

Back to Sydney

Monday, Feb 20

I took 2 trains to get to the Brisbane Airport.  While making my way back to Sydney, I almost finished my book… I can barely wait to start the next one.  But I’m trying to pace myself so I can enjoy the book fully.  You can only experience something for the first time once, so I like to savor that moment.  Just like eating dessert, I have to eat each mouth-watering bite slowly, allowing every taste bud to awaken at the touch of that cool, decadent slice of sweetness.  Similarly, when I eat up the words of a good book for the first time, I take my time.  You can never get that first time experience again, so you better enjoy it—whether it’s a gripping book, a delectable dessert, a first encounter with a sweet guy, a riveting conversation with a different minded world traveler—you owe it to yourself to absorb the moment and savor the experience. Moments are fleeting.  Firsts only happen once.

I met a nice man on the train who told me about the various mountains and trees we passed by.  He does a lot of landscaping here, so he was quite informative. 

The plane ride went by quickly, compared to the train ride at 5:45am earlier today.  You know how I challenged God to impress me today in the sky?  Well, he managed to paint a masterpiece for me outside my window.  I saw some remarkable clouds as we traveled along our trajectory to Sydney.  I have so much painting I want to do when I get a spare moment.  I’ll have to learn more about how to paint clouds because I definitely want to paint these.  They were unforgettable and powerful.

Here are Cumulus pileus clouds.  These are small cap-like clouds that hover over large parent cumulus clouds.

Above are Single-cell Cumulonimbus incus clouds, or in other words, a Cumulonimbus cloud with a flat top, like an anvil.  This is caused by wind rising air currents that hit the inversion layer at the tropopause.

The sky is so magical to me.  It’s definitely on my top 10 list in the universe.  A sky can be dangerous or romantic.  It can be dark or bright.  The stars illuminate from thousands of miles away, appearing as specks in blackness, even though they are distant balls of burning gas in the galaxy.  And don’t get me started on sunsets.  God is just so creative.  Whenever I fly, I try to take a picture of the clouds in the sky.  I’m glad the Wright brothers figured out the whole flying concept so we could have this perspective of the earth.

I arrived at the Sydney airport and then took a train and bus to the house.  Then I went over the schedule and driving directions with the current Au Pair, Gemma.  I also drove for the first time on the left side of the road.  AND the right side of the car.  Don’t worry, the pedestrian I hit isn’t going to press any charges.  Just kidding.  It actually went really well.  Then we all ate for a sit down dinner.  I really like that every night, the family sits around the table for a home cooked meal.  I will be cooking some of the meals here, but not all of them.  I miss this.  In college, we all just did our own thing, not focusing on the event of eating together.  

Noosa Heads

Sunday, Feb 19

Margot and Jan

I woke up early and had breakfast with Jan and her husband.  Then we headed over to her daughter’s house so I could use her Internet to buy my flight to Sydney.  Then we drove to Margot’s other house for juice and Voga, a strawberry crumpet, on her balcony over looking the green landscape in her backyard.  

I played on her piano and looked around at her china collectables.  It was like a scene from a victorian film.  Then we drove to Noosa Heads Beach.  It’s about an hour away, near Brisbane. 

The scenery along the way was magnificent.  The entire canvas outside my window was painted with a vast array of green- lush grass pastures with lime green sprinkles; dense emerald forests with tall trunks and hanging vines; tree archways framing the road made from curved trunks. Light emerald foliage everywhere.  There were rolling knolls and mountains in the distance.  The ride was simply breathtaking.  I only wish we weren’t in a moving car so I could have taken better pictures. (Gympie must be related to Ireland because they both share the same chlorophyll dominated DNA makeup.) 

The wide expanse of rolling hills was dotted with grazing livestock.  The slender grass along the road swayed back and forth, dancing to the music of wind.  Off in the distance were two mounts.  Each year, the locals have a climbing competition.  The first man to climb up to the top is deemed the “King of the Mountain”.

Margot and me boarding the ferry

Next stop- Noosa River.  We shopped around for a bit and then took the ferry over to the beach.  Jan and Margot were so generous.  They haven’t made me pay for a single thing since I’ve been here, no matter how hard I try to offer my money.

The ferry ride was pleasant. There were several sailboats and dozens of houseboats all along the river.

Noosa River

Once we made it to the other side, we walked over to grab a bite and then head to the beach.  On the sandy shore, the Iron Man Competition had just commenced.  This race includes kayaking and swimming around a number of markers in the open ocean.  The first to return to the beach is crowned the Iron Man.   (Yet another prime example of the male ego itching to compete and pull rank on his fellow Aussie.)  This was rather entertaining to watch.  Their athleticism was impeccable.

Iron Man Competition, Noosa Heads Beach

After the sun started to take its toll on us, we meandered back into town and onto the ferry.  We drove around a tad more, soaking up the scenery.  The sisters showed me where their mother used to live along the river.  Next, we returned to Gympie on a different highway to see more of the gently sloping hills, distant mountains, and green vegetation.  

I couldn't get a picture of this, but by this time, the sun was peering through the clouds, just the way I imagine it will look when Jesus returns.  A far off sheet of rain lay still under a pile of majestic, billowing clouds.  Cumulous clouds piled up and Cirrus clouds streaked across the sky, making a display of the many different forms they can take in one moment.  God was showing off, and I didn’t mind. Every day he paints me a new picture in the sky.  Thank you God, for today’s painting.  What’s planned for tomorrow?  I’ll be on the plane headed for Sydney, so impress me.  I’ll be up close. 

We had dinner at Margot’s house, just down the road.  It was lovely.  We ate in the music room and had crackers and Ginger Ale prior to our main course.  I should serve dinner this way back home.  They prolong the dinner festivities with a lot of chitchat, sitting and enjoying one another’s company.  It isn’t just about eating food here.  They remind me of the original design of communing with one another over a shared meal.  I do this with Mel, Johnny, Thomas, Danielle and the gang on Monday nights back in Texas, so this made me miss them a bit.  But after dinner, I played the piano for them.  I was suddenly dropped into a scene from Pride and Prejudice.  It was nice to entertain using our own devices, rather than the television.  What a splendid evening. 

Gympie

Saturday, Feb 18^th

We checked out of our hotel and moved Kristy to her new hotel that was closer in, right on the beach.  It was a trek to get our bags to the bus and then to the hotel, but we made it.  I had to figure out the bus and train situation to Gympie.  It was a bit confusing to figure out which bus takes you to which train and what time you need to transfer.  However, I am proud to say I can travel longer distances on my own with multiple transfers and make it to my final destination in one piece.

At Kristy's new hotel, there was a beautiful view of Surfer's Paradise.  Also, we laid out at her pool.  I wish my family could have been here for this pool.  It had beautiful waterfalls and Tiki huts.  It would have been perfect for one of our family pool parties (see below).  

I liked riding in the last train that was the longest ride.  It felt more like an airplane with individual armed seats and small, smelly bathrooms on board.  I read my book along the way, so the time passed by quickly.  I also watched the landscape out of the window.  It was attention grabbing to watch the types of trees change as we traveled further north.  Palm trees slowly diminished and pine trees began to populate the forest. The woods grew taller and thicker.  The terrain began to roll into hills.  The green pastures became sprinkled with horses and sheep.

I wore a Texas shirt so that my ride would recognize me.  Jan and Margot are sisters of Ian Thomas, an old family friend of ours.  They are my grandparent’s age.  They met me at the station.  What kind hosts.  They took me out to eat at a nice restaurant and we talked about Gympie, Ian, teaching, Texas, food, family, education, the works.  Gympie is a small town just north of Brisbane, the capitol of Queensland.  Gympie actually saved Queensland’s economy back in the 1860’s when James Nash discovered gold.  To this day, the town celebrates this feat with a Gympie Gold Rush Festival.  Currently, gold mining and agriculture are their primary sources of income.  The land is beautiful.   

Jan and Margot are so interesting to talk to because they have lived in Gympie all of their lives.  Along the main road, their father used to own 2 main shops.  Now they own them.  They also know and are apart of the history of the town.  They live just down the road from each other.  I hope to do that some day with my sisters.  J

It was so neat to see their house.  The doorknobs are really high, about neck level.  They have a pretty balcony that overlooks a valley with houses spotted throughout.  In the distance, you can see where Ian went to primary school.  (In Australia, Primary school is elementary school, secondary is middle school/high school and “Uni” is College/University.)  Gympie has a lovely, welcoming feel to it, similar to Bastrop or Taylor in Texas.  I felt at home. 

Mr. Thomas' Primary School, still standing and in use
(Red roof building)

Surfer's Paradise

Friday, Feb 17

We woke up and took the bus into Surfer’s Paradise.  Note to self- it’s worth the $20 extra dollars for a convenient hotel near the beach.  We paid less for a hotel further away, but then ended up spending at least $12 a day and 45 minutes travel time to get to the beach.  You learn something new everyday.

Jackie Chan's holiday home

Today's events: Island Cruise in the harbor of the Gold Coast. We arrived at our destination and loaded on the boat.  The crew was so nice.  Once again, the passengers and crew picked up on my accent right away.  We had fun talking about Texas and Australian differences and similarities.  The Island Cruise started out in the channel just inland of Surfer’s paradise.  We cruised passed numerous sizeable multi-million dollar homes, including the holiday home of Jackie Chan (see above). 

Gold Coast's Marina Mirage

We also viewed the famous Marina Mirage, Queenslands’ ultimate waterfront shopping and dining resort.   It sits opposite of the 5-star Sheraton Resort and Spa where many celebrities vacate.   Our guide informed us that the same architect of the Sydney Opera house, Jorn Utzon, designed the white sail-like, shell-inspired structure.

The view of the hotels and condos in the city was beautiful.  We stopped at a beach and snorkled some.  I have to say, the visibility was poor and the fish were lacking.  I only recall identifying one type of fish.  When I took an underwater picture, the entire frame was grey and brown.

However, we had fun playing cricket on the beach, and yes, contrary to popular belief, I can hit the ball!  They use a bat that looks more like a paddle and when they throw the ball, it bounces first and then you hit it.  As opposed to baseball, when you hit the ball, you don’t run to a base.  So, you just keep swinging until you get out, which occurs when the pitcher throws the ball, you miss and the ball passes you and hits one of 3 stands behind you.  Kind of different, but I liked it.  Not that I would play it for hours on end, but I’m trying to learn more about sports around the world and look at me, being all athletic!

We had a beer on the beach, I collected my sand sample and then we saw some dolphins.  They weren’t too close, but still, we saw them!  Then we boarded the boat for some lunch. We then sailed along the channel into the open ocean and spotted a few sea turtles.  Did you know that sea turtles’ primary food source is jellyfish?  I would have said kelp, but I was wrong.  Then we came along what looked like seaweed, but it was, in fact, a large school of fish at the surface of the water.  They were trying to dodge the larger fish nibbling on them from underneath.  It was neat to see this up close.  These fish are similar to the ones in Finding Nemo- the ones that make different shapes altogether, as a way to protect themselves from their predators. 

I'm driving the boat!

On the boat, my nickname became “Texas” to the crew.  (This keeps happening!)  So, the captain called out, “Texas, Want to drive the boat?”  Ummmm, yes!  So I drove us back- with all 30 passengers a little worried for their safety.  Not really, but it was fun to actually drive a bigger boat.  I’m surprised they let me.  At one point we came up to a bridge and I had a momentary freak out when it looked like we would be too tall to make it.  Don’t worry, I didn’t crash us.  I think I did provide a little comical relief for all involved though.  

I nicknamed the crew while we were aboard.  There was Gilligan- the guy with the fisher hat.  Dolphin man- the guy who spotted the dolphins.  He would call out a dolphin call whenever we played cricket and the ball was coming my way, so I knew to pay attention and try to catch the ball.  He could tell I was a born athlete.  (Note the sarcasm) And then there’s the captain who I referred to as Clooney, since he was rocking out the salt and pepper, George Clooney style. 

After the day on the boat, we headed back to the hotel to change for the night’s festivities.  The bus ran late and it took a long time to get back, so we had to rush getting ready.  However, we made it back, all done up.  We went on a booze cruise of sorts down town.  Essentially, you are with a large group of people and you go from one bar to the next.  It’s supposed to be a “Vegas” down unda.  Kristy and I were not that impressed.  The guys were awkward, young or lame.  We kind of did our own thing and ended up talking with the bouncers and guys who ran the operation.  They were nice.  Then we headed back to the hotel.  Heals are not fun to walk in for long periods of time.  Why do we do this to ourselves, ladies? Oh right, beauty knows no pain.  Gotcha. 

From Longbeach to the Gold Coast

Monday, Feb 13^th

I slept in and then had a great quiet time.  I read a lot in the Bible and talked with God.  We had a good chat.  I also was able to talk on skype with Mom, Granny and Paps, and Alan.  It was nice to catch up with home.  Then I went to the grocery store.  I wanted to cook for Kristy’s friend’s who’ve had us at their place.  They have been so kind.  I wanted to say thank you in some way.  I was so proud because I took the tram by myself and bought groceries and beer and made it back in one piece all by myself.  Then I made them spaghetti with meat sauce and garlic bread and salad.  They were so appreciative.  They don’t cook in much so they loved having a home cooked meal.  We ate outside and enjoyed the nice weather.  Then Kim and I watched The Beaver with Mel Gibson.  That was an interesting film.  Not sure what I think about it.  It’s definitely different, with Mel as a deranged father who deals with his depression by talking through a puppet, the Beaver.  Different.  Odd. But original.

Tuesday, Feb 14^th

Kristy and I went to Longbeach.  It is a beach about 45 minutes outside of Richmond.  We had to take the tram and then the train to get there.  I read my book on the way there.  It was so pretty.  There weren’t many people there.  The beach slowly sloped into the water so you could wade out pretty far.  It was nice to relax and soak up the sun.  I finished my book.  I can’t wait to start the next one in the series.  It ended with quite the cliffhanger.  And I’m not too sure what I think about the ending… But I’m excited to see what’s going to happen next.  Then we came back to Kim’s house and ordered some Thai food.  Then we ate outside and played a few card games.  

Wednesday, Feb 15^th

We packed up and flew to Gold Coast.  I started the second book of the Hunger Games.  It is getting really intense.  I’m completely sucked in.  My camera died and I don’t have my charger with me, so I’m extremely frustrated. Tomorrow in the morning I’m going to try to find an Aussie equivalent to a Best Buy or something, so I can charge it.  I’ll have the charger again when I go back to Sydney.  But until then, I’ll still want to take pictures in Gold Coast and Gympie.  We took a bus to our hotel.  To save on the cost of our hotel, we stayed in a hotel 7 km away from Surfer’s Paradise.  While on the bus, I felt like we were in Hawaii, with lush plant life on rolling hills a viewable beachfront.

We arrived at our destination and strolled into a Chinese restaurant for dinner.  Then we walked around the town, played on the playscape and viewed the piercing stars on the beach.  Back at our hotel, we looked up fun things to do in Gold Coast.  The Strip, a detective TV series is filmed and set on the Gold Coast.  I watched it back at home before I came here.  It’s so neat to now say I’ve been there.  I’ll have to rewatch a few episodes to see if it looks familiar.

Our hotel (well, it’s actually Apartments) is very spacious and modern.  It also had a very nice pool overlooking the river channel to the beach. 

I would love to stay here for a week or two.  There are so many things to do here since the rainforest and mountains are so close to the beach.  We may want to do an Island cruise that includes snorkeling, beaching, dolphin viewing, boating and fish feeding… or maybe a 4-wheeler journey along the mountains and forest.  I talked with Jan and Margot today on the phone about meeting up with them in Gympie.  They are Ian Thomas’ sisters.  They plan to show me around as well. 

Thursday, Feb 16

Since we were staying in a spacious apartment with a full size kitchen, Kristy and I headed to the grocery store to save a few bucks from going out to eat.  We purchased some grub, then made our way to Surfer’s Paradise.  We stopped by a camera shoppe to buy another camera charger so we could capture the moments of the rest of our Gold Coast journey.

It was a bit of a walk to the beach since we stopped early for the camera store, but we made it.  It was actually really windy.  We laid on the beach for a bit, but sand started blowing into too many parts of our body, it became uncomfortable.  At one point, I’m pretty sure the wind was coming from both directions, entering into both ears.  So, we decided to lay out on the grass behind the beach.  We did so for a bit, while I continued to read the second book of Hunger Games.  It’s riveting. 

Then we grabbed a bite to eat at an Irish pub.  The service is quite different compared to America.  They aren’t trying to turn tables, so the whole experience is much slower.  This could be a good or bad thing.  They also don’t earn tips, so often times the service is minimal.  So, we grabbed our own menus and ordered at the bar and then sat down outside, watching the passersby.  The boys all walk around with their shirts off and the girls all have minimal clothing on, complete with messy hairdos. Then we headed to the shops along the board walk.  A salesman grabbed our attention and pitched a night out on the town.  He nabbed us.  We are going tomorrow to several different pubs, a bowling alley and a pizziria with free drinks for only 40 bucks.  Can’t beat that.  We bargained on the price and flirted a bit and then went shopping for our outfits.  I found a cute red and black dress with heals and a black belt.  Kristy found a flashy blue sequin dress.  We’re ready for tomorrow.  We’ll be on an island cruise all day and then out on the town at night.  I have a feeling we’ll be pretty tired… Hizzah and Hooroo!

St. Kilda Festival

Sunday, Feb 12^th

St. Kilda festival is a fun party in the streets of St. Kilda.  There is food, drink and people everywhere.  It has the feel of a carnival, complete with rides.  We went to the St. Kilda festival, but as the elite do.  Gemma, one of Kim’s roommate’s, was invited to an exclusive, high echelon party on the rooftop of an apartment that overlooked the whole festival.  You could only get in if you had this special card.  She was our ticket in and we were very thankful.

It was neat to chill on the rooftop, listen to music, meet people and hang out, classy style.  Afterwards, Kim, Kristy and I went glow in the dark bowling.  We had fun just being goofy girls. 

Richmond

Friday, Feb 10^th

We woke up and headed to another hot yoga class.  I could execute the positions with more precision, but my muscles were silently screaming afterwards.  Then, Kristy and I went to St. Kilda beach while Kim went to work.  It was very windy.  We watched kite surfers perform a series of tricks in the air.  Kite surfing is exactly what it sounds like.  There is a kite and then a board with booties.  It’s more like a wakeboard than a surfboard.  I can only imagine how tired my legs would get after kite surfing for a while.

After the beach, we wandered back to Richmond and then painted our faces and fried our hair, ready for nightlife.  It was fun getting ready with Kim and Kristy.  We had some wine and talked about boys, life and family.  It’s so neat to hear more about other people around the world and their perceptions on life.  After getting beautified, we first headed to the Precinct.  It’s a local club/bar in Richmond, just a tram ride away from Kim’s place. 

I am surprised at the skewed ratio of men to women here, about 5-10 men to 1 woman.  The men don’t seem to see women very often, because everywhere we go we are treated as a rare commodity.  It certainly is fun to get all of this attention.  My nickname here is “Tex” now.  I have to say, I kind of like it.  Any person I come into contact with comments when I say “y’all”.  Apparently I say “gaw-ley” a lot- another Texan phrase.  I say it all the time as an exclamation.  I guess I started saying it a long time ago instead of say goodness, or “Oh God” or what have you.  But everyone here seems to notice it.  I didn’t even realize it was in my vocabulary before this.  Interesting what others notice about you.  We met some nice guys at the Precinct, and then went to another bar called Burley’s hotel.  It’s funny how they will have bars called hotels, even though they aren’t actually hotels.  We met more Aussies there and had a few laughs.

Melbourne Zoo

Wednesday, Feb 8^th

We took the tram to a LuLuLemon Outlet, a nice workout clothing store.  What great deals!  Then we ate at a café and Kim, Kristy and I talked about life and relationships. 

Vick Market with Kim

Later, we went to Vick Market.  We had sangria and beers and meandered through the booths.  Vick Market has food, crafts and trinkets from all over the world.  We met some of Jerome’s friends.  They plan to visit Texas this year so I told them of several places to go. 

Thursday, Feb 9^th

Kim, Kristy and I chilled out at an internet café and checked our email.  I was able to skype with Becca J  We didn’t get to talk for too long since the connection was slow, but it was fun to see a familiar face.  Then Kristy and I went to the Melbourne Zoo.

We had to take a train and then a tram to the zoo.  It has been a learning experience figuring out all the different modes of transportation.  Kim lives in Richmond, which is outside of downtown Melbourne.  We walk or take the tram everywhere.  I wish we did that in Austin, however, having a car does have its perks.  It takes a bit to get anywhere we want to go.  And you have to plan out your route.  But we made it to the zoo and it was so fun.  We saw Australian penguins.  They are the smallest penguins in the world.  They came over to Australia from Antarctica thousands of years ago, when the continents were close together, forming one super continent, Pangea.  These adorable penguins have adapted to their environment, now living in a subtropical climate.  When the molt, they cannot swim, since their fuzzy feathers aren’t waterproof, so they have to store up food for the time they molt. Unfortunately, my camera died before I could snap a shot of them.  But I did get pictures of other animals.    We saw Kangaroos and Koalas.  There are many different types of Roos in Australia.  Kangaroos are marsupials, mammals that give birth to their young, before they are fully developed and then carry them for many months.

A joey can be in the pouch for almost a year sometimes.  A mother kangaroo can have up to 3 joeys at a time.  In Canberra, the capital of Australia, there is actually an overpopulation of kangaroos.  They are coming into the suburbs and have adapted to their new environment by searching trashcans and dumpsters for food.  However, many are dangerously crossing roads and some have even gone in homes.  

I haven’t seen any kangaroos in the wild yet, and I probably won’t since I have been mostly in the cities.  Other marsupials include Koalas and opossums.  Monotremes are similar to marsupials; however, they are egg-laying mammals that carry and feed their young.  All living Monotremes are indigenous to Australia and New Guinea.  Examples are the Platypus and Echidna.  A few of the other entertaining animals we passed by include the roaring Lion, clapping seals, legless lizard, and grumpy gorilla.  (The male gorilla apparently isn’t interested in any of the women in his camp, so the zoo has actually had to inseminate a few of the females in order to breed more gorillas.) 

Have you ever heard of the song, "Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree..."  Well, I saw one!  And I heard them too.  Kookaburras are large terrestrial kingfishers.  Their call sounds more like a human laugh, hence the song lyrics.  How fun to see Kooaburras in real life!

Kookaburra 

Emu, largest bird native to Australia

After the zoo, we went to a hot yoga class, or a Bikram yoga class.  It runs 90 minutes and consists of 26 different positions in a heated room of about 105°F.  I have never sweat so much in my life.  Actually, I take that back- it reminded me of summer camps at Twin Oaks Ranch outside on the fields in Texas.  People actually pay to exercise in heat that we get for free all the time! We should appreciate it, I guess.  Surprisingly, it felt good to stretch and work out in this unusual way.  I felt it afterwards, but it really rejuvenated and refilled me for the rest of the day.  I would actually recommend it, but not for the faint of heart.