Escaping the Chicago winter with an adventure to Australia
After a very long airplane flight, I landed in Sydney. It was in the 70s and I found a beautiful city that could be navigated entirely on foot. The Sydney Opera House is known worldwide for its unique design and beauty. In the adjacent harbor, they have what we call “the playpen” Loud music and dancing and celebrating are present on all the yachts.I really wanted to see the Opera House in action so I attended an old favorite, La Traviata. It did not disappoint.The next day I took a field trip to the Blue Mountains. This is truly a wilderness area with no roads or trails visible belowTales from the Katoomba Tribe describe the “Three Sisters” turned to stone. There are a few different stories explaining how they can be brought back to life!No visit to Australia would be complete without a seeing a Koala Nobody was interested in hearing the round I sang in summer camp about the koookaburra. Happy to sing a rendition in personIt was so much fun to see animals and birds that we just don’t see in North America. This is the Wombat.Mary and Eldon flew in from Perth and we met briefly before I flew to CairnsCairns is a beautiful port city that resembles any town on a Hawaiian coast. Think paradise!I took a day trip to snorkel on the Great Barrier Reef. I am sad to report much of the coral is severely bleached. In anticipation of my trip to New Zealand, I finished up what must be my 19th read of Lord of The Rings.Mary and Eldon arrived so we could travel together to the Kuranda Rainforest StationAnother must-see in Australia is the kangaroo!This very large flightless bird is the Cassowary.The Butterfly Sanctuary was a must for me. This swallowtail butterfly delighted us all.The Barron Falls were spectacular. It was my last stop in Australia. I only included a fraction of the photos that Mary and I took on this part of our adventure. Australia is a country too large to see in a few days!!
