Am I ever going to make it to Australia?  Absolutely.  Has it been a priority?  Well, not so much.

As amazing as Australia is, and as high as it ranks on my bucket list, it’s pricey and far — so I couldn’t plan a last-minute adventure on the fly; I would have to save up and plan ahead.

Then again…winter is right around the corner, and what better season to visit Australia?

Here are a few places I’d like to visit in Australia:

(Image: Rob Michalski)

Melbourne

The Sydney vs. Melbourne debate continues to rage, and I have friends living (temporarily or permanently) in both cities.  But today, I’m going to side with Melbourne.

Melbourne has so much cultural diversity — and with cultural diversity comes ETHNIC FOOD!  It’s on the beach, the weather is temperamental (sounds like home!), and it’s close to the highlights of Victoria, like the Great Ocean Road.

Image: Michael Dawes

 

Fraser Island

Fraser Island is a sand island off the coast of Queensland.  A lot of people put groups together and take a 4WD vehicle around the island, setting up camp at night (though I’ve since learned that there are also resorts there).  There are beaches, warm lakes, and plenty of dingoes!

Covering Fraser Island would definitely be an adventure, and it’s no wonder a trip of the island is included in so many Queensland holiday packages.  To be honest, I’d rather go here than dive the Great Barrier Reef (my fear of scuba rises again!).

Image: Evamaria N

Western Australia

I have had such a fascination with Western Australia for a long time, and meeting an Italian friend in Senggigi, Indonesia, who spent a year working in Western Australia (“It’s the BEST part,” he told me), made me want to visit it even more.

The city of Perth looks like it has a lot to offer.  But I’d love to see the countryside even more — the vineyards of Margaret River, the dolphins at Monkey Mia, and especially the beach town of Broome, pictured above.  I love how wild it is — it’s like it’s the edge of the end of the world.

When will I get to Australia?

We’ll have to wait and see.  But you know I’d never turn down a trip there!  🙂