Royal National Park, New South Wales, Australia

Making a "short stop" at the Audley Dance hall turned out to be not-so-short. Filled with birds and beautiful scenery, it's a must-stop if you head to the Royal National Park. Here, we see a swamphen mother and fledgling (also known as purple moorhen) as they wander about. Oddly, the fledgling was more interested in me; usually, the mother is much more apprehensive / skeptical. This little one is both ugly and adorable at the same time!

My husband and I are incredibly fortunate in that we met through our business interests and are now able to work (and, travel) together. On our trips, we always try to pack in some adventures either before or after our business. When jetlag is likely, we always add on a few days before our business begins so that we can use the outdoors to adjust to the timezone. With business in Australia our easy choice is to rent a 4x4/AWD vehicle and then head for the bush. Luckily, we both adore exploring. These pictures were taken on a business trip in December 2014; summer was just about fully kicking in.

For more information: Swamphen, Royal National Park (wikipedia), Royal National Park (Official AU parks site), Audley Dance Hall Cafe