Australia
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© From the photo album of Linda Young
Wallabies and wombats, dingoes and didgeridoos, boomerangs and billabongs . . . the words roll off the tongue like the rains that fill the dried streambeds during Australia's "wet." All are a part of the exotic and yet familiar allure of the land Down Under.
Australia is a land of tremendous contrast. It is home to an incredibly diverse terrain, from the arid outback to the tropical rainforest. Abundant wildlife with names as unique as the animals and plants themselves, bustling cities, miles and miles of beaches, 15 World-Heritage listed sites, Aboriginal culture going back 50,000 years, thriving wine regions, and the largest living organism, the Great Barrier Reef, make Australia a wonderland for travelers looking for variety. Is it no surprise that some call this magnificent island continent "Oz"?
Visit Sydney with its spectacular harbor and its famous Opera House; Victorian Melbourne, Australia's "Culture capital"; the elegant city of Adelaide with its expansive parklands and the nearby world-class wineries of the Barossa; or Queensland's Cairns and Port Douglas, convenient jumping-off points to the Reef and the Daintree Rainforest.
Leave the modern cities behind and head inland to the pioneer settlement of Alice Springs in the heart of the Red Centre. Just a day trip away is Uluru (Ayers Rock). Experience the art, dance, myths and music of the Aborigines while listening to their Dreamtime tales of creation around a campfire, sharing bush-tucker or learning to throw a boomerang. Take a camel ride to breakfast or dinner and watch the changing colors of the sky at sunrise or sunset.
With a country that has 550 national parks, not to mention excellent wildlife sanctuaries, you will have ample opportunity to get up close and personal to the strange creatures and colorful birds that Australia is famous for. Cuddle a koala, pet a kangaroo, watch for crocodiles as you explore one of the many estuaries. See penguins come ashore from their ocean feeding grounds. Marvel at the gigantic tree ferns that are true remnants of pre-historic time.
Truly a sportsman's paradise, Australia offers countless opportunities for surfing, snorkeling, diving, and sailing for the water lovers and hiking, camping and off-road exploring for those who prefer communing with nature on land. If you can think up the sport, the Australians will provide it. You might even want to share a golfing experience with a pack of resident kangaroos.
Perhaps most importantly, get to know the Australian people themselves. Always welcoming with a "G'day, mate," they are fiercely proud of their home and their heritage and more than willing to share its wonders with travelers.
Contact Young Travel today about Australia. G'day!
