Marc & Nora ROUND THE WORLD 2005/2006 - Join us!

Nora writes>
Some thoughts about the Nature, the people etc.

What can I say? We both love Australia. Our expectations of the East Coast were rather small as we expected it to be packed with backpackers. Instead we found Nature as we have never seen before.

I personally expected the East Coast to be quite green but the reality has outreached our imaginations completely! I have never ever seen such lush, green and diverse vegetation in my entire life.

The enormous stretches of Rainforest are just indescribable. All the places we have been so far here on the East were marvelous but three places blew me away completely.

These were Fraser Island, Eungella National Park and the Atherton Tablelands.

When we drove through Atherton Tablelands I just felt like I was in Paradise. I simply cannot describe it. I was sat in the car whilst we were cruising around and I just felt so happy. It was I guess just one of these perfect moments where the world stands still and you forget everything around you. And once you start thinking again you feel most things you do in normal life are so insignificant.

Fraser Island is just so amazing to me as it is so diverse -it is the biggest sand island in the world and at the same time so green and lush!
A long strip of beach on one side, huge dunes and cliffs next to each other, rainforest in the middle and lakes that are crystal clear or emerald green - all that is fraser island! Undescribable in words - come and see it yourself!

Eungella Nationalpark: Beautiful beautiful beautiful! gorgeous walks through rainforest that bring you to amazing fresh water pools and waterfalls...and a basic but beautifully done bush camp in the middle of the rainforest!

Being here makes you forget the world around...it is just so perfect!

Many people think that we are BRAVE doing such a trip - but this has nothing to do with being brave. It is so easy, so amazingly easy to travel around - especially here in Australia where people are so friendly and helpful...

...everybody can do it - no matter what age...You can determine your budget - it is up to you how cheap or expensive you make your trip. We hardly spent anything in Australia during this 5 months except on diving and petrol and luxuries such as the bridge climb...

Many people at home think how brave I am doing this trip as i when i come home i wont have a job, no home and money...
...and i have to admit that this thought worried me a bit too...

Driving through this magnificent countryside just showed me how ridiculous all these fears and concerns are. There is so much out there to see - so much I have seen so far in this 6 months and so much more to come - things I probably will never see again! Seeing this beautiful nature and wonders of the world just taught me how amazing it is to live and experience all of that.

I believe that just what I have seen and experienced so far in this trip has taught me much more than any book at school or university. These are actually memories for life -I am ever grateful for every moment!

The people in Australia are another factor that contributed to our liking of this country.
Ozzies are easy-going, relaxed, genuine and super super hospitable!

We have both been to many countries in the world but we have never ever experienced such friendly people like here in Australia.

No matter where you are - be sure that an Aussie starts talking to you. You could be standing on the road waiting for the green light to cross it - an Aussie will start talking to you. next thing: you will have an invitation to a barbecue! once at the barbie you will be shown your room for the night...
...we are not joking - it happened to us!

The whole attitude of the Aussies is so different to how it is in europe! no one looks at your clothing, your car, your electronic accessories such as mobile phones etc.

aussies are interested in YOU as a person! full stop!
it is not important what your job is, how much you earn, if you drive a company car or what other benefits your job gives you - it is your personality that counts!

what a nice change!!!

aussies also raise their kids differently. PE (sports) classes at schools involve going to the beach to surf. Aussies kids are OUTDOOR kids, their meeting point is the beach (ok, i am obviously NOT talking about those people living in the outback!), their spare time activities are bodyboarding, surfing, cycling rather than playstation.

work seems to be a means to enjoy their spare time and not the other way round! the centre of their lives is their free time and not work!

so different to europe! so nice to experience!

people are so genuine here - they love us because we love their country and they represent it in the best way. it is not unusual that once you meet friendly people they give you the address and phone number of their friends/relatives that you havent met but it is ok to contact them and to stay in their place if you pass by...
...amazing but true!!!

we love the aussies and their life-style! something we definitely will try to adapt in our future lives back in europe!

at this point a big THANK YOU to all aussies we have met that made our stay so wonderful! thank you Sandra and Graeme, thanks Scotty, Kat, Eleanor, Whazza, Cherie, and all the others.