Australia vacays: Cuddling with koalas and finding Nemo

By Elina Fuhrman

A long journey is a worthy sacrifice for the ultimate reward: an Australia vacation. In its tropical North, where the rainforest meets the Great Barrier Reef, I awoke each day trying to choose between adventure and relaxation. Should I cuddle with a koala? Snorkel with tropical fish? Ride a zip-line through the rainforest canopy? Take a stroll on the beach? Get a massage? It was hard to pick and I wanted to do it all.

Queensland has just recently suffered floods and cyclone damage,but I found the area back to normal, with very few tell-tale signs. The secluded Thala Beach Lodge Port Douglas was a perfect place to escape my hectic lifestyle and unwind. A group of rainbow lorikeets were staring at me as I ate my breakfast in the morning. Hiking its private beach at sunset was unforgettable, enchanted by the feeling that there was nobody else around but me.

Below water’s a whole different story. Snorkeling the Coral Sea’s Great Barrier Reef was like eavesdropping on secret conversations between zillions of glittering, electrically colorful fish, as if I’d stopped by the Hollywood set of “Finding Nemo.” The 1,240-mile sweep, best known as home to one of the seven natural wonders of the world, is truly full of wonder at every turn. After several hours under water, the fish became my friends, but I felt extra special when a giant grouper known as “Marvin” swam up to me and posed for pictures.

Just inland, the Daintree Rainforest, the world’s oldest living tropical rainforest, is another spectacular example of Australia’s rich history and its unique and precious landscape. A walk through the steamy jungle with members of aboriginal tribes, looking for cassowary birds that survived since ancient times, takes you back spiritually. And up the hill, surrounded by national parkland is Silky Oaks Lodge, a hotel that reminded me of the best African safari lodges. Check into one of its tropical tree-house villas on stilts, snuggle in the hammock and let the surroundings relax your body and calm your mind. Then continue recharging at the Healing Waters Spa where the treatments use all-natural Australian products.

As I was packing for my return home, I couldn’t help but think that there was so much more I wanted to see and experience. But whenI looked at all the photos I took, I realized that I did it all: In less that I week I cuddled with koalas, fed baby kangaroos poking out of their mothers’ pouches, hiked through moisture-dripping ferns among neon-blue butterflies and bright-yellow birds that just seemed to be everywhere, snorkeled the Great Barrier Reef, dangled upside down staring at the pristine rainforest jungle, got pampered at a few spas and watched the sunset over the Great Barrier Reef.

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Elina Fuhrman is an intrepid traveler based in Los Angeles. She grew up in Russia but knew before she was 10 years old that she would spend her life exploring the world. She is now a contributing editor to Travelgirl and JEZEBEL magazines. Her work has appeared on CNN, in The New York Times, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Conde Nast Traveler, InStyle and other publications. Fuhrman’s photos often accompany her stories. To see more, visit her website www.elinafuhrman.com.

Tagged: Photo essay