Hubby and I jumped at the opportunity to spend two months in Australia in late 2011, and the trip was a fantastic adventure. We were based in Canberra, the sleepy capital city, and toured the country on the weekends.
Although Canberra can't compare to the gleaming metropolis of Sydney or the foodie haven of Melbourne, it certainly had its charms. The
Tidbinbilla nature preserve within the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) is home to kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, cockatoos, and even duck-billed platypuses. The beautiful and moving
Australian War Memorial overlooks Lake Burley Griffin and, along with Parliament House, is one of Canberra's signature landmarks. We had some fun meals (and didn't go thirsty either) at Mecca Bah and Urban Pantry in Manuka, Italian & Sons downtown, and Poachers Pantry out in the wilds of ACT.
As we traveled throughout eastern Australia, from Cairns in far north Queensland to Melbourne in the south, we encountered many fascinating, exotic--and sometimes dangerous--creatures. Hubby enjoyed interacting with some of them, including feeding kangaroos and wallabies, hugging a koala, and letting brightly colored parakeets land on his head. I preferred to remain safely behind my camera lens at all times.
