Had to be done

Yes, it's the obligatory koala pic!

We spent the day on a tour to the Hunter Valley, taking in a wildlife park with kangaroos and koalas, a couple of (mammoth) wine-tasting sessions, cheese tasting, lunch, and beer tasting.

Our guide was great fun, telling ridiculous cheese jokes all day, and even performing some magic tricks - though he waited until his audience was well-dulled by wine and beer before attempting those.

The extras include the obligatory kangaroo shot, a penguin made from pizza crust by Mme Tepeka at lunch, the view from the Leogate Winery (our second wine-tasting venue), and the four beers we chose to taste (a Cologne-style lager, a bock, an elder-flower and rosewater beer for people who don't like beer, and a Christmas ale).

Now we're back in our apartment, desperately trying to stay up late so that we don't all wake up at 5am. Again.