Down Under – Road Trip

Happy to finally have something to write that is related to travels. The family brood will be heading down under to Australia in approximately 28 days’ time! Boy am I trembling with excitement as I count down the days. It has been two years since the last big trip to France and Italy.

I started planning for the trip really early since April. It is good because it gives you ample time to plan and enjoy early bird discounts but at the same time, the wait can be excruciating.

Australia was chosen because Theo’s cousin in Brisbane is getting married this September. So we decided to take the opportunity to extend our trip and take a 12-day road trip along the coast.

I was fiddling with three potential road trips from Brisbane.

1. Head north to Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef

2. Head south to Sydney along the No. 1 Pacific Highway

3. Fly to Sydney and attempt the Great Ocean Road to Melbourne

The Great Barrier Reef would be a wonderful watery experience for all of us. To explore and appreciate one of the seven natural wonders of the world before it dies. But my children are still too young to attempt deep water snorkeling.

I also heard so much about the Great Ocean Road drive, the penguins on Philip Island and the ’12 apostles’ from friends who have returned from Australia. It gave me the impression that if you drive in Australia, you must be on this road.

However after much consideration, we actually chose the less exciting route – to take on the Pacific Highway from Brisbane to Sydney as it deemed most suitable for the children. While it may not be tops on the Singaporeans’ list, it is actually one of the more popular holiday routes for the locals. When in Rome, do what the Romans do right?

The consolation though is that we would be arriving in Australia during the humpback whales’ migratory period when they head north towards their nesting grounds during winter (June – Aug) and then back southwards in Sep – Nov. A road trip along the east coast and stops in the many coastal towns would be ‘sure’ to yield sightings of these gigantic beasts of the Pacific Ocean.

Based on this promise alone, I look forward to an exciting road trip Down Under which I entitle ‘The hunt for the humpback whale’.

One thought on “Down Under – Road Trip

  1. You´ve red the write-up in peoples magazine August, as well, right? The writer had some photos from his travels through the world and wrote extremely comparable about his trip. Oh man, and I have to stay the next 4 month in my boring hometown till i can travel once more.

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