Tag 156 - leisurely

03/10/19

The first night in Australia was a bit louder than usual due to the adjacent road and the crowded campground, but no less relaxing. We were greeted by a pleasant warmth and had breakfast outside for the first time in 1.5 months. We took our time, packed everything up calmly, and drove to a park to immerse ourselves in the flora and fauna of this country, where there is also a koala information center.

Less than half an hour later, we parked our van near a beautiful large park and went to the wooden museum/reserve/zoo. It is at this moment that we realize that it is still school holidays in and around Brisbane. The place is full of families, holiday groups, and scouts. Nevertheless, the visit to the information center is very nice and shortly after our arrival, we get our first glimpse of koalas.

After we finished at the rescue center, we walked through the rest of the park and discovered our first kakadu and kookaburras (in German: hunting thieves, a type of kingfisher) who cackle like monkeys and initially made us question our knowledge of Australian wildlife.

Afterwards, we drove to the next national park and walked through a large pine and eucalyptus forest. We were startled twice by vigorous rustling in the bushes. The cause of the movement turned out to be lizards - as laymen, we would call them a type of monitor lizard. We observed how the approximately one-meter-long lizards effortlessly climbed up the tree and then continued on our way. Due to the park being designed for mountain bikers, it was very bumpy and steep at times. However, we mastered every obstacle and arrived back at our car at the end of the loop.

By now it was already afternoon and we looked for our next resting place. We initially approached it from the wrong side and found ourselves facing an impassable fence with a car behind it. Before we even realized the predicament ourselves, a neighboring camper approached us and very friendly pointed out that the place can only be reached from the other side. We did as we were told and parked directly next to a fire pit and a bench. During dinner, we made several video calls and then went to bed.

- Alex