An Australian love affair
My first experience of Australia was as a backpacker and I was immediately smitten.
Travelling to Cape Tribulation in Tropical North Queensland and then down the coast to catch a catamaran around the Whitsunday Islands before heading to the sophistication of Sydney with her iconic Opera House and flotilla of sailing boats sparkling on the harbour, I decided that I was never going to leave.
My visa, of course, had the final say and it was back to Blighty for me once my year was up.
Much as I tried, I just could not let go of the love affair I had started so a decade later and with a husband and young child in tow I found myself heading back there to live. This time I stayed longer and explored further.
Living in Melbourne on my return, I had a whole new perspective on the country.
I lived like a local and explored what was in my immediate backyard while also travelling further afield.
For me, hearing the call of a Kookaburra or seeing galahs and cockatoos in my back garden was gold. Taking a bike ride in the country and spotting Kangaroos and Koalas or heading to the beach and seeing dolphins in the bay – all were a real highlight.
I worked for an Australian tour operator and learned about the hidden treasures that take you off the beaten track. I discovered a whole new appreciation for just how vast, culturally rich and stunningly beautiful Australia is.
I also realised that even after many years of living in Australia, there is just so much to see and experience that even locals struggle to pack the highlights in!
Circumstances once again led me back to the UK but this time I returned with citizenship, another (proudly Australian) child and an even deeper affection for this vast and wonderful country.
Last Christmas I took my family back for a three week holiday. We started in Noosa with beach and pool time, and a trip to Australia Zoo for the kids. Then it was over to Melbourne for a true Aussie Christmas with a BBQ, seafood and sunshine. For New Year we hired a beach house on the Mornington Peninsula and spent our days at local wineries, lounging in the spa pools at the Peninsula Hot Springs and paddle boarding at the picture-perfect Bayside beaches.
Like their Mother years before, the children declared that they loved it so much they never again wanted to leave!
If you are planning a journey to Australia and want to find out more about how to plan and experience the very best the country has to offer then do please give me a call on 01962 690006.
