Enjoying the Two Australias

If you haven’t visited Australia before, there may be surprises. You can see things that don’t exist anywhere else in the world: pre-historic forests, unique animals, and the world’s oldest living culture. Over a dozen World Heritage Sites: “have cultural or natural value to the common heritage of humanity.” You will also find a modern world. It has glamour, high technology, a fast-paced lifestyle, and indulgent recreation. Australia can give you the best of both worlds.

The Great Barrier Reef:

The world’s largest coral reef system includes over 2,900 individual reefs. It is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, stretching more than 1600 miles along the Queensland coast. You can sail, ride glass bottom boats, snorkel or scuba dive to experience unforgettable multi-colored coral landscapes and marine life.

Greater Blue Mountains Area:

New South Wales’ largest wilderness area has deep canyons and cliffs. The Wollemi National Park, boasts two pre-historic coniferous pine forests, left over from the Continent of Gondwanaland. Wollemi pines have survived more than 110 million years. Come here and bushwalk back in time.

The bush and Aboriginal culture:

The archeology inclined, can visit Riversleigh, Queensland's most famous fossil site. Kakadu National Park holds a wealth of Aboriginal cultural artifacts. In Daintree, Rainforest, you’ll learn Aboriginal culture from Wujal Wujal people, in a 135 million year old rain forest.

Native birds and animals:

Coastal Islands of Phillip, Kangaroo and Ningaloo Reef, are ecological havens. Pelicans, sea lions, koalas, wallabies, bandicoots platypus, abundant bird life and fur seals find homes there. Daily, at dusk, thousands of little penguins waddle home from foraging for food. Brave people come to the reef, to swim with huge Whale Sharks. In Tasmania, you can visit Bonorong Wildlife Center to espy Kangaroos, Koala, Tasmania Devils and Wombats in their habitats.

Modern Australia:

"When in Rome do as the Romans" couldn't be more relevant than joining the fun-loving Australians in their favorite pastimes. Australia is a jet set playground that features some of the most stunning modern architecture you can find. Sydney Opera House, a Pritzker Prize, architectural masterpiece, is a must for the sophisticated visitor. It is a multi-venue performing arts center, with top artists and their own productions. The center sits on the bay near the renowned Royal Botanic Gardens. Try to see both.

Glamorous Casinos are in every major city:

There is world class gaming with Australian 2005 World Series of Poker champion Joe Hachem, the Australian poker championship and the Aussie millions. For other people, casinos have poker machines, locals call “Pokies.“ Playing pokies has become such a local pastime that pokies are in clubs and most pubs all over Australia. You can stop by and join the Aussies playing Pokies.

Australia’s historic prisons:

History is important to the country. Eleven prisons have been restored for guided tours: One in Tasmania even has an active theater re-enacting a prisoner’s story. Fremantle prison has the best remaining example of convict transportation.

Adelaide Central Market:

Not just a flea market, Adelaide is the largest outdoor produce market in the Southern Hemisphere. Even if you just enjoy local fruit while looking for souvenirs, it’s worth a stop.

Beaches and more:

Australia is a beach and surfer’s paradise. Quicksilver Pro-Surfer Championships are every February. Jet Ski’s and windsurfing abound. Aquatic recreation is on rivers, and beaches. You can hot air balloon, over national attractions in Canberra or your favorite beach. The only thing sure about visiting Australia, is that with so much to see and enjoy, you must come back again.

Adventure Holiday In Australia

Australia is the perfect destination for an adventure holiday. Even though there are world-class cities in Australia, the soul of the country is largely untamed. There is the Outback with its rare wild plants and animals, the Great Barrier Reef with thousands of species of sea creatures living as they have done for many millennia, the desert with its unusual rock formations and extreme temperature and the oldest rainforest on the planet. If you want to taste the adventure this land has to offer you are going to need travel insurance, a sense of wonder, good traveling boots, a bathing suit and an Australian guide.

To go into the Outback is to travel back in time to an era when man faced the elements and the animals without the benefit of modern comforts. The Outback is rich with minerals, precious metals, diamonds, oil and natural gas. But the surrounding country is rugged and wild and receives very little rain. Only the Aborigines and a few hardy Aussies live in the region year round. The Never Never is the most remote parts of the Outback. The Outback has no real boundaries. It is made up of rocky hills, sand dunes, flood plains and red sand covered with wild flowers. It generally comprises north and northwest Australia. Dingoes, rodents, brats, seals, koala, kangaroo wombat, wallabies, echidna and platypus dwell there along with 800 species of birds, 350 found nowhere else. The Outback has many venomous snakes so be careful.

Life in The Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef is another place in Australia rife with adventure. This is when you are going to need your bathing suit. Located in the Coral Sea off Australia's north coast, the Great Barrier Reef covers 133,000 square miles. There are 2,900 separate reefs and 900 islands. The waters around and within the Great Barrier Reef teem with life. There are hundreds of species of sharks, whales, seals and dolphins in the waters around the reef. It is also home to sting rays, saltwater crocodiles, 17 species of sea snake and 1,500 fish species. It truly is an amazing place.

Deserts cover much of central and northwest Australia. In fact there are about 530,000 square miles of desert covering almost 40% of the continent. There are actually 10 deserts in Australia scattered throughout the Outback. It's dry, it’s hot and gas stations are hundreds of miles apart. Rainfall is rare. The land is unforgiving. Adventurous vacationers are advised to drive carefully and stay on the main roads. Scorpions, spiders, snakes and other desert life-forms lurk and the careless must pray their Australia travel insurance covers flying doctors and venom antidote.

Australia - Near the Oodnadatta Track

At the opposite end of the spectrum is the Australian rainforest. The Gondwana Rainforests of Australia also known as the Central Eastern Rainforest Reserve are the oldest tropical rainforest in the world. Located near the border of New South Wales-Queensland border, it covers 3,700 kilometers and is home to more than 200 rare species of plants and animals. Eighty percent of the flowers here are found nowhere else in the world. Scientist believe the vegetation is much like it was 150 million years ago. Lace up your boots, look sharp and enjoy yourself.

With a little luck and a good Australian guide you can complete your Australian adventure holiday weary, but wiser.

Places you shouldn’t miss when you go for a world tour

Have you ever dreamt of visiting the most famous places in the world? Most often when people think about a world tour, they get confused about the places to visit as there is a plethora of options that they have to choose from. Every one of us desires to visit the most famous places in the world but very few of us have that exact travel list that provides you with the list of the places that one shouldn’t miss. Well, if you too are confused, here’s help for you. Have a look at the places you must visit if you’ve planned to go for a world tour.

Grand Canyon: Grand Canyon is one of the most beautiful places in the world and it should be in the list of places that you should visit when you’re going for a world tour. Carved by the River Colorado, Grand Canyon is the steep-sided gorge in the state of Arizona of United States. It has been researched that 5 million people visit the Grand Canyon every year. Summer and mid-Spring would be the best season to visit the Grand Canyon but most of the local residents think that winter is the great time to visit.

The South Island: The South Island, located at New Zealand is featured by special open landscapes. This particular island is well-known for golden sand beaches, large beach forests and broad plains. Most people can enjoy the travel to South Island. There are 10 national parks in South Island and all these parks include glaciers, lakes, coastline and native forests.

Cape Town: Situated at the tip of the African continent, Cape Town is also a place that you must not miss if you are going on a world tour. The unique range of multi-cultural lifestyle is the specialty of Cape Town and the holiday-makers enjoy the hot weather, sunny beaches and also the beautiful scenery. Make sure you have a rough idea of the place before you go to visit.

Great Barrier Reef: World’s largest coral reef ecosystem is the Great Barrier Reef. This is one of the best places to visit in Australia. You will be able to see it from the outer space and this is the single place with the highest number of living organisms. There are 10,000 species that consists of 1500 types of fish and 200 kinds of birds.

Therefore, if you’re planning to go for a world tour, do include the above mentioned spots in your list. Make your trip memorable by carrying everything that you need to make your travel successful.

Guest Post by Rebecca.