My Trip to Australia in Crappy Phone Pictures

Today was a good day. After a week of conference rooms and long work dinners, CarrieNation and I finally got out and about in Sydney. Our first stop was the outer Sydney suburb of Blacktown for a visit to the Featherdale Wildlife Sanctuary, where we had it on good authority we could have a Koala "encounter."

We chose Featherdale because it had a reputation for being an actual sanctuary, rather than just a place where they hang bedraggled Koala's on tourists (though we hoped there would be a little of that too). I'm happy to say that Featherdale delivered in every way. While they don't actually hang the Koalas on you, they do let you pet them, which is almost as good.

Here's what I learned today. Koalas are not mean. Koalas are not drugged. At least one Koala (pictured here) is capable of leaping fairly substantial distances through the air. It was something to see.

Star of the show

Although the Koalas are clearly the stars here, the other animals were pretty awesome too. Various kangaroo variants just roamed throughout the park, mooching alfalfa off of sentimental tourists. My favorites were these little walaroo guys. One took a little nip of my finger, but I could swear he looked apologetic afterwards.

Careful they bite

Tomorrow, we're going to do the famous Sydney Harbor Bridge Climb, where I'm told the traffic-spitting is world class. I haven't been over to the Opera House, but I have had some good looks at it.

Here's this thing

And here, as a bonus, is my incredibly shitty photo of the field from my seats at the Aussie Rules game from Saturday.

Local color