Before I get too far along with blog posts, you should become acquainted with the charming character who’s already made an appearance on my site. When landing on the Contact or Subscription pages, there’s a kicky koala named “Boomerang*” there to greet you.
*This was his given birth name, it said so on his tag!
I first met Boomerang many years ago. My mom had recently moved to offer more local support to my aging grandmother – leaving behind friends, familiar surroundings and a robust clientele, built from the ground up. Around that time, I spotted Boomerang – sitting on a store shelf, looking for a home – and sent him her way to lend a smile.
A decade or so later, I was bound for Australia. Priorly going to the land Down Under when I was a child (my father had lived there), I wanted to experience Oz as an adult. While I’d already been on several overseas excursions to Europe, for some reason the extra distance made my mom more nervous. So, she sent a care package to open before I left.
You probably already figured out the twist, but nestled inside was the koala. Thus, like the definition of his name, he came back. This time with a note asking to tag along on my vacation.
After a quick ancestry test, I learned that his lineage originated in Queensland which was a happy coincidence as it was part of my trip itinerary. We first traveled to New Zealand, next to Sydney (where his anticipation grew), and finally to Brisbane and Noosa Heads both located in his forefathers’ home state. He couldn’t stop smiling!
Boomerang was such a great travel partner – not once complaining about being tired or hungry, and always with such a happy demeanor – that he started accompanying me on other trips. Having now been to Italy, Greece, Spain and Hawaii (to name a few), he might be the most well-traveled koala in the world.
What started as a gift to bring joy to another, brought joy to me. In the words of the great Shirley MacLaine “All life is a boomerang. We receive what we give.”
Have a question about this magnetic marsupial? Leave it in the comment section below!