Monterey Bay Aquarium

On our drive back to the Bay Area we stopped in Monterey so that I could visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium. I was last there when I was in primary school, so it was exciting to go back and see the present day exhibitions. Our first stop was for the feeding of the sea otters, which happens three times a day and always attracts a big crowd. The sea otters were very playful with each other and fun to watch.

The mission of the aquarium is to educate people and inspire conservation of the ocean. There are hands on areas such as the touch pools as well as a variety of exhibitions that showcase the local ecosystems of the Monterey Bay and California coast.

My favorite exhibition was Jellies with all the different varieties of jellyfish. They looked so beautiful behind the safety of the glass as they gently floated through the water.

Viva Baja was also an interesting exhibition and featured the garden eel - which sticks out of the sand and looks like sea grass. It also has Pacific seahorses and some beautiful coral.

Expat Observations: Animals

Yesterday was the Great Victorian Koala Count where people could register to become certified koala counters and walk around parts of the state to record how many koalas they could see. Being an island continent means that there are many animals that can only be found in Australia, including the koala, kangaroo, wallaby, wombat, platypus, dingo and echidna. Australia is also known for its crocodiles, spiders and snakes, many of which are some of the deadliest in the world.

These animals are a big attraction for tourists who love to be able to get a photo and see them in person at a zoo, wildlife park or even in the wild (if you are lucky). I was able to see some koalas while touring the Great Ocean Road last year, and also saw kangaroos when I was at the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve in the ACT many years ago. One thing I find interesting is the everyday animals from back home that don't exist here in Australia such as squirrels, raccoons and skunks.