Australia

So that was Australia. I've been here 9 weeks and had a great time. Definitely worth a visit.

The facts (for my benefit really)

• I've visted 6 of the 8 states (I think there are only 7 states but ACT is also a place)
• Had the hottest temp of 42.6C
• I've driven 2250 miles myself over the last 3 weeks - thats was going in a pretty straight line along the coast from Adelaide to Sydney.
• In the previous 4 weeks I travelled 3750 miles by bus through the East Coast and Outback.
• Had 4 flights too. The distances travelled just shown the vastness of the place. Its like USA with 20 million people.
• Camped for 42 nights of which I would say only 3 or 4 were horrible (better than a week in Wales)

Its been really enjoyable. I have to say I have had enough of the recent history. As the country was only really westernised in the last 200 years its relatively easy to have your fill of this. Also its really a replica in many ways of the Victorian culture in the UK as in the 19th century Australia was a British colony and many of the buildiings are copies of ours.

The aboriginal culture is interesting but also very sad to see how things are now. I'm glad its not our problem.

Nature and the country is by far the best bit. The sheer variety and scale of the wildlife and scenery is too behold. There are more wild animals and birds than we are used to, they seem to be more interesting and they shape your trip i.e. before camping or swimming you stop and think before leaping in.

If I were to come back I would come back to visit Kakadu and the Northern Territories and probably the wilderness of West Australia. You get to see things that you will never see anywhere else in the world on a scale you can't imagine.

My 3 favourite things - in no particular order.

• The Great Barrier Reef. It is truly amazing. Very hard to describe how beautiful it is. Just in the few hundred metres I snorkelled I saw hundreds of coral and fish that were stunning. And it stretches for 1000 miles! (thats the length of Britain). If you can visit it then you should.
• The Sydney Opera House. I love buildings. And this one is as good as I thought it would be. Its a magnificent building on its own. But its location, its tactile looks and its iconic status make it one of the best man made structures I have ever seen.
• The Northern Territiores. I really really enjoyed the whole of the Outback experience. Its like nothing you can see anywhere in the world. Its vast, its harsh, it feels unconquered. Kakadu was gorgeous ( I'd love to see it in the dry season). It is fantastic.

So thats it for now. Sad to be leaving but looking forward to Laos. Keep warm and dry. And I think you will need spray tans if you want to stand up to comparison with me. 3 tubes of sunblock so far and I'm still a non me colour!