Month: November 2017

Australia is the largest landmass in the Oceania region.  It is renowned for its lush vegetation and wildlife, scenic views, and rich culture.  Now the country of Australia is too large, roughly 2.97 million square miles, for me to cover it all in one blog post, but I would like to talk about a few of the things that I believe are must sees when it comes to visiting this vast island.  The first struggle that you will face with a trip to Australia is getting there.  An average flight to the country from the United States takes almost 20 hours, but once you get there then you will be greeted with so many amazing experiences.

(Fig 1: Kangaroo on the Horizon, photo from Allianz)

One of Australia’s most well known aspects is its unique and superb wildlife.  So, naturally, one of the things you absolutely should do is take a wildlife tour to see the many animals of the country in the wild.  You can opt for simple day trips to have the chance of seeing animals like kangaroos, koalas, ostriches, emus, platypuses, and even the wombat.  These tours are a good way to spend a day, seeing the country, but you can also opt for animal sitting outings that can longer than a week.  These trips take you into the deepest part of the Australian natural habitat where you will see so many amazing animals.

(Fig 2: The Great Barrier Reef, photo from Australia.com)

The other part of the amazing Australian wildlife that is an absolute must see is the Great Barrier Reef.  This is the largest coral reef system (over 1400 miles) in the world.  Unfortunately the reef is quickly deteriorating due to pollution and warming ocean waters, but there are still many amazing places on the reef that are teeming with life.  The best way to experience the reef is if scuba dive and explore it, but if that is not your cup. of tea, there are plenty of other means to explore this amazing place.  You can just snorkel and see the coral from above, or you can not get in the water all together and sail through the reef, just watching the colors dance below you.  Regardless of the way you see the reef, you have to visit it, as it is truly one of the most beautiful places on earth.

(Fig 3: Uluru at sunrise, photo from Parks Australia)

Another must-see sight of Australia is Uluru.  This is a massive sandstone formation in the Northern Territory of Australia, and is truly one of the world’s greatest natural wonders.  The formation is sacred to the local aboriginal group, the Pitjantjatjara Anangu.  As a result of its sacred status to this Aboriginal group, it is forbidden to touch and climb the formation in certain places, but you can walk fairly close to it.  The best way to experience this wonder is either during sunrise or sunset, when the light makes the rock glow with a beautiful rust color.

(Fig 4: Sydney at sunset, photo from lonelyplanet)

It would be hard to visit Australia and not visit its capital city, Sydney.  There are so many things to do in the city, so much so that I could write an entire post on it, but there are a few that you should not leave the city without doing.  You should first take the climbing tour of the Harbor Bridge, which allows you to climb  up the arches of the bridge, and see great views of the cityscape.  Another thing you should do is eat at a seafood restaurant.  A constant stream of sea food runs into the city from the hundreds of fisherman that catch fish and sea life daily.  This food is some of the freshest you will get, and is supposed to be an amazing eating experience especially if you stop at a bayside restaurant.  The last must do thing in Sydney is a visit to the Sydney Opera house.  You do not have to see an actual Opera (it would be even cooler if you did), but you should just visit the iconic building to see it with your own eyes.

Now I barely even grazed the surface of the all the amazing things that you can do in this great country, but hopefully I have convinced you that this is a place worth visiting.  Whether you enjoy nature, and seeing amazing natural wonders or lean more towards urban life, there is something for everybody to do an enjoy.  It would be a terrible thing if you missed a visit to this continent, so ignore that long flight time and go visit the Land Down Under.

(Fig 1: Rainbow Mountains of Peru, Photographed by Eric Hanson)

Another one of the countries topping my bucket list is Peru.  Located in South America, Peru is renowned for its gorgeous mountainous scenery, diverse and rich culture, and its amazing history.  The primary reason for me wanting to go to Peru is because of the historical aspect.  Ever since I learned about the Incas, I have wanted to visit the land they call home and seer the ruins of their once great civilization, especially Machu Picchu.

(Fig 2: Plaza Mayor in Lima, photograph from Pariwana Hostel)

When you first fly to Peru, you will probably land in Lima, its capital city.  Lima is a robust city full of culture, known for its beauty.  After getting some rest you could do countless things in this city.  One of the things you must do is visit the Plaza Mayor (pictured above).  This is the center of the historic Lima, and hosts a beautiful fountain as well as the house of the President.  It is a great place to relax and enjoy the sun, and if your lucky, you could see the changing of the guards in front of the president’s house.  One of the only other must-do’s in Lima, is a visiting one of the many ancient religious sites in the city.  One of thew more famous ones, San Francisco Monastery, is known for its beautiful Baroque style architecture, extravagant religious art, and also for its eerie catacombs.

After Lima, you might head to the second largest city of the country Cusco. Cusco was the capital of the Incas empire, and, therefore, hosts countless Incas sites and relics.  One of the things you could do while in the city is visit one of the many museums on the Incas, that host relics and other items from the civilization.  Another thing you should do, even though it might turn your stomach, is to try Guinea Pig.  While it is a household pet here in the State, the Guinea Pig is a native animal in Peru, and is also a delicacy of the country.

(Fig 3: Machu Picchu, photo from travelandliesure)

Cusco is often used as the base city for the thousands of day trips up to the ancient site of Machu Picchu that occur every year.  After a train ride, you begin the strenuous, but definitely worth it, hike up the mountain.  The hike only takes an hour, but the trail is steep, and it is in a high altitude climate, which makes it harder to breathe.  Once you make it up the trail, you will be greeted with breathtaking views of the surrounding Andes as well as the ancient city.  This site is one of the 7 wonders of the world, and is thought to be one of the Inca rulers secret palace.  This palace would be used as a safe haven for the ruler if there was trouble in the land.  This is a must see if you go to Peru.

(Fig 4: Nazca Lines Spider, photo from observer)

The other must see in Peru is the Nazca lines.  These are humungous pictures of animals drawn into the Nazca desert of Peru.  These lines have long been controversial, as it is hard to explain how the Incas would have known how to draw these huge pictures without being able to see them from the sky.  Regardless of how they were made, they are an astounding site.  Companies provide aerial tours, which take you up and they fly around for an hour or two over the lines, while the pilot talks to you about them.  Also it is not unheard of for passengers to spot never before seen glyphs in the sand.

Peru is home to both amazing culture, as well as an amazing history, and that makes it a perfect place for me to visit.  Also there is so much more than what I described above to see and do in the country.  I know that one day I will visit this amazing country, and I can not wait.