Sophie is a 5 year old from Hong Kong. She wants to visit Australia to visit her friend Cara. Cara is also from Hong Kong but lives in Australia.

Sophie goes to Australia 

Sophie jumping with excitement, Mama smiling nearby in a cozy living room.

Sophie jumped up and down when Mama told her the news. She was going to visit Australia to see her friend Cara! Sophie and Cara used to play together in Hong Kong before Cara moved away.

Big News

Sophie packing her favorite teddy bear, a small red suitcase open with a sunhat and friendship bracelet visible.

Sophie carefully placed her favorite teddy bear in her little red suitcase. She added her sunhat, swimsuit, and the friendship bracelet Cara had made her. "Will kangaroos really hop around everywhere?" Sophie asked Mama as they packed.

Packing Excitement

Sophie holding Mama's hand in an airplane, a little TV screen and a coloring book on her seat.

Sophie held Mama's hand tightly as they walked onto the big airplane. Her seat had a little TV screen and the flight attendant gave her a coloring book. Sophie watched through the window as Hong Kong became tiny below the clouds.

The Big Airplane

Sophie and Mama looking at a screen map on the airplane, Sophie eating noodles.

"How long until we see Cara?" Sophie asked for the tenth time. Mama smiled and showed Sophie on the screen map how far they had traveled. Sophie ate airplane noodles and fell asleep dreaming of koalas and kangaroos.

Flying Through the Sky

Sophie pressing her nose against the airplane window, bright sun shining over Australia.

The airplane wheels touched the ground with a bump. "We're in Australia!" Sophie exclaimed, pressing her nose against the window. Outside, the sun was shining brightly on a land that looked different from home.

Landing in Australia

Sophie and Cara hugging tightly at the airport, Sophie noticing Cara looks taller.

Sophie spotted Cara waving excitedly at the airport. The two friends ran to each other and hugged tightly. "I missed you so much!" Sophie said, noticing Cara looked taller now.

Cara!

Cara showing Sophie her bedroom with Australian pictures on the walls, toys scattered around.

Cara showed Sophie her new bedroom with pictures of Australia on the walls. "Tomorrow we'll see real koalas," Cara promised. The girls played with Cara's toys until bedtime, giggling like they'd never been apart.

Cara's New Home

Sophie gently touching a koala's soft fur at a wildlife sanctuary, Cara taking a photo.

At the wildlife sanctuary, Sophie gasped at the sleepy koalas in the eucalyptus trees. "They sleep twenty hours every day," explained the keeper. Sophie gently touched a koala's soft fur while Cara took a photo.

Meeting Koalas

Sophie and Cara building sandcastles on a golden beach, collecting seashells in buckets.

The girls built sandcastles on the golden beach. Sophie dipped her toes in the ocean water and squealed. "It's different from Hong Kong beaches," Sophie told Cara as they collected seashells in their buckets.

Beach Day

Sophie pointing at kangaroos in a field, a mother kangaroo with a joey in her pouch.

"Look, they're hopping!" Sophie pointed excitedly at the kangaroos in the field. A mother kangaroo had a tiny joey peeking from her pouch. Cara gave Sophie special kangaroo food to hold in her flat palm.

Hopping Kangaroos

Cara's family having a picnic, Sophie making a funny face tasting vegemite, colorful parrots overhead.

Cara's family prepared a picnic with Australian treats to try. Sophie tasted vegemite on toast and made a funny face that made everyone laugh. The girls watched colorful parrots fly overhead as they shared lamingtons for dessert.

Special Picnic

Sophie hugging Cara goodbye at the airport, holding a koala toy and photo album.

Too soon, it was time for Sophie to go home to Hong Kong. "I'll visit you next time," Cara promised as they hugged goodbye. Sophie carried her koala toy and photo album on the airplane, already planning their next adventure together.