Welcome to Queensland, Australia
I loved my visit to Australia in 2018. What a fabulous place to visit, with amazing natural beauty, great coffee, the friendliest people and koalas. If the flights from New York weren't so long, I'd be back there every year. I could write about everywhere I went in Australia -- and may just choose one other place -- but Queensland, the state in northeastern Australia is an easy pick.
My tour group spent three days in Queensland and we were based in Cairns. One of our days we visited the Great Barrier Reef, the world's largest coral reef system, composed of over 900 islands and ten per cent of the earth's coral reef systems. It was an extraordinary experience to go below the water in a tiny submerged vessel -- not a true submarine -- and see the coral and the sea life around it. The Great Barrier Reef, as is every reef, is under pressure from climate change, coastal development and illegal fishing.
A high point of my visit to Queensland was a day spent in Kuranda and the Kuranda Koala Gardens. I know there are people who will laugh at my choice of activity, but I'd been eager to cuddle a koala since I started planning the trip to Australia. When I realized it was not only possible, but part of our itinerary, I was 100% on board. There was a charge for this, but I think it's some of the best spent vacation money of my life, and I made the most of it. One of my travel buddies was kind enough to document the entire two minutes I spent with "my" koala, who I think of as KiKi Koala.
First contact with KiKi. She is not enthusiastic.
I'm thrilled. KiKi is less so.
Buttercup and KiKi
I've made the bold decision to skip L, M, N, S and T and go directly to U for our next A to Z Blogging Challenge post. U is today's letter and I will do the post for U on Sunday, when we'll be returning to Australia and another extraordinary location. I'm at a family wedding for the next few days, but I'll be back on Sunday and eager to complete the Challenge next week.
I hope you've enjoyed our visit to Queensland today and will rejoin the tour for more stops next week. Appreciate the visits and comments very much!
As ever, thanks for visiting and big koala hugs!
8 comments
I’m Australian and I think you have seen more of Australia than I have. I believe you can’t hold koalas anymore. My son was recently in Noosa and he visited Australia Zoo and his girlfriend was able to hold one, however, they were stopping the practice. The flights not that long, lol, come down. Rita
KiKi is adorable! I'm glad you got to hold her, Carol, whether she was enthusiastic about it or not. Blessings!
Australia will have to remain on my bucket list. I won't be flying that long, unfortunately. I'll settle for watching the various TV series set in Australia!
Donna: Click for my 2025 A-Z Blog
When I was a teen I had a penpal in Brisbane, Queensland, so have been fascinated with Australia for years. My class of student had a toy stuffed animal exchange with a school in South Wales. Always wanted to go there for a visit.
Aww that last photograph is wonderful.
All the best Jan
Looks like a great trip. 🐨 Awesome you got a "bear hug." Ha ha.
I hope you're enjoying the A to Z Challenge. Please check out the giveaway on my W post.
J Lenni Dorner (he/him 👨🏽 or 🧑🏽 they/them) ~ Speculative Fiction & Reference Author and Co-host of the April Blogging #AtoZchallenge
We have a visit to Australia on our travel list, someday, so this post was interesting and especially seeing the koala, but not sure I would like to hold one. The last photo was sweet.
Speaking as a Queenslander I was delighted to see you enjoyed your trip. There really is so much to see and do. Like the US we’re a big country. Long haul flights are a pain but it’s something you kind of get used to. Let’s face eg have little choice Down Under
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