12/10/13 – 12/17/13: Great Ocean Road to Melbourne, New South Wales, Australia

The Great Ocean Road is one of the most highlighted tourist trails in Australia. Unlike Kangaroo Island, everyone's heard of GOR! (Yes, that’s what it’s commonly known as. Not the most appealing of acronyms.)

12/05/13 - 12/10/13: Kangaroo Island, South Australia, Australia

Every time someone asked, “What’s next for you in Australia?” I’d reply, “Kangaroo Island,” and be met with a confused expression. “What are you going there for?” was the typical response. We didn’t have a good answer other than our guidebook highly recommended it. Considering the shared reaction to Kangaroo Island, it’s a wonder anyone lived there let alone heard of it. (And, in truth, several hadn’t.)

12/5/13: Cairns, Queensland, Australia

On our final day in Koah, Katie and I decided that a trip to Cairns Tropical Zoo would be a fitting way to end our time in Queensland, Australia. Not only did it allow us to see even more of Australia's native animals, but we were able to interact with them too! Some were more friendly than others...I'm looking at you, crocodiles!

11/30/13 - 12/4/13: Koah & Undara Volcanic National Park, Queensland, Australia

The night was black as pitch but for our headlights beaming into the dark. Two living creatures forced us to swerve: a snake, with its body coiled and head raised; and a toad, which we believed to be an infamous Cane toad that ravaged Australia’s countryside (in which case we shouldn’t have swerved). Either way, no animals were harmed in the making of our way to Koah, Queensland, Australia.

11/30/13: Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia

When you hear the word Australia you think of kangaroos, the Outback, the Sydney Opera House, and the Great Barrier Reef. There was no way we were going down under without, you know, going down under. The surface, that is. The Great Barrier Reef was a must. One of the 7 natural wonders of the world? Who can resist that? Not us. And that’s why we did what every adventure-seeking tourist with no diving skills and limited funds does: we signed up for a tour.

11/26/13 - 11/29/13: Cairns, Queensland, Australia

We celebrated Thanksgiving in an igloo by the sea in 100 degree heat with crocodiles swimming off shore. This sounds like the ravings of a lunatic, but I can assure you that it’s all true.

11/21/13 - 11/26/13: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

I arrived in Sydney, Australia nursing a cold. It was my third of our RTW trip and I was getting mighty tired of being under the weather. The good news is my waning illness didn't stop us from seeing the sights. On the contrary, we managed to accomplish 4 action-packed days in Sydney enjoying our own self-guided "A&K Sydney Walking Tours"®