Flying Foxes and Cockatoos

Private Lessons

We finally get private swim lessons going for the kids in the hotel pool.  Wish I’d found someone earlier as J&G might be able to swim by now!  We used Tanya’s Tadpoles, recommended by an Australian friend and they travel and come to you.  Julia and Peter did great, and the fact that Graham released his vice grip from me and actually went along with another person in the pool was great progress for him (even if it was just in the hot tub…).

  

Photo Op

We’re headed to the Botanic Gardens today but I decide to swing by the Opera House on our way to show Peter and get some classic Sydney photographs.  Can’t head back to the States without these!

In hindsight, I probably should've given them the ice cream bribe for the photo shoot 

after the photos were completed.

Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust

We head past the picturesque Government House and stroll through the park on a gorgeous sunny day.  The park runs along part of Sydney Harbour and is beautifully landscaped with many gardens and points of interest within the park, and there are some truly spectacular giant old trees, if you’re into trees. 

Around the Oriental Garden and garden shop and restaurant, we encountered trees loaded with flying foxes.  Now flying foxes is a euphemism designed to not frighten the tourists away, because what they really are are the largest bats (fruit bats, to be specific) you’ve ever seen.  Once you get over the creepiness of this (you won’t), you can relax and enjoy the spectacle. 

As we approached the southern end of the park near where the expressway marks the beginning of the Domain on the other side, we came across another animal surprise.  Cockatoos were flying in to land on people!  You invite them by standing very still and holding your arms out as a perch.  You can bribe them further with a bag of chips, as we discovered.  You’d think after our previous bird trauma we would’ve run, but it was actually pretty cool.  They are heavy with sharp claws, but with a borrowed long-sleeve top from mommy, even our five year old was thrilled to try it.

Hmm, nice trees, but wait, what is that hanging from it's branches....

Look closer.....

[insert shower music from Psycho here!]

Peter was a little skittish at first, mainly because the talons

were digging into several layers of his arm skin.

But once he got over the embarrassment of borrowing my hoodie,
he had more fun with it and got pretty comfortable with them. 

For the most part, Graham chose to observe from a distance.

Mommy had to give it a try, though.  It was actually quite thrilling!