Crickey!

As per usual, I started off the last day in Noosa with a morning run. Little did I know that Joey, Kyle K, Joanna, and Afraz also had the same idea. We all ended up running, later joined by Kirsten, all the way to Main Beach where quite a few of them jumped into the ocean. It was the perfect way to send off Noosa, granted with a lovely cloud-free day and a beautiful sunrise.

After the student's positively thrilling mock trial we took a break for cookies and had a picture opportunity at the Coral Beach Resort.

Look at all those smiling and thrilled faces. It's amazing what climate controlled rooms will do for your mood. And clean laundry.

Oh, clean laundry. It's glorious.

The whole crew crammed themselves onto the coach, ready for a full day at the Australia Zoo (aka Steve Irwin's Zoo). I spent the hour or so racing my dying computer battery, and the clock, but I managed to enter in ALL of the jelly bean data. It's amazing how neck cramps and thousands of numbers can make one feel very accomplished.

Take that, excel.

Upon entry into the zoo (let me tell you- these students were EXCITED) we were greeted by a myriad of animals including the massive komodo dragon that had to be at least 5 feet long. This guy was a beast. En route to the eatery we passed by the orangey-colored salty (croc), Casper, one I recalled from last year. Apparently he's leucistic which isn't albino but he is lacking some color pigments, making him the citrus color that stuck fast in my mind. He looks really funny next to the normal “green” crocs.

After a rather bizarre lunch (it was clean out the fridge day) we watched the “Wildlife Warriors” show. Again, they had quite an array of animals in attendance including the condor (huge wing span), Australian whistling kite, macaws, pink cockatoos, black cockatoos, and lorikeets. They had all the birds released in the stadium, zooming overhead. One of the most stunning birds was the jabirou who flew all the way from her enclosure just to show off her gorgeous colors. As the pink cockatoos glided overhead I managed to snap a photo of the exquisite colors.

The latter half of the show was focused on the giant saltwater croc. I'm talking GIANT. Apparently they can go four months without food. Insane.

Since we're awesome and biology students we had a behind the scenes visit from some of the zookeepers. Dave, the croc guy from the show, brought in a little 2 year old gator which everyone got to pet. Another keeper brought a beautiful black cockatoo.

Bob and I set off towards the safari part of the zoo, weaving into the echidna exhibit and playing with some very friendly roos. It was like petting a little puppy these things were so domesticated.

The newest addition to the zoo was their Africa exhibit, featuring zebras, giraffes, and rhinos. They actually have a baby rhino, Savannah, who is only two months old!

From there we fed elephants, which I repeated several times, and then went to pet koalas. I chilled with Molly, an elder koala resident, for quite a while before visiting the roos and then the snakes.

Again, being with a large group had its perks as we got another behind the scenes show with the tigers. Amazing animals.

Exhausted, we drove back to the Astor where we had a somewhat disorganized and twirly check in. At least I have a clean room with hot showers en suite.

Until NZ.