Wild Australia

I have to admit. I was a tad bit nervous about going to Australia. Only a few weeks ago, Queensland was devastated by floods and, shortly there after, ravaged by the menopausal cyclone Yasi. Then, the Aussies of the West Coast experienced horrific bush fires – Mother Nature imploring her wrath without a particularly good excuse. And, never mind the fact that Australia is home to poisonous snakes, deadly spiders, tourist eating crocodiles, and the dreaded blue bottle jellyfish. But, oddly enough, that's not what was putting my nerves on edge. Nope. It was the people. Not the Australians, the foreigners, or the tourists, but rather the simple fact that there are just so MANY people! From what I remember of Sydney, it's got more than its fair share of people strolling between the high rises. And, in New Zealand, the big city life was not something I came across on a regular basis. So, needless to say, I was slightly anxious about stepping into the hustle and bustle of Sydney. However, getting out of my comfort zone is something I've consciously tried to do throughout my travels, and I wasn't about to quit now.

Regretfully, the Aussie television show, “Border Security” wasn't filming the morning I arrived, so instead of being detained, patted down, and cavity searched (with no thanks to Mark McNamara...), I was smoothly ushered through customs by a friendly, neon-blue gum chewing officer and found myself in the land of Oz. Anyone seen my red sparkly shoes?

That very afternoon, I strolled through the city from my hostel down to the Sydney Harbour and surprised myself by feeling quite comfortable amongst the crowded sidewalks and sensory stimulating streets. The sky was overcast, yet, when I reached Circular Quay and found myself within sight of Sydney Opera House, there was nothing that could cloud the elegance of that magnificent structure. It was so calming to walk beneath the tiled peaks of the building with surrounding water and the dark silhouette of the Sydney Harbour Bridge completing the iconic city view. Memories of when I first walked the Opera House steps 10 years ago came rushing back as I climbed the stairs once again. What a beautiful way to be welcomed back to Sydney.

Another happy memory of being an early teen in Sydney was our family outing to the Taronga Zoo. Therefore, a encore visit to Wild Australia was at the top of my Sydney “Must Do” list.

Thankfully, the weather was beautiful for my day at the zoo. I took the ferry across which offered panoramic views of the Sydney skyline, Opera House, and Harbour Bridge. Once I arrived, I made a bee line for Wild Australia to say hello to the local celebrities! The kangaroos and wallabies were just chillin' like villains, the koala was cuddled up on a tree branch enjoying its 23 hour nap time, the emu was ignorantly pecking at its own reflection, and the platypus made out like a magician, disappearing and reappearing in the watery aquarium at its own leisure. Oh, how I've missed these furry, feathery, and leathery creatures.

Interestingly enough, many of the animals featured at the Taronga Zoo are most active at night. So, I decided to follow suit the very next day with a ladies night out at Club TANK with some lovely, dance-crazed woman! We swayed, jumped, and dipped to the beat till the wee hours of the morning, and I have my Couchsurfing friend Aryn to thank for a fabulous night out in the flashing beams of strobe lights.

Aryn was a wonderful host and, having been born in Montana, I didn't expect anything less. We spent our Saturday in the city, exploring The Rocks Market and sweating in the Sydney heat. We decided to cool down with a cold brew from the “Australian.” Besides having over 100 Australian brewed beers to choose from on their menu, they are also known for their gourmet pizzas. In particular, their “Emblem” pizza topped with both kangaroo and emu – one marsupial and one bird featured on the Australian emblem. Unfortunately, the restaurant was fresh out of emu, so Aryn and I substituted with crocodile instead, creating our own personal pie: the “Crocaroo.” A vivid flashback of my mom eating a crocodile burger and me Ewwing at every bite she took crowded my memory. Therefore, my lack of experimentation with foreign food on my last trip to Oz overruled the fact that I'm vegetarian friendly, and I wasn't about to miss out this time around. And wouldn't ya know - kangaroo is a lip smacker! However, that's the last one of Winne the Pooh's friends I'll be snacking on for a while...