A second chance with Australia

Life’s firsts are always cherished whether the eagerly awaited first pay, the nonchalant first love or the saccharine first kiss! Not only are these memories dear, but are recalled fondly with every meandering change in life. Undoubtedly these trinkets of reminiscences in the delicate yarn of life though fragile are invaluable.

Among many firsts, discovering new places is definitely among the top few in life’s ‘firsts list’! In 2009, a naïve young girl flew alone to Australia, a country which was once called ‘Terra Australis Incognita’—an "unknown land of the South". And there began her love affair with a magical place guarded by the majestic azures - Indian and Pacific oceans.



There are so many first’s associated with Australia in my life! My very first project in the software industry was with an Australian account. My first international trip was to Australia. My first onsite assignment in my career was in Australia. The first visa stamp on my passport was also for Australia when in the IT industry people usually flock to the US or UK. Who knows I might have been a Kangaroo or a Wallaby in my last life!



So a few years back it ensued, my first visit to the beautiful country down under! But as luck would have it, I was there for work with hardly any respite to even venture out, let alone explore the beautiful country. Ofcourse, added to that I was too ‘love sick’ being away from my then boyfriend (now husband); that at most times I just wanted to catch the return flight back. Well love does make you do stupid things. There, I can clearly see you nod! On one hand I had the chance to stay longer and dissolve in the aura of Australia while on the other I had him. And as crazy as it sounds I ended up brooding over being away from him instead of picking up my knapsack and soaking in the Aussie culture, cuisine and paraphernalia! Well truth be told I completely left aside the discovery part on that trip expect the unearthing of long working hours!

I remained in Sydney for a long time though. While it is in itself an unforgettable city, I really wish that I had taken time out of my fixation aping a star crossed lover to experience that great country right from Tasmania to Uluru! How I wish I had seen the great outback too! But then there’s always a next time, isn’t there? And that’s what we have vacations for!



I remember reading an article in the newspaper a couple of months back that Indian’s are the most ‘holiday deprived’ people in the world. Trust me; I know that it’s true! As a nation, we are, let’s just say, callous when it comes to the basic obligation of a human being which is ‘to live’. But I don’t want to be added as a statistic in that report, so if it’s a vacation I need; it’s a vacation I’d take and this time down under to Australia. Yes, if I was ever gifted a vacation then I’d hope it would be to no other place than Australia itself!

There are so many places to visit in Australia that it’s very difficult to decide where to start from. But if I had to put my hand on one, I’d say Tasmania. The unblemished natural environment, the reserves and several World Heritage Sites, I wish to see them all and more. From what I’ve heard and read, it’s a picturesque island, a photographer’s delight and a nature lover’s paradise! Well the first definitely makes it a perfect destination for my photography enthusiast sister!  So I’d definitely begin my trip with this Island of Inspiration, who knows I might even get inspired in ways I would never be otherwise! And I’ve also heard of great cruises that set sail from Australia’s mainland to the island. Well wouldn’t that just be the icing on the cake?



The next on the list would definitely be the Gold Coast with its amazing surf beaches. Though I don’t even know how to swim, a vacation with a beach and the deep blue seas is what I always yearn for. Then there are attractions like Dreamworld, Sea World, Wet'n'Wild Water World and Warner Bros Movie World that I could take my family to. My parents would probably not enjoy it as much as my sister and my husband but then there would be other places perfect for them too. The choices there I hear are vast!

Ofcourse I can’t forget the Great Barrier Reef, after all it is one of those things synonymous with Australia. Then the breathtaking Uluru, there’s no way I’d come back without seeing it this time. And this would be something my parents would definitely enjoy. Ofcourse, I’d visit the Melbourne Cricket Ground or else my husband and father would surely frown. And to soak in the panoramic beauty of coastal Australia, we’d all drive down the Great Ocean Road and savor the fresh produce along the road!



But finally I’d go back to Sydney and enjoy it just as I should have four years back. The Bondi beach, QVB, Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Royal Botanical Gardens, Luna Park, Darling Harbour, Sydney Tower and more; I’d relive those places again but this time happily without a puckered brow! Ofcourse before I forget to mention, throughout my trip I’d gorge on atleast a few dozen Oporto Burgers; trust me you can never get enough of them!



Now that I think about it being alone was perhaps one of the reasons why I couldn’t enjoy Australia when I visited it for the first time. It might sound clichéd but it’s true when they say that everything becomes better with family and loved ones around. Just being with them, even getting bored with them in a new place, is one of the best experiences of life. Sounds strange I agree but it’s true! And when the place is as beautiful and full of surprises as Australia, dull moments are highly unlikely! It’s certainly a trip down under that I’d wish for, whether or not it’s sponsored for! Yes it’s definitely Australia that I’d visit, if and when I have the chance or when this mundane life turns slightly sore!

This post is part of Indiblogger’s Creating Happy Traveller’s Contest sponsored by Yatra.com.


To learn about exciting holiday packages visit http://www.yatra.com


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