Travelog for: C.K.

Hello
My name is CK (short for Cheerful Koala) and I met up with Bec & Kalli at the Sydney Easter Show in the Showbag pavillion. When Kalli told me about this site, I decided that it was something I'd like to do too. Unlike Kalli however, I'm ready to go off and see the world on my own.


Between March 2008 and September 2008 C.K's temporary mentor will be Stef.

As you can see I love being outside in the sunshine (not sure how I'll take to dismal winters, but I'm willing to try anything!) I'm a bit of a tree climber (just comes naturally I guess!)

more shots of me in the garden. It's autumn here and after 4 days of rain  the sun has finally come out.

I'm very excited. I've had lots of people offering to help me on my travels and while I'm waiting for my tags to arrive so I can get on my way I've been getting ready for my journey.

Seeing as I'll hopefully get to not only go to England but the Canary Islands too (I did a google search! as neither Bec or I had ever heard of Lanzarote before when Drakie offered to take me there. It sounds like a very interesting and unusual place to visit) I thought it was important to make sure I have a hat. I don't have a lot of hair and here in Australia everyone is encouraged to wear a hat and sunscreen if they go out in the sun. I wouldn't want to ruin my holiday by getting sunburnt!

I also found a cool game to play where you have to try and dunk the teddy in the honey. A nice way to spend  a rainy day.

I also decided that seeing as I'll be visiting Germany and Austria on my travels I should try to learn some German. I dug out Bec's old high school text books, but had to admit it was probably not a good idea to start with the Year 11 book. A little tricky. Even Bec admitted that she'd forgotten how to understand most of it.

So, had a look for an easier text (which was a lot more helpful) and have learnt how to say "Hello" "Goodbye", "Please", "Thank You"  and some other words that will hopefully come in handy.

I also started some research on Texas. I never realised just how many different types of areas there are. When we see Texas here its really just oil fields and desert. Wow! Can't wait to get there!

I got to leave the house today and do some travelling. We went into Darling Harbour to go to the Sydney Bridal Exhibition with Bec's sister who is getting married. We went in by train to Town Hall and looked at the Queen Victoria Building and heard the bells at St Andrews cathedral (no photos due to technical difficulties!) before going to Convention Centre for the Expo. Very very uninteresting for a koala, especially as we had to stay undercover which got a bit stuffy once they started cramming brochures and stuff in with us.

After leaving the Exhibtion Centre and getting some lunch we walked around Cockle Bay to the ferry wharf to take the scenic route back home.

On the way we passed Wildlife World, which Kalli and I begged to visit to see the Koalas & the desert enclosure but there wasn't enough time, so we had to keep going.

It was a beautiful sunny day to be out and about on Sydney Harbour.

(Apologies now for some of the nose shots - my official photographer was having difficulty viewing the LCD screen because of the sun and was just hoping that the photos were ok)

We saw the (1)Tall Ships at the Maritime Museum, (2)the very expensive apartments where Russell Crowe lives when he's in Sydney and many of the other well-known attractions in Sydney - the (3)Harbour Bridge and the Opera House on our way back to Circular Quay (where the First Fleet came into and settled Sydney).

When we got to Circular Quay station we enjoyed resting and taking in the view(4) from our platform while we waited for our train. A very enjoyable day!

Yesterday CK said his goodbyes to Kalli & myself and hitched a ride with my sister to Annandale Post Office to begin his trip around the world!
His first stop will be with Drakie in the UK.

I can breath again.... puff puff, been holding my breath since australia... help... Well I am here in Honiton, with Sylvia, Eddy Bears mum, and guess what Siti Smut arrived on the same day, two parcels wrapped with an elastic band... a bit tight mind you... we are now resting in our hosts home, she is looking after us....  getting excited about our adventures... 

Hello Becka Kate

Here i am in Honiton, lovely sunny weather...  getting ready for the weekend to Durdle Door, the Unesco World Heritage Site,  and Lulworth Cove in Dorset lovely weather too.  Then we are going to have to pack to go to Lanzarote and Feurtenvtura for the day see the volcano`s.  Cannot wait week in the sun along with Henry the Adventure Hound,  Siti Smut, and and Taro.... yippee.. 


Durdle Door - world famous geological wonder.
Durdle Door in Dorset with its massive rock arch, set right on the Jurassic Coast between Swanage and Weymouth, is absolutely beautiful. There is a sloping beach for bathing or snorkeling from, caves and exciting rock strata.

Just along the coast path from Lulworth Cove with its thatched cottages, fishing boats, lobster pots, wild flowers, quaint little gift shops and tea rooms - the charm of the place is timeless and you will want to return over and again.

   
   
   

 
 
 
The World Heritage Committee of UNESCO is assessing the superb coastline for the award of World Heritage Site status because its geology and physical geography is of international conservation importance.

Don't miss it!

Don't miss seeing fabulous Lulworth Cove either, it's just along the coast path! 


Here are the 3 boys with the Monkey...  what a busy weekend and tomorrow going to see a Tag Rugby match which my host arranges with her "other boys" from the Police Station.


Photos:  CK with the gang, Lulworth Cove and CK at Rugby

Well had lots to do.  We went to Durdle Dor and Lulworth Cover, My host couldnt walk down big cliff because bad knee but husband took us but he was too shy to take pictures because people were watching him!!! MEN!! 

Both were beautiful, White Cliffs, like Dover but this is natural as they have to paint White Cliffs of Dover now.  And wait for this, so exciting we went on a speedboat, it was wicked... so fast it was WONDERFUL.....  saw another side to Durdle Dor, and Lulworth cove... all the boys decided it was so nice to do boyish things.... 

Then went to Lulworth Castle, we all made for the canons and sat on top of them, again a man thing I thought, these were original canons. 

Lulworth Castle


Lulworth Castle is a dramatic early-17th century hunting lodge.
The mock castle was built in 1607 - 10 by Thomas Howard, 3rd Viscount Blindon.  He was a member of the huge Howard clan who were in great favour at the court of  James I and had his principal seat at nearby Blindon Abbey. 

The design of the grand hunting lodge was inspired by chivalric literature so loved by the Jacobean court.  During the Civil War Blindon Abbey was destroyed by fire and Lulworth Castle was badly damaged.  In 1643 the estate was purchased by Humphrey Weld, a wealthy Londoner, and it became the Weld family's principal home.  The interior was remodelled on several occasions during the 18th and 19th centuries removing all traces of the original interiors. 

The Castle was seriously damaged by a fire in 1929 and remained a shell until the end of the 20th century.  The property is still in the hands of the Weld family who run the estate but the Castle itself is cared for by English Heritage.  They have recently restored much of the building.


This is us looking through the windows, what lovely windows we thought.  It was a lovely sunny day too.


We then went into Lulworth itself and again lovely, there was ducks swimming in the ponds and rivers and we thought they looked cute.  They kept ducking .... ducking get it... down in the water we thought they had drowned but my host told us it was ok, they were looking for food.  phew.....  close shave or what.

White Horse, Osmington
The white horse is carved into the side of Osmington Hill to the east of the town, overlooking Weymouth Bay. This horse, at 260 feet long, is the only example of a horse with rider. There are several stories surrounding its cutting; the most common view is that it was cut by a soldier in the early 19th century to commemorate the visits paid to Weymouth by King George III and his brother, the Duke of Gloucester from 1789. However, given the size of the site, covering nearly an acre, it is unlikely to be the work of one man! Another story says that the work was done by a group of engineers, stationed in Weymouth when the fear of a Napoleonic invasion was at its height. This is linked to the mention of the horse in Thomas Hardy's "The Trumpet Major", where it is said to commemorate the Battle of Trafalgar.


See pictures the white horse is of chald as the hills.  Also you can see Horse in distance where toy voyagers are, the horse is in the background on the hills.

Well tomorrow, Sylvia is taking me to the Police Station, maybe to ride in a Police Car and meet all her officers.. sound very nice men and a traffic warden... I will have to remind her to drive slowly incase he is about, but she tells me he is a nice man, little but nice.  If I am very good I might be able to buzz the buzzer on the Police car, now wont that be exciting!!!!  with my fellow muskateers.

But I am going to meet a Koala!!!  she wont tell me anymore only that it is from Australia!!! WOW  I know that is my mission but I dont think it is exactly how it sounds!!! 

Well today is 22nd May and we have just come back from my hosts workplace her Police Station;, well we played with her computer thats me and the boys, siti smut, taro and me, we had a great time, then my host took us to the Police Cars, we had to sit on the windowscreen for a picture or you would not see us behind the wheel as we are all quite small...  had a play with the blue flashing light, a great time had by the boys, wouldnt have been as exciting if we had had girlies with us.

We had a photograph at the keyboard, but we had a problem as the electrics went off for a few hours, I am sure it wasnt our fault.  I had a fit of the giggles when we sat outside on the Police car but they did not arrest me so that was good.

I met another Koala, and it was from the Gold Coast in Brisbane, in Police Uniform, is that a completed mission!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  dont think so, not as simple as it sounds..... watch this space for the photograph.....




watch this space.....

Then no writing for a week I am afraid, well I`m not but you might be, because we are going on our jollidays!!! yippeee to warmer climes,,,,,,  got to pack my essentials for Lanzarote, we will be stored in Sylvia`s very pink bag!!!  and it is certainly pink, not a manly thng to do, but there goes.  See you in a week




Well did you see the other KOALA.... in a Ladies Queensland Police Uniform too,,, but she was a bit stuffed.... if you know what I mean so I dont think that counts towards CK`s missions really.... what do you think?