Australia 2013 - Melbourne Day 1

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Unemployment has its benefits, like taking long blocks of holiday. Can't lose what you don't have. Part two of my post-job decompression is a monthlong stay in Australia. Via a 10-hour long layover in Dubai and over two "days", I made my way to Melbourne to visit my friend and recent transplant. First impression: there are a lot of asians around and they brought good food with them!

First full day we tag along with my host's friends to Healesville Sanctuary, and a stop at a winery. There are promises of koalas and kangaroos and it does not disappoint. The koalas blinked at us from their seats in the trees, the kangaroos and wallabies munched on breakfast in clumps a little ways from the path, the platypus swam laps in the darkened pool. The tasmanian devils fought over a chunk, the dingos lazed in the shade, and the wombat was curled in a ball in the back of his dark enclosure. Perhaps most impressive was the lyrebird, who gurgled out kookaburra calls and laser gun sounds.

We end the day with a winetasting, and then a home bbq. Most try the local meat with kangaroo burgers - I instead sample the veggie burger options from the store and reacquaint myself with Bundaberg ginger beer. My host's friends have a unique terraced home and a terraced back yard with pool, gas bbq, and native plants; truly beautiful and a house to envy. We finish dinner with a lovely mango gel with coconut cream.

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