By Anna Kathryn Lanier
I know this blog is for Western lovers, but I figured it was
time that I did a little blogging about my trip really, really west….all the
way from Texas to Western Australia in July. Last year, my friend Skhye Moncrief and family
moved to Perth and this year they invited me to visit.
Aside from the non-stop 17 hour flight (which was just part of the traveling time), it was a great trip!
I first flew from Houston to Dallas, then from Dallas to Sydney and stayed 1½ days, where I climbed the Sydney
Harbor Bridge and toured the world famous Opera House. Then I flew cross-country (5 hour flight) to Perth and spent
10 days in the Western Australia.
Here’s a pictorial blog of my trip.
Sydney
Ummm, the Opera House, I think
The Bridge I climbed, see the flags? Yep all the way up to them.
The Opera House at Night
The Opera House, again...oh from a really good view point!
Yea! I made it to the top (and back to the bottom) without falling off.
A room with a view...the Indian Ocean, Perth
The Indian Ocean, Perth
London Street, in Perth
King's Park, Perth in the background
The Perth Zoo
This is a country with lots of rainbows...this is just one of many I saw.
Tingle Trees at Valley of the Giants National Park.
A Tingle Tree.
Cape Leeuwin, where two oceans meet
Whale Watching in the Southern Sea
A Kookaburra
A video of the kookaburra singing
Petting a Koala (Caversham Wildlife Park)
What's a trip to Australia without petting a kangaroo?
Replica of one of the largest gold nuggets ever found in Australia.
As some have said, it was the trip of a life time and I'm so glad Skhye and family let me come for a visit. It was well worth the 26 hours of traveling time (one-way, and done all at one time on the way home) and I would love to do it again sometime!
I have more pictures on my pinterest page: http://www.pinterest.com/melindaporter60/australia-2013/
Anna Kathryn Lanier
Author, A Gift Beyond All Measure
Author, A Gift Beyond All Measure
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
ReplyDeleteI wonder why there are so many rainbows? That makes Australia even more special.
I'm so glad you have the photo of the Kookaburra--I thought they were fictional creatures. I've seen Koalas in the San Francisco Zoo long ago--they're such calm animals.
And is the ocean really that blue?
I loved these photos and a peek into your grand trip. Thanks for sharing!
Can you imagine finding a gold nugget that large? I'm glad to see a photo of a kookaburra after hearing about them and having no idea what they looked like. You did have the trip of a lifetime and I'm jealous. Hero and I have always wanted to visit Australia. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWow, it's a beautiful place. And a view from your window in Perth!!! I've noticed to rotate between summer clothes and winter. I guess it was their winter in July and they're like Texas, you never know whether it will be pretty and sunny or cold.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for posting these!
I love the photos!! Thank you so much for posting them. It looks like you had a wonderful time.
ReplyDeleteI loved the photos too! I especially loved the Kookaburra! I grew up singing the Kookaburra song, and now have got it in my head!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, you little cutie!
-Lani
Hi, everyone. I'm finally getting a chance to stop by myself. Yes, Celia, the ocean was that blue, a nice reflection of the sky. When it was clouding, the ocean was grey.
ReplyDeleteI know, Caroline! One of the nuggets looks something like a profile of an eagle. The story goes that the teenage son of a miner found it, lifted it up and yelled at his dad. The father was about 100 or so yards away, looked toward his son and said, "put that dead bird down and get back to work!" It was almost as big as the one I'm holding!
Linda, yes, they were in winter, but in Perth, the weather was very similar to Houston in the winter. Along the shore of the Southern Ocean, it was much colder.
I have a video of the kookaburra singing, I'll try to post it here. I wish I'd asked the trainer to turn the bird around...the back of the bird is really pretty...blues and browns. But I didn't get a picture of that! Oh, I'll add a tag to my pinterest page, I have lots more pictures of the trip.
Thanks for the video--it was wonderful.
ReplyDeleteOh, what wonderful photos! Thanks for sharing your trip with us, Anna! And the kookaburra is a hit! It woke up my sleeping kitty and made her look all around for that strange bird. Made me laugh!
ReplyDeleteHi, Lyn. Thanks for stopping by. Yes, that singing would wake up anyone!
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures, Anna K. I know you had a wonderful time. So much beauty to soak in. Thanks for sharing. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Anne Marie. I'll be sure to bring the photo album next time we have lunch.
ReplyDeleteSitting chuckling here in Melbourne, Australia. Remind me never to let you hold a koala, they are not calm animals and have very sharp claws. They also make really loud noises in the bush and you think it is a pig up a tree.
ReplyDeleteLiving in the city we dont get to hear Kokaburras very often, but they have a great song.
Sasha, we didn't get to hold the koala, we just got to pet it, lol. Oh, I didn't post the pic of me sitting next to a guy holding a wombat. We didn't get to hold him either. Thanks for stopping by.
ReplyDeleteHow fun and what wonderful pictures. Of course the pic of the kookaburra made me think of Girl Scouts and the song about the bird. What memories. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDelete