Crikey!

Today was certainly full and action-packed - and it began with a visit to the famous Australia Zoo 'Home of the Crocodile Hunter'. This was Australian icon's Steve Irwin's zoo - which is now run by his family and often features shows with the crocodiles and his now-famous daughter, Bindi. It is certainly the most incredible zoo I have ever been to - and unlike all the urban zoos I have been to before in the US, London and Europe. This was more like a zoo crossed with a safari - as you could often actually be amongst the animals - not just watching them through metal bars or a sheet of plexiglass. I saw animals that I had never seen before - and even some I'd never heard of. First up was the famous crocodile show itself, featuring many exotic animals and birds - but, finally, a huge crocodile being hand-fed by one Steve Irwin's brave protegees.
Up next was the kangaroo sanctuary, and a chance to actually feed and pet the kangaroos - something I had not expected. They were incredibly tame and lovable - their fur was so soft and they happily ate from my hand, which was amazing. Several of the kangaroos were even carrying their baby 'joeys' in their pouches. I then saw koalas up close, sitting in low-hanging trees. There were all the famed Australian creatures - dingoes, wombats, kookaburras, emus, Tasmania devils and an extraordinary creature called a cassowary - the oddest looking bird I have ever seen - part ostrich, part dinosaur, I thought to myself!
Part of Steve Irwin's legacy has been to ensure that many animals in his zoo were rescued from dangerous situations - and the emphasis throughout the park and from the zookeepers was very much on conservation, animal welfare and protecting endangered species. There is also a huge, protected wildlife reservation in the north of Australia in Steve Irwin's name.

The journey back from Australia Zoo took me past the stunning Glasshouse mountain range again - and then it was back to Brisbane, in time for the evening 'Aussie Rules' football game.
The game was being played at the 'Gabba' - an impressive stadium in the heart of Brisbane, used in the summer months for cricket and in the winter for Aussie rules football. Amazingly, Aussie rules football was originally played by cricketers during their off-season (the winter) in order to keep in shape - which is why most cricket stadia in Australia double as the venue for Aussie rules games. It's a game that could not be more different from cricket! It evolved from Gaelic Football - and there are elements of both soccer and rugby in the game. But Aussie rules sometimes appears to have no rules and can be pretty rough, fast but refreshingly free-flowing. I quickly got the gist of things (6 points for a 'goal' and 1 point for a 'behind') and settled down to watch four 30 minute quarters, after which the home team - the Brisbane Lions - had beaten Geelong (from Victoria - near Melbourne) by an impressive score of 108 to 65.
I also had the chance to savor one of the local delicacies - a 'Four & Twenty' meat pie. A must at any 'footie' game. My friend, who took me to the game, told me that I absolutely had to come again - as Brisbane had not beaten Geelong (one of the best teams in the country) since 2005 - so I must be some kind of lucky charm! I look forward to explaining the rules of the game in more detail to my students next year. Perhaps we should even try playing it in P.E. class!