Trips To Australia
Possums Oz Experience 2008
The Possums met at Heathrow on 19th August, thankfully all on time, with no one stuck on the motorway in a traffic jam. Unfortunately it turned out that not everyone had weighed their cases before leaving...or had weighed them on faulty scales....and some were a 'little' over the weight limit. Fortunately the nice lady from Virgin agreed that as we were all travelling as a group we could average out weights across the whole group and not be charged any extra. We liked her a lot....especially Nina
Possums Posse landed in a hot & humid Hong Kong to be met by Gemma who got us to the YMCA which is probably the plushest YMCA ever. A quick freshen up and we headed out to watch the Symphony of Light show across the harbour before finding a quick pint before dinner. The next day saw PP piling into a coach for a trip out onto the typhoon shelter, checking out the house and fishing boats...and also the worlds largest floating restaurant. We also went up Victoria Peak in the bus and came down on the very steep vernecular railway and had a wander round Stanley Market.
If it rains cats and dogs in the UK does it rain wombats and dingoes in Australia? Either way it was absolutely chucking it down when we landed in Sydney...which was all our fault apparently what with us being Britishers. But rain is very much needed in Australia so it was no bad thing. We headed of to Wollangong for a few days to try and beat the jetlag. Today was also Caroline's birthday (Happy Birthday!). Saturday night saw Lucy almost propose to a pub bouncer when he asked her for ID. Unfortunately he then asked Gareth for ID so he hadn't thought she was 18yrs younger. Turns out you need photo id to get into a lot of places in Oz regardless of how old you are.
A warm dry day saw us head out to Symbio wildlife park where kangeroos and wallabies were fed, koalas, snakes and lizards were stroked with some folk facing major snake fears. Whilst trying to teach a cockatoo to talk, Dave was shocked when it pooed in front of him. Parrots are intelligent birds and registering Dave's shock it laughed at him which lead to dave's comment of "Dirty Bird!!" which became the first phrase of the trip and one that was uttered repeatedly.
Monday saw us head off to Chakola (place of the lyre bird in aboriginee) in Kangeroo Valley (and there were plenty) with Michael, Lani, Johannes and the magnificant brilliant very knowledgable Bob from CVA for a week of conservation work. Not only did Bob know everything about everything he was also very obliging when asked to say stuff like "G'day Bruce" and "Put another shrimp on the barbie". Once we'd settled in (no prizes for guessing which huts contained the Welshies - the huge dragon towel hung from one being a bit of a giveaway) we were taken on a bushwalk into the forest that surrounds Chakola. Funnel web spider holes were seen along with wombat burrows. Bizarrely Nina was very disappointed not to see a funnelweb spider. Strange woman. Evening walks around the site provided sightings of wombats and possums with Lucy wondering if she got rid of everything in her rucksack a wombat would fit inside.
Team Take That were on meal duty on tuesday and at breakfast provided fantastic service with accompanying song and dance. Later that night at bedtime, they serenaded the group - only God knows how Gareth slept through it! Dirty Bird's Alladin's Restaurant were providing the meals on friday, with Nina taking full responsibility for the very scrummy curry for dinner...with an hilarious introduction only she could do. We must thank Lani who throughout was always in the kitchen to help out each team. Our time in Chakola also saw Becca /Giggles' and Charlotte's birthdays (Happy Birthday! x2)
With The Possum Possee divided into Kangeroos, Wallabies and Walleroos, our conservation work included planting trees along the new levy at Comerong Island Nature Reserve, at the gorgeous new Minumara Wetland Reserve and along a river bank on some farmland. Weeding went on at Chakola and the non-native lantara was also hacked away in the bush behind the beautiful 7 Mile Beach National Park...where some folk got rather wet in the sea afterwards. We were also taken up into Minumara Rainforest which included a very steep climb to a lovely waterfall and a gimpse or two finally of some lyre birds. Coming back down the following road sign was spotted: "watch out for native wildlife" which really suggests there should be a second sign underneath saying "but you're welcome to kill any of the non native things!"
Our time with CVA was over all too soon and after a great breakfast of pancakes we set off to Sydney ("Sydney Baby!!!") via the Fitzroy Falls to meet up with the Wombats and Dingoes. It wasn't long before the Possums were checking out some of the local sights including Darling Harbour and plotting how to spend remaining money - with the prizes for the biggest shopaholic and most bags bought going to Miss Alex Jones.
In between the shopping, the group visited the local Holocaust Museum where they heard a survivor speak and had a chance to ask her questions afterwards, spent an evening in the rotating tower restaurant eating as much as possible after an hours delay being let up, rode on the Oz Jet (in the pouring rain without anyone being sick), enjoyed dinner on a boat with the Wombats and Dingos and completing the awesome Harbour Bridge nightime climb (in thankfully good weather). Two thirds of the group went to the Neighbours night at a local bar and most of the group at some point also checked out Sydney Aquarium. Proving that it's always possible to tell the Brits abroad, some of the group went for a swim on a cold and very windy Bondi Beach. Remember it's winter is Oz so brave or stupid - you decide! Some people would say Gareth faffed about alot. Gareth would disagree.
Unfortunately part way through the week Welsh Bear was kidnapped, tied up and held to ransom. Alex fought bravely for his return, taking English Possum hostage. A standoff ensued but soon both furry friends were back home only mildly traumatised by their ordeals.
We left Sydney and Australia as we had arrived...in the pouring rain...with added tears as 5 possums were staying on a little longer...or 8 months in Bex's case. Not that any of us are jealous, oh no.
Finally Gareth and Lucy would like to thank the Possums (again) for being such a great bunch of folk, for making our lives so easy and providing so many fantastic and funny moments that help to make the Oz Experience just that, a truly great & memorable experience.