A is for Australia

I’d like to write a series of posts highlighting places around the world I hope to have the opportunity to explore one day, from A to Z.  My own website details the places I’ve been, and this series will hopefully act as a goalpost and provide inspiration to readers.

I will start with Australia.

Me and Chris have a few unofficial travel goals.  We’d love to see all the National Parks in the USA, all the continents, and all the Wonders of the World.

We’ve seen a fair amount of the National Parks, been to 4 continents, and seen 2 of the Seven Wonders of the World.

Australia seems pretty amazing, and checking off another continent would be a plus!

It’s also overwhelmingly HUGE.  Depending on how you measure, it’s about the same size as the 48 states.  I’ve lived in the USA my whole life and haven’t seen all of it, so how could I conquer the whole continent in one visit?

It’s all the way around the world, and I imagine the flight itself will be EXPENSIVE, so to make it worth the time and money, I’d want to stay for a minimum of 3 weeks, if not a little longer.

Top Sites on my Australia Wishlist:

• Sydney Opera House
  • I can’t say that I’ve ever seen an opera, but I do love music and culture.  The Sydney Opera House seems like the kind of place that no one would want to miss out on.
• Kakadu National Park
  • I’m a sucker for National Parks.  This is in the Northern Territory, east of Darwin.  It has been home to the Aboriginal people for thousands of years, and it’s a World Heritage site.  There’s waterfalls and wetlands and Aboriginal rock paintings.  You can explore the Aboriginal rock paintings, hike to waterfalls, enjoy the wildlife, and even enjoy a cruise through the wetlands.
• Daintree Rainforest
  • In the Queensland region, this is the oldest rainforest in the world.  I imagine the feeling there is one of spiritual mystery.  You can hike through the rainforests to see trees that are 135 million years old, spot crocodiles and wildlife  on a river cruise, climb a canopy tower to see the view from the sky, and even go swimming at Cape Tribulation.
• Blue Mountains
  • Located in the state of New South Wales west of Sydney.  I’m a hiker at heart and I bet this would be my happy place.  However, instead of hiking, they call is “bushwalking.”  I don’t really understand the difference – I’ll let you know once I experience it myself!
• Great Ocean Road
  • Along the southwest coast of Victoria, this is where I’ll find limestone stacks, such as the Twelve Apostles and Gibson Steps.
• Kangaroo Island
  • Off the southern coast southwest of Adelaide.  With cockatoos, wallabys, koalas, and of course kangaroos, this is the place to go to see all the wildlife Australia is known for.  I must admit that I am fascinated by kangaroos – look up their anatomy and thank me later.
• Phillip Island
  • On the south coast of Victoria southeast of Melbourne.  This is another place to experience wildlife, and I’d go specifically for the Penguin Parade where you can watch little penguins return home after dark.
• Great Barrier Reef
  • In the Coral Sea off the northeastern coast of Queensland, it’s the world’s largest coral reef system.  I am honestly terrified of the ocean.  It’s so deep and there is so much unknown about it.  I also don’t love the feeling in my ears when I go too deep.  However, I don’t think I could  live with myself if I traveled around the world and DIDN’T experience the Great Barrier Reef.
• Uluru
  • Right inside the Outback in the center of the continent.  This is the true frontier.  I’d be able to hike to my heart’s content.  However, with it being so remote, it would likely be the first place I’d cut from the itinerary so I could maximize my visit elsewhere.
• Tasmania
  • South of the mainland, there would be plenty more opportunity for hiking.  We could explore the white sand beaches of Freycinet National Park or do a multi-day “walking track” if I had the time.
• Bondi Beach
  • East of downtown Sydney – me and Chris aren’t typically “beach people.”  We don’t do much lounging on vacations as we are too busy moving from place to place and immersing ourselves in the area as much as possible.  However with its close proximity to Sydney, I think we could find some time to spare to enjoy this iconic beach.
• Maybe pop over to New Zealand
  • Southeast across the Tasman Sea – I would do my best to try to squeeze this in as who knows when we’d make it to this side of the planet again!

The more I read about Australia, the more I long to visit.  Every corner offers a new adventure!  There’s diversity in ecosystems, landscapes, and cultures.  I imagine it would be a trip to reminisce about for years.  I know I’ll visit eventually, and I have a feeling it’ll be everything I’ve dreamed of and more!