The fun part about Australia is all the interesting wildlife.
Take the Koala.
I finally met something that sleeps more than me.
I like to get 8-10 hours during the week, add a nap to that for weekends.
These cute buggers 16-20 hours a day sleeping.
100+ Koalas.
Geeze....what a life. Eat 4-6 hours a day. Sleep the rest of the time.
Paid a little extra for a Koala Close Up!
I prefer to see these in a park instead of on the side of the road.
Oh and the smell....even if you can't see them, you can smell them there.
Lazy buggers.
Unless food is available.
Tasmanian Devil.
Tree kangaroo.
At first, thought, hun, they live in forested areas.
Nope, they live in the tree.
One of the sheepdogs.
Just as interested in Koalas as me.
Emu.
Water Dragon.
Gorgeous eagle.
Felt weird watching him walk around on the ground.
Next stop Tambourine Mountain.
Where I discovered Turkish Delight Gin!
Double please.
Took this photo because it was just so dreamy.
People have serious green thumbs here.
Plants (as well as eggs and other items) are for sale in roadside stalls.
Stopped at a public toilet and saw these cool stones.
Grafton.
Jacaranda capital of Australia.
Invasive species.
Gorgeous purple flowers that bloom for a short period in the spring.
They are all over Los Angeles.
Many heritage buildings.
And a little Art Deco.
The cars back into the parking spaces.
Weird.
Found a nice apartment with cool door handles, shoulder height of course.
Each town has one of these large, travel motels.
There are some seriously scary water crossing warnings.
Glad it's not rainy season. 2 meters!
No wonder there are so many Ute's with snorkels.
Stayed in a rail road car.
No heat on my side, 42 degrees F.
These rail cars are "Red Rattler's" and were used in Sydney.
By morning I was under 3 blankets.
Dorringo.
A stop along a known good motorcycle road.
Totally unexpected.
Rode along the top of a range and had spectacular views in both directions.
Katoomba.
Blue Mountains.
Cozy and comfortable.
Built in the last 1800's then got an Art Deco facelift.
Finally, Grindle made a friend.
Although he thinks he's a bit too clingy.
Scenic World the next day.
Sure, tourist trap but it was pretty cool.
First was the Cable Scenic car down to the original mining area.
I asked
I asked why it was called the Blue Mountains.
Seems the eucalyptus leaves contribute to the color of the haze in the distance.
Yep, it does look blue.
Beautiful footpath through the lush landscape.
The cicadas were very loud.
No Koalas, seems Katoomba had a Koala hunting society.
Felt like Jurassic Park.
That could also be due to all the fake dinosaurs they had everywhere.
It wasn't even noon by the time had done and see everything and rode the world's steepest train.
Went down these stairs.
Told everyone coming up they were going the wrong way.
Saw these cute birds and babies.
Hate taking selfies but hey it's a cockatoo.
Picked up some stowaways at the gift shop.
Grindle thinks he's pretty clingy.
Given the epic winds of the last couple of days, good thing this other one holds on tight.
Snowy Mountains next.
