Australia has some of the most beautiful and breathtaking scenery in the world. The Great Barrier Reef offers snorkelers and divers an unbelievable collection of marine life. On the opposite end of the spectrum of life on Earth, the vast red deserts, dramatic gorges, and unique rock formations of the Outback showcase a different kind of stark beauty.
Australia be crazy. My wife and I spent five weeks there in late 2012-early 2013. She was my girlfriend at the time. I proposed during the New Year fireworks in Sydney.
We traveled from Sydney all the way up to Cairns on a Greyhound bus, stopping at about a dozen places along the way. Then flew down to Melbourne and then back to Sydney for the trip home.
We saw a dingo from a distance and once almost walked face-first into a giant huntsman spider in a forest. Then at Airlie Beach, we decided to take a walk through the forest and were chased by a swarm of giant insects/bugs. Once we got out of the forest and onto the beach, we breathed a sign of relief. The bugs didn't follow us out into the open. Except right there in front of us was a giant "Beware of Crocs" sign. Fun times.
I have followed some Australian writers on Medium and Subtack, and they have greatly relieved me of many of the stereotypical views I used to have about it. And I am glad for that.
Besides, you have to love a country that uses words like "jackaroo" (the equivalent to "greenhorn" or "city slicker") in conversations.
Thank you, Andrew! I thoroughly enjoyed this piece! I'm terrified of all spiders and was very jumpy when I went to Brisbane a few years ago. My Australian friend couldn't understand why as we have moose in Sweden, which he thought was a very scary prospect. And yes, moose can be both aggressive and dangerous, but I have yet to find one of them sneaking up on me in the shower.
The blue ring octopus is my favorite Aussassin. Its bite is sometimes painless, but its venom is deadly. Same stuff as puffer fish venom, I think.
Australia be crazy. My wife and I spent five weeks there in late 2012-early 2013. She was my girlfriend at the time. I proposed during the New Year fireworks in Sydney.
We traveled from Sydney all the way up to Cairns on a Greyhound bus, stopping at about a dozen places along the way. Then flew down to Melbourne and then back to Sydney for the trip home.
We saw a dingo from a distance and once almost walked face-first into a giant huntsman spider in a forest. Then at Airlie Beach, we decided to take a walk through the forest and were chased by a swarm of giant insects/bugs. Once we got out of the forest and onto the beach, we breathed a sign of relief. The bugs didn't follow us out into the open. Except right there in front of us was a giant "Beware of Crocs" sign. Fun times.
The reason why deaths are so low is that we have anti venom now. And yes I am deathly afraid of spiders and snakes.
You forgot the Aussies’ killer sense of humor.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=KCGUNpzjD6M&si=Oes78gIXbw1OcqYH
Check out the australian venomous caterpillars...
And now for something really scary in Australia:
https://youtu.be/XKvuUDBHipE?feature=shared
I haven't gone yet, but this article has only made me want to go more! ;)
I have followed some Australian writers on Medium and Subtack, and they have greatly relieved me of many of the stereotypical views I used to have about it. And I am glad for that.
Besides, you have to love a country that uses words like "jackaroo" (the equivalent to "greenhorn" or "city slicker") in conversations.
Thank you, Andrew! I thoroughly enjoyed this piece! I'm terrified of all spiders and was very jumpy when I went to Brisbane a few years ago. My Australian friend couldn't understand why as we have moose in Sweden, which he thought was a very scary prospect. And yes, moose can be both aggressive and dangerous, but I have yet to find one of them sneaking up on me in the shower.
https://youtu.be/XKvuUDBHipE?feature=shared