Skip to main content

Down Under,







Upper left: Queensland train through waterfalls, Upper right, Brisbane, with Patti King McGrath; left Surfers Paradise, below, Sydney



When I'm asked, "What is your favorite place in the world?" my most common response is a question, since I have so many favorites. I rephrase, "Where would I like to return to visit, if I could go anywhere?"




The answer to that question is: Australia. Which, of course, means New Zealand, too. Anyone who's been always says they're glad they went to both countries for a rich travel experience.








Here's what I wrote to my two roommates named Nancy (yes, Nancy and Nancy), The photo on the front is a Eucalyptus, "Ghost Gum" tree seen throughout the outback or bush country. I truly enjoyed seeing this part of "down under" but I don't want to live there. It's like a mini-desert, almost Las Vegas-like. In Alice Springs, we went to the "out of place" casino.



Climbing Ayers Rock was indeed a thrill. We saw the sunset, sunrise, and many moods of the rock, then climbed over a mile to the top.

After we came down, we drank Champagne. Then I "flaked", AKA, fell asleep, on the bus ride, 6 hours, back to Alice Springs. Believe it or not, I've still got my straw hat (a Liz Burke original, later lost in Fiji).

Souvenir: Something kept as a remembrance; a memento


Went to Paddington Flea Market this morning and bought a couple of souvenirs, shirt from Bali and wool army sweater and socks (NOTE: Years later, I still wear those socks) It's cold in New Zealand, where I'll be going next. Had a spinach & cheese pie for breakfast. Was at a college party in the heart of Sydney last night. This reminds me of London because things have British names. It's bustling with 3.5 million people. Aussies are great folks. Wish I could remember some of the American jokes they told us. Seriously, they've gone out of their way to make us comfortable, as traveling at this pace is crazy.




Sydney Opera House was lovely. I really enjoyed the tour and even caught a rehearsal of the Ballet. Also we took a tour of the Harbor, saw some lovely homes...talk about money. This town has the highest standard of living of anywhere I've seen. They've all got swimming pools...flying in we were all shocked. The government pays students $50 a week to go to college and gives them $2000 to $3000 to help them buy their first house. No sales tax either. It's included.
So after all these years, why would Dr. Travelbest return to the Island Nations so far away? Here's why. The pace of living on an island is just a bit slower than that of North America. They speak English, overall like American people, and the people we met were truly outstanding. Surely there are more like them still. If you are a beginning world traveler, I would highly recommend both Australia and New Zealand.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan

Episode: Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan FAQ Should I use public transportation abroad?   Episode: Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan    Lesson Learned: Don’t schedule everything Day 1   Travel Tip: Trust your gut instincts, if unsure, pivot fast.   FAQ Response:  Should I use public transportation abroad?   Yes, you should try it at the least, but not in rush hour with all of your luggage. One way to test it out is to try it early in the morning, before rush-hour workers arrive, but while it’s still light outside.  Most of the time, you only need a card to swipe, and you can add money to the card when you need to. Your first care purchase is often at a self-service kiosk, and usually there is English translations here. Go for it and try.   Episode: Sun Moon Lake, Taiwan This scenic region reminded me of Lake Tahoe, California.  If you are coming you will Arrive in Taoyuan airport and take the train to the Taipei Main Station and take the HSR t...
Post a Comment
Read more

Train Travel: SLO to San Diego and Gluten Free Travel

  Episode title: SLO to San Diego by Train, GF Diets, and a Confidence Challenge Hi there. I’m Dr. Mary Travelbest, a world traveler who has traveled solo for over 50 years. I'm coming to you after a recent trip to Asia. I visited Taiwan and South Korea for 10 days. I’m here to share my best travel ideas and work on solo travel. I’m about to launch on a 90-day trip around the world solo again. The aim is world peace through cultural exchange. I’m about to travel the world for 90 days.   Listener Story Spotlight I want to tell you about a listener who recently retired as a dental hygienist. Her name is Cathy A. She’s been a big supporter of this podcast. She is traveling to Wisconsin to see her family and attend reunions. She’s enjoying her retirement by playing Marjan and. She recently sold her house and moved back into a condo she had bought decades before marriage. Her contractor husband fixed it up to her specs before they moved in, and she’s so happy. She’ll be trav...
Post a Comment
Read more

2025 Eurail Travel Planning Guide and sinus relief

Where in the world am I? Eurail Travel planning   Hi there, I’m Dr. Mary Travelbest. I’m in San Diego now, sharing my best travel ideas and working on another book for you to enjoy: 5 Steps to Solo Travel, Part C. I’m about to launch on a 90-day trip around the world.   Listener Story Spotlight I want to tell you about a listener named Kristen. Kristen loves to travel. She recently received a Fullbright Scholarship and took a trip with her husband and sons to a foreign country, Portugal, for several months. She’s full of great travel ideas and will be helpful as I continue to travel and make my adventures more mobile. She’s encouraging me to keep going in my travels and is a professor in Southern California. Quick fire FAQ: The FAQ for today is:  Do you find that air travel dries your sinuses? Do you get dry and scratchy throats afterward? Yes, it happens. Let’s talk about how to rid yourself of this in advance.    How to avoid the dryness of airlin...
Post a Comment
Read more