Category: Australia
Our final leg of this trip is a 4-day stay in Sydney, a sudden jolt back to “civilization”. After 3 months of laidback traveling, it’s a nice change of pace. The Hyatt Regency Sydney is Australia’s largest hotel, catering to business travelers and conference attendees, and the energy is very different than anywhere else we’ve … Continue reading Hyatt Regency Sydney and Eats
We started this trip chasing waterfalls in New Zealand 3 months ago, so it’s only fitting to conclude it with a waterfall hike. Mount Field National Park is an hour and a half from Hobart, and has a trail that winds past 3 waterfalls - Russell, Horseshoe, and Lady Barron. The trail starts at the … Continue reading Mount Field National Park Waterfalls
If I had a chance to redo our itinerary, I’d definitely allocate more days in Tasmania. On the map Tasmania looks like a tiny island off the Australian mainland. But, my mistake was underestimating the size of Australia. Two weeks in Tasmania can superficially cover both the northern and southern parts of the island. With … Continue reading Wineglass Bay Walking Track
Seeing Tasmanian devils was the reason for our visit to Tasmania, however, it is almost impossible to see these nocturnal animals in the wild. Luckily, there are a couple wildlife sanctuaries on the island that house orphaned and injured devils. The Bonorong wildlife sanctuary, being one of them, is conveniently located just 40 minutes from … Continue reading Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary
After the three incidents in Perth a few weeks ago, I had real reservations about Australia and was close to canceling the rest of our Australian itinerary. Luckily, I gave the country another shot, and I am happy to say that what happened in Perth were unfortunate. The people in the rest of the country … Continue reading Cape Raoul Walking Track
Back in Australia, and the experience so far is a bit more positive than the last time we left it. People in Cairns (pronounced “cans”) are friendlier than those in the Perth area. Cairns, known as the gateway to the rainforest and Great Barrier Reef, totally reminds us of Hawaii, with the palm trees, green … Continue reading The Search For Cassowaries
Exmouth is a small town of 2k residents located in the northwest corner of Australia. It was founded as a military base during WWII, and in 1967, the US Navy built a communication base in town transmitting very low frequency radio signals for the Navy operating between India and Hawaii. Nowadays the town’s claim to … Continue reading Ningaloo Reef
Warning: This is a negative post, but I need to write it to get it off my chest in order to move on. So we’ve been in Australia for 10 days now, and OMG, I have never felt so uncomfortable traveling in a different country. Most Aussies seem OK, but several encounters I’ve had, especially … Continue reading A Vent
When it comes to Australian itineraries, Western Australia doesn’t factor much into people’s plans. Most focus on the Great Barrier Reef, Uluru, and the major cities - Sydney, Melbourne, etc. So I made sure we made a trip out here to see what others are missing. The major draw to Perth for me is the … Continue reading Rottnest Island
If you want to visit Oceania, go to Australia first and leave New Zealand for last, because no other country comes close to New Zealand’s stunning scenery. Now in Australia, I wish I had allotted more time for New Zealand. Luckily, Australia has one redeeming quality - its unique animals, notably the kangaroos, koalas, wallabies, … Continue reading Melbourne
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