Saturday 28th - Symbio Wildlife Park, Sea Cliff Bridge, Nan Tien Temple

Sorry this is a little late but Myles beat me to it with Sundays blog!

We had a little bit of a lie in compared to normal awaking at 8:45 by 9:30 we had showered and were starting to get breakfast. Myles had coffee and toast, Laura just the toast with of course Marmite because we are British. 
So picnic was in order crusty rolls with cheese and salami, crisps drinks and snack bits for wondering around the park. All packed with cool packs because we are in Australia and it is hot here.
Just before we left the radio came over "a lovely 30 degrees today" We both trek back upstairs and swap the jeans for shorts. This was a very good decision! Car packed SATNAV programmed and we were off.
It was about an hours drive along some motorway and some lovely twisty hilly roads which Myles did arrive and the satnav almost got us there but we chose to ignore it in exchange for the brown tourist signs. 
Tiny car park everyone hogged the shade so we stuck ours on the end hoping the shade might get to us by the afternoon. We paid our entry fee and got student discount which we love! And took a look at the feeding and talk times. Unfortunately we had just missed the koala feeding but did see one perched on a tree for photos. Laura made a sharp B-line to find out how much it was for a photo knowing well she didnt care how much she wanted a photo regardless. $15 is about average for where ever we have been around the world, New York, Vegas, Memphis, Toronto. Most of those photos we took a sneaky photo of anyways so it was about time we brought one. Our turn arrived and the bugger was asleep we gave him a stroke but no such luck he wasn't waking up! Photos taken on Myles' camera and there's to get a printed which was lovely to have digital copies as well which is something they wouldn't do else where so thumbs up to Australia, America you suck.

After this Myles made his B-line straight for the Meercat feeding & talk which was in 10 minutes time. I had a peek at the cotton top monkeys and other small monkeys which were SO cute and then the keepers arrived. We had a listen to what they had to say and watched them getting meal worms out of some PVC piping with holes drilled into it. Myles was impressed with this device as it worked as a shaker to put them on the floor for them to find also. During this time the sun was up and suncream went on predicting sunburn! 

We were all then invited to watch the tigers being fed which sounded exciting, but it was lunch time so we went planning to eat after. This was worth waiting for lunch for. They hung some deer meat up on a big pole and hid some in some milk crates for them to have a bash at. The first tiger being the male came bounding out once the keeper had left and charged at the pole throwing himself up it grabbing the meat ripping it from the bungee cord it was attached with and ran off with it. Well that was pretty amazing and fast, he then took it to the shade and enjoyed his lunch. 

Just as he had sat down the female tiger appeared and we were told she doesn't like "Men groups of people loud noises or children" So she doesn't like being in a zoo then? She hadn't been there long we assumed and wasn't quite used to it. Considering it was a Saturday in school holidays it was pretty chilled out and the tiger seemed to think so as well. She had a look around the enclosure until she spotted the milk crate with the meat inside and she started to turn it over flick it around trying to get it apart. She started to get the right idea picking at the bungee cords and then pushed it in the pond much to her dismay. She didnt like the cold water and was grumpy that she couldnt get it out. But doing so a bit of meat fell out into the water. After trying to move it with her paws she gave in and stuck her face in to get the meat which resulted in this face. (Brilliant photo there Myles thank you)

After this she charged very bravely at the male tiger in attempt to steal his dinner but he had already finished so she was out of luck and sulked on top of the shade shelter. He took advantage of this and he tried his luck at the box. He wasn't having any luck either and with that we lost interest. Lunch time.

We walked past the guinea pigs? (We didn't consider these zoo worthy?) and Myles spotted a lovely picnic bench inside the Kangaroo enclosure. Of course we had lunch there and the wallabies were very interested in what we were eating and were hanging around looking super cute. Crisps and a roll each devoured Laura wanted photos and to cuddle these cuties so a long time was spent with the roos and Wallabies. We went and found a wombat which was huge, very much built like a badger. Then saw more roos and wallabies which were being guarded by a goose!! Laura wanted more photos but was unsure of the evil goose which turned out to think it was a roo! It went around with a group of them all day eating grass when they did very strange. 

After this another show, this time reptiles which to Lauras surprise Myles wasn't too keen on finding out he didn't like snakes. Not too much that he didn't touch one. We also touched a croc and a few more snakes. That done we spoke to a parrot and had a look at the next part of the park which we thought was pants. Barn owls, cows, lamas and sheep? We came all this way to find animals we can see everyday if we wished... Typical haha! 

We carried on and saw the rest of the park, Tasmanian devils, koalas, dinog's and Emus to name a few. After this we picked up our photos and exited as customary all over the world through the gift shop just to wind parents up! 

After this Laura saw a sign to the Cliff Bridge drive which is a bridge which is built over the edge of a cliff. Pretty impressive. But before we got to go there Myles wanted to go to a look out point the other way and we came across a beautiful view and to Myles' delight a bikers meeting point! Lots of bikes some old ones lots of new ones BMW's Kawasaki Ninjas, Ducatis, Honda's, Suzuki all sorts. After having a good look at the bikes and chatting to the riders we finally had a look at the view & bridge we would be driving across and Myles then understood why it was special as it was beautiful. With this back in the car and over the bridge. There was a purpose to this as it was on the way to our next destination but Myles had been talking to the bikers for too long and found out there was a fantastic driving road in the opposite direction which he decided we had to do as that's why all the bikers were there. Cant lie I was up for it and the Subaru lived up to expectations and was thrown around hairpins and whatnot having a wail of a time we decided not to go to far and set the satnav for the Nan Tien Temple in Wollongong (I love the name of where it was!) 

Sea Cliff Bridge

We had a long drive suck behind the slowest of slow drivers along some more amazing roads.. Toyota Yaris drivers!!! 2 of the bloody things doing half the speed limit and breaking at stupid times.. -.-

We didn't like this and blasted off when we got to the freeway and were there in no time. It was so beautiful Myles was a little skeptical of going there but I think he secretly enjoyed it. Sadly because it was a practicing temple we weren't allowed to take photos inside but all of the walls were lined with little gold metal plates which had Chinese writing on them. We had no idea what it said but they were pretty amazing and all very symmetrical which Laura liked a lot because shes OCD. 

I found this picture on their website and pinched it, this was the inside of one of the buildings.

It was coming up for half 4 and we still had to get dinner and be home for Tara the dogs dinner!! (This was the most important factor.) An easy drive along the highway stopping for fuel in a little town where Myles was offered to have his fuel filled for him, he didn't know how to deal with that and said no thank you. After this straight home via Coles where Laura picked up some supplies for dinner and for his approaching hostel days.

Supplies acquired home.. Dog feeding time and Myles settled himself in front of the TV awaiting dinner. Dinner tonight was Tacos which we hadn't had in a while and very much enjoyed in Canada with Tasha. (Hello, hope you had a nice holiday if your reading this!!) 

Tacos cooked time to fill them and eat them. This time it was easier because Deb queen of all things kitchen has Taco stands what a good idea!! 

We chomped down on those and enjoyed watching a good James Bond film, the one with the diamonds? I forget the name. 

After this a long sleep because another early start to pack Myles up for his departure that you already know about because he has ruined the timeline of the blog haha! 

As the internet is so slow the photos of today aren't on the blog but are on my facebook as it is quicker to get them on there so check it out (: 

Lots of love to you all, you will hear from Myles for the next week which will be an exciting change!! 

Only a few hours left to vote who writes the best blogs if you haven't already!!!