Camels and Koalas

After enjoying the fruits of the Hunter Valley and a few of its delightful vineyards, our next stop was the coastal town of Port Macquarie. A cople of hours drive north of Sydney, it is a resort town with miles and miles of beaches. Roni and I explored a few, stopping at various viewpoints such as lighthouses, headlands, and cliffs. Along one particular stretch a tour operator was offering camel rides along the beach. How could I refuse?

Raymondo on his new ride, Obama!

Let me tell you about this big boy. Over six feet tall, you can clearly see that he is truly U-G-L-Y! With stained and protruding teeth, gangly legs, and bony joints, his temperament is no better. Ornery to the point of exasperation, stubborn, and grouchy, he is quite a handful even for the most skilled of handlers. He's foul-breathed, and often farts and burps simultaneously, giving forth thunderous and obnoxious belches! It's no wonder people want to stay upwind of him.

But what about the camel, you ask? Obama was aquired just a few weeks ago, thus his name, and was once a wild camel. Apparently there are over a million wild dromedaries in this country, the only place where one-humped (dromedary) camels still run free. He's actually quite well trained, although the guides keep a close watch on him. After our half-hour ride, we had become quite good friends. So now I can claim to have ridden a camel. Next up, an elephant, although not likely on this trip.

Port Macquarie is also home to Australia's Koala Hospital. Apparently these sweet little guys sometimes run afoul of cars, dogs, falls, and disease and most don't survive these challenges. A group of volunteers have formed this organization to assist by nursing these animals back to health whenever possible and then releasing them back into the wild. Koalas spend most of their time high up in eucalyptus trees, feeding on the leaves. Quite a few live in urban areas, where most of the hazards they face exist.

Roni and I watched this little girl being hand-fed. She loves having her tummy rubbed and her back scratched. She's obviously very cute and cuddly, with a sweet and gentle disposition. Just like Roni.