Expat Blog Challenge Day 24
Prompt: "Our final PHOTO post - A hidden gem"
The majority of moments in my life as manager of an expat family fall under the heading 'mundane.' I unplug clogged drains, collect the dirty laundry, change burnt out light bulbs, discover a dead car battery at the worst possible time, manage the logistics of four children with their multiple activities, hang out the laundry, sweep the floor, prepare meals, and clean up afterward.
Even those times that should fall under the heading 'extraordinary' often feel like anything but. As another wanderer has said, "Travel is exotic only in retrospect." (Marilyn Gardner in her article "You take yourself with you"). Often I have to remind myself that this is supposed to be fun, that I'm going to be so glad later that we took this particuar expedition, or traveled to this special place.
Perhaps that is why the subject of today's post is such a pleasure. It represents a memory of an unexpectedly delightful sidetrip we took after our weekend in Canberra.
What we discovered was an afternoon of solitude, peace, beauty and several wildlife encounters. For once there was no bickering and no complaining (not even from the adults!). We didn't have to remind ourselves to enjoy the moment. I, who had vowed to never take another photograph of a kangaroo, could not help but take several.
I was barely out of the car before our naturalist son had discovered several lizards.
Rock climbing is always popular with our crew.
The highlight for this son (and for me) was watching a duck-billed platypus swimming in the reserve. We had seen them before only behind glass at zoos or wildlife sanctuaries.
(Photo credit for platypus)---I wasn't quick enough with the camera to capture a decent photo.
Before heading home, we soaked in the quintissential Australian landscape. It was an afternoon we will not soon forget.
That really does look like a magical day! I am gonna need to add this place to the bucket list too! Kangaroos w/ joeys! Duck billed platypuses! Sign me up!
Posted by: Samantha | 02/24/2014 at 04:39 PM
It's a very worthwhile side trip to take in conjunction with visiting Canberra. I love how understated it is. You show up thinking it will just be another bush walk, and instead, there's wildlife that you struggle to find elsewhere, and in a gorgeous setting to boot.
Posted by: Christie | 02/24/2014 at 06:16 PM
What a gorgeous spot. How lucky that you got to see a platypus - my understanding is that they're pretty elusive. Can definitely see how this would be preferable to another day of museums in Canberra!
Posted by: Cristin | 02/24/2014 at 09:04 PM
I didn't really expect to ever see a platypus in the great outdoors, particularly since they are nocturnal. As we walked up to the pond, a couple of people standing there told us to be sure and look as they had been watching one swim, and sure enough, there s(he) was.
Posted by: Christie | 02/24/2014 at 09:29 PM
I can't tell you how excited I am to see that photo of the kangaroo with the joey. Couldn't be more excited unless I had seen it with my own two eyes!!
Posted by: Yvette | 02/24/2014 at 09:36 PM
There's nothing like a joey sticking its little head out to make you fall in love with the kangaroo all over again.
Posted by: Christie | 02/24/2014 at 09:47 PM
Great pictures and beautiful wildlife sitings. So glad you decided to take that walk!
Posted by: Suzanne | 02/24/2014 at 10:10 PM
We are enjoying trying to identify the lizard. Is it some sort of dragon?
Posted by: Amy Smith | 02/25/2014 at 12:24 AM
Amy, I think it is a goanna, but I'm not the reptile expert around here.
Posted by: Christie | 02/25/2014 at 08:58 AM