Australian cuddling

Today is 34th day since I am in Dubai. No flights, no brunches, or my favorite Fit Republik gym. But this is not the worst. It is also 18th day since the complete lock down of Dubai. You cannot leave your apartment. Government-certified justifiable reasons are just the purchase of essentials (food, medicine) and urgent medical examinations. Yeah, that’s the situation here right now. Sometimes I think about it and ask myself, if we really did so many bad things to deserve this. But as they say karma is karma. So let’s move on. I’m sitting in front of my computer because I have time to write a new blog. To go back to the times when we lived a carefree life. What will be the talk this time? About visiting one of the most beautiful and animal-friendly “shelters”. If we can actually call it like this.

From Singapore, our journey continued to Australia. It is one of the most beautiful continents in the world. This city is a place, which I never visited before. This time was the first time for me. You know that deep sense of the unknown. Well, that’s how I felt about this trip. Personally, this place (right after Sydney) is my second favorite place in Australia. It is famous for its incredible climate, which is perfect almost all year long. Temperatures rarely fall below 20 degrees. So we can say, that this Australian city is a true paradise for people who love sunny days. This time I am talking about the third largest city of the smallest continent in the world – Brisbane. I handled this destination in a completely different way than the others. How? Keep reading.

The flight from Singapore to Brisbane takes about seven hours. Which is relatively good considering we have a layover destination. The drive from the airport to the hotel is also relatively short. Which means we have more time to enjoy our leisure time (or rest, depending on the person). We landed that night. I ordered a room service (the very first time) and got some sleep for next day. Mila (you may recall her from my blog from Singapore) and Ibrahim (our supervisor) agreed to head out the next morning…

into a real little paradise where you can cuddle with koalas. I’m talking about the so-called Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. And no, you don’t find only koalas here. There are many more animals that I will mention during our adventure. To be sure, this is not a zoo. This is not animal closure, because of the human desire for attraction. (If I think about it, I can compare my situation right now the with situation of every animal at the zoo. They took my space under the sun and locked me in an apartment. The living space only meets the basic needs of a person. Not even that, since I do not have a balcony and do not see the sun’s rays on my face. Yep, finally I understand how animals in the zoo feel). Well, back to the main topic. The Sanctuary was opened in 1927 as a safe haven for sick, injured and orphaned koalas. The fur trade was very popular during this time. Today, the purpose of the shelter is as positive environment as possible. The goals are still the same as in 1927, the only difference I can mention is that local and international guests can see native Australian animals. They are committed to maximizing positive environmental and social impacts. They achieve this through water and energy efficiency, biodiversity and employee engagement.

And how our day went. We arrived at the “shelter” around ten in the morning. Just for information. For all cabin crew (at least Emirates), the entrance fee is cheaper. What you need to bring with you is proof – a business card. Of course, the koalas were the ones we wanted to see first. There are 130 koalas in Lone Pine. As you stroll down to the shelter centre, you notice koalas in their homes. They mostly sit on branches or they eat eucalyptus leaves. This is also their natural habitat. They spend almost all day in the trees, which means they have an arboreal lifestyle. Until you actually see them, you can’t imagine how interesting as creatures they are. Although they do nothing, they enchant you with their gaze. It is also possible to worship and hold a koala at the Sanctuary. At first, the idea wasn’t the best for me, but I really wanted to relate even more to this fascinating animal species. Before you put the koala in your hands, they explain the correct grip. You place your open palms in front of you where the koala’s legs will lie. With the front legs, the koala grips your upper body. It’s important not to be scared, but confident when the koala is on your lap. They feel fear. The koala doesn’t stay in your lap for long. But you can at least say that you briefly made contact with this animal. The reality is that these koalas are in so many different arms that they can become irritable very quickly. After seeing these interesting creatures, we headed further down the shelter.

We walked down the stream and watched animals I had never seen before. I avoid zoos and in nature, most of these animal species hide. We took a look at the wombats (I admit I didn’t know this animal before). They belong to the sack family as they carry their puppies in a sack like kangaroos. But no, they are not like them. These interesting animals are closely related to koalas. We also devoted time to snakes and crocodiles, and lesser known dingos. He is a close relative of wolves and dogs, living freely in Australia. Some people try to domesticate the dingos (which is possible), but in nature it is a wild animal. And as a specialty – it stands at the top of the food chain. We manage to see turtles, birds and bats as well. I have to admit that we dropped this part a little. However, we have deepened into two more species. Believe it or not, I do not know the Slovenian name of this animal – Platypus. They are the last species of morons and spend most of their time in the water. Again, this is an Australian species of animal, endemic. They look like beavers, their heads look like ducks. And to mention the weirdest, different Australian species we’ve seen. The Tasmanian Devil. It was named after the loud screaming and the offensive pose in which his checkers are visible. An ugly animal, I would say. You really wouldn’t want to meet it in the wild.

We had two more stop points at Lone Pine. Before leaving we took a look at the daily show. There are many of them and they are as diverse as possible. From bird shows to educational speeches on koalas, Tasmanian devils and wildlife. During our time it was possible to watch a show with a sheep dog. We sat down in their barn and waited for the start. It was interesting to watch a dog that has control over sheeps. In fact, we were able to see how shepherds are, and somewhere, still help dogs. Maybe nothing new, nothing surprising, but extremely instructive. We kept the best part of the trip for the end. In the middle of the Sanctuary they have a large grassy lawn where animals can walk freely. Kangaroos representing the Australian mascot. Year after year, the number of kangaroos is increasing, so for now, there is no worry of extinction. The emus also walk among them. Animals burying their heads in the sand. Is that true? Only in one case. He tucks his ostrich under the sand as he looks after his puppies. If you wish, you have the opportunity to feed the animals in this area. What does the majority do? Make selfies. Make a picture with a kangaroo. Children hunt ostriches and emus. Yes, I have to admit that this is not human at all. We sat on the floor and actually cuddled with kangaroos. If you are nice, these creatures have nothing to fear. You just have to approach them with your heart. They feel it.

The clock was already well past noon and we all wanted to sleep before our flight back to Singapore. We thanked the Lone Pine Suppliers and headed back towards the city. There was no time for exploration that day. So I told myself. It will certainly be an opportunity for me to go back to Brisbane and see this place. We made just one stop on the way to the hotel. The Uber driver left us in the centre of Brisbane where we could make a picture with its sign. Yeah, I know. Totally touristic stuff. But on the other hand, we are tourists. After taking so many pictures, we went for a well-deserved lunch. Maybe it’s better to say sweet snack. The Pancake Manor. Besides Sydney, these were one of my favorite pancakes. From sweet, sour to salty. No one chose salty pancakes. That tells us what a sweet treat we are. Yes, I chose milk pancakes with vanilla ice cream and apples. Mila picked chocolate ones, if I’m not mistaken with Snickers dressing. Ibrahim, however decided on a fruit dressing. They were really good. And if you have the chance, stop here for an afternoon snack. I can assure you that you will not regret it. And your stomachs will be happy as well.

Ours certainly were. So, Mila and I decided to go to the hotel by walking. About half an hour walk from downtown. On the way we stopped at the Woolworths supermarket, where we bought some fresh fruits and vegetables for our way back. We didn’t buy a lot as we had another stop in Singapore. With the sounds of birds singing, the murmur of foliage, the conversation of people and the noise of cars, we walked around the main promenade. This one leads directly to our accommodation. By the time we arrived in the hotel the pancakes had already settled down. It was time for me to lie down and rest. I quickly packed up, took a shower, and smacked myself into bed. And fell asleep. But only for the three hours that I had in front of me.

Today is a good day for me to publish this blog. April 22nd represents Earth Day and Slovenian Scout Day. And how better to mark this day than to pay tribute to organizations that are changing our world for better place. I believe in you. I believe in all of us.