Koala Hugs

It's the Queens Birthday! Happy Birthday! OK... not really. Her birthday's in April. But each 'please-let-me-still-be-associated-with-Britain' country that celebrates this holiday just kind of picks it's own day to do it (usually in early Summer). Queensland, being the exceptional rebel state, decided just this year to skip the traditional May/June celebration date, ignore what the rest of Australia does, and just stick it on October 1st. QLD apparently moved Labor day from March to May this year too, just to confuse it's citizens. Meanwhile, half-way across the pacific, the new gov't, a.k.a. military regime, of Fiji has decided to get rid of Queen's B-day altogether. Good on you, Fiji. But poor poor queen. She doesn't get any attention anymore.

The holiday weather is unfortunately quite wet, but Saturday Gwen and I headed to a Koala Sanctuary (Lone Pine) in Brisbane this weekend for a little personal time with some Australian fauna. As you can see below, koalas and kangaroos are scary and vicious... trying bite and claw...

We also got the opportunity to walk around Oxley Creek commons with Hugh Possingham and his adorable mutt, Douglass. And took the train up to Boondall Wetlands to check out some slightly-less-invaded looking forests. I added 46 birds to my life list... the proportion of which may be skewed just slightly to the walk with Hugh, the professional birder. (OK. 40:6)

Australian vocab:

'Well done' & 'Good on you': a phrase of congratulations or approval. Similar to the western meanings, but can be applied to situations ranging from actual congratulatory situations, to double-fisting red and white wine, to correctly paying the entrance fee to a park.