Another post from the archives, this time… from down under in Australia!
My friend Casey and I met up in Sydney for what would be an amazing weeklong trip. Sydney itself exceeded my expectations… such a fun city! It was wintertime in August but we lucked out with great weather. Casey lived in Australia for several years which made traveling around easy. And it was here she introduced me to the world’s greatest cookie, the Tim Tam.
One of my favorite things we did was the coastal walk from Bondi to Coogee Beach. Bondi Icebergs pool is iconic and the oceanfront scenery is spectacular!
The efficient ferry system and beautiful harbor offer an abundance of sightseeing. You can visit islands, historic sites, harbor communities and beaches. We caught a ferry over to the Taronga Zoo and also to Manly Beach.
After a few days exploring Sydney, we took a 3 hour flight up to Cairns and grabbed a rental car. We were on our way to see the Great Barrier Reef but made a stop in Port Douglas. We visited the Wildlife Habitat, where we had some fun feeding curious wallabies and kangaroos!
After the Wildlife Habitat, we continued along the Captain Cook highway which hugs the coastline. What a stunning drive!
We were heading to Cape Tribulation and had to catch another ferry. Cape Tribulation is unique in that it’s the only place in the world where two World Heritage sites are side by side, the Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef. We explored the rainforest and took a walk with an Aboriginal guide through Mossman Gorge. We stayed in a cozy hut in the jungle and had our reef snorkeling tour planned for the next day.
The signs of Queensland…
We would soon discover that the Great Barrier Reef excursion I chose from Cape Tribulation was not typical. We were on a small boat and the water was REALLY rough. It was challenging to simply stay afloat, let alone snorkel. We made the best of it and a highlight of the day was swimming with a sea turtle. The reef did have signs of coral bleaching and fewer fish than I was expecting. The effects of global warming were clear.
I am also not skilled in the art of underwater photography… so some screen snaps from a GoPro video will have to do!
I would love to return someday to see more of amazing Australia!
Brooke Cary 
Fun times! I didn’t remember the snorkeling photos. Love the animal pics.
Can’t wait until we can travel International again.