What do you get when you cross a crocodile with a rooster? A croc-a-doodle-doo! hahaha Okay enough of the silly jokes... I was seriously dying to go to Hartley's Crocodile Adventures while I was in Cairns exploring the Great Barrier Reef. Why did I want to go see scary crocodiles?  Because #1 Crocs are so totally Aussie and #2 Loads of Aussies have been telling me this is the best place to experience crazy crocs... up close and personal. From crocodile shows to crocodile boat rides in a lagoon full of the sharp toothed beasts... Hartley's did not disappoint. The highlight was riding in a small boat (it did have cages on the side) just a couple of feet away from the mammoth creatures! Of course you won't catch me in this post's pictures or videos cuddling with and crocs... you will see me cuddling with sweet koalas and feeding the world's deadliest bird, the cassowary. 

Exploring the Great Barrier Reef has been near the top of my Bucket List for a long time. It is one of the 7 Wonders of the Natural World. According to GreatBarrierReef.org it is comprised of over 900 islands, spanning 133,000 square miles... making it larger than the Great Wall of China... or about half the size of Texas. The Great Barrier Reef is so big it can even be viewed from outer space! The Great Barrier Reef is ancient... perhaps 20 million years old. Today, a whole host of modern medicines are being developed from its plants and animals - Medicines to treat cancer, heart disease, arthritis, Alzheimers, etc. Countless communities depend upon the Great Barrier Reef for economic reasons. Tourism to the reef generates billions of dollars a year. Of course the actual fish provide food and livelihoods for residents as well. More than 1,500 fish species call the Great Barrier Reef home. About 10% of the globe's total fish species can be found within its boundaries.

It is easy to see why the Great Barrier Reef is considered a Natural Wonder!  I can't believe I just crossed it off my Bucket List.... Tick!!  I hope you enjoy my pictures, videos, and thoughts from this awesome adventure. 

Since moving to Australia, I've been trying to see and do as much as I can. While in the USA I love spending time in Washington, DC so of course Canberra was on my list here. My husband and I visited the Australian Capital Territory last weekend and had such a great experience. We took a fun 4 hour road trip from Sydney on Saturday morning and arrived to our hotel around lunchtime. We had delicious grilled chicken sandwiches (chicken burgers as they say in Oz) in the casual lobby restaurant at the the Crowne Plaza Canberra. We then headed to our first stop, the Australian War Memorial.

There is so  much buzz in Oz right now around Vivid Sydney. I had to check it out and share how cool it is! And just so you can begin to understand the enormity of this event... I'll let you in on a secret! Vivid Sydney is now in the Guinness World Records as the globe's largest festival of light, music, and ideas! They actually broke their own record! How many lights did it take... to take the cake as largest interactive lighting display?!? 124,128! The events run from 26 May to 17 June, 2017.

Make sure you take a look at the YouTube video I put together from my experiences at Vivid Sydney. I took the ferry from Rose Bay to Circular Quay... met my husband for a yummy Thai dinner... and then strolled around the light show eating gelato. It was such a fun night. In the video I've posted above... you'll see projections of space, sea creatures, animals, and trippy psychedelic images illuminating iconic landmarks throughout Sydney including the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House, Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, Taronga Zoo, and the Museum of Contemporary Art. At the end of the video you'll see Darling Harbour’s Magicians of the Mist. It's a 50 meter high water fountain that features 40 meter high projections, lasers, fireworks, and flames. As with many of the displays, a dramatic soundtrack tells the light story in perfect sync. I have to say this is one of the best events I've been to since moving to Australia! I enjoyed it more than the fireworks on New Year's Eve! Although that display is even more iconic... the crowds are more manageable at Vivid Sydney.