Today I visited the Australian Reptile Park with Sue, Yvette (a friend from childhood), Fang (Sue’s coworker), Marina and Tan (two Japanese exchange students, one of which is staying with Yvette).
We saw many things, including snake milking, funnel web spiders, lots of lizards, a dark-furred dog dingo, koalas, a platypus, frogs, birds, bats and even a Komodo dragon!
The highlight of the park is of course their massive saltwater crocodile ‘Elvis’, who is currently 4.75 m long and has a jaw pressure of 5000 psi! He was a truly massive beast, and the guy that fed him must have nerves of steel:
For me the highlight was – as always – the kangaroos! I read that wild kangaroo attacks increased during Covid but the beasts they had at the park were having none of that and happily let me pat their fuzzy heads. As I knew they would, they saw in me a kindred spirit.
The two Japanese girls had a great time. They’re in Australia learning English and I quizzed them a lot about both Japan and their experience here (short version: they both love Australia). The park was a great place to take them since it’s all about Australian animals nearly all of which they’d never seen in-person.
It was a fun day, but also tiring since I’m still a little jet-lagged. But I got to pat some kangaroos and that memory will last me a good long while 🙂
I’m in Newcastle with mum now by the way. I’ve already eaten way too much candy as well. It’s time to start walking it off…
