November 30, 2005 - Melbourne, Australia

I can’t believe this is our last day! We spent the night at Edward’s and then drove into Melbourne to do some last-minute shopping. Frank bought a stuffed platypus that he had wanted for the whole trip.


Then we drove through a lot of Melbourne traffic out to my Mom’s favorite park near Melbourne (Sherbrooke Forest Park). We stopped at a picnic ground to eat the last of our snacks and saw a ton of birds gathered around a picnic table. There was a lady and two kids there with some bird seed. They were surrounded by sulfur-crested cockatoos, galahs, king parrots, and crimson rosellas! We sat nearby and the birds started coming around us too.
One even sat on my Dad’s shoulder and stole his cracker from his hand. One time I had a bird on each hand and one on my head! It was so cool! Those parrots were nicer than Paquita, my parrot at home!


Then we went walking through the forest. Mom says these Mountain Ash are her favorites. Frank and I climbed up some big knots at the bottom of one.

Then we drove back into Melbourne and visited the college where Mom went to school (Monash University). We walked past her dorm and picked some Eucalyptus leaves to take home.

On our way back to Edward’s (in bad Melbourne traffic again) we stopped and got gelati again at Trampoline. It was soooo good. Edward cooked us some steaks and sausage outside on the grill. Australians really like to barbecue (it was good!). Frank and I played a little more wall-ball at the school and then we all started packing for our trip home. I can’t believe we’re going home tomorrow. I’m sad about leaving, but I can’t wait to see Arby…