One of my best mates is from Melbourne. We met in Portugal in 1995 while backpacking and have been in touch ever since. Unfortunately, since Australia is a bit of a hike from the U.S., I don’t get to visit as often as I like – something I hope to remedy in the future. For now, I do have a trip planned for later in 2019, so keep an eye out for those travel stories!
Australia is a beautiful country with very friendly people. People are laid back and there is a lot to do. What I find mind boggling is how large Australia is! Having so much to do, you either have to keep coming back multiple times or heck, just take a couple of years off and travel it. How else could one experience all that it has to offer?
One of my favorite experiences in Australia, hands down, was snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef. On the day trip, I jumped at the chance to do the intro-scuba dive. That was an experience! I found Nemo (the elusive clown fish), and the marine environment left a huge impression on me. It took me many years to get my diving certification, but I finally did it. I used to want to snorkel around the world, but now I want to dive around the world! Yes, I will be doing that again on my 2019 trip – can’t wait. With our reefs in peril, we must take the opportunity to enjoy them, but also do whatever we can to protect them so that they continue to hold life and joy for years to come.