Australia is more than kangaroos, koalas, desert and hot weather. It’s one of the most civilized countries, ranging even higher than the US in terms of individual and financial freedom. Plan a trip to Australia if you’re interested in Aborigine cultures, the country has one of the oldest ones. Relatively isolated from the other countries, Australia has its own distinctive culture, different from the British or the other Anglo-Saxon ones.
Many great sportsmen were Aussies. However, most of the foreigners know Australia for its convicts since Britain used the territory to send off his felons. Due to the wildlife in the area (and the adventures of Steve Irwin), people’s perception about the country is unbelievably inaccurate: they think of kangaroo riders, savages, and a vast portion of unoccupied land. Wrong! Australia has amazing cities, such as Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney or Brisbane. It has 7 universities in the Global Top 100. Australians love sports and it has not 1, not 2, but 3 Frisbee teams.
Drinking is embedded within the culture. Bob Hawkes beat the World Record by drinking about 1.5 liters of beer in 11 seconds. Later, he became Australia’s Prime Minister. Bet you taught the Great Chinese Wall was the longest one. Wrong again. The Dingo fence in Australia is longer. Many of these curious facts determined a strong self-deprecating nuance in Australian humor. Most of their jokes mock either Australia or the US. People tend to have a positive attitude and they’re friendly, informal and don’t care much about manners. Most common invitation you’ll get will involve a barbecue. You are supposed to bring wine or beer, as in many other situations. Tipping service workers also includes giving them alcohol.
The most famous tourist attractions are the Great Barrier Reef and Sydney’s Opera House. Its beaches are great for surf. Actually, surfers were the ones to bring UGGs in the Western World. For amazing landscapes, visit the Ayers Rock in Uluru National Park, Kakadu, Purnululu with its Bungle Bungles, the Blue Mountains or the Kangaroo Island. Emus, echidnas or wombats live in the many ecosystems of Australia. Port Arthur, Ballarat and the War Memorial in Perth are a good start if you want to learn some history. The famous desert regions are called Outback. Don’t miss Sydney’s Harbour Bridge or Melbourne’s Block Arcade.
