Starting with Australia Zoo, certainly the best zoo experience we've both had-right from getting through the entrance you realise how unique this zoo is (compared with British zoos anyway). There were lizards roaming freely about our feet (a few of them nearly got trodden on), and kookaburras and parrots in the trees. In the 'Crocoseum' they put on a Steve Irwin style show with snakes, birds and the infamous 'Salty' or saltwater crocodile. We hugged a Koala (naturally) fed kangaroos and fell in love with all the other bizarre Australian creatures!
Next stop Brisbane! On the first day we thought we'd throw ourselves out of a perfectly good aeroplane and skydive from 14,000 feet. Fortunately, as you will have deduced from the existence of this blog, we both landed safely! It was the biggest adrenaline rush we've ever had, ears, face, lips flapping in the wind-the photos are hilarious!!
Yesterday we set off early for North Stradbrook Island just south of Brisbane to try and scuba dive with manta rays. The weather was great but unfortunately there was a lot of swell at the dive sites and currents pulling us this way and that, so the mantas didn't come out to play. We did however see lots of sting rays, bull rays, carpet sharks, highly camouflaged and venomous stone fish and an excellent close encounter with a large leopard shark (vegetarian).
After a long day of travel, diving and travel we went for a night time stroll through the botanical gardens and were treated to nocturnal encounters with some very large and noisy bats, puffed up birds sleeping at arms reach in the trees and a very inquisitive possum who seemed to want to be fed.
Today is our last in Brisbane and we'll be taking it easy down at the lagoon (man made beach) with a book and a cold one. Tomorrow we fly to Sydney to explore the city and visit the Blue Mountains.
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