An early start today, not just because we were going on a tour but we both decided to fit in a skype call home first. Another unrealible interenet service leads to an on/off conversation but better than nothing! The mini bus then collected us at 8:30am to take us on our Phillip island tour, with our excentric and hippiesque guide named Rael.

During the bus journey we met Hannah, a girl from Lancashire traveling solo for 3 months and soon to be returning home. The first stop was the Moonlit sanctuary where we would have lunch, the three of us sat together along with a guy from Japan. He was fascinated we had been to Japan and thanked us for visiting his country. He was also amused at our enjoyment of Akihabara (electric town) and said local people do not understand why tourists like it. Lunch consisted of sandwiches and our new gluten-free friend enjoyed a bowl of leaves...inspiring! We purchased some kangroo food and arranged a Koala encounter before heading in to the sanctary. We saw some dingoes and wombats before taking a stroll though wallabie and kangroo walk. This was our chance to hand feed them if they could be lured out of the woods. While I was photographing a kangaroo with a baby joey out of her pouch Hannah comes to find me to say Ant is hand feeding a wallabie. I rush over to take some photos before I had my own chance to feed the friendly little guy. We had to cut it short though as it was time for the Koala experience, where we were allowed to stroke a Koala for some photos. Ant described the fur as loft insulation as it was soft and dense. Once our photos were done we had time to return to the kangaroos and good job we did, about 5 big kangroos and several wallabies had emerged wanting to be fed. We were able to feed and stroke them and they were so tame and relaxed, a kangaroo felt just like stroking Charlie (Ant's cat).

Back on the road we were heading towards a farm to watch sheep sheering and see some famous COWS, that's right cows! Rael seemed obsessed with these magical cows that everyone HAD to see. It turned out they were scottish highland cows...something we have seen before and both Ant, Hannah and I found it hilerious at how excited Rael was to see these cows. Much to everyones disappointment the cows were not in the field so we missed that lifetime experience. We did however get to see sheep shearing and how they train sheep dogs before continuing to a local chocolate factory (not on the itinerary). Rael did get us free entry to see the factory and almost everyone bought some chocolate (Hmm shopportunity?!). Then we were taken to Cape Woolamai surf beach. We spent a while at the beach and it began to show that Rael's time keeping was not the best. We missed the Koala conservation centre walk (on the itinerary) and headed towards the Nobbies and Seal rocks centre for dinner. Now at 5:45pm Rael tells us the restaurant closes at 6pm but we are only 10mins away! So on arrival 20 people rush off the bus to try and get some dinner. The queue is long and while we wait, Rael collects his pre-ordered food and casually sits down to enjoy it. Luckily due to the demand the restaurant stayed open meaning we all got dinner and managed to take a stroll on the boardwalk after to see the Nobbies (rocks in the ocean).

Then it was time to make our way to the penguin parade area, on route we were reminded that no photos were to be taken. It has been proved that flash photography disorientates the little penguins so much it prevents them finding their burrows therefore leaving their chicks to die. Conservation of these penguins is very important their had previously been 9 collanies and only 1 remains. This was caused many years ago when populartity to live on the island grew and hundreds of houses werexbuilt where the penguins nested. Foxes were introduced to the islamd and unfortunately killed a lot of the penguins in the process. This was when the government stepped in to help make Phillip island a protected area for the penguins. Over many years they eradicated foxes and bought out the home owners and detroyed the houses returning the land to its previous state, today you would not have known there use to be streets and houses over the large grassy landscape.

The penguin parade began at dusk when groups of penguins leave the sea and make a run for it up the beach to return to their burrows. Before this happens the penguins send a scout to check it is safe from predators (birds of prey), so you end up seeing these groups of penguins hesitating as if they are working up the courage to run as a group. So Ant and I began putting voices to the penguins...'Wait for it, wait, wait....GO GO GO!'. Once we had seen a few groups live the sea we went to the boardwalks as we were told you can see the penguins trying to find their burrows underneth. Considering they do this trip daily you would think they would find their burrows no problem, but no they are all running about calling out for their mate to try and find their burrow. It would be like if each time I drove home from work I would aimlessly drive round Wycombe shouting from the window for Mum and Dad. They were pretty cute to watch though and were worth seeing depite the long drive back. On our drive back Rael had to drop everyone back at their hotels and in order to try and catch the last train home he had devised a plan to do this in the most efficient way. Unfortunately for Rael several passangers did not speak much English and kept asking when the 'last stop' would be. They did not seem to understand there was no specfic 'last stop' so on reaching the tour office (their drop off) they would not leave the bus to which Rael sarcastically expressed he was happy to mindlessly drive round the city. The journey contined with the lady enquiring about the 'last stop' and each time it was explained to her by several people. They even asked her hotel but she just kept enquiring when the last stop was. We do not know the end of the story as our stop arrived so there is the possibility they are still on the bus now...poor Rael.