QLD Newsletter (13 Jul 08)

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. The world's first and largest koala sanctuary with over 130 koalas. Well, this is what was stated on its website (http://www.koala.net/) as well as on the wikipedia.

In any case, it is an interesting place. I believe it is much better than the Australia Zoo.

Aren't they adorable? Koala ("ko-wa-la") are fussy eaters. They eat 50 species of the 600 species of eucalyptus trees in Australia. The belief that the koala is drunk on these leaves is actually a myth. Eucalyptus leaves contain 50% water and 5% sugars and starches. This is a low energy diet, therefore koalas conserve their energy by sleeping about 19 hrs a day, which makes them appear intoxicated.

Do you know what koala means? The word koala is aboriginal for "no drink". This name came about because koalas hardly ever go down to the ground for water as they obtain most of it from the eucalyptus leaves they eat. And there is no such thing as koala bear. It is just koala.

If koalas are not enough for you. Try this.

Okok, here are the nicer photos of the kangaroos.

Do you know what kangaroo means in aboriginal? If you are thinking of "I don't know". You got the answer.

If you think the sanctuary is just koalas and kangaroos, then you are wrong. Other animals that live there include the following:

To call off the day, we decided to showcase our culinary skills in the evening. Homemade smoked salmon and Hawaiian pizzas.

QLD Newsletter (12 Jul 08)

Brisbane - the southeast corner of Queensland, Australia. The city is centred around the Brisbane River and its eastern suburbs line the shores of Moreton Bay. It is the the third most populous city in Australia and the most populous city of Queensland.

Frankly speaking, it is not a shopping paradise. Nonetheless, MP and I decided to take our vacation there, mainly because of GS's graduation.

As Brissy folks practically live around the river, they could travel via the "Citycat". A ferry that goes along the Brisbane River and is a form of public transport from the usual bus and train.

Scenic views of the River Cruise on the "Citycat" that cost AUD$75 if you signed up for a day tour. However, MP and I enjoyed it FOC. Courtesy of GS.

The Brisbane central business district (CBD) lies in a curve of the Brisbane river. It covers only 2.2 km sq and is navigable on foot. Central streets are named after members of the royal family. Streets named after female members (Adelaide, Alice, Ann, Charlotte, Elizabeth, Margaret,Mary) run parallel to Queen Street and Queen Street Mall (named in honour of QueenVictoria) and those that run perpendicular to streets are named after male members (Albert, Edward, George, William).

"City" in Brisbane generally means the Queen Street Mall and Southbank. The CBD is located around Queen Street Mall, unlike in Singapore where Shenton Way and Orchard Road precincts are separated.

Southbank is a pretty nice place to spend a quiet day. You can just order a cup of coffee at one of the cafes along the river or just sit by the river for a nice little picnic. There is also an artificial beach at Southbank for folks who want some tanning.