Why the .... is this koala doing?

Why the f@#$*!g koala! Apparently the Koala goes on excursions with Holy Family School, Emerton and a work colleaque of Veronica thought it would be a good idea to take Emerton Koala to France and Italy. The kids would love it. What?

It took a few days for Emerton to get out of the back pack, and even then it was reluctantly. Can’t disappoint the kids. But then a strange thing happened, as if an alien force was driving us to ham up photos with this little stuffed toy. For a while, Emerton was in more photos then both of us combined.

At the beginning Emerton was a drag, a chore. But in the end, we liked having Emerton around. Here are his Paris highlights.

At the Place Versailles an exhibition was being finalised with Murakami's contemporary sculptures being put in. This was locally very controversial and considered to be an affront to the art and history of Versailles.

We had walked so long from Montmarte to the Arc de Triomphe and down Champs Ellyses that Emerton said “I have had enough. I am not leaving this fence rail.”

In the precinct at Hotel National des Invalides is the Musee de L'Armee and Napoleon's Tomb (Tombeau de Napoleon 1) in Saint-Louis des Invalides Church. People have been guillotined for less crimes than taking a photo of a koala.

A slice of Australia in the form of Café Oz drew out the classic shot.

Warning – artistic shot with Emerton on the paving stomes outside the Pantheon.

The Bastille.

After walking around the fantastic garden at the Foundation Claude Monet (Academie des Beaux Arts). It was beer and rose o’clock at the Ancienne Hotel in Giverney.

This is our only memeory of La-Roque-D'Antheron. Not sure why the bus even goes there.

Emerton stayed in the bag at Aix-en-Provence, and appeared for a day at Roquebrune when we walked to Menton via the ancient paths that joined these villages.

Lake Garda was an exciting time for the old koala, being seen at Lake Garda, Malcesine and Monte Baldo, as well as Rocca Scaligera at Sirmione.

When in Florence, Emerton was snapped in a unique position seemingly holding up the leaning tower at Pisa. What a laugh! When checked out of the Hotel Columba, Emerton got a photo with the owners.

In Rome, we were all a bit buggered. Emerton did show up at Castel Sant Angelo, with views to St Peters Basilica and Vatican only 1km away, and the Trevi Fountain. The last exposure for the damned koala was at Sorrento, on our way to Napoli by ferry.