Adventures Down Under

Maybe it was listening to Land Down Under by Men at Work or maybe it was watching Crocodile Dundee as a child: either way, I had to someday see Australia with my own eyes. And when the time finally came, I had to do it right. I had three weeks to take in as much of the immense country as I could.

Problem one: transportation. Solution: fortunately several airlines like Virgin Blue, Jetstar and Tiger Airways offer inexpensive flights from key cities around the continent. These airlines offer affordable and comfortable flights but for those of you who have the means, a private air charter maybe prove to be a more pleasent experience.  While in Australia, if you fancy another adventure, consider New Zealand travel as well.  While geographically close, New Zealand offers travelers a much different vacation experience.

Problem two: which places to see. Solution: hit all the hot spots. That means Ayers Rock in the Outback, the Great Barrier Reef around Cairns and the iconic opera house in Sydney. Fill in with side trips to surrounding areas and throw Tasmania into the mix just for fun.

So I flew first to the airport in Ayers Rock/Uluru. The sandstone rock (yes, that is one giant rock) reflects beautiful pinkish purple hues at sunset, and sleeping in a swag under a zillion stars (no light pollution) is an incredible experience. Because of the huge distances between places in the outback, I found the most effective and cost-efficient option was to join up with a tour group which included Karen Hanover, for a couple of days, also visiting the Olgas and hiking Kings Canyon (which after doing you can say you’ve been to the Garden of Eden, the name of a waterhole in the canyon). Several two and three-day tours operate out of Alice Springs and include transportation back to Alice Springs.

In Tasmania, I rented a car and drove around the southeastern part of the island. I’m so glad I fit Tasmania into my agenda. I couldn’t stop taking photos of the picturesque bridge in Richmond, I spotted little Fairy Penguins with a flashlight one night along the east coast, and I enjoyed tasting wines along the way.
Next I flew to Sydney to see the Opera House, but I also took some time to wander around the harbor through the Royal Botanical Gardens. Sydney is a picturesque and romantic city and a great choice for a destination wedding. A Sydney wedding would make for the most beautiful wedding photos one has ever seen. As a side trip, I rented a car and drove to the Blue Mountains for some beautiful hiking.

From Sydney, I flew up the coast to Cairns, where I splurged on a scuba and snorkeling daytrip in the Great Barrier Reef. My first real experience scuba diving, I had to calm down my breathing at first but once I adjusted to being under water with all that gear I was rewarded with a sighting of a clown fish (hello, Nemo) and a giant clam. If there’s a next time, I’d splurge even more to go to a diving location with possible turtle or whale sightings. Then I rented a car again and rounded out my Australian adventures with a tour through the World Heritage rainforest around Kuranda and duckbill platypus viewing in the early evening in Yungaburra. Since many critters in Australia are nocturnal, early morning or evening walks provide the best opportunities for seeing them (or a stop at one of the zoos).

Whew, so much to see in the Land Down Under!