2nd Day of the Contiki Tour - Coffs Harbour to Surfers Paradise

Me holding a Koala Bear.
see all photos »

We got up, had breakfast, and headed for Surfer's Paradise. On the way we stopped in a city known for prawns, shrimp, so they had a giant prawn on one of their bulidings. Next we stopped to get pictures of Cape Byron before we got to it.Then we drove to it and walked along it to the most easterly point of the Australian Mainland on the tip of Cape Byron. There was also a lighthouse on the top of the hill that overlooks this point. THe view was really amazing from the top of the cliffs on the cape. Then we stopped at Byron Bay for lunch and a swim at the beach. Byron bay is known for all the hippies that live there. I had lunch at a resturant called the Balcony and I sat on the balcony on the second floor. I had lunch with Tielo the German from Munich and he told me about places in Europe I should visit. I got a chicken caesar salad and a glass of 2004 Fern Hill Merlot, an Australian wine. The food and wine were really good but it cost about $25 for lunch. Then we headed for the beach to take a swim and to get a little sun. When we got there the hippies were all hanging out in the shade of the tree just behind the beach. I jumped into the water and body surfed a little and relaxed. The water wasn't too cold and it was much like Hermosa in the summer. The next stop was at the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, which is one of only a few places that allow people to hold the Koala Bears. It cost $15 to get a picture taken holding a Koala, so I figured I may never have a chance to do it again and got the picture. It was pretty cool holding the Koala and getting the picture. They kind of have oily fur probably from all the eukaliptis tree that they live, eat, and sleep in. They actually don't drink water and only need to eat eukalipis leaves to survive. They are also one of the most lazy animals in the world. The ones at the zoo were really active for koalas and I saw one jump from tree to tree and also saw two fighting for the top of a tree branch. I held one named Goober and he took a crap just before I held him. They had some hand sanatizer and towels to use before and after so that they don't get germs from us and so we could wash the koala stink off after. Then we walked to the Kanagroo area where I got to feed and pet them. They had both grey and red Kanagroos just relaxing in the grass. The red kangaroos are the really big ones that can grow really big and some can run upto 60 km/hr and jump super high. We saw some crocodiles and a huge male salt water one in its on pen. Other animals I saw were Hairy Nosed Wombats, a Sea Eagle, some cockatoos, and other assorted animals. We then finished the drive to Surfer's Paradise, which had tons of high rise apartments and condos all around the beach front. I guess it is a very popular tourist and vacation spot in Australia, so they have really built it up with alot of accomadations. When we got to our hotel, the Australis Sovereign, I took a quick swim in the pool and hot tub. I showered and relaxed for a few minutes before the bus took us into town to grab some dinner. A group of about fourteen of us stopped at an Italian resturant and I had the Cajun Chicken Risoto split a bottle of Shiraz/Merlot. It was kind of nice because it was a chance for a bunch of us that hadn't met yet to introduce ourselves. After dinner we met up with the Tour Manager at a bar called the Beer Garden and a pub crawl rolled through the bar while we were there. Everyone got a free shot coupon and then we just chilled and had some beers. Later, we headed to a bar called the Melbas or something to meet back up with everyone, since some people left with the pub crawl from the first bar. The bar was okay and there was a dance club upstairs, but it was pretty lame. I ended up walking back to the hotel around 1am.

It was pretty cool holding the Koala and getting the picture.