Australian Botantical Garden captures the 80+ native bioregions of the country.

It was only around noon yesterday that my flight from Melbourne, Australia touched down at LAX and dropped me into the center of the Thanksgiving airport shuffle.

The trip across four cities enabled me to share some of the innovative solutions that government agencies around the world have accomplished by thinking about challenges from the citizen’s perspective. Australia, amongst other things, opened up its doors and invited me to explore its vast biodiversity of rain forests and arid terrain. With charming Australian accent, it did warn me of the many venomous creatures out in the wild including the deadly brown snake and heartless spiders. I also understood what it truly meant to have ants in your pants after accidentally stepping into an ant nest while looking up for koalas.

Australian artwork made of truffles. If this was an American creation, this would be an image of Marilyn Monroe no doubt!

I also went to an Australian-style Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory complete with life-size statue of David all made from chocolate and artwork created by delicious pieces of truffle.

Nobbies out on Philip's Island. On our adventure to seek out penguins.

Our search for penguins led us to the beautiful Phillip Island.

Finally, there was even time to hug a koala, real and toy ones large and small. This, dear reader, is only a preview of my adventures ‘Down Under’.

Have you hugged a koala today? In the wild, their claws can take a mightly chunk out of any flesh so do not try this at home.

Loni Kao Stark

Loni is a self-professed foodie, adventure travel seeker and aspiring artist. It's been said her laugh can be heard from San Jose all the way to the Golden Gate Bridge. She's been known to dance and spin across Napa and the Baja. The former Ms. Global Petite runner-up is host of WineTube TV, SSC Presents and The Artist Diaries. In a former life she was simply: "sushiweakness." More »

Connect: Twitter

SSC - ALL THINGS WEST COAST
Social: Facebook | Twitter
Mobile: SSC iPhone app
Press/requests/events: press@starksilvercreek.com