G'day! I'm Chris. I left my home in rural Australia back in 2007 to pursue a life less ordinary.
I specialize in ambitious travel - bucket list worthy journeys such as the Great US Road Trip, the ultimate African safari, and following the length of the Silk Road.
New Zealand doesn’t exactly need a great deal of introduction. If you’ve seen the Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit movies, you’ve already glimpsed just a little of the astounding natural beauty that the tiny island nation in the southern hemisphere has to offer.
While it’s sad that the country doesn’t have the hobbits, elves, and ents of Middle Earth – there’s still an abundance of things to see and do in New Zealand over the summer. Its diverse geographical conditions attract all sorts of outdoor enthusiasts to visit New Zealand to seek out adventure, photo opportunities, and stunning landscapes.
As a developed country, its flawless infrastructure and impeccable tourism industry caters to tens of thousands of tourists all over the world. It’s that perfect blend of first world conveniences and stunning natural beauty that has been largely unspoiled by the country’s development.
My ten day visit to New Zealand in late 2010 featured an astonishing range of environments. From the snow capped mountains and ancient glaciers around Franz Josef to the wide grassy fields surrounding Queenstown, from windswept beaches to the labyrinthine caves near Rotorua; this country has a lot to offer to its visitors.
Though vacation friendly all round the year New Zealand is a haven in summers. Despite its proximity to Australia, New Zealand escapes the worst of the baking summer days that can make a Sydney or Brisbane summer unbearable.
6 Destinations for Summer in New Zealand
Franz Josef Glacier
If the summer heat is proving too much for you to bear, you’ll be pleased to find that some parts of New Zealand stay cool year round. Franz Josef Glacier winds its way down from snow-capped mountains and into a temperate rainforest, creating a startling contrast as you emerge from the jungle as a sweaty mess and soon find yourself literally chilling on top of a glacier.
Just chilling out in an ice cave. No big deal.
Taking some time atop the glacier (both half and full day hikes are offered) should be something on every aspiring traveller’s bucket list. There’s something surreal and humbling about being atop such an ancient and beautiful force of nature, and the nearby town (also called Franz Josef) is delightfully quaint to boot.
Known as a thermal wonderland, Rotorua is a fascinating town once you look past its strong, sulphur smell. Most famous for the various geysers and hot-springs that surround it, Rotorua is also a great place to spend a bit of time in the shade.
Rotorua’s hot springs draw people from across the world, but I found what lies beneath a lot more fun.
And by ‘shade’, I mean ‘underground in a rubber tube doing some black-water rafting’. The nearby Waitomo Glow Worm Caves offer you another chance to escape the heat by going underground, getting wet, and marvelling at the living starscape created by the hundreds of thousands of glow worms who call the caves home.
Preparing to plunge into the cold and darkness back in 2010.
Queenstown
An adventure traveller’s Mecca, Queenstown is the home of bungee jumping, white water rafting, canyon swinging, paragliding, dirt biking, and even drift diving. It is a haven for those who want to live their lives a little on the edge, but there are certainly options for those who like to keep their feet a tad more firmly planted on the ground.
Famous not only for its adrenaline seeker delights, Queenstown is also home to the legendary Ferg Burger and is a perfect starting point for a visit to the nearby Milford Sound and its stunning high cliffs.
The mist shrouded mountains of the Fjordlands National Park are a stunning detour from Queenstown.
The Bay of Islands
A day trip from the bustling city of Auckland, New Zealand’s famous Bay of Islands is a subtropical paradise full of stunning beaches and opportunities to get out in the water.
The Bay of Islands is just how you imagine tropical islands in the Pacific.
Cruise tours, chartered yachts, and kayaks criss-cross the azure waters of this island paradise within an island paradise, and nearby boutique towns are full of photo opportunities and adorable cafes just begging to be explored.
If getting wet isn’t your thing, a number of hikes and breathtaking clifftop vistas are on hand to keep your feet on the ground while your spirit soars.
Ohau Snow Fields and Mount Cook
While the snow fields aren’t in action over the summer, there’s plenty to admire about the Southern Alps. Lake Ohau is a glacier fed lake that retains its beauty even when the snows have mostly melted, and nearby Mount Cook (Aoraki) is the highest mountain in the country.
Stargazing and hiking are popular pastimes in this region of New Zealand, and even in the summer the temperatures this far south remain pleasantly cool.
Fans of The Hobbit just might be in for a treat too, as Lake Town (and the legendary battle with Smaug) were filmed in this region.
Mount Cook and the surrounding plains ought to look familiar.
Gisborne
If seeing the sun rise before anyone else in the world appeals to you, Gisborne is the place to go to. Like much of New Zealand, Gisborne has no shortage of adventurous activities for those so inclined; but it stands out as also having a very cool, laid back vibe that ought to appeal to those who need a break from the pursuit of a faster pulse.
Being among the first on earth to see the sun rise on a new year is totally achievable in Gisborne. Photo by Chris Zielecki
Very popular among the locals and tourists alike, it offers some of New Zealand’s best vines. Where good wine is found, you can also find good food – and Gisborne is a great place for gourmands to satiate their appetites for the finer things in life.
Gisborne is also home to one of the biggest New Year’s parties going: the Rhythm and Vines festival. A three day music festival that falls over New Year’s, the event draws musical acts from both New Zealand and around the world; but also features enough activity variety to keep people entertained for the whole three days.
Master Your Own Destiny!
Mountain climbing, deep sea diving, bungee jumping, paragliding, surfing, dirt-biking or whatever your adventure poison may be; it is all available in New Zealand.
While New Zealand does boast a great network of buses, trains, and cheap local airlines to get you around; there’s something to be said for being in charge of your own destiny and getting out on the open road on your own terms. If you have more time, I recommend you consider a road trip through the South Island.
There is nothing more adventurous than exploring your dream destination by driving a car yourself and deciding your own itinerary. Hiring one suiting your needs is a great way to make your trip all the more enjoyable.
About a year ago now, I wrote a pretty controversial piece listing the 10 Reasons I Hate Living in Australia. I hadn’t written the post because I felt anything other than love for the country that I call home, but because I was sick of being asked “Why would you leave?”
With it now coming up on six months since I returned to Australia from China and with Australia Day coming up next Monday, I thought I’d finally write the counterpoint I’ve long planned but never committed to.
Australia is a fantastic country both to visit and to live, and the hardest part of writing this rebuttal to my own article has been narrowing my list down to just ten.
If you’re looking for more reasons to love living in Australia, the #AussieFan campaign has plenty from Aussie celebrities and normal folk alike.
#10 – Aussie Holidays
It seems that 90% of Australian holidays are celebrated in a way that really speaks to the social alcoholic in me: with a BBQ, good friends, and plenty of beer or wine.
Australia Day? Pissup!
ANZAC Day? Pissup!
New Year’s? Pissup!
Christmas Eve? Pissup!
Aussies have a love of getting together with friends, eating good food, and enjoying a few beverages to commemorate the occasion. It’s not great for the waistline, but it’s rarely dull.
It’s not all booze and BBQs, though. I love the solemnity that Australians attach to days of remembrance such as ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day. I still get a chill up my spine when hearing the bugle play ‘The Last Post’ at dawn on ANZAC Day, and one of the greatest honours I’ve had bestowed upon me in my life has been being asked to read the Ode to Remembrance in our Chinese celebration of Remembrance Day.
Celebrating Christmas on the beach isn’t unusual in Australia. Photo by phoenixlily
I love that Christmas in Australia is a juxtaposition of classic northern hemisphere ideals such as Christmas Trees, a fat Santa in his trademark red, and Christmas Carols about snow; and the distinct Aussie traditions of cold seafood on Christmas Day, a bit of beach cricket, and being able to stand outside and admire the stars in the warmth after Midnight Mass.
Easter in Australia still has the chocolate eggs and hot cross buns, but it’s also about a big roast dinner with the family as you seek shelter from the coming cold.
The over-arching tradition when it comes to Australian holidays seems to be one of being with people you love and having a good time. I can respect that.
With Australia Day coming up on January 26th, I thought this handy little infographic might give you some ideas on how you can spend Australia’s birthday.
#9 – Aussie Cuisine
Australian cuisine is a fusion of a great many flavours from around the world, but I’ll touch on Australia’s multiculturalism later in the list.
For now, I’m talking about the most dinky-di (authentic) of Australian foods; those that speak to our formerly very British roots.
The humble meat pie and sausage roll are the Aussie equivalent to a late night slice of pizza or dodgy kebab, the pavlova (a New Zealand dessert we’ve adopted as our own) is a fantastic treat, ANZAC Biscuits are popular even when it’s not the holiday they’re named for, and the Aussie BBQ is such a staple that it’s rare to find an Aussie house without at least one grill out back.
Invented in New Zealand. Perfected in Australia.
If you look at conventionally Aussie food you can see our British roots. It’s a diet heavy in meat (particularly chicken, lamb, and beef) and vegetables, with bread and pastry being more prevalent than rice or pasta. It’s simple, nourishing food that speaks to the country’s harsh environment, but more and more are experimenting with ways to liven up what some might call a dull palette.
We’re the only country I know of that proudly eats the animals on its national emblem, with kangaroo steaks and stir fries being available in virtually any supermarket worth its chops. Emu and crocodile also end up on the menu from time to time, and the more adventurous can try traditional Aboriginal Australian tastes such as witchetty grubs.
#8 – Festivals and Shows
With a pleasant climate most of the year, it’s perhaps no surprise that Aussies take any opportunity they can to get outside and enjoy it.
Across Australia, there is an abundance of festivals (both musical and otherwise) giving people an excuse to get out and do something interesting with their free time.
From massive music festivals like Supernova or the conspicuously absent Big Day Out, to events such as the Sydney Good Food & Wine Festival or Gay & Lesbian Madri Gras, down to local festivals such as Guyra’s Lamb & Potato Festival, the Australian Celtic Festival, or A Little Bite of Italy in Broke; Aussies are spoiled for choice when it comes to finding something to do with their weekend.
The Australian Celtic Festival takes place in my hometown every year and I’ve never been. Photo courtesy of Glen Innes Examiner.
Most towns in Australia also have an ‘agricultural show’, which is the Aussie equivalent to a US county or state fair. Rides, sideshow games, fresh produce, live performance, fireworks, demolition derbies, rodeos, and all manner of other activities typically take over a town’s show ground for a weekend or two every year – bringing the community together in a riot of colours, smells, and sounds.
These festivals, large or small, offer visitors a great insight into Aussie culture and also give people a chance to interact with their community on a more personal level.
#7 – The Landscape
The nation of Australia occupies a huge continent with a diversity of landscapes matched by only a few other countries. This means that travellers both local and international can experience everything from tundra to deserts to beautiful beaches to steaming rainforests without having to cross a bunch of pesky international borders.
Australia is a nation blessed with some truly stunning natural wonders. The Great Barrier Reef and Uluru are perhaps the most famous, but lesser lights such as the Twelve Apostles, the Kimberleys, Kakadu, Cradle Mountain, and the Daintree are no less impressive.
A stunning starscape over the Murray River. Photo by Wayne England.
Australia’s National Parks are similarly broad in scope, offering campers and hikers access to all manner of adventures.
Even the simplest of Australian landscapes can be beautiful. An Outback sunset (or, if you’re lucky, thunderstorm) can be absolutely breathtaking, the country has an abundance of idyllic beaches, and even the rolling green hills of my native New England hold a simple beauty.
When you’re done admiring the landscape, look up into azure skies that seem to stretch forever or a night-time pall of stars that dominates the sky each night away from light pollution.
#6 – World class health care and education
Australians are (for now) blessed with access to amazing health care and world class education, giving us the opportunity to grow up free of worrying about bankrupting ourselves trying to stay healthy. Our parents don’t need to scrimp and save to be able to afford to send us off to university, either.
Australians have access to free doctor’s visits and heavily subsidized prescription medicine and major surgery. While mental health still lags behind (as it does almost everywhere), I’m still able to get access to six free psychologist’s appointments as part of a government run Mental Health Plan. Not bad at all.
Education wise, I’m about to embark on my second Bachelor’s degree. The Australian government pays tuition as a no interest loan that citizens pay back – not in crippling lump sums, but as a manageable portion of their taxable income each year.
My American friends baulk at the idea of me going back to university, but for me it’s not a source of stress. The work of the late Gough Whitlam still enables Australians to have access to education regardless of their financial situation, and still allows them to lead healthy lives without fear of going bankrupt should a family member fall ill.
It’s pretty fucking glorious, to be honest.
#5 – Rural Australia
Having grown up jumping from rural town to rural town, I’ve got a huge soft spot for the Australia that exists outside of Sydney and Melbourne. Sure, the locals can occasionally be a little backwards in their thinking when it comes to multiculturalism, gay marriage, or the above ‘socialism’; but you’ll find few people who are more honest and warm-hearted than somebody from rural Australia.
How can you not love a country sunset? Taken right behind my family’s home.
Far from the hustle and bustle of cities, small town Australia still very much embraces the ideals of hard work, knowing your neighbours, and helping out when somebody is in trouble.
As I recently highlighted in my Flavours of Country Australia post, there’s no reason that time spent out ‘in the sticks’ need be boring. There’s plenty of innovators who call rural Australia home, and race days, local shows, and other local festivals keep things interesting.
#4 – The Beaches and the Ocean
Sure, they fall under ‘the landscape’, but I had to give special mention to Australia’s wonderful beaches and the wealth that its oceans provide it.
Australia is literally ‘girt by sea’ and it’s no surprise that fantastic seafood is available virtually anywhere in Australia within cooee of the coast. Prawns (shrimp) the size of your fist, flavourful fish, chewy calamari, and other delicacies from the deep are readily available even as far inland as my sleepy mountain town.
Aussie beach culture needs to be experienced to truly be understood. Not being able to swim is almost a mortal sin in Australia, even if you don’t grow up on the coast. Whether you’re a surfer or simply somebody who enjoys the feel of the sun on their skin, the beach in summer is where you’ll find huge crowds of Australians enjoying the bounty that we’ve been blessed with.
Dark Point, just outside of Tea Gardens, is a stunning stretch of largely untouched beach.
Off the shore and beneath the waves, scuba divers and snorkelers are in for a treat as well. I lost my scuba virginity on the Great Barrier Reef, and have seen some scintillating sights just beneath the waves in the years since.
#3 – Aussie Sports
Australians love their sport, and it’s a good thing I jumped on that bandwagon back when I was seventeen. Not that you’re not allowed to dislike sport – but a big part of the social fabric in Australia is watching, attending, or discussing sport.
It pays to have a team picked out for the NRL and AFL just in case you’re asked.
A much younger (and chubbier) Aussie on the Road once spent a year running the Newcastle Knights supporters group.
On a national level, Australia comes to a standstill for major sporting events such as the Melbourne Cup, the NRL & AFL Grand Finals, the Ashes, State of Origin, the Australian Open, the Sydney to Hobart, and virtually anything else of sufficient size and splendour. Aussie TVs tune in in record numbers to watch these events as well as foreign affairs such as the Premier League & World Cup, the Super Bowl, and the Olympics.
Aussies also love to play sport. Weekends are reserved for weekend football, soccer, cricket, netball, or whatever other sport takes your fancy. Many kids grow up playing 2 or 3 sports, and adults across the country still enjoy sports both indoor and outdoor long after their dreams of sporting greatness have faded.
#2 – Friends and Family
This one is obviously personal, but I couldn’t write a list of the reasons why I love living in Australia without mentioning the people who make it feel like home to me.
I’ve been blessed with a big family (three brothers and a sister) who have been with me through thick and thin.
My family (minus my youngest niece) rocking an unorthodox family photo.
My brothers came to Fiji to cheer me up after a break-up, my folks have spent inordinate amounts of money visiting us when we’ve been scattered across the globe, my sister once flattened a bully for me (not my proudest moment), and I’ve been blessed with an adorable niece and three precocious nephews to shower with gifts and attention before offloading them to my sister to deal with.
My family’s mountain home may not be the most exciting place on earth, but having the safety net of a place to return to has given me the confidence to go abroad without fear of starving or being homeless should it not work out.
Growing up in Australia, I’ve also made some fantastic friends along the way. Friends who – even after a few years apart – slip right back into the easy and amiable ribbing and in jokes we’ve forged over the years.
In 2014 I was lucky enough to be the best man at the weddings of both of my nearest and dearest friends, and I’m quite excited about living less than an hour’s drive from my oldest friend for the foreseeable future.
#1 – Multiculturalism
This one is likely to be contentious given the Australian government’s current stance on outsiders and the very real issue of racism in Australia, but I’m inordinately proud of Australia’s multiculturalism.
I’m not going to lie; a big part of the reason I love it is because it means there’s an abundance of delicious foods from across the globe to sample. While selection out in the country is usually limited to Indian, Chinese, and Thai – the cities boast everything from Moroccan to Malaysian to Greek to Afghani and everything in between.
The average Aussie grows up not eating a single cuisine every night, but a veritable world tour of tastes. As a kid we might have Mexican one night, a generic Asian stir fry the next, Aussie lamb & veggies the next, Italian on Thursday, and finish with an Indian curry on Friday night.
It’s more than just a culinary decision, though. With the exception of the Australian Aboriginals, all Australians are from somewhere else. Sure, you might have to go back a generation or four to find it – but we’re all immigrants bringing our own traditions and stories to these country.
To those who came across as convicts under British rule, Australia was the land that gave them a second chance. To those who have come more recently to escape war or oppression or simply to seek a better life, the country has come to represent that as well.
There’s something truly beautiful about that. If you go past the ugliness of petty politics or ignorance, underneath it all most of us are the result of somebody seeking a second chance. While many Australians now lead lives of privilege (in a global sense), it’s worth remembering this country’s very humble roots.
If more people did that, perhaps we’d have less needless racism and could get on with the business of being a truly great country.
Your Say
If you’ve called Australia home (or do now), what is it that you love about life in Australia?
If you’re not an Aussie or an expat in Australia, what do you love most about your own country?
Newsletter subscribers and Facebook fans will already know the big news, but it’s time I shared it here as well:
Aussie on the Road is taking a break from being ‘on the road’ and changing things up a little bit by returning to university to study Tourism Management. That’s right: I’ll be a student for the first time in a long time.
Coupled with my recent decision to join the Shadows of Africa team as their Australia & New Zealand representative, 2015 is a year of new directions that I hope will ensure I can be on the road for the rest of my life.
It’s a short term pause to gather my breath (so to speak) before I take another running leap out into the big, bad world farther down the line.
You’re No Longer on the Road?
It’s true that 2015 will see me settled in Australia for the time being, but that certainly doesn’t mean I don’t intend to be on the road as often as possible. Whenever my study schedule allows, I’ll be doing my best to get out and see more of my own backyard.
One of the earliest posts on my site was about how detours can be fun, and I see this as a brief detour from my globe-trotting ways so that I can be better equipped to travel for years to come.
My work with Shadows of Africa as well as the education I’ll be receiving in tourism management are going to put me in a better position to work in the field I love, and that’s worth the temporary ‘discomfort’ of living in a cruisy beach city and studying something I’m interested in.
Tough life, eh?
Exploring More of Australia
Throughout the year I’ll be aiming to explore both the Coffs Harbour region and greater Australia, taking advantage of student holidays and flight sales to get to places in Australia I’m somewhat embarrassed to say I haven’t made it to yet.
I’ll make the effort to get down to Melbourne and visit my sister and her family, I’ll try and make jaunts to places like Darwin, Perth, Adelaide, and Brisbane to catch up with friends I’m long overdue for catch-ups with. I’ll spend more time visiting both my family in Ben Lomond and my dear friends who call Sydney and Canberra home.
I’m really keen to get back to Broke to catch up with old friends (and I’m not talking about the wine).
Getting Abroad
Being a student isn’t going to mean a complete stop to my jet-setting, either. Perhaps the most exciting part of my ongoing relationship with Shadows of Africa is going to be being a part of their yearly media tour. Last year’s tour saw me on safari in Tanzania, and this year’s is likely to include Uganda, Rwanda, and Kenya as well!
My degree also offers two separate opportunities to head abroad – with a six month exchange giving me the opportunity to experience student life in the United States, Austria, or The Netherlands; as well as a six month internship letting my choose my own destiny and working with a company either at home or abroad.
Plenty of opportunities to christen that new passport I need to order.
Student Life
Another facet of this year’s new direction I’m really excited about is a return to student life. Pre-travel CWB was a bit too shy to take full advantage of the social opportunities that life on campus afforded him, and so I’m aiming to make up for lost time by living on campus and being as involved as I can be.
After running pub crawls in China, I’m excited to get involved and continue to indulge my inner Peter Pan by embracing the boozy, fun culture that is part and parcel of the university experience.
Earlier that evening, somebody had set fire to my beard. I shit you not.
I’ll confess to being a tad daunted about the prospect of being slightly older than many of my fellow students, but I’ve yet to meet a man who can out-chug me.
(Although one Canadian woman did put me to shame…)
It’s an exciting new chapter not only from an academic and (hopefully) career perspective, but from a social one as well. Might be time to check off some of those life experience bucket list items.
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It’s an interesting and slightly unexpected change of direction for me – a guy who has never been at his most comfortable calling Australia home. As you’ll see from my upcoming post about the 10 Reasons I Love Living in Australia, it’s certainly not all doom and gloom.
I’m excited to further my education and do so in a field that I am genuinely passionate about. I’m thrilled to be able to spend more time with my brothers, my sister and her kids, and my parents. I’m stoked I’ll get more time to renew old friendships with dear friends, and do so from a part of the country that was once declared the most livable city in Australia.
Now to dust off my toga and practice keg-stands…
Looking to head back to school, but maybe don’t have the time or desire to embrace the campus experience like I am?
Check out Open Universites
Your Say
What are you excited for in 2015? Do you have any new adventures you’re preparing to embark on?
Having moved to the region waaaaay back at the end of 1995, I find myself in the completely unforgivable position of having lived 15 minutes drive from the Guyra Lamb & Potato Festival for the vast majority of my adult life and having never been.
I could argue that I was often on holiday in Newcastle during January or that I’m not the most ardent fan of lamb, but it all amounts to just never having made the effort to badger a parent or sibling into joining me.
With this week marking my last week in the New England before I head back to school, I wasn’t going to let the opportunity pass me by again. Maybe being cooped up in a village of fifty for the last six months has something to do with it, but I finally took the plunge and headed across last weekend.
What is the Guyra Lamb and Potato Festival?
The festival is – surprise surprise – about celebrating two local staples that have put Guyra onto the map. The New England region is famous across the nation for the quality of its lamb, and Guyra’s potatoes aren’t exactly unknown either.
When your town rugby league team are called the ‘Super Spuds’, it’s safe to say that potatoes are a big part of life in this sleepy New England town with its many cafes and boutiques.
The festival itself isn’t an exorbitant affair. In fact, the festival only takes up a few hundred metres of grassy real estate along the side of the New England Highway that bisects the town and contributes so much to its economy. Along this stretch are a variety of stalls selling handicrafts and local produce, live entertainment, and the restaurant serving up some delicious food made with locally grown lamb and potatoes.
It’s a small festival and unlikely to consume much of your afternoon, but it’s one worth stopping in for if you’re passing through or live nearby.
Shopping
The majority of the stalls at the Lamb & Potato Festival are those selling goods both locally made or brought in from farther afield. Everything from cookies and fresh fruit to as seen on tv products next to garage sale style boxes of dog-eared paperbacks.
My nephew pleads with his grandmother to buy him this train.
The festival itself only takes up a smallish stretch alongside the highway, but cutting across the railroad tracks takes you into Guyra’s main street where you can find a broader assortment of local boutiques as well as supermarkets and cafes.
Entertainment
It has to be said that there’s not a whole lot to be done at the festival if shopping isn’t your thing.
Live music takes place in a marquee beside the food service area and offers up a pleasant backdrop as you eat your lamburger or potato bake, with a variety of local artists serving up a mix of country music, oldies, and folk.
A modest children’s playground by the restrooms offers a nice diversion for children (and parents wanting a reprieve from their complaining about being bored), but the big draw for kids is going to be the opportunity to ride the ‘train’ along a 2km stretch of the long unused Main North Line.
My nephew holds his ticket as he waits to board the ‘train’ at the Lamb and Potato Festival.
For $2 a child (or $4 an adult) you can clamber aboard the makeshift train and enjoy a 20 minute tour of a stretch of rail that hasn’t been used since the line was cut at Armidale a few decades ago. It’s not thrill a minute stuff, but if the weather is nice it’s a pleasant enough way to take in a bit of the town and learn a little about the town’s history in the process.
Pulling in to Guyra’s long unused train station.Ezekiel is beyond excited for his train ride.
Food
As mentioned earlier, there’s quite a few stalls selling local produce where you can pick up some fruit or cookies, but the real drawcard is going to be the festival’s famous lamb and potato delicacies.
The lamburgers seem to be a source of controversy each year, with locals debating the merits of each year’s offerings on Facebook. This year’s, for what it’s worth, were apparently not up to scratch.
Forewarned with that knowledge, I instead helped myself to a lamb and gravy roll that went some way towards dispelling my belief that lamb tastes like feet. My sister had a small serving of a delicious looking potato bake (she wouldn’t share, the bitch); while my mother had an egg & bacon roll.
The lamb and gravy roll is a bargain at $6.50. So filling and so good.
The menu also offers up more decadent fare (such as a serve of roast lamb with baked potatoes and veggies on the side), desserts (pavlova, mud cake, and fruit salad), and other savoury delights such as jacket potatoes. With prices ranging from $3 for a cup of chips to $15 or so for a heartier meal, it’s certainly an affordable alternative to stopping in at McDonalds or KFC farther down the highway.
Worth a Visit?
I had fun in my ninety odd minutes visiting the festival. Unless you’re a hardcore shopper, that’s about all the time you’ll need to see everything, grab a bite, and ride the train.
It’s not the kind of festival you could spend a full day at, let alone a few days in a row. Compared to an agricultural show (the Aussie equivalent to a county fair) it’s a tame affair, but it’s worth a look if you’ve an appreciation of lamb and/or potato and the way they taste when mixed.
The festival typically takes place in the final weeks of January each year, but check their website to be sure.
Your Say
Have you ever been to Guyra’s flagship festival?
Does your own country town perhaps have a festival of its own that you’d recommend?
I’ve written about countries I’ve wanted to visit twice in the past: first back in 2011 and again in 2013, and with 2015 looking like a year where I largely stay put in Australia – I thought it was time to revisit the idea and get my daydream on.
Oh, you didn’t know? Newsletter subscribers and Facebook fans already know, but I’ve actually decided to stay put here in Australia for a couple of years while I complete a degree in Tourism Management through Southern Cross University. Not only does this dovetail in well with my recent decision to join the Shadows of Africa team as their Australia & New Zealand consultant, but it also means I’m a short two hour drive from my family and get to live in the beautiful city of Coffs Harbour.
With that likely to tie me up for a while now, it’s all a boy can do to dream about lengthy international trips. With that in mind, here are the top ten countries I want to visit as of January 2015.
#10 – Costa Rica
Central America is a region that really interests me, but no country more so than Costa Rica. I love jungles, I love the famous Costa Rica beaches, I love the Costa Rica weather, and I love people who speak Spanish. Sure, that might describe most countries in Central & South America, but Costa Rica also has the perk of having a slightly more developed tourist scene.
While that’s not always a plus, when it comes to places to scuba dive or try water sports, I like my countries with a safety record and a few creature comforts. Costa Rica’s dedication to eco-tourism is also a selling point.
The big selling point, though? It’s one of the countries where I could also base myself full time as an ESL teacher!
The aptly named ‘Sky Blue River’ in Costa Rica. Photograph by Mike Baird.
#9 – Malaysia
Ever since Nomadic American (my girlfriend at the time) spent a few weeks in Malaysia before joining me in Thailand, I’ve wanted to visit this fascinating country in South East Asia. With its fusion of SE Asian and Indian cultures, Malaysia is also a place with so much diversity in its landscape that it’s like visiting multiple countries all at once.
I can’t say I’m particularly interested in Kuala Lumpur, but a visit to the Cameron Highlands and a jaunt across to George Town in Penang for the food scene certainly intrigue me. Then there’s the opportunity to explore Malaysian Borneo and experience some of the best scuba diving in the world. Nothing to be sneezed at!
#8 – Peru
It might have something to do with the yummy mummy from Raising Miro inviting me over to hang out, but Peru is quickly climbing up the ranks when it comes to countries I’d love to visit. In fact, it’s finally usurped Brazil as the highest ‘ranked’ South American country on my list!
While I’m not going to weigh in on the Chile vs. Peru debate when it comes to who invented pisco, any country with pisco sours on the menu gets an immediate vote from me. Couple this with its beaches, its cuisine, and the fact it’s home to Machu Picchu, and you’ve got a recipe for getting a little more CWB in you.
This only applies to countries. Ladies, you don’t need ancient Incan ruins…
#7 – Canada
My bucket list features quite a few ‘manly’ items I’d like to someday check off; stuff like killing and cleaning my own meal, roughing it and camping, sleeping in an igloo, learning to start a fire from scratch etc.
My good friend and former Mud Festival party companion, Crystal has invited me to come visit her someday and she’ll show me the ropes of being (wo)manly.
Roughing it in the icy north really appeals to me.
I’ve come achingly close to getting to Canada when I was whale watching in the San Juan islands, but have yet to pay a visit to the land of Tim Horton’s, ice hockey, and meese moose.
#6 – Italy
Ancient history was arguably my favourite class at high school, and while we didn’t get the pleasure of studying Roman history extensively, it’s always fascinated me. The opportunity to visit some of the sites that I have been reading about since I was a kid is one that fills me with a nerdy kind of excitement.
Let’s be honest though, it’s the food of Italy that puts it so high on my ‘to visit’ list. The carb addict in me knows I’d probably die from a pasta and pizza overdose, and my newfound appreciation of wine would also get a thorough workout.
#5 – Greece
With the possible exception of Egyptian history, Greek history is the stuff that I loved most growing up. The mythology behind it all (and the sheer laziness of a people believing their Gods lived up a perfectly climbable hill but never thought to check) fascinates the Dungeons & Dragons playing geek in me, and the opportunity to explore such legendary structures as the Parthenon, the Acropolis, and the many ancient temples that dot the country is one I’d love to leap on.
What history buff wouldn’t want to see the Parthenon in all of its glory?
There’s also the allure of the Greek coast, and is it gay that I immediately think of Mamma Mia instead of Ibiza when I contemplate a week or two chilling on Grecian beaches?
#5 – Spain
Maybe it’s that one of the coolest people I know lives in Spain with her similarly cool boyfriend and has extended an open invitation for me to go crash with them, or maybe it’s that the Spanish accent is one of the hottest going – but Spain’s really shot up the list in recent years.
As a football tragic, the opportunity to see El Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona is a pretty big lure, and the country’s contribution to global cuisine – tapas – is all about a broad variety of tastes. Definitely something a foodie like myself can appreciate.
Spain’s beaches are world-class, but it’s the country’s variety of cultures and festivals that really speaks to me. Joining the tomato fight that is La Tomatina is on my bucket list and while I’ve got no desire to run with the bulls, I can certainly see the appeal in exploring the region’s long history and varied cultures.
#4 – Turkey
In the past, this place would have been reserved for a Kenya, South Africa, or Tanzania. Having had the opportunity to go on safari last year, however, I’ve temporarily sated my desire to see beautiful animals in the wild.
With that in mind, Africa’s other big draw for me is some of its history. Countries such as Egypt and Turkey are soaked in history both as their own nations and as countries conquered across history. I’ve previously down a showdown to debate whether to visit Turkey or Egypt, but Turkey wins out in this case for the below reason:
With this year marking the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli Landings in World War I, Turkey has an added allure. To be able to stand on the very beach where Australian and New Zealand servicemen lost their lives in defense of Queen and Country would be a powerful way to honour their memories.
#3 – Vietnam
South East Asia has thus far never failed to impress; with The Philippines, Thailand, and Cambodia all countries that have come to hold special places in my heart.
It pains me to admit that I’ve not yet made it to Vietnam, a destination that has fast risen up the ranks as a tourist hotspot in the last few decades due to its stability, its natural beauty, and the sheer diversity that exists within its borders. My bucket list has quite a few items that are specific to Vietnam (such as visiting Ha Long Bay) while others (boating up/down the Mekong) would also be achievable there just as easily as in Laos or Thailand.
Simply stunning. Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay is often considered one of the many 8th Wonders of the World.
Vietnam’s fusion of cultures – Chinese, Vietnamese, and French makes it an intriguing melting pot both culturally and from a cuisine front, and I’ll go on record as saying Vietnamese women might be among the most beautiful in the world. What’s not to love?
#2 – Japan
Technically, I’ve been to Japan before and am breaking my own rule here; I don’t believe my three day visa run to Fukuoka really counts, though. Of all of the Asian countries, Japan has fascinated me for the longest and remains one of the countries I most sorely want to visit before I hang up my passport and call it a day.
The country’s rich Imperial history as well as its reinvention as a technology capital of the world makes it a study in contrasts, and having heard it said that Japanese, Chinese, and South Korean cultures all bear similarities to one another – I know that culture shock will be less of an issue for me. Ever since seeing Lost in Translation, I’ve wanted to experience the night life in Japan and the dizzying, disorienting chaos that exists in cities such as Tokyo.
Then there’s the opportunity to sneak quiet moments of serenity in shines or parks, to pay respect to the lives lost in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the fact that Japanese video games, animations, and cinema are among the most cutting edge too. There’s plenty of reasons why Japan draws me.
#1 – Malta
I bet you didn’t see this one coming, eh? The tiny island in the Mediterranean might not be awash with tourist traps and iconic sites, but the country possesses a quiet charm that I think I’d find utterly attractive. Having seen the photos that my best friend took on his honeymoon and heard a little about the adventures that Where is Kait had while visiting, I’m all the more keen to check out what Malta has to offer.
Malta might not be on a lot of people’s radars, but damned if it isn’t beautiful.
My friend’s wife described the simple pleasures of good food and coffee taken overlooking the ocean, and the island’s history and natural beauty can’t be denied either. Beautiful beaches, friendly people, and a pleasant year round climate make Malta a place I’d sorely love to spend a few lazy months exploring.
Already Visited
As much as I’d love to revisit every single country I’ve already been to, I’ve excluded them from this list to keep things fresh. If you’re disappointed to see that the US, China, South Korea, Tanzania, Kenya, New Zealand, Fiji, Thailand, Cambodia, The Philippines, Japan, England, and Scotland aren’t on here – that’s why.
Facebook Says
I put it to a bit of a poll on Aussie on the Road’s Facebook page and got quite a few responses. While you’re welcome to add your own, I thought I’d collate the responses so far and see what the rest of you are saying.
Turkey: 6
Spain: 6
Japan: 6
Greece: 6
England: 5
Italy: 5
United States: 5
Canada: 5
Indonesia: 4
Thailand: 4
India: 4
Iceland: 3
Czech Republic: 3
Morocco: 3
Ireland: 3
Scotland: 3
Mongolia: 3
Norway: 3
China: 3
Egypt: 3
Brazil: 3
Tanzania: 3
Australia: 2
France: 2
Russia: 2
Argentina: 2
Nepal: 2
Cuba: 2
Peru: 2
Mexico: 2
Vietnam: 2
New Zealand: 1
South Africa: 1
The Netherlands: 1
Wales: 1
Bhutan: 1
Azerbaijan: 1
Croatia: 1
Benin: 1
Solomon Islands: 1
Suriname: 1
South Korea: 1
Hong Kong: 1
Taiwan: 1
Malaysia: 1
Slovenia: 1
Colombia: 1
French Polynesia: 1
Panama: 1
Poland
Ecuador: 1
Costa Rica: 1
Kenya: 1
Myanmar: 1
Palau: 1
Micronesia: 1
Montenegro: 1
Switzerland: 1
Germany: 1
Laos: 1
Nicaragua: 1
United Arab Emirates: 1
Your Say
What countries (ten or less or more) would you most like to visit in 2015 and beyond? Have you been to any of the countries on my wish list?
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