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On a very overcast spring day, the TV HITS team arrive at the lush Koala Park in Sydney's West Pennant Hills. Thanks to some fast-moving clouds, the showers clear (yay!) and at last we can concentrate on the job at hand... introducing the Backstreet Boys to some of our unique native animals!
And here come the boys! Out of two vans bounce five smiling guys - Nick, Brian, Howie D, AJ and Kevin - eager to meet the natives of Australia. Also in their entourage are two very beffy bodyguards (each equipped with a video camera!), two mums (AJ's Mum, Denise and Nick's Mum, Jane) and Brooke Harry, publicist extraordinaire from Mushroom Records. After we're introduced to everyone, the boys have a chuckle at the stuffed animals at the souvenir shop. "Hey, look at this!" yells Brian, clutching an enormous kangaroo toy. "I want one!" Nick, meanwhile, is busy explaining the differences between crocodiles and alligators to a bemused Madonna, our make up artist. (yes, that's her real name!) We finally make our way in, and Nick exclaims: "Do they have a duck-billed platypus here? I want to see one!" We politely say we don't know when AJ jumps in: "Do they have a Tasmanian Tiger?" We explain that, erm, since they're extinct the odds were probably zero. But a Tasmanian devil, on the other hand... "yeah, that's the one!" says AJ. "Do they have a devil? I want to hold one!" He soon gives up pleading when we tell him they are unlike the cartoon of the Tasmanian Devil - ferocious and with rather sharp teeth!
As we make our way past the entrance area, a deep voice suddenly booms over the loudspeaker... it's Brian jumping on the microphone! "Excuse me ladies and gentlemen," he begins. "If I can have everyone's attention, ah, um, ahh... " He collapses into laughter and obviously decides that a career as a tour guide is not for him!
The first animals we see are the koalas, and it's obvious the boys are very taken with them. Nick and Howie give us some very useful information: "You know they're not really bears don't you?" says Nick. Howie agrees knowledgeably, "yeah, they're really related to the marsupial family! Isn't it strange that they call them bears?!"
the boys gather around the koalas and smile for our camera while their bodyguards are busily capturing each moment on their video recorders. "The koalas are a bit sleepy today," explains Judy, the keeper, but she is cut off mid-sentence when one intrepid little koala jumps off his tree and runs up her legs. "Awww!" the boys cry in unison. "Isn't he cute!",br>
The other koalas are getting a little scared, and as we look to our right, we discover why. A large groups of girls, obviously fans, have followed us into the park and are shadowing the boys. "they get to our hotel early in the morning and follow us everywhere all day!" explains Howie D. Adds Kevin: "It's flattering, but a bit weird!"
Next we meet the kangaroos and excitement reigns when we're lucky enough to find baby joeys in their pouches. "Ooh, look! I's a joey!" says Howie D. "Wow, look at that little fella, hanging out way down there!" says Nick with a laugh. "he looks a little uncomfortable!"
After a brief "let's-imitate-the-emus" session courtesy of Nick, and a meeting with Matilda (the huuuuuuge) wombat, we continue onto the cockatoos. By the time we get there - again followed by the faithful entourage of fans! - AJ has worked the birds up to a screaming frenzy! "I just squawked at them!" he protests. the boys continue to squawk at the cockatoos and one particular birds flies to the side of the cage and almost deafens us. "He likes me!" laughs AJ.
Well, it's almost time to wrap things up, but not before the boys meet a cute dingo. "he's really nice-looking, just like a dog!" says Brian, who's particularly fond of him. The dingo tries to jump on him and Brian add with a laugh, "Hey, and he's friendly too!".
We practically have to drag the guys out of the park when the entourage of fans comes up for a chat and autographs. Of course, the guys happily oblige! When we finally say our goodbyes, Kevin tells us: "This is the first sightseeing thing we've done here and we've really enjoyed it." Howie D agrees; "Yeah, we were really looking forward to this! Thanks - you Austrailians are really nice people!"
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