OZ Day 5- Kangaroos and Penguins

After yesterday's long tiring day, day 5 was looking up to be the most relaxing ever - and in our opinion,the best day out. We had the luxury of waking up really late (9am??) and was greeted by the lovely hot sun - for those that had been to Melbourne, the typical 4 seasons in one day is so completely true, we touched down at 41degrees and woke up to 16degrees the day after.Go figure. They are mad I tell you, Mad!


After breakfast, we made a beeline for the Chadstone mall, one of the biggest in the suburbs around Melbourne - in the style of Midvalley.I had been obsessed with shopping in Australia; as for the same price as a Wal-Mart top, I can get a good quality Esprit top - in a much nicer design.But enough about me.

We were picked up by Walter again at around 1pm - this time around, we are heading towards Philip Island, famed for the penguins that made the island its natural home


First stop- San Remo. This is where the mainland meets the island with a bridge that is around 2 KMs in length. I fell asleep in the 1.5 hours drive from Melbourne to San Remo - and woke up to find out that it had dropped 10 degrees in the last hour. Was wearing shorts initially, but obviously had to change out od that to get into something more realistic. Ho ho..the weather had began.


Lonely alone - walking along the freezing beach.

Another 20mins drive after that took us into the heart of Philip Island.On the way we passed chocolate factories, a Kidzone thing and a koala sanctuary. I was fretting that we did not stop at any of these---I wanna go to the choc factory! But I was silenced when we eventually stopped,at the Philip Island Wildlife Sanctuary.


At the entrance (AU 11 per person, included in our tour), we were given a pack of animal feed each that we can use on any animals that we fancy.I went absolutely bonkers seeking for wild roaming kangaroos

My fav was this female red kangaroo


Echinda.Looks like a cross between a porcupine and a tortise



My first kangaroo.Can you see that bundle of joy peeping out of its pouch?


Bacon's friends.The red kangaroos are a nice shade of blue-ish white


Turning tricks with my favourite kangaroo.


You've gotta admit, she's a cutie.


We went deeper in search of kangaroos in a dried out forest…it looks like children of the corn here - can you spot the kangaroos?I thought they were going to jump us.


But they were as tame as hell…attacking bacon for food


After playing with the kangaroos for 45mins, it was sadly time to go again. I was quite reluctant to leave,so we went and have a peep at the koalas again,hoping that they would've woken up - but they were obviously nocturnal…bleah.



Highly recommended, this was the highlight of our trip. I loved how much they took care of the animals and how well maintained the place is - excuse the dried out grass, Australia is at the height of a draught so no watering is allowed.


Next animal up -


Heading towards the Philip Island Penguin Parade (no pictures allowed), we stopped at the Nobbies, where there was a nice broadwalk along the cliffside and also you can look into the burrows where the penguins sleep at night - we found a snuggly couple.it was way too windy to walk even in my winter coat, and pouring it down as well, so didn't go far before I trooped back to the van.

The angry seas..


Next stop, the famed Philip Island Penguin Sanctuary.


Stomping around with the cliché tourist picture


Nothing else to see due to the ban of all cameras - but it was a trip well-taken. It was the penguins natural habitat and they returned there on a nightly basis. It's so cute to see them waddle up the beach - to be scared off by the slightest change in the wind and all tumble back to the sea…peeping over the waves to gather enough courage to move on towards their homes at last.

What was cuter was seeing them march on dry land back to their individual boroughs..eeek! They were noisy to boot with a cross between a duck and a chicken (what a shite explaination) and seem to be chatting with each other after a long day's work at the seas eating up all the pilchards..It is such a shame that no photography was allowed at all even those without flash,but fair enoguh - we had had enough of wildlife flee public areas due to the super invasion of the irresponsible humans.Again, I love how they take care to preserve the natural environment of the animals indigenious to the country and I can say I had not seen a better run animal-friendly country.

After an hour and a half of gawking at penguins, it was time to leave again for the long drive back to Melbourne - I promptly fell asleep as usual whilst Bacon continued chatting the driver up about beer - discussions on why Fosters' is only good enough for export and no one in Australia drinks it. It is true! No one in Australia drinks Fosters - the only place I see it sold is at the airports. Go figure. It's like the Irish not drinking Guiness…public outcry.

Arriving at 11pm, my bro decided it was high time for pancakes - at the Pancake House at Doncaster


The Mexican panacke -at AU15 it was overrated and overpriced


Walnut and Pecan banana pancake - better at AU9 but still quite steep I thought.


The retarded family - it's in the genes that we all have short legs. Loved this sort of trick mirror.But they probably shouldn’t put a short and fat mirror where you are leaving after gorging on their high fat pancakes.