Page 21 - Dispatches - June 2022
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written a book about living alone, so I get it, and lifeguards (!), the pubs, the food, hidden gems,
am very much Team Solo Traveler. and most of all the people.
O.A.T.: What current events have you been O.A.T.: What is the most important thing
discussing with your travelers? you want travelers to learn when visiting
your country?
I have a “Four P’s” policy for my groups:
Be positive, polite, and punctual, and don’t An appreciation of Australian Aboriginal
discuss politics! However, we do discuss issues history and culture and an understanding of
like climate change in relation to the Great the issues today. It is an incredibly ancient,
Barrier Reef (Australia is the canary in the coal resilient culture and their people have a
mine), and I’ll often share a copy of the day’s visceral connection to the land. The historical While you should never
newspaper if there is a current events story I past is confronting, but they still have an feed kangaroos in the
think my travelers will find interesting. amazingly strong sense of who they are.
There are more than 250 different indigenous wild, Australia is home
O.A.T.: What surprises travelers most languages and 800 dialects spoken across to many wildlife parks
about Australian culture? where it’s possible to
Australia.
On first sight, Australia can seem quite To put it in perspective, if Aboriginal culture do so.
familiar, so I present the following facts early was 24 hours old, the British arrived three and Smart Travels with
on, unpacking them over the course of the tour:
a half minutes ago. Rudy Maxa: Sydney
• Voting is compulsory (we are one of 22 O.A.T.: What are some of your most
countries where this is so). If you don’t vote, you memorable moments with travelers?
get fined.
Gosh, so many! It’s funny, although Australia
• We have universal (free) healthcare. We is a “bucket list” destination for many
contribute 2% of our salaries to fund it.
Americans, it’s not stroking a kangaroo, or
• We have strict gun control laws. Handguns are swimming with a turtle on the reef, or picking
totally illegal. your jaw off the floor in front of the Sydney Follow Emmy Award
• Our minimum wage is $20.33 per hour. Opera House, or eating an Aussie meat pie that winner Rudy Maxa
are the most memorable moments. It’s simply as he sails to scenic
• Although we are relaxed and friendly, chatting to a local on the tram in Melbourne beaches, treks in the
Australia is highly, tightly governed, and there or at a little pub in Tasmania. Connecting Blue Mountains, and
are rules for everything. For example, if you get with normal people just like you. My groups samples the cuisine of
caught texting while driving, it’s a $1000 fine are constantly surprised by how friendly and Sydney.
and four points off your licence. In an effort to relaxed Aussies are. We like Americans!
discourage smoking the government has made Watch Video
cigarettes expensive—about $37 USD per pack. In addition, it’s worth noting that Australia’s
borders have been completely shut for two
• We are part of the Commonwealth, and The years. No one in, no one out. We had some
Queen is our Head of State. Experience the
of the harshest lockdowns in the world.
• Our aboriginal culture is 60,000-80,000 years Tourism disappeared. Now that everything has famously warm
old, making it the oldest living culture in the opened up, we are all so happy to see visitors welcome from the
world, by far. returning. We’ve missed you! Our warm Aussie people, and
contrast the culture
O.A.T.: Do you have a personal favorite welcome just got even warmer with that of New
place that you especially love sharing? . Zealand, during
So, so many places—Tasmania, Uluru (Ayer’s Enhanced! South
Rock) and King’s Canyon, for starters … but it Pacific Odyssey:
has to be Sydney. The Sydney Opera House— Australia, the
surely the best thing to have come out of the Outback & New
seventies in the whole world—the Harbour Zealand.
Bridge, ferries, Bondi Beach, Bondi Beach
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DISPATCHES • JUNE
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