Day 15, Australia

Yes, Marti, you guessed right, we are on our way to Australia..........

Lets take the aerial route again today ........

We are now flying over Lord Howe Island

Wow, what a remarkable example of oceanic islands! Born of volcanic activity more than 2,000 m under the sea, these islands boast a spectacular topography and are home to numerous endemic species, especially birds...... a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Since all of us want to see different things in Australia, we took a vote cities or UNESCO sites?? Well, majority rules, and so UNESCO sites it is....

The 239,723 ha Purnululu National Park is located in the State of Western Australia. It contains the deeply dissected Bungle Bungle Range composed of Devonian-age quartz sandstone eroded over a period of 20 million years into a series of beehive-shaped towers or cones, whose steeply sloping surfaces are distinctly marked by regular horizontal bands of dark-grey cyanobacterial crust (single-celled photosynthetic organisms). These outstanding examples of cone karst owe their existence and uniqueness to several interacting geological, biological, erosional and climatic phenomena.

Ok, Marti, at last we have reached the Sydney Opera House.

What a great architectural work of the 20th century this is!! It brings together multiple strands of creativity and innovation in both architectural form and structural design. A great urban sculpture set in a remarkable waterscape, at the tip of a peninsula projecting into Sydney Harbour, the building has had an enduring influence on architecture.

No Sita and Nopi, they are not going to allow you to sing there!!

Did you know that the Sydney Opera House comprises three groups of interlocking vaulted ‘shells’ which roof two main performance halls and a restaurant? These shell-structures are set upon a vast platform and are surrounded by terrace areas that function as pedestrian concourses.

Let's take a quick cruise down to Tasmania
In a region that has been subjected to severe glaciation, these parks and reserves, with their steep gorges, covering an area of over 1 million ha, constitute one of the last expanses of temperate rainforest in the world. Remains found in limestone caves attest to the human occupation of the area for more than 20,000 years.

What do I see in the distance???

Uluru is one of Australia's most recognisable natural icons. The world-renowned sandstone formation stands 348 m (1,142 ft) high (863 m/2,831 ft above sea level) with most of its bulk below the ground, and measures 9.4 km (5.8 mi) in circumference.

Uluru is notable for appearing to change colour as the different light strikes it at different times of the day and year, with sunset a particularly remarkable sight when it briefly glows red. Although rainfall is uncommon in this semiarid area, during wet periods the rock acquires a silvery-grey colour, with streaks of black algae forming on the areas that serve as channels for water flow.

We stood there...in awe of this colossal rock..

Boo-hoo :-((( ....why are you crying Marti?? You want to see a kangaroo!!
Ok, lets go looking for roo for Marti..........after all , how can we come Down Under and not spot a roo?........