Today was a whirlwind of emotions—sadness about leaving Cairns, a little anxiety about cutting our timing close before heading to the airport, excitement about what we were about to do, and finally getting to meet up with the rest of our group from Travel with Mandy Loo.

But first, we had to make sure everything was ready for our trip back to Sydney. We were dressed for the day of travel, bags set outside for pickup, and enjoyed a quick bite at the wonderful breakfast buffet.

A Last-Minute Surprise

A couple of nights before, while watching sunset at Uluru, I had been chatting with our tour guide Mel. I mentioned how long I had dreamed of visiting Australia and how much I loved koalas.

Before I even finished my sentence, Mel grabbed my phone and started tapping away.

“You have to do this before you leave Cairns,” she said. “I just booked another couple of ladies from the tour. You have to be there when they open at 9am. It’s only about a 10-minute walk.”

She turned my phone around so I could see the screen.

An excursion to hold a koala.

My answer?
“Yes! Yes! Yes! Oh my gosh, yes!”

There are only a few places in all of Australia where you can even touch a koala, and Cairns happens to be one of them.

Finding the Koalas

That morning we were happy to learn that the other people joining us were two lovely ladies we had been getting to know—Jennifer and Sandra.

With GPS ready, the four of us set out to find the koalas.

At first there was a tiny moment of panic because we expected something more like a zoo, and the location appeared to be attached to a mall. I’ll admit I felt a little unsure.

One of the staff members, an expat from North Carolina, started telling us all about their koala program. She shared details about the animals, answered all our questions, and you could tell she truly loved talking about them.

We even spotted a baby koala among the others. She explained that it was the first baby they had bred and raised for that location—a detail that would make more sense later in our trip.

The Quickest 20 Seconds Ever

Then it was time.

The process was quick—very quick.

You step forward, place your hands in a certain position, the koala is gently placed in your arms, the photo is snapped, and then the koala is lifted away.

The entire moment probably lasted 20 seconds.

But it was also one of the most amazing 20 seconds of my life.

Yes, the picture is a little dorky. But that’s the face of someone experiencing pure joy.

Off to the Airport

We had just a few minutes to look around the rest of the sanctuary before rushing back to meet up with our group and head to the airport.

As we flew back to Sydney, we were excited to meet up with the rest of our group for a cocktail meet and greet hosted by Mandy.

Then reality hit—we might actually miss it because of travel timing.

So we came up with a plan.

We asked Mel if we could grab an Uber directly from the airport while our luggage was delivered to our hotel room so we could still make the gathering.

Mel, being the wonderful guide she was, said yes and helped make it happen.

Meeting the Kiwi & Koalas Crew

We arrived at Pier One on Sydney Harbour where the meet and greet was supposed to take place dockside.

But the weather had other plans.

Instead, everyone was gathered inside the bar near the lobby—and when I say everyone, I mean everyone. There was also a wedding party there, so it was packed!

Eventually I spotted Mandy in the crowd (she’s petite, so you have to look carefully).

She introduced us to the Kiwi & Koalas travel crew, the name of our group tour.

Everyone was warm, welcoming, and incredibly inclusive. It instantly felt like we belonged.

Dinner, Rain, and One Very Wet Shoe

After the meet and greet wound down, we stepped outside to call an Uber back to our hotel.

A few people from the group came out too and invited us to grab dinner with them.

Of course we said yes.

After climbing stairs and walking a few blocks, we found a charming Italian restaurant tucked into a little corner with outdoor seating. Our table was set behind the building between the wall and a massive rock face, which made it feel cozy and secluded.

We enjoyed great conversation, good food, and getting to know our new travel companions.

Then the rain started.

At first we just shifted under the umbrella to stay dry.

Then the skies absolutely opened up.

Luckily we were already paying the bill.

We said our goodbyes and ran across the street into a nearby alcove—already soaked.

The Uber app refused to find us, so we had to run around the building to a main road.

And of course, as I stepped into the car, I misjudged the curb and planted my foot directly into the river running down the street.

So now one shoe was completely soaked.

Perfect ending to the night.

Once back at the hotel, we checked in, dried off, and called it a night.

Tomorrow, the next chapter of this adventure begins.

From Cairns Back to Sydney