185 kangaroos walk into a bar in one of the best Sydney Hotels… Sounds like the beginning of a bad joke right? Well, maybe I’ve watched too many specials on Animal Planet, but I’ve always wanted to visit Australia, especially after reading about a friend’s vacation there.
Reading actually has spurred a lot of my vacation fantasies, but some of my favorite novels did take place in Australia. The most obvious, of course, is The Thorn Birds (the movie was great, but I prefer the book) but I also loved Spearfield’s Daughter and All the Rivers Run, especially the river boating scenes in the latter.
While it’s true that none of these books talked about the Sydney Opera House, or offered details about Melbourne Hotels or Brisbane Hotels, they did instill within me a fascination for a country that shares a pioneering spirit and rugged outlook with my own.
I confess, I want to see Ayer’s Rock, and even though I’m not a surfer, I’d be willing to try for a taste of Australian waves.
I wouldn’t even mind if the only place I see a kangaroo is in the zoo.
Well, living in Australia myself, I can tell you that you can see kangaroos not only in zoos, but also in the wild. In fact, I live just north of Cairns (in Far North Queensland – towards the pointy tip) and there are plenty of kangaroos just up the road. Keep dreaming about Australia, but try to make that dream a reality. (Have you ever tried any Tim Winton books?)