Last Waltz

Today was my last day in Australia so I got the last of my shopping done and got in some final animal fixes.

The day started at the Rainforest Dome at the Cairns Casino Hotel. Mostly birds, including a couple of very friendly cockatoos. I also got another chance to pet a koala.

After a filling bacon and eggs breakfast and saying bon giorno to the same Italian family I've seen every day since I've been here, it was off to the bus for Palm Cove. This was my one shot at public transport and the experience was a good one. The bus was clean and comfortable and I was let off right at my destination.

The destination in this case was the Cairns Tropical Zoo. When I thought about what I wanted to do on my last day in Australia, the animal stuff really came to the surface. It didn't hurt that it was a lousy day for almost anything else due to wind and occasional light rain. Once at the zoo, I ran into some other people I'd met before. Guess the zoo was the thing to do on a rainy day in Cairns.

The zoo is a fairly small one, focusing on Aussie animals with a couple of exceptions. They've joined a breeding program for red or lesser pandas. I fell in love with these little comedians when I went to China. The animals here are a little different in that they're Himilayan rather than Chinese, meaning that they're a bit bigger. The other foreigner was an American alligator. Every animal place seems to have at least one, probably for comparison to the crocs. There were a couple of nice aviaries, some cooperative cassowaries, a couple of disinterested dingos, and some kangaroos and wallabies that were so well fed that they didn't want any of the food I had bought. Of course there were koalas. I chose to go to the zoo because they let you hold one for your picture. Compared to what I got at Kuranda, this was a great deal. The price was cheaper, included getting the pictures on CD, and they offered to take some shots with my camera as well. There was no rushing because there weren't any crowds. It was such a pleasure that I went back for the next session and got some video that time.

There were other photos taken as well. I finally got to get up close and personal with a wombat, in this case a southern hairy-nosed wombat named Piggy. She was surprisingly soft, even after getting a bit wet in the rain. I also had a picture taken with a tiny croc. You can imagine my mixed feelings about the fact that his mouth was taped shut. I just hope he got untaped soon after I left.

From the zoo, it was a short walk to a good opal store where I also found the sapphire earrings I'd been looking for. Being completely parched, I was very grateful for the complimentary iced tea they provided. Then it was across the street to the bus stop where the bus and I arrived at the same time. Now I'm back in Cairns for some final Australian retail therapy, a good meal and packing.

It's going to be very hard to leave. I certainly want to return to some of the places I've been and visit others I couldn't include in this trip. In all my travels, I've never been anywhere outside the US west coast that I felt I could live so happily. More than the language (which is somewhat close to English), more than the animals, more than the scenery, it's the people that make this place so special. Speaking to Australians on their own vacations, I've found they take great pride in their country and really want visitors to enjoy it. Other than they guy in Sydney who was selling ivory, everyone has been beyond pleasant. I've never experienced such thoughtfulness and willingness to do whatever it takes to make a visitor happy. From the guides and marine mammal staff at Taronga Zoo to Diane Bell and Karen Karochke in Victor Harbor to the crew of Whalesong in Hervey Bay to the entire staff on Heron Island to meter maid who gave me directions in Cairns, I've been overwhelmed with warmth and kindness. The meter maid case is a perfect example. Her job is called "public liaison officer" and she said it's really meant to educate people and try to keep visitors from getting tickets. What a difference from the quota attitude in the US.

Home to the girls and PhotoShop tomorrow. Will let you know when and where pictures are available. Advance Australia Fair!