The Wildes, Wild Animals, and Us

CONTINUATION OF HOBART, TASMANIA, December 30, 2009

We finally got to see some wild Australian animals with the Wildes--well, I can't say the kangaroos or sweet little koalas looked too wild, but we were all so excited to finally see the animals we came to Australia to see!  We took a little tour on a mini-bus to Bonorong Wildlife Park and here are some of our adventures:

Bracken was so patient to try to get the kangaroo to eat out of his hand--

His patience paid off!

George, on the other hand, was trying to get mean-looking things to try to eat out of his.  I kept warning him to not try it--

Each time I had to rescue him from being attacked (after I took the picture, of course).

This little animal which is found in Australia is called an echidna, or spiny anteater, because of its diet of ants and termites, although he sort of looks like a porcupine.

Notice my mud-covered leg.  George started slipping and sloshed mud all over my leg!  (I reminded him about it everytime I looked down and saw the mud!)

After reading this sign, we were definite believers of not touching the wombats, but when the park ranger was holding him, he didn't look so dangerous.

And of course, when you go to Tasmania, you have to see the Tasmanian devils. 

The ranger told us they are becoming very endangered due to either dogs getting them or a rare cancer which is incurable.  Consequently, they are trying to breed more in captivity to keep the numbers higher.

He doesn't look so dangerous in this pose, does he?!

Another highlight was coming face to face with the koalas.  Yes, Amy, they are adorable up close and personal!

Everyone got to have two pats--I gave my two pats to someone else!

This is a little wallabie--they look like small kangaroos or very large rats!

What a great day at this wildlife park in such a beautiful setting!

AT SEA, DECEMBER 31, 2009, New Years Eve

Today was a full day at sea--but never fear, there was always a beautiful buffet of food and it was starting to warm up the closer we got to Australia, so Alison and Preston went swimming.

And the boys played on the upper deck--

New Year's Eve dinner was a special dress-up night.  Parker and Bracken wanted to go play basketball with some of the other boys on board, Tyson was having a New Year's Eve party at Kids Club, so the rest of us went to the sit-down dinner.

I think we were all in bed by 11:00 p.m.  Happy New Year 2010!

PHILLIP ISLAND, AUSTRALIA, January 1, 2010

I would have to say our excursion on Phillip Island was probably one of the most unique experiences of my life.  We were shuttled over to the island where we were taken by bus about a half hour away to a big visitors' center. 

 

We thought it was pretty unique when we saw signs in the parking lot which read:

Really???

This was supposed to be one of the most popular attractions on the island.  The visitors are the Little Penguins (yes, that's actually the name of their breed), who commonly weigh all of 2 pounds, and stand about 17 inches in their stocking feet. 

Inside the Vistors' Center were displays telling you about the Little Penguins and some of their predators:

There were boxes built on the floor that had entrances to the outside.  There were actually some Little Penguins inside the boxes on their nests.

We then walked outside, down a long boardwalk toward the ocean, with bushes, trees, and sand on either side.  There we sat in a big grandstand with bleachers watching the ocean come in, with its waves lapping on the seashore.

We waited--

and we waited--

I felt like I was in Yellowstone Park waiting for Old Faithful or at the Bathouse in Gainesville waiting for the bats to come out.

But the sky had to be just right--still partially light, but mostly dusk.

Suddenly we could see the waves washing in but something was being left behind--it was a Little Penguin.  When he noticed he was out of the water, he hurried and ran back in when he realized it might be just a little too light and dangerous predators could be around.  With the next wave, a few more Little Penguins were washed ashore and they quickly went back in--

But when the time was just right, at sunset, little groups were here and there all over the sand.  Little Penguins mate for life, and they follow a remarkably disciplined routine.  Each night at sunset one of the parents who has swam all day, now returns with half its body-weight in fish it has eaten during the day.  The other parent has stayed with the young in a burrow and they do so for about 60 days until they can take care of themselves. 

Is that it?  Is that all we came to see?  Everyone was getting up from the grandstands and starting back on the long boardwalk through the same bushes, trees, and sands which held absolutely no interest on our walk down.  Now it became a sterophonic symphony of mothers and fathers calling to each other, babies calling back.  Here a Little Penguin, there a little baby poking its head out of a burrow, they were everywhere, happy to all be reunited again at the end of the day, but even more happy were the little ones who would get their meals by the parents regurgitating the fish to them. 

All of us felt as if we were witnessing something no one could ever describe to another.  Even little Preston felt it.  No one wanted to leave--we were in nature's wonderland and wanted to stay to be a part of the miracle that we were witnessing. 

The parents and young would stay together until just before the dawn, and back again into the ocean would go one parent, and the cycle would go on. 

But it was time to go--the busses had come for us. 

Cameras were strictly forbidden, but back out in the parking lot, sure enough, there was a Little Penguin looking for his baby as well as another in a bush nearby.  Park Rangers quickly tried to stay near until all the busses and cars left so that the little guys would't get hurt.

 

After the bus ride back to the dock to be shuttled back to the ship, I thought how beautiful the ship looked in the moonlight all lit up, but it is still man's creation, and nothing compares with God's creations, such as we witnessed tonight.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA, January 2, 2010

Melbourne is the capital of Australia's smallest continental state, Victoria.  Its population is about 2.7 million people and got its big start in the mid-1800s when migrants from all over the world came in search of gold there.  More gold was extracted from the Victorian gold fields than during the California '49 gold rush.  Many ethnic communities can be found within its boundaries and in fact, it is the largest "Greek" community in the world outside of Greece.

 

We enjoyed a walk around the city center.

First stop:  Grandpa bought donuts!

Next stop:  A very beautiful old cathedral which is a landmark in the town.

Next we went to a huge learning center where they taught you how they made video games and movies.  It had lots of hands-on things to do inside.  (Notice little Preston still carrying his paper bag with his donut inside waiting for precisely the right time to eat it.)

George wanted a picture of "Gainsville"--no "e", however.  It reminded him of home.

Now was the time--as we were waiting to go up the Eureka Skydeck for a look over the city, Preston sat down on the bench and was enjoying that donut so much, when Bracken leaned over and took a bite out of it.  He jumped right off his bench, walked over and said, "I've had it!  Dump it out!"  We all laughed so hard!  He was serious!  He wanted Bracken to spit his donut back out! 

The ride up the 88 stories was unbelievable.  It really took your breath away.  The look-out was fantastic!

Do you see the Cathedral where we were in the middle at the top?

Here you can see their huge circular stadium, with all the tennis courts and indoor tennis arena where the Australian Open will be held this year.

The large building in the middle of all the trees is their governor's home and to the right the building at the end of the tree-lined path is the Shrine of Remembrance which commemorates Victoria's war dead.

After coming back down from the look-out, the guys all wanted to go back to the ship to watch the bowl game, so Alison and I did a very brave thing--we set out in the city all on our own.  Now if it had been Alison and Amy, or Amy and me, neither of us would have been worried.  Amy takes after her dad and can find her way around anywhere, but Alison and I are two peas in a pod.  We can get lost in a parking lot!  But we ended up getting on a little tram which circled the city and saw lots more sites.  The government building above is one we enjoyed seeing.  Look at the darling little street lights beside it:

We bought a few little souvenirs, found the right transfer bus, and got back to the ship safe and sound!

We didn't buy this, but I had Alison model it.  I was about to get it for Natalie or Ella for when all the flies come out at Sunnyside again!  Hah!  It is meant for the Outback for the terrible fly problem.  It really does keep them away from your face!

Next, one more day at sea, then our final port--Sydney!