Our Australia vacation was phenomenal. I’d wanted to go since childhood when I found out that there were different stars in the Southern Hemisphere. And it definitely lived up to the hype. On the way over, Josh and I had a short layover in Singapore so we just hung out in the airport and enjoyed the stellar food options. Then after a much longer flight we landed in Melbourne to start our vacation officially.
Melbourne is a groovy city. Lots of street graffiti, great museums and little penguins in St. Kilda. The Tolarno Hotel was so arty and unique we made a short review video.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdNQWmLj5DU?rel=0&w=560&h=315]
A highlight for me were all the gluten free options. Gluten free avocado toast, GF pizza, GF fish and chips-it was all delicious.
This was breakfast from a restaurant named The Banff in St. Kilda. They had incredible pizza and I ate one every day we were in Melbourne.
After our city stay we headed out to Nimbin to go off the grid. We stayed at the Nimbin Waterfall Retreat for a week of social media detox and communing with nature. Theresa and Rob have a beautiful retreat with horses, fuzzy headed chickens, Ringo the wild duck with a domesticated past, and a cute little dog. One morning we even saw a python!
After living in Taipei for a year and a half with its population of 2.5 million, the quiet countryside was wonderful. Even better were the wallabies. We saw some every day and even got to see a little baby in its mama’s pouch.
They were so fun to watch when they were hopping.
After Nimbin it was back to city life. Brisbane was full of visits with friends, nature and thrift shopping.
Josh didn’t buy the mullet but that book is currently sitting on his desk.
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary made me feel like a kid again.
Especially when we got to feed the kangaroos.
This one was quite a sweetie, eating gently right out of my hand. The kangaroos at the sanctuary are very used to hanging with humans.
After Brisbane it was on to Newcastle, a charming city that served me my last GF pizza of the trip.
Then the flu hit me hard. Sydney was only one quick night which was a blur for me. After that it was on to Singapore and hotel isolation. The flu and lingering cough finally vanished in time for me to gear up for fall term.
Australia was full of great food, art and friends. We can’t wait to go back!
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