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. Australian wood ducks wandered all about the river's edge seemingly without a care in the world.

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: Australian wood duck, Royal National Park (wikipedia), Royal National Park (Official AU parks site), Audley Dance Hall Cafe