Down Under Travel

If you knew exactly what was going to happen on your vacation, you’d have no problem packing light, would you? You’d only take the clothes you knew you needed. The reason we all pack too much stuff is because we include a whole lot of things we might need.

So, that’s the first secret to packing light: understand where you’re going and what you’ll be doing, as far as you possibly can. Don’t just look at the names of the places you’ll be visiting and admire the photos – find out if there’s a detailed itinerary and study it. Google the weather at your destination. Don’t assume that just because you’re going to Sydney, it will automatically be hot.

What activities will you be undertaking? Knowing your activities, and how often you’ll do them, should help you decide your priorities. For instance:

• If you’re doing lots of long walks, you absolutely must have proper walking shoes. But if you’re mainly touring by coach or car in summer, it doesn’t make sense to pack a pair of heavy shoes and bulky socks for the sake of one or two walks. A pair of good walking sandals is a sensible compromise, and much easier to pack.

• If you’re on a casual holiday, you may pack one or two smart outfits “just in case” you have a nice dinner out one night. But if you’re going to be in big cities and you’ll have time for shopping, it may make more sense to leave the glad rags at home, and go out and buy a nice dress if and when you need it. The bonus is that dress then becomes a lovely memento of your trip.

• For travel to Australia in summer, pack more than one swimsuit and more than one sarong – you’ll be using them frequently! In winter, one swimsuit is enough – people sometimes forget the weather gets cool here, too!

Next year I will be turning forty and then I will be in a position to say that I traveled the whole world – literally. Well, to be more specific, I can claim that I was on all continents. At this point, there is only one missing in my itinerary and that’s Oceania or commonly referred to as Australia.

I must have read hundreds of books about this amazing country, so I can’t wait until December 24. Yes, it’s Christmas eve, so timing-wise probably not ideal, but on the other hand that’s when I got a really cheap flight. I will be staying for 21 days, which sounds like a lot but considering all the things you can do in Down-Under, I guess time will fly by quickly. I’m booked for a safari, scuba diving at the Great Barrier Reef inclusive of shark feeding and a 3 day hike on the West Coast. Oh, and of course the typical touristy stuff such as sightseeing and museums.

I’m pretty much all set and good to go, I just need a few more things for the beach and evening attire. So I guess the last thing on the list before I’m ready for take-off is a shopping spree at the Tory Burch Outlet.

I travel every month to Australia and it’s starting to get a little grueling.  I fly from LAX (Los Angeles) to Sydney which takes around 14 hours, depending on the wind direction.  The good news is that it’s a direct flight. The bad news is that it’s so hard to sleep in an upright position when you’re crammed in an Economy class seat at the back of the plane.  

My goal in this article is to share with you my top tips for increasing your travel comfort.  I learned these the hard way.  Each time I travel I now am a little more prepared and a little more comfortable.  Hopefully some of these ideas will resonate with you:

1. My number one tip is to get a good quality travel pillow.  Have a look at these ones that have been reviewed by Awiderview.com for starters.  I know you will probably get a pillow from the airline, but it really isn’t enough.  My personal favorite is the travel rest pillow that’s worn across the chest.  I like to sleep with my head in a sideways position so it suits me fine.
2. Say no to alcohol.  I know it’s tempting but I feel so much better if I just stick to water when I’m on a flight.  One glass of beer probably won’t do much harm but stop at one serving.
3. Take your shoes and socks off and put on a pair of thick travel socks.  This makes the world of difference to my comfort levels.  It also means I can walk around the plane and into the toilets without worrying that I am getting my actual socks dirty.  
4. Invest in a pair of noise-cancelling earphones.  These are now my constant travel companion.  

And then there is the jet lag.  Which for me is far worse when heading back to LAX than the other way around.  Not much you can do about that I’m afraid.  Except lobby to change the position of the international dateline I suppose.

Have you ever visited Western Australia?  So often when people are planning their dream Australian vacation, they overlook the west coast in favour of the more famous tourist attractions of eastern Australia such as Sydney, the Gold Coast and the Great Barrier Reef.  But Western Australia has thousands of kilometres of silver beaches and has some great beach resorts for you to visit.

Most visitors to Western Australia arrive in Perth, which is the state capital, and because of the great distances involved most tourists then fly on to their destinations.  However, if you have plenty of time to travel you could drive or hire a camper van or catch the Greyhound coach.  There are also plenty of tours that start in Perth that you could join, and these range from basic backpacker tours through to escorted luxury tours.

As you head north out of Perth, the first place that you will probably want to stop is Cervantes.  You may have never heard of Cervantes, which is a small cray fishing town, but it is famous because of its proximity to the Pinnacles Desert.  The Pinnacles Desert is an amazing place to visit as it is a large area full of natural limestone pillars that have been weathered by the wind and water into fantastical shapes that look especially stunning at sunrise and sunset.  Cervantes also has a pristine silver sand beach and you can see one of the oldest forms of life on the planet, stromatolites, in Lake Thetis.

The next stop up the coast is beautiful Kalbarri.  Kalbarri sits at the head of the Murchison River and is bordered by the Kalbarri National Park, which contains wonderful natural rock formations like Nature’s Window.  Kalbarri has good, safe swimming beaches in the river estuary and with wilder surf and rocks further along the coast.  If you love wildlife you can visit the huge parrot collection at the Rainbow Jungle or marvel at the seahorses at the Seahorse Sanctuary.

If you are a dolphin lover, you will be in heaven when you visit Monkey Mia.  The only accommodation is the Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort, but there are various grades of accommodation on offer ranging from backpacker dorms to four star rooms.  But the main attraction is the dolphins that come to the beach every morning to be fed.  If you are lucky, you could be chosen to give one of the dolphins a fish and you are bound to get some great photos.  Monkey Mia is located on Shark Bay and there is a lot of other wildlife to see such as dugongs and pelicans.

Exmouth is a truly remote little town, bit what draws the tourists is the famous Ningaloo Reef.  Ningaloo reef is one few places on Earth where you can snorkel with whale sharks, and you can also snorkel directly off the gorgeous soft sand of the beaches.  You can also explore the natural beauty of the Cape Range National Park and take a boat trip down Yardie Creek.  You may also meet a lot of emus, as they wander freely around the Exmouth streets.

Broome sits at the top of North West Australia, and has a fascinating history based on the pearl farming industry. Broome is surrounded by clear, turquoise seas and is home to Cable Beach, one of the most famous beaches in Australia.  Broome is also the gateway to the Kimberley, a vast, ancient wilderness.  In Broome, you can learn about the history of pearling, visit the crocodile farm, eat in one of the many restaurants or just chill out on the beach.

The coast of Western Australia is a fabulous place to swim, snorkel, fish, go whale watching, hike, go kayaking or cycling.  The best time to visit the northern coast is between April and October, which is the dry season, and you will find a wide range of accommodation and places to eat to choose from.

Although sometimes called the Australian native bear, the koala is in fact a marsupial. Its nearest relative is the wombat, as both animals have a backward opening pouch in which the young develop from birth.

The small, hairless cub is about 20 mm long and 5 grams in weight when born. It has well-developed forelimbs and small, budlike hind limbs. Its eyes are closed but, unassisted by its mother, it crawls from the birth canal into the pouch where it attaches itself to a teat. It remains in the pouch for about six months, when the young cub begins riding on its mother’s back. At weaning time the mother’s body manufactures a green slime-like substance on which the cub feeds until it is able to digest the eucalyptus leaves which are the koala’s only food.

Koalas mainly feed at night and rest during the day. They consume about one kilogram of leaves a day but are very selective in the species they choose. Koalas never search for water and only drink occasionally.

Koalas are found only in the coastal areas of Australia from Cooktown, Queensland, to South Australia. They are rarely seen outside national parks or wildlife sanctuaries and it is forbidden in Australia to keep them as pets or to kill them. Koalas are clumsy on the ground but are agile climbers, their hands and feet being adapted for gripping branches. The first finger and thumb of the hand is directly opposed to the rest of the fingers while, on the hind foot, the big toe is able to oppose the other toes. They have no natural predators but are often attacked by domestic dogs.

Fire, too, is a serious hazard, for even if the koala survives the flames it may die of starvation.

Koalas were once hunted by Aborigines for food and later by white men for their fur.

In 1924 more than 2,000,000 skins were exported and at the turn of the century they almost became extinct because of disease. However, in recent years conservation programmes have resulted in an increase in the koala population.

The word ‘bushranger’ was coined early in Australian history to describe individuals who used the bush as a base for their criminal activities. They were robbers, murderers, arsonists and stock thieves, some of whom shared their spoils with the poor. In other countries, they would have been described as highwaymen, bandits, brigands or outlaws.

Bush ranging was the only means 2 of survival for many escaped convicts from the Australian penal settlements, and the most famous of all were Ned Kelly  and Ben Hall. Popularized in legends and ballads as heroes, bush rangers became an integral part of Australian folklore.

Many bushrangers were anxious to make an easy profit from the newly discovered goldfields. Rewards were offered to those who apprehended or killed these men, who often enjoyed the protection of convicts and poor settlers who resented the colonial authority.

The period of bushranging in Australia lasted from 1789 until 1880. Ned Kelly’s execution in 1880 marked the end of the era of bush ranging in Australia. Other celebrated bushrangers include Captain Moonlight, Frank Gardiner, Dan Morgan, John Gilbert, Ben Hall and Ned Kelly’s brother, Dan. Most of these men, who were undoubtedly brave despite the ferocity of their attacks at times, died violent deaths at the hands of the law and have since achieved the status of folk heroes, albeit somewhat romanticized.

The principal cities of Australia are the six state capitals, Darwin, and Canberra, the federal capital. All the state capitals are located near the coast, and all are major ports. Each capital is the commercial and cultural center of its state.

Sydney, the capital of the state of New South Wales, is the oldest city in Australia and the hub of the continent’s largest urban area. The city center is small. It is located on beautiful Port Jackson, or Sydney Harbour. Most of the inhabitants of Sydney’s urban area live in suburbs that ring the city. The Sydney metropolitan area has a population exceeding 3 million. Sydney is an important shipping and air terminal, as well as the site of many major commercial, business, and industrial establishments. Sydney is also the leading cultural center of Australia. The unique sail-like shapes of the Sydney Opera House is well known abroad.

Melbourne, the capital of Victoria, is the hub of the second largest urban area. It is a major processing and manufacturing center and a focal point for domestic air services and shipping. The population of the Melbourne metropolitan area is 2.6 million.

Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, is the chief port and administrative center for a rich farming hinterland.

Adelaide, the capital of South Australia, was founded in the 1830s, and exemplifies fine early urban planning. Since World War II it has drawn many new industries.

Perth, the capital of Western Australia, has an attractive setting and a mild climate. Its port, Fremantle, is the debarkation point for many new settlers arriving from Europe.

Hobart, the capital of the island state of Tasmania and the smallest of  the Australian state capitals, is noted for its fine harbor.

Darwin is the administrative center and only major seaport of the Northern  Territory.

Canberra, the national capital and the seat of the federal Parliament, was laid out early in the 20th century. It is located in the Australian Capital Territory, an enclave in New South Wales, and it spreads across a broad valley in the foothills of the Australian Alps.