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Tag Archives: Australia
Aussie Odds and Ends
We’re already on to the next phase of our journey, so these are just a few tidbits that didn’t fit into our other Australia posts. Not nearly everything from the trip, but a few items we don’t see in the … Continue reading
Posted in Smell the Roses
Tagged Australia, Big Pelican, Big Pineapple, Blue Mountains, Decor wine cooler, jetsleeper, magpie
3 Comments
Two Australian Zoos – March 2015
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary Our old Hong Kong friend Cindy Hamilton recommended the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in Brisbane. We hadn’t seen a koala yet, so we said sure, even though we aren’t usually zoo people. What a great recommendation! We spent the … Continue reading
Posted in Travel Journal
Tagged animals, Australia, Brisbane, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, Sydney, Taronga Zoo, zoo
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Banksia
Australia has been full of beautiful flowers. One in particular was something we’ve never seen before, but very common along the woodland coast, in fact everywhere we went in New South Wales and Queensland. It’s the banksia. Not a flower … Continue reading
Australia Animalia Part 2
In Noosa National Park, a fellow hiker alerted us to the existence of the goanna. We thought he said iguana, very similar sounding. We found out they are somewhat similar looking too. At least a goanna is also a big lizard, specifically … Continue reading
Surfing, Australian Style – February 2015
We found out Australian schools have four sessions a year with long breaks between them, but no three-month summer vacation as in the US. So in the summer months of February and March in New South Wales and Queensland, beaches are … Continue reading
Posted in Smell the Roses, Travel Journal
Tagged Australia, Gold Coast, Surfers Paradise, surfing
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Sydney to Brisbane – February 2015
The Pacific Coast drive from Sydney to Brisbane is legen–wait for it–dary. Beaches, national parks, and woodlands are outstanding. We also stopped at non-beach points of interest. The Australian shoreline is of course beautiful, but also treacherous. Interestingly, the lighthouses … Continue reading
Posted in Travel Journal
Tagged Australia, Big Banana, Big Prawn, big things, Gold Coast, Sydney to Brisbane
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What’s hopping? 1950 to 2015
Here in Australia it’s the kangaroos and wallabies that are hopping, also tiny little feathertail possums that are less than 3 inches long but can hop or glide up to 75 feet. They were too fast for photos, but we … Continue reading
Posted in Smell the Roses
Tagged Australia, Great Britain, hops, Kent, New Zealand, Toppenish, wallaby, Washington
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Australia Animalia – February 2015
Our first Australian animal sighting was a bird, an ibis. Since this one was new to us after seeing scarlet ibises in the US, we chased the birds through Sydney’s Royal Botanic Park to get pictures. Meanwhile, when we asked … Continue reading
Posted in Smell the Roses
Tagged animals, Australia, kangaroo, koala, kookaburra, wildlife
4 Comments
What’s north of Sydney? Wine! – February 2015
We’ve been to the northern and southern parts of eastern Australia before, but everything in between is vast unexplored territory for us. Our first stop is wine country, of course. The Hunter Valley in New South Wales is renowned for … Continue reading
Posted in Travel Journal
Tagged Australia, Hunter Valley, Lindeman's, Pepper Tree wine, wine
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Sydney and its Harbour – February 2015
Welcome to Port Jackson. That’s the actual name of Sydney Harbour. Who knew? It was given the name around 1770 by Captain Cook, the same navigator who explored Hawaii and New Zealand. Welcoming us to Sydney was none other than Olivia Newton-John. … Continue reading
Finger Lakes to Lavender Fields 