2017 Australia

Following our skin-of-the-teeth escape from a 3-day layover in Hong Kong, a 3-week stay in Australia was stage two of our 2017 Antipodean adventure and the first stage in the actual Antipodes. Our flight out of typhoon-bothered Hong Kong departed more or less on time, i.e. midnight, and the remaining journey to Melbourne was untroubled.

This was always mainly a trip to catch up with relatives (Carol’s brother for two weeks) and friends (for our final week). Yes, we were being real tourists. Arriving for the last two weeks of October, we would be in Australia’s early spring so it was never going to be a serious dragonfly hunting trip but I’d be happy to see anything, being new territory. Carol would also be happy if we could find any orchids which would also be new to us. So would I, come to that – I like ’em, too. 🙂

Arriving in Melbourne, our base for two weeks was with Carol’s brother near Beechworth in Victoria’s high country, about 3-hours drive east. This gave us the opportunity to sample some historic towns, as well as some high country wineries. Whenever possible, of course, we found water bodies and some very welcome new dragonflies. Carol was also very happy with her haul of orchids.

Week three was more on the road finding friends but our intially good weather collapsed and we found no further dragonflies, though this was when we found our best haul of new orchids, one of which just has to be seen to be believed.