To round off the list of intimidating creatures including sharks, crocodiles, snakes and jellyfish; Australia has bats – a lot of bats! It’s easy to pick out the tourist. We are the ones running for our lives every evening as the bats awake.

Australia is noticeably warmer than New Zealand. Out went the puffy jackets and on went the sandals and sunscreen. Isabelle appreciated it to shake off a cold she picked up.

Sydney –

Sydney is one giant botanical garden. Our favorite plant is the giant fig tree. It sprawls outwards like an octopus as the branches curved and intertwined with each other searching for new territory to take over and the roots look like waves crashing into the ground. In other terms- a Whomping Willow. Through the flora and fauna of the Royal Botanical Gardens near the Opera House, we meandered all day weaving through throngs of other tourists. Still, we felt out of place amongst the locals. Sydney is a very upscale city. Flashy cars, suits and high heels were pervasive throughout the city. Perhaps we should have packed our dress shoes.

Brisbane –

Brisbane is the almost perfect city. With great public spaces and a focus for outdoor activities, we could live here. Getting around the city by foot was a breeze thanks to their dedicated pedestrian walkways, subway and water taxis. South Bank in Brisbane has an incredible walkway and the best public pool. This area is a must see for any visitor. So, what’s the catch? No mountains! Being avid snowboarders we need mountains near by for a city to be great, but Brisbane gave it a good run!

Cairns –

Flying into Cairns (pronounced Cans- the “ir” is just in there for fun) we got our first glimpse of the Great Barrier Reef. The city is tourist geared for those wanting to see the reef and have a beach holiday. While booking our tour to the reef we learned that Isabelle got a discount through the teacher/student discount organization STA Travel to have an introductory scuba session. We both are not too keen on water sports that involve anything more than floating  slowly, safely on calm water, but after a short contemplation we decided to go for it. The 30 minute dive was amazing and is one to the highlights of the trip. It did take a few moments to become comfortable and still the anxiety would come and go but our instructor kept us close.