Travelling from the UK, you can't get much further away than Australia, a diverse land of wildly different natural history and wildlife. A trip to Australia really does confirm that this land is on the other side of the world. Despite a strong connection with the UK and British culture through a sustained period of colonisation, Australia is definitively New World and has proved to be a major tourist draw for European holiday makers.
A gruelling flight time of up to 20 hours is well rewarded as travellers are greeted with an abundance of attractions from the sophistication of Sydney Harbour, resplendent with its' famous bridge and opera house to the wilderness of the bush typified in the Northern Territory and 'far north' of Queensland. The first thing that strikes you about Australia is the sheer size of the country. It is, in reality, more of a continent than a country and traversing the length and breadth of the place can be a daunting, challenging, but ultimately vastly rewarding experience. The diversity of culture and landscapes - from rainforest to metropolis to desert offers so much to the visitor.
Australia has long been established as a major destination on the backpacker route with
flights to Australia usually available on their round the world tickets. It is perfect for long stay holidays due to the scale of the place and volume of attractions on offer. Many backpackers skip to the 'major' attractions and cities using the abundant internal flights, but to see the real Australia, a visit down under has 'road trip' written all over it. Although the distances involved are huge, the rewards for hiring a car and traversing the highways – coastal roads, rainforest tracks and desert routes – are that it allows the visitor to grasp the true identity of Australia. Car hire in Australia is fairly simple, aided by the fact that they too drive on the left, with most of the major car rental firms offering
car rental in Australia with depots in the major towns and cities.
Even for the more short term holiday maker – typically visiting Sydney and the East Coast – car hire in Australia allows you to explore the coast stretching from New South Wales up to tropical Queensland, trading cosmopolitan Sydney and fabulous beaches for adventure treks and scuba diving somewhere along the way.
About the author:
Andrew Regan is an online journalist who enjoys socialising at his local
Edinburgh rugby club.
