The Hug of a Koala

Look at the cute baby Koala
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After a great Christmas in Woodgate, it was time to head back down the coast to Brisbane to meet Bill’s parents. Bill wanted to take the scenic route along the coast back as we had taken the M1 up and hadn’t found much to eat. So after a bit of winding roads, we ended up in a small beach town. We found a café that served salads and sandwiches. After getting our own menus, it took 20 mins to place an order and another 1 hour before our meal came. I complained with how long it took and was offered a refund, but we just wanted food. And when the meal finally came they’d mixed up our order with the table next to us as they’d ordered at the same time.   And I got a sandwich but I don’t think it was what I actually ordered, but my mom loved her salad so it worked out. My dad went to pay the bill, and they didn’t want to charge us but he paid as the food was good.

The customs house in Brisbane
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And so, we tried to high tale it back to Brisbane to meet Bill’s parents. Though once we got downtown, we went past our hotel as it was hard to find. And between all the one way streets driving on the wrong side of the road and both my dad and me giving Bill opposite directions, it was a miracle we ever made it there. It turns out that the hotel was on a side street and not the main street that the address was on. But it was good to see Bill’s parents again, and we basically just took it easy drinking wine and eating cheese and crackers as we caught up. But I didn’t get the chance to try my dress on since the last time I had it in China, and it still fit!

Since we did not have a Christmas Tree we adopted one
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The next day it was time to check out one of my main reasons for originally putting Brisbane on my list.

What can I say? I GOT TO HUG A KOALA!!! I made sure we went to Brisbane as I knew Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary was the only place you can hug one. This sanctuary was started around 1920 and these koalas are breed within the sanctuary and are use to human touch. There are so many of them that they only are held for pictures for 30 minutes every fortnight. Everywhere else in Australia, it’s against the law to disturb a koala and in the wild they’re not that friendly, so you’d be best to stay a bit away. We were lucky to get so close to a koala in the wild during our trip on the Great Ocean Road.

A cheecky Lorikeet comes to say hello
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The day started with us walking to the mall to get breakfast.  This is when I found my wedding shoes. After breakfast, we walked to the boat dock as we were riding up the river to the park. On the way up, the boat offers a commentary on everything we see along the river. We saw many grand homes and one home that was featured in a magazine in 2002. We also saw fruit bats sleeping in their trees. This is also how I learned a bit about the sanctuary.

Once we got off the boat ride which took about an hour and forty-five minutes, we went straight to see the koalas. They had them in different areas such as kindergarten where the younger ones were or Retirement House where the big ones where. But then we spotted the area where you get to hug one, and off we went in that area. At first, I was the only one doing it but then Dan and Nick did as well. Bill just stood in my picture as you had to pay for each photo.

Koalas sleep for 20 hours a day
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I had to put my hands flat near my tummy as the koala was placed on top of my hands and his claws placed. He felt pretty soft and furry like a teddy bear, but you really don’t pet him much as one the picture was done, he was taken away. Bill put his hand out before the picture and got scolded by the zoo keeper to wait until after, but then it was over. But the koala had been really soft, I highly recommend hugging one.

We headed straight to the petting zoo. Here we were able to pet kangaroos, wallabies, and emus. The kangaroos were so cute and soft as well. Though as we were walking around, we weren’t sure where to buy food, and we realized it was at the general store. So we sent Bill back to get food. Once we had the food, all the animals came much closer and let you food and pet them all at once. I went back to feed a baby kangaroo I’d seen earlier when I didn’t have any food, and ended up feeding two at the same time. The wallabies wouldn’t come anywhere near you without food. And one emu kept putting his beak inside Jim’s bag trying to get more. The emus are large birds almost look like an ostrich.

Michelle finally gets to "hug" a Koala
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We realized time was flying and we’d have to return to the boat soon, so we went to check out some of the other animals here. We saw small crocodiles and found some Tasmanian Devils hiding in their logs as they’re nocturnal. Then we saw the mother and joey section of the koalas and saw the cuties tiniest little koala. You weren’t supposed to touch but as you put your hand out, the tiny koala tried to put his face through the fence to get closer to your hand. But then it was time to cruise back to the city.

Bill joins Michelle for a picture
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After we got back to the city, we had some lunch. I bought my shoes, and Dan, Bill’s brother, spent almost an hour picking out an Australian hat to buy. I had to go back to get Bill as we were waiting by the shoe shop thinking they’d come any time now. We took it easy the rest of the night as we got ready to head out to the Gold Coast in the morning. Well, Bill and family walked through town at night as I went off to bed enjoying the new tv shows Bill’s brothers had downloaded for me for my ipod.

Nick takes his turn with the cute Koala
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In the morning, we had breakfast along the water and walked through their morning market.  Jim was off making friends with all the booth owners and getting Kathy a free ring cleaning.  And then it was time to check out and head out.

Michelle