On our last day in Sydney, Eric took me to Featherdale Wildlife Park. He did the research beforehand and found a place that would actually let me pet a koala. I was as excited as a kid in a candy shop!
Featherdale also let us feed the wallabies, kangaroos, and emus. The emus were kind-of jerks and pecked at our feet or snuck up behind me and reached their long necks over my shoulder to try to pilfer treats. Every time that happened it scared the heck out of me. However, both the wallabies and the kangaroos had impeccable manners. They really enjoyed the ice cream cones filled with grains!
Eric made acquaintances with a little wombat who was rather friendly. A bit later we encountered some spiky echidnas. Their quills are surprisingly soft and felt almost like plastic. Both of us found their rolling gait and little beaks quite endearing.
We also encountered some less personable friends at Featherdale that we weren't allowed to pet or feed. Here's a true Aussie crock, a dingo, and a deceptively cute little Tasmanian devil with bright pink ears.
We walked by the petting-zoo area occupied primarily by farm animals. They had kid-size cardboard cutouts for photo ops. This sheep happened to be walking by at the same time we were, and this scene gave us a hearty chuckle:
We took the train back into downtown Sydney, grabbed a bite of lunch, and headed out jet boating on Sydney harbor. It was really fun and really wet!
I tried to convince Eric to just stay in Sydney. I told him we could relocate, ship out the pets, and find jobs there--but, alas, no deal. Sadly, we had to bid Sydney farewell, though I do hope we will get another chance to go back again. Eric and I have visited many cities together all over the globe, but Sydney is my definite favorite!
