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[Peter Fitness]

Meanwhile, back to the subject


Here are a few shots from my archives that illustrate the diversity of scenery in Australia. From an aerial view of Sydney to the endless panorama of desert near Broken Hill, from the snowfields of NSW to a big crocodile in tropical north Queensland, from cotton harvesting in Goondiwindi to the spectacular 12 Apostles on the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, and from Brisbane in the east to Perth in the west. One has to travel vast distances at times, but the scenery can be spectacular and varied, I hope I can keep travelling for a few years yet.


Peter.

[Colin Bishop]

Peter,

Australia certainly does have a huge diversity of scenery but the distances are rather daunting for the tourist. Three years ago we visited New Zealand which also has a huge diversity of landscapes and loved it but they are all concentrated into a much smaller (and more manageable) package if you only have a month or so at your disposal. Have you visited NZ yourself?

I would like to see Australia but it is looking less likely as we get older which is why Holland, Greece and Canada are on this year's list!

So much to see, so little time!

Colin

[Peter Fitness]

Colin, yes, we have been to New Zealand, one of my sisters lived there for 10 years during which time we visited on 4 occasions, and I was most upset when she and her husband moved back to Australia  . It is a beautiful country, much smaller than Australia with a wonderful diversity of scenery, and one I would be more than happy to revisit.


Many tourists find the sheer size of Australia quite intimidating, particularly those from Europe and the UK, and some have difficulty comprehending the distances involved. I remember one young couple we met some years ago asking if it was possible to do a day trip from Sydney to the Great Barrier Reef. They didn't realise that it was over 2000 km away. Americans and Canadians are more used to long distances and don't feel so overwhelmed. Excellent airline services help reduce travel times between major centres, making it easier for tourists to cover more territory.


I have lived in Australia all my life, and like most Aussies I am used to the distances. I love to go in to the outback where the view seems to go on forever, although I have no desire to live there -  I am quite content where we are. I have been to the UK on 3 occasions and love driving there, so much can be seen in such a short distance and the history is, to me, absolutely fascinating, but it's always good to come home.


To give an idea of Australia's size - my wife and I are going on a cruise in June starting in Sydney, initially travelling northwards to the tip of Australia. We then follow the coast in an anti-clockwise direction ending in Fremantle. The trip on the ship takes 17 nights. We return from Perth to Sydney on board the Indian Pacific, one of the world's great rail journeys covering 4352 km, or 2704 miles. More info here http://www.greatsouthernrail.com.au/trains/the_indian_pacific/


Peter.