Things That Make Me Smile No. 14: Seeing a Koala in the Wild

Last night I re-read some of the posts filed under "Things That Make Me Smile" They brought back some lovely memories and made me smile all over again so to lighten the mood between posts about diabetes I thought I would resurrect this charming series. 

And so here is Things To Make Me Smile number 15: seeing a real live koala in the wild. 

What do koalas (wild ones) and buses have in common? Read on and ye shall learn. 

Awwww!

 

Back in November I went on a much deserved long-awaited girls weekend to Noosa. On our last morning we went for a walk in the national park and spotted this fella in the trees next to the car park. I tell you, the wait for that girls weekend was nothing compared to how long I'd waited to see this koala. 9 1/2 years! Every time I've visited Noosa National Park in that time I have scoured the tree tops looking for koalas. My parents came over and saw one on their first visit. And the same seemed to happen to all my friends - unless they visited the park with me. Map Man and the In-Laws went for a walk one day and came back full of koala tales. I couldn't understand it. But finally it happened. I was so excited. So obviously I ran back to the car to grab my camera.  Tricky things to photograph but eventually I got it in focus. 

6 weeks later I had a friend visiting from the UK, so obviously I took her to Noosa as it is in the rules that all visitors to the Sunshine Coast must see Australia Zoo, Eumundi markets, and Noosa or they're not allowed to leave. Not that I wanted her to leave but we were terrifyingly close to running out of Tetley tea bags and I was worried about the possible fall-out. So we had a nice walk, read our books, ate our lunch and took a dip in tea tree bay. And just as we got back to the car, there he was again! Seriously! Twice in 6 weeks! I was slightly less excited this time and couldn't be bothered to grab my camera - actually I don't think I even had it in the car. But it did make me smile to think that my lovely friend got to see a koala on her first trip to Noosa despite being with me. Hurrah! The curse is broken. (I'm a bit worried that there's no incentive for her to come back, especially as we also photographed our cheeky backyard kookaburras - but then, she didn't see any whales so I think we're good.)

So now you know what koalas and buses have in common. Wait 9 years just to see one and you still have to wait 6 weeks for the next one. And they like to sleep high up in gum trees.