Our Honeymoon in Australia

Australia is a wonderful place to visit, full of many natural and man-made wonders. If we had to characterize our trip, the country, and its people in one word, it would be "pleasant." Pleasant not in the neutral, not-bad sense, but pleasant in the strongest sense of the word. The temperature was comfortable, in the high 60s and 70s for the most part. The cities were clean and safe. Australians are some of the most friendly, easy-going, and welcoming people in the world, and they speak English. It's a little disconcerting to fly 14 hours across the Pacific Ocean only to arrive at a place that feels so comfortable and familiar.

We booked a 12-day travel package through Swain Tours - four nights in Sydney, two in Alice Springs, two at Uluru, and four in Cairns. We also purchased an additional package that included several day tours. It was nice to not have to worry about finding our own hotels, flights, and tours, especially for our first trip down under.

We greatly enjoyed our travels in Australia and would love to go back some day. We'd highly recommend Bill Bryson's In a Sunburned Country to those of you who are interested in reading more. It's always fun to read what other people have to say about a place, especially when they are as witty and informative as Mr. Bryson is.

Oh, one other thing - the Australian accent never gets old. We loved being called "mate." "No worries, mate" is a common reply, especially when you thank someone. It encompasses the entire Australian attitude towards life. Not bad for a country that got its start as a colony of outcasts and criminals.