Sunrise over Pacific
On Tuesday I went to Adelaide to attend the Australian Tourism Expo (ATE) with my editor (OMG I love saying “my editor”), Susan Tyrrell of Travelling in Australia Magazine. I didn’t have to go, but I wanted to, because I’d not yet met Susan, and I wanted to get a real feel for the travel and tourism industry, since, you know, that’s what I write about.
I really loved Adelaide. It felt like a mini Melbourne, with all the lovely old buildings, the friendly people and the sort of calm yet sophisticated atmosphere that I just don’t get from, say, Sydney. Too much going on in a city makes me feel alienated. Like comparing Manchester to London. There was just too much going on in London. Too much whinging, too much traffic, too many grumpy people. Manchester was more laid back, had more of an arty/alternative scene (hello punk rock).
The hotel I stayed in was a major let down. I’d got the impression from the website that it was quite nice, but simple. In the room I stayed, the ceiling was higher than the room was wide, giving the impression that I was in some sort of chute. There was only one power point, which sucks in today’s day of phone chargers and laptops while watching tv and having the fridge on. The television was so old that it required an aerial, and the picture was black and white. And the heater didn’t work. The only redeeming feature was that the bed was so comfortable that I actually had a good, unbroken sleep. A rare occurrence.
Anyway.
I had lots of fun and met so many great people from all around Australia who were there to promote their tour, their resort, or their outback adventure. And it made me think about the amazing things there are to do in Australia, and how beautiful and rugged and colourful and changing our landscape is. And it also made me ask why, why are we in such a rush to visit other countries when we have such a beautiful one right under our very noses?
Is it because we are constantly seeking for something else? What is that something else anyway? Is it because we just take it for granted that we live here so we will always be able to travel here? Is it because we are in search for alien cultures, to step out of our comfort zones to really feel alive?
Whatever the reason, my list of things to do in Australia has increased tenfold. I’ve yet to visit Tasmania, most of Western Australia, and well, pretty much most of the top quarter of the country. I want to see the Great Barrier Reef before it’s ruined. I’m feeling this sudden urge to hurry up and see it all before it disappears (although where I think it’s going to disappear to I’m not entirely sure).
Did you know that while the US has 57 National Parks and Canada has 41, Australia has an astounding 600+? No, neither did I before this week. Did you know you can go glamping (glamour camping) with all the fun bits of camping, combined with the comforts of being at home?
If there was one thing I learned this week at ATE it’s that we live in SUCH a beautiful country with such beautiful, friendly people. It’s no wonder so many look at Australia as a land of beauty and opportunity.
Of course, apart from Australia, there are many countries around the world I’m hanging to visit. I want to do a spiritual journey to India, Nepal and Tibet. I want to go to festivals in South America, trek the Inca Trail, eat delicious food, and dance to latin music playing in the streets. I’d love to go to the Burning Man Festival in the Nevada desert (this sounds like an AMAZING experience- stay tuned for a post dedicated to this). And, as I’ve mentioned a million times, I plan on taking my family on a 12 month house-sitting adventure around the world before my oldest son starts VCE.
So tell me, where in the world do you want to visit and why?
Melcontent 