Australia 2010 - 4th post

Hey guys!

This will most likely be the last post on my travel blog before I head back home to Norway. Here it goes:

 

I spent my last full day at Australia Zoo which is located in Queensland, the north-eastern part of Australia. And man they had lots of animals: Cheetahs, dingoes, kangaroos, koalas, red pandas, Tasmanian devils, crocodiles, lizards and a load of exotic birds. And many of them are endemic to Australia. Since they were gathered in one place I didn’t have to hackle the whole country to see them.

The area where the park is standing was bought in 1970 by Lyn and Bob Irwin, the parents of the famous Australian television personality Steve Irwin. 

Steve Irwin, also known as “The Crocodile Hunter”, was a wildlife expert and conservationist. You’ve probably seen him on TV channels like Animal Planet, Discovery and TV Norge. I would say that he’s Australia’s most famous person, at least he’s the one of things I think of when someone says “Australia”. Unfortunately he died on the 4th of September 2006 after being stabbed by a stingray while filming an underwater documentary in the Great Barrier Reef.

Oh no, I forgot something! My mom isn’t very with computers and stuff, and since she visited Australia some years ago she has wanted to get an explanation of the Australian flag. She doesn’t know how to search for something at the internet, and she’s kind of lazy so she hasn’t bothered asking someone for it either. So this is for you mom, here it goes:

The Australian flag is blue and it has three elements in it: the Union Jack, the Commonwealth Star and the Southern Cross. The Union Jack, in the upper right corner, represents Australia’s history as six British colonies. It also demonstrates their respect for the British Empire. Below the Union Jack you’ll find the Commonwealth Star. This represents the seven British colonies that federated and became one country. On the right side of the flag we can see the Southern Cross, a constellation which consists of five stars. This can be seen from all of Australia’s states and territories.

That was it, right now I’m sitting on the balcony watching the beautiful sunset while thinking back on all the wonderful days I’ve had her in Oz. It has been an experience I’ll never forget, a memory for life. I have to shed a tear. I really hope that I’ll get another opportunity to come back to this terrific country. I’ll tell you more when I’m home in Norway…

See you later, alligator!