Well Brisbane is a charming place. What a nice little city. It is strange though as it is the first place we have been in a while where we have seen people in suits and people who seem to have jobs! We did some very cultural things in Brisbane. We walked along the river and through the Botanical gardens. We went to the museum and art gallery and attempted to get into the science museum but it turned out we were too late.

Whilst in Brisbane it was St Patricks day. We went out looking for all the great nightlife that we hear about in Australia on Paddys day and there was nothing. We later found out that most of the nightlife is not around the town centre but somewhere else. We managed to find a bar and it was lively enough, a band playing and lots of drunk green people. Trouble was I had taken some strong painkillers for a headache earlier and they didn't mix too good with the wine. I had to go home as I started slurring after a couple of small wines, haha! won't do that again, oops! Cool thing was that I handed a barman a couple of glasses that were next to me and he asked me what I was drinking and gave Barry and I a free drink for helping him out! "What a ripper"! Couldn't drink it in the end though.

We decided that we would like to go to Australia Zoo as it was only an hour away from Brisbane. This is the Irwins zoo and we thought it would be cool to visit the home of the crocodile hunter. We headed there first thing to beat the crowds and had a fantastic day. We watched an animal show where there were snakes and crocs and birds flying all over the place. We watched a koala talk and got to pet the koala's a few times throughout the day. The zoo is very much aimed at conservation and likes to get people to meet the animals at every opportunity. On our way round there were staff with wild birds on their arms, walking a wombat on a lead, dingo's. It was amazing, I got to pet a dingo! I also got up close and personal with a snake! A 15k Burmese Python called Medusa to be specific! Barry and I wanted our pictures taken with the snake and it was pretty scary queing up and watching everyone else doing it. It was pretty cool while you were holding her though. You could feel all her muscles moving, it was crazy. At the end she started heading for Barry but the guy took her back so he was safe from the snake, he isn't too fond of snakes (Go Barry)!

We had a picnic in the park and were surrounded by big lizards, it was great. You really felt a part of it. Once we had seen all of the animals and had pictures taken etc, we went to look at the memorial for Steve. It was quite moving to be honest. There were rows of beige shirts (like the ones he used to wear) signed by people. Hundreds of them, surrounded by letters, poems and toy crocs that people had sent in. It showed you just how loved and respected he was all over the world and I'm really glad that we went and saw it and got to learn a bit more about what he was all about. His memory lives on at the park with photographs everywhere and a statue of him with his family. It really is quite an incredible place and I am so glad that we had the chance to experience it.