Corners of the World
Going Deeper ,
Down Under
Somewhere amidst our coffee cups in cubicles , busy schedules and routine life shenanigans , we often find ourselves fantasizing about virgin islands , endless road trips and exhilarating adventures . It ’ s the need to feed the ever-growing wanderlust of exploring this magnificent , inexhaustible world of wonders . But the question is – how do we get there ?
Australia is one such destination that ’ s bucket-listed by most travel enthusiasts , and indeed for long has been at the very top of mine . Known for its vast wilderness , unique wildlife , sun-kissed golden and snowy white beaches and an entire world of marine life and underwater topography that is unique to the Great Barrier reef , the natural heritage of the country , is accompanied by a few hustling metropolis cities along the coastline , with influences of
Rituparna Ghosh
some very distinctive and diverse indigenous cultures that trace back to thousands of years ago , and are still thriving in parts of the region .
After 25 years of living within the cemented jungles of an urban Indian metropolitan , a life predisposed to societal norms and family expectations , I was lucky to get the opportunity to make my way down to the hip ‘ n ’ happy city of Melbourne . Ready to immerse myself in the supremely diverse ecosystem and the multifaceted life on the island continent , I was quick to learn how big Australia is , and realised that the most ideal way of exploring and experiencing the marvels of the country is by renting / buying an RV and driving along the coastline . With caravan parks in every nook and corner , motor homes make for far more flexible travels , and turn out to be quite economical when the costs are shared . The drive from Melbourne to Cairns covers approximately 3500 km and requires a minimum of one month to travel . This route is extremely popular among travellers who come to Australia on a one year working holiday visa ( Indians of course aren ’ t for it ), making it a paradise for backpackers and road trippers from all
18 destination exotica | february 2017