Road Trip - Crikey!

We have just got back from our road trip from Sydney to Noosa. It was a looooong drive, so we made some stops along the way, including a visit to Australia Zoo (anyone who knows J will know how enthusiastic he was about that, especially given the recent mass-mourning for Mr Irwin - but luckily, he adores me and is happy doing what I want to do, and long may this state of affairs last!!). We saw the crocs being fed and I also got to cuddle a tortoise. I also had my photo taken with a 13 ft python - I was a very, very brave girl. The zoo was quite a friendly one - it didn't make me feel depressed as they often do. The advantage of building a zoo in the middle of nowhere in Oz is that there is plenty of land, which means huge enclosures and apparently happy animals. While we were cuddling the tortoises, I saw something else moving in the enclosure, which turned out to be a long-necked water turtle. It wasn't meant to be there. Apparently, they live (wild and free) in a local pond but try to nest in the tortoises' enclosure every year. If they have already started nesting when they are discovered, they are allowed to get on with it, but otherwise they are transported back to their own home. A zoo which wild animals try to break in to - that's got to be a good recommendation!

The rest of the trip was spent at various beaches. We did a day trip to Fraser Island which was beautiful and amazing - we saw a rainforest growing in nothing but sand and got to swim in the bluest freshwater lake in the world. Alas, not a dingo in sight but we did see sea eagles fishing by the shore. And today, at our last port of call we got to see a whole school of dolphins frolicking in the sea right next to our boat. Then things heated up a little and we left just as it was starting to turn into a full-blown dolphin gang-bang. These are BAD dolphins, Mrs LaRue! Apparently, they are the only creatures other than us naughty humans who have sex purely for pleasure. Maybe that's why, as a species, they smile all the time...


PS. Have sent you all links for photobox page for other photos - if I've forgotten anyone, send me an e-mail...