000 (=911 in AU) koala rescue

My AU year is complete!!!!! This youthful little guy
(I discovered it was a boy because it had a scent gland stripe down his chest)
parked himself in at the front of the house. He drank like crazy after he figured
out how. Today was the first really hot day in the hills and he was
certainly unhappy about the heat. 

Usually Koalas don't drink as they get dew
off the eucalyptus leaves or from the moisture
in the actual leaf. He sat up to drink, but then sprawled out
in the road and had no energy. Kathy and Eddie, my
new friends, had just come around to test drive my car
to let their friend, an exchangee arriving in Dec., know
if it looks like a possibility (keep your fingers crossed).
Instead of heading home to tea, we became fast friends
when we geared into rescue mode. 

We called Fauna SA. They gave excellent insturctions of how
to snuggle him up and transport him to the Agucultural College
where the volunteers would get him into a vet.

Fauna Rescue SA - a volunteeer non-prrofit organsiation

Koala Lou (which I of course called him) snuggled into me
and calmly drifted into a relaxed state- missing mum perhaps.
I was a baby hog, as usual, barely letting my new friends
hold him.

Donald and his wife Anne have been rescuing koalas
for 18 years. He did not remember how many he had even rescued
today. One stuck out in his mind from around
Flinders Uni- just a baby. Tomorrow they plan to return
her since she seems well, to see if she can call out for
her mum and go back home.
Just as we were getting ready to go,
Donald had a call that another koala needed rescuing in Stirling. He
headed toward the hills hopefully for his last call of the night!
I send a huge shout out to the 18 volunteers at Fauna Rescue.

I was so excited that I shared the story with the students.
In turn they wrote recounts about the koala. This writer
has been studying in AU for 9 months and is eight. I'm proud.

Melbourne Cup (AU's biggest day) Kangaroo Island with Claire

More than just a horse race, Melbourne Cup day stops the nation and is a public holiday in the city of Melbourne. More than 100,000 people descend on Flemington racecourse every year creating a carnival like atmosphere to mark the occasion. The whole country comes to a standstill at 3pm on Cup day, as a new Melbourne Cup winner etches his name into the history books.

Once a year punters are out in force at spring carnival time as people all around the country like to have a flutter on the Melbourne Cup, or try their luck at a Cup sweep, and the festival atmosphere and great days racing make for one of the biggest sporting events on the Australian calendar each year.

The staff room's tables are covered with
betting envelopes and anticipation builds
throughout the day waiting for the race.
Who will be the big winners and have
enough for a fresh "cuppa" at Scoots
the next day after a Melbourne Cup
Bubbley hangover?

Children make fascinators or hats from newspaper depending
on the enthusiasm. 

Some are more stylish.

The principal,  Deb,  is the most stylish of all. She introduces the race
and teaches a bit of racing etiquette. Classes gather in the
library to cheer for their horse. 

Melbourne Cup Day coreespondes with beautiful spring
days. The jacarandas are beginning to bloom. They line the streets
throughout the cily. 

Claire spotted her first Koala crossing the
road driving just a few kilometers from home.
We inched closer and closer before he
decided to climb the tree. 

Claire visiting Remarkable Rocks

Not able to visit rocks without looking for a good handhold
and attempting a climb. 

Cliare and I napped here-the less windy side of the rock.

and later walked down to Admiral's Arch

and stayed between tour busses to watch the
seals fighting and frockling

They were lounging or getting worked up.

We hiked down Snake Lagoon which opened to a beautiful
spot on the seaside. Claire took a "selfie". (We truly live in a
 digital age. The “selfie”, has been announced by the Oxford
 English Dictionary as this year’s most popular word.)

But it took lots of scrambling to get to
the coast

but it was worth it, 

and once there a sign warned us of freak waves. Just after reading
it, a huge wave slammed on the formerly silent beach. 

We stayed at  little "Raven Cabin"  It was on Vivone Bay which was
voted as Australia's best beach.  Unless, like us, the mutton birds
had just finished their 12,000 mile annual migration. Many
arrived at the coast and died leaving the beach littered
in short-tailed shearwaters or Tasmanian mutton
birds as theymare sometimes known.  

Hiking into Stoke's Bay "secret beach.

and back through Kingscote

to the almost too bumpy ferry ride
back to the mainland.

Glossary:

Fascinator:alternative to hat for formal attire

Oh bugger it. I know that you can figure out

 all this slang if you are inclined. I will be bringing it home soon enough

Up next Packing/New Zealand and everything no one told you to prepare for

Mount Arapiles, a quick look at the Grampians and around town

I love wombats

Arapilies- a climber's destination

McKenzie Falls, Grampians

Mid air hop

yet another eating adventure

Barosa

careful listening to wine instruction

Maggie Beers

Real entry to McCloud's TV series

outing with Claire