Marsupial Heaven

It's official. Bunk is boring. I've been to countless hostels, and despite the fact that it's the nicest I've ever been to, Bunk has to be one of the most lifeless places I've stayed at in ages. My quiet beer at its bar, Birdee Num Num, was truly quiet. What's up with that? There's supposed to be a live band and - get this - bingo tonight. Maybe things will get wild when the pensioners rock up. Until then, I'm biding my time at the internet cafe.

So flashing back to last night, it seems what most of the Brisbane lads remember from their time hanging out in California was my curry. I make a mean-ass Japanese curry that's apparently world-renowned. Wouldn't you know it? I was walking around Brisbane's Central Business District today and found a place that serves the same stuff. Yum.

I was sated, so it was time to hop on a bus through the suburbs of Brisbane to the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. The first and biggest of its kind, Lone Pine boasts not only 130 koala bears, but kangaroos, echidnas, wombats - all those crazy animals you read about in grade school but don't often get to see. I can safely say I got my fill of marsupials. I checked out the wombats, which are bigger and fatter than you'd think. I fed and laid down in the sun with kangaroos, which are a bit smaller than you might think, but oh so charming. But the main reason to come to Lone Pine is - duh - the koalas. They're so unbelievably cute, you just want to gather them up and take them home. Watching a baby go around piggy-back on top of momma bear could make a 'roid-raging Uzbekhistani weight lifter gush. I couldn't get enough of the little buggers, so I spent tons of time cooing, as it's sort of illegal to put them under your shirt and take them home with you.

The bus ride back unveiled more of residential Brisbane to me. There's nothing notable about the place, but it seems awfully livable. The people are nice, things are cheaper than in Sydney, and other than the occasional storm (none today, thank god) the weather is beautiful.