“How ya going mates”!!!!

Aussies love a good yarn – we learned very quickly they also love to abbreviate words and many have the “e sound” – like “footy.” Every type of ball game in Australia is called “footy.” Conversations were animated, light hearted and full of laughter!  They even laughed at Steve’s jokes!! Ha ha

Australia easily blew our expectations out of the water – we loved it, wish we had stayed longer, and definitely want to go back! A spectacular and diverse country (at least what we saw). Apparently, 80 percent of the population live on the coastal areas. Australia is huge!

Our month encompassed journeys to Melbourne, Apollo Bay on the Great Ocean Road, Noosa, Tasmania (Hobart, Cradle Mountain, Freycinet, Launceston), and Sydney – we barely touched the country.  We did a pub crawl (surprise surprise!!) in Melbourne with a great couple we met from Toronto, Canada (those Canadians are a bad influence), ate multiple fish and chips suppers; as well as a lobster type seafood called Morten Bay Bugs (really that’s what they’re called – they were outstanding!), went on multiple hikes (3 or more hours thinking they were 1 hour routes), one where we carried a bottle of wine, glasses, food, a beach umbrella, towels, music speaker, and a change of clothes – only to find out too late that it was a true 3.5 hour hike over a steep hill to reach a beautiful white sandy beach called – appropriately – Wine Glass Bay).  Fran was initiated to Australian waters by being stung by a blue bottle jelly fish (and no I did not pee on it – even though they tell you too!).  We toured a must see Museum in Tasmania call the MONA (Museum of Old and New Art) which was not only incredibly funky it also included a wine tour, we kayaked on the ocean thru good sized waves, visited multiple wineries, fed kangaroos, saw more roadkill than we thought was possible, watched a Tasmania Devil devour a dead possum including the bones (they are viscous little creatures), and among many other adventures swam of the back of a cruiser in Sidney Harbour with the famous Opera House in the background…oh and did we mention we also visited multiple wineries and pubs!

Perspectives:

• Everyone should go to Australia – Tasmania is a must!  We will be back!
• Australia is one of the most ethnically diverse societies in the world and the people are friendly, engaging, funny, positive – it is truly a culture that is chilled and social
• It is a healthy environment – the terrain helps with all the amazing beaches and sporting events they participate in – other than the animal kingdom – most of their animals are deadly!!
• Unfortunately, it’s as expensive as everyone said it would be

Please see below for our perspective ratings

GALLERY – MELBOURNE

GALLERY – SUNSHINE COAST

GALLERY – NOOSA

GALLERY – SYDNEY

GALLERY – TASMANIA

Onwards to New Zealand

Making it so,

Fran and Steve