Fifth stop: Melbourne (Victoria) (July 12-15)



Day 1: 4:15am wake up, Uber’d to the airport, and finally wearing the winter clothing we’ve been carting around since we started, all in preparation for our time in wintry Melbourne!



Our early morning flight made for a beautiful sunrise!



We landed, got our rental car and headed straight to see Nonna (Anna), one of the girls’ four extraordinary grandmas. Even found some nesting rainbow lorikeets on the way!


We had snacks, walked for lunch, went to a playground, hung out, watched Tour de France highlights, ate dinner and caught up. More tomorrow!






Day 2: we got breakfast with Nonna and admired Melbourne birds:


Large Melbourne magpies, who have the most beautiful song  


Gallahs


Then we took a lovely walk in Blackburn Nature Park  















We found some “cocktail avocados” and enjoyed them with lunch at Nonna’s!






Off to visit Uncle Ade and Aunt Sam-Ang. Then we went to my Aunt Helen’s, where we watched Tour de France, ate dinner and played Scrabble! Ida did a Scrabble half time show with some of her cousins’ toys!

 


Day 3: Ida helped make orange juice, we made breakfast and hung out. 






Then we visited Uncle Ade and Aunt Sam-Ang again. 




Then, the 5 of us and Aunt Helen headed off to Phillip Island to see the fairy penguins (https://www.penguins.org.au/attractions/penguin-parade/). They come in every night after sundown. It’s about a 90+ minute drive each way. I went here as a kid and returning was wonderful!







Their burrows:


A Cape Barron goose, apparently very rare but live here:





(No photography allowed at all after sunset becuse the light scares the penguins, but they provide a link to free professional photos to download!)







Photos of the possums we saw on the walk out was ok!





Day 4: that’s a wrap on Melbourne! Today we fly MEL —> BNE —> GLT (Gladstone) !










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