Koalas Can’t “Bear” Each Other’s Company

WTF is up with Australia these days? What is supposed to be a scorching hot country where bush fires are the main environmental risk has somehow become the Country of Eternal Rain (I’m sure you’ve all heard about the deadly floods lately). Well, we aren’t in any danger of being washed away in the streets (parents: breathe sigh of relief now), but the rain seems to be following us nonetheless. We took my buddy Scott and his (pregnant) wife Hannah on their first camping trip in Australia along the Great Ocean Road. It rained and rained, which sucked, but at least there were heaps of koalas perpetually perched above our campsite. Elise was completely smitten with these real life teddy bears; I almost had to hold her back from climbing up a eucalypt tree to cradle-rob a baby koala! However, instead of seeing the koalas cuddling with each other up in the trees we saw turf wars galore. Watch the video below to see some Planet Earth series-calibre animal behaviour. It’s pretty awesome, although my camera’s SD card maxed out right at the wrong time, so it’s a bit of a ‘cliff hanger’ (you’ll see what I mean).

-G

Scott and Hannah mistakingly brought a little pup tent which couldn't even fit their air mattress, let alone their bodies! Luckily, the air mattress did fit in the back of our wagon so they had the honour of sleeping in our car!....rookies.....

The Great Ocean Road

The first stop on our camping trip was the Great Ocean Road, a 250 km stretch of road east of Melbourne.  This road follows the coast, and also goes inland past rolling farmer’s fields and forests.  It is a very beautiful drive, but somehow we found that it was lacking a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ that we couldn’t put our finger on.  Then we realized it – Australia’s cliff-hugging ocean-side highways just have nothing on the ones in Eastern Europe and South America.  A road wide enough for two, or even three cars?  Signs warning of tight curves and road hazards?  Guard rails?  Where’s the fun in that?   And everyone drives so politely and slowly – like they actually value their health and lives.

Another observation about the Great Ocean Road is that every second vehicle is a 20-year old camper van or station wagon, packed to the brim with unwashed backpackers.  So I guess we’re not really blazing any new and unprecedented trails in Australia, we’re really just stuck on the same old backpacker trail.  It’s actually nice to be following the crowd for once.  And camping in Australia is great – because it’s free!!!  There are little camp areas and rest areas everywhere where you can just park your tent for a night or two, and not pay a dime.  The only problem is the lacks of shower facilities – hence the unwashed-ness.  I can say from experience that there is something undignified about standing in your underwear in an open field having your boyfriend pour water on your head while you try to rinse the conditioner out of your hair.

-E

Our first campsite

The Twelve Apostles

The London Bridge (or what's left of it)

Heff...I mean Gully... chilling in the Grotto

Our campsite buddy

Gully enjoying his new board and wetsuit at famous Bells Beach