WA - Geraldton - A Story from Theresa Bowen, USA.
From Theresa Bowen in the USA. - My Dream Trip to Australia - Geraldton, WA
From: "Theresa Bowen"
I was fortunate enough to meet someone who lives in Geraldton, Western Australia via the Internet. We corresponded for five months, and he invited me to come and visit his country. Wow! What an experience. As I have told many people, Australia is a beautiful place to look at, and its people are beautiful, both inside and out.

The daytime skies are the bluest I have ever seen. The nighttime skies reveal the most incredible light show of stars that I've ever experienced. I could see the Milky Way, and the Southern Cross. I felt like I could just reach up and grab them, they seemed so close. The Indian Ocean is absolutely gorgeous. Where I stayed, at the Greenough Rivermouth, I had a $2 million view, as the river flows into the Ocean. When I would awaken in the morning, I felt like I was in heaven. The sun was shining brightly, the trees outside the window swayed in the breeze, the birds were singing. It was incredible. Australia has some of the most beautiful birds you could see anywhere. My favorites were the pink and gray Gallahs (parrots). There would be flocks with at least 75 birds in them. What a sight!

The people in this area are the best of the best! Everyone is so warm and friendly. Australians truly have figured out how to live life ... "No worries" is a common expression. And they have none. They love their country, and they love visitors. I've never felt more welcomed anywhere.

I had never seen a kangaroo ... Australians all have "Roo Bars" on their vehicles ... But I saw them in Australia, and I even held a 6-month old baby ... "Stanley". He was precious. They are sweet animals.

Australians use the most interesting of phrases, and combined with their delightful accents, you just feel like smiling all the time. I could feel every single bit of stress fall away from me after being there for a few days. I felt like I died and went to heaven.

I traveled from central New York State, through Chicago, and on to Los Angeles. Then I traveled from Los Angeles to Sydney and on to Perth via Qantas Airlines. What a fabulous airline! My one suggestion is that ifyou have the luxury, stay overnight in Los Angeles. If you can't do that going in both directions, at least do it on the way back, as the jet lag seems to affect you really hard on the return trip.

This was the dream vacation of my life, and I can't wait to go back for another visit.

A tiny editorial note: Theresa says 'Australians all have 'roo bars'. It is true that kangaroos exist in such numbers in certain areas that the chances of hitting them - particularly at dusk or at night time - are really high. They are very stupid and actually hop in front of a car. I have actually had a kangaroo overtake me and try and hop past me by hopping in front of the car. If you hit them they can really damage the car badly - to say nothing of what they do to themselves. But the 'roo bar' really only exists in rural areas. Not many city cars have roo bars - and if they do, it is an affectation rather than a practical piece of equipment.

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