Trip to Australia

Brisbane

After a long flight, we finally arrive in Australia. We head to Brisbane. There, a schoolmate of Ursula's from several years ago is waiting for us. Her name is Alina.     After renting a car at the airport, we put our friend's house into the GPS as our destination, and during the drive, our guide Ursula explains that the history of Brisbane dates back to the 19th century, when it was first colonized. The city, nowadays, is the capital of Queensland. Brisbane's climate is subtropical. It has moderate temperatures throughout the year. So as soon as we arrive at our destination, we are invited to have a picnic on a beach on the Gold Coast. At the end of the picnic, for dessert, we try macadamia nuts.    

Macadamia nuts are one of the most popular nuts in the world. Botanically, we discover that they belong to the Proteaceae family.     They are very difficult to open, but fortunately Alina offers us a package of already shelled nuts.    

   

Near the beach, we take a walk in a small mangrove forest. Mangrove forests are a group of tropical trees that grow along coastlines, and they are among the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet. The trees are adapted to growing in harsh conditions, and they are often found in places where other trees would not survive. Mangroves have aerial roots, which help them withstand tidal changes.

   

Franco decides to visit the city to see the local life. To get to the city, during the journey, we pass a couple of cricket fields.

    Paolo, being a good sportsman, explains the rules of this sport to us.     Cricket has a rich history and is a very popular sport in many countries around the world. Cricket is a game (similar to baseball) that is played with a ball and bats and is played between two teams of eleven players.    

   

Once in the city, Paolo takes the opportunity to take some photos.

   

   

Our conversations touch on the animals of Australia, we've heard of kangaroos and koalas, but our friend tells us some more information about the platypus, which is a unique creature in the world and is difficult to classify. Is it a mammal? Yes, but it lays eggs and has a beak. The truth is that the platypus is all of this and much more, and the mysteries that this creature presents are what make it so fascinating.    

   

At this point, we decide to visit an Animal Conservation Center in Brisbane.

   

In this center, it's possible to hold koalas, and we manage to take some photos.     Koalas are marsupials that live in eucalyptus forests in Australia. They only eat the leaves of the eucalyptus tree, and since there are no other plants in their habitat, many Australian conservationists are concerned that the loss of these trees could threaten the survival of the koala.    

   

In the afternoon, we decide to visit the Brisbane golf course. On the course, there are kangaroos walking and jumping between the holes.     Kangaroos are marsupials native to Australia, and they are the largest marsupials existing in the world.    

   

Evening has come, and we return to the house, because a long journey awaits us the next day.