Davepeanuts's blog

The Land of Oz

Do you come from a land down under?  Ohhh! Well if you don’t, and if you’ve never been down that way, then perhaps it’s time to dig out that cork-string hat and journey through the centre of the Earth, straight to the Land of Oz: The great Australia. Alternatively it might be a tad easier to just book a flight to Sydney and start there, rather than traversing the planets’ molten core.

In recent years, Britain’s have had an ever increasing love affair with the continent of Australia. The amount of TV emigration shows and relocation programmes have practically tripled within the last decade. Every year more and more Britain’s are descending down under; almost 100,000 UK citizens immigrate to Oz in search of a new life every year. The number continues to increase year by year, but just what is so fascinating about the place? Can it really be just the sun, sand, surf and Fosters? Is life in Oz really that much more preferable? 

Australia

Of course Brit’s haven’t always held Australia in such high esteem, far from it in-fact. Back in the days of the British Empire we used the continent as a vast dumping ground for all our waifs and strays, not to mention boatloads of criminals. Eventually the wholesale transportation of convicts was stopped and soon after in 1901 the federation of Colonies was formed. It took a further 30 years for Australia to achieve independence; in 1931 the Statute of Westminster was signed, officially acknowledging Australia’s as an independent autonomous Commonwealth state.

Since the countries inception, Australia has continued to grow from strength to strength. The country now ranks highly amongst the G20, and its economy remains strong having escaped much of the financial meltdown that has hit the rest of the Western world. 56% of Australia’s economy is service based and a large percentage of that revolves around tourism. Every year thousands of tourists take flights to Australia from all over the world, hoping to catch a piece of that sunshine feeling.

So just what is so appealing about Australia? Well for starters 4 of Australia’s cities, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and Sydney, are within the Economist’s top 10 most liveable cities in the world. The country was also ranked 2nd in the UN Human Development Index and 6th in the Economist’s Quality of Life Index. So from all accounts it seems that Australians not only have nice places to live, but they also have good functional cities and great quality of life. So what else have they got?...

Well, I mean you can’t really count all that glorious sunshine can you? Neither do I think it’s fair to include places like the Outback, Ayers Rock, the Gold Coast and the Great Barrier Reef – I mean having those things within one country is just geological luck isn’t it? The Sydney Opera House and Steve Irwin’s Zoo are another two sites that feature heavily on any tourist handbook. To be quite frank, Australia has lots to offer. It really is no wonder that thousands visit each year. The country has lots of beautiful beaches which contains some of the best surf in the Pacific Rim, numerous urban centres packed full of museums, galleries, parks and more. The Great Barrier Reef is arguably the best scuba diving location in the entire world; the Australian government has gone to great lengths to protect and preserve this unique environment.

Perhaps the main reason why so many emigrate is the promise of a new life in the sun. The appeal is certainly tempting and with so much to see and do it’s easy to see why thousands go for broke every year.        

To beach or to board...

It seems that the majority of holidaymakers are either boarders or beach’ers. Personally I can’t stand the beach, you get sand everywhere, it gets boiling hot and there’s practically no shade, which combines to make it the most boring, dry and dusty experience this side of the Gobi Desert. Give me a mountain, the fresh cool alpine air and a shit load of powder any day; it’s much more exciting than slicing your foot up on a razor clam and getting sepsis from the local sewage outlet.

For me the filthy state of our local beaches has always been a major, major turn off, most of the time they’re strewn with wrappers, plastic bottles, dog mess and children, it’s completely disgusting. Despite my clear and understandable reservations, not every beach is like the one I described, far from it in-fact. I hardly imagine that the beaches of Tenerife, Barbados and Thailand look anything remotely like Blackpool or Newquay. In fact I imagine that the beaches of Tenerife and Grand Canaria are packed full of golden sand and set up against a backdrop of luscious clear blue water. In my mind I also imagine lots and lots of palm trees, bikini clad hotties and fish with snorkels.

Denise on the beach

I’m on the whole completely opposed to these kinds of beaches, in-fact having never set foot on a tropical island I can imagine that my opinion would quickly change. The chance to do a bit of beach fishing, some snorkelling and generally drink vast amounts of liquor out of coconuts sounds extremely appealing right now. However, at the same time I could quite easily strap on a pair of salopettes, knock back a few shots of schnapps and hit the piste.   

Boarding has always been an interest of mine, it’s just a shame that it’s so expensive if you happen to live in a country with only minimal amounts of mountainous terrain. If you live in the UK you have to trek out into Europe to get your dose of boarding thrills. The last time I went, we managed to get a great last minute package deal which included accommodation, flights, lift passes and car hire in Austria. The accommodation was a bit ropey and due to the lateness of our departure there wasn’t much snow, but there was enough off-piste to keep us riding across the two weeks. It was the first time I’d been to Austria and although it wasn’t the best skiing holiday, the people were friendly and the nightlife was interesting and varied, I’d definitely go back again if I had the chance. 

Austria skiing

Alas not this year, the season is coming to an end, perhaps I should about investing in some fishing gear and a couple of beach towels.

Holiday decisions

Going on holiday can often be a stressful experience. Getting everything ready and in order can take an age, you often need the holiday just to relax and unwind from all the planning and preparation. First of all you have to choose a destination, maybe you’ll want to go to France, but you’re partner isn’t too keen, so you have to compromise and then that causes arguments, because one of you isn’t altogether happy. Next you need to choose a hotel, get insurance, sort out your passports, exchange money, sort out a flight, pack, unpack, then repack etc etc – the list just goes on.  
      
I think the biggest headache of all is the travelling; you have to get to the airport, then queue, go through passport control, wait on the runway for an hour or more – I’m normally exhausted by this point and ultimately bored out of mind, wishing that I’d never left in the first place.

Failing to get your travel plans in order can lead to complete and utter disaster. Once you land you land you need to pick up your hire car or hire van from the airport, after which you must perilously attempt to navigate your way out into foreign lands. I’m sure that statistically the amount of people who crash/knock/bump their hire vehicle before they’ve even gotten out of the airport must be high. Soon thou you’re out on the open road experiencing the thrills and spills of driving on the wrong side of the road and experiencing continental roundabouts which make as much sense as a chocolate fireguard.

Cancelled

 But it’s an experience – well that’s what you keep telling yourself. Eventually you arrive and check in, dump your bags and then hit the bar for a much needed dose of sanity and relaxation, but even then, in the back of your mind, there is always the depressing thought of having to do it all again once the week or fortnight is over – hence why when most people return the answer to the inevitable ‘did you have a good time?’ is generally ‘yeah, but I could do with a holiday to recover’.  
 
 

Oui oui oui - An englishmans love-hate affair with France.

As an Englishman when you hear the word France three things instantly to mind; garlic, ‘gay Paree’ and of course Agincourt. But despite the UK’s irrational hatred and stigmatized stereotype of France and the French, millions of us still head to Brittany and Aquitaine each year for our summer holidays. In fact it’s quite amazing how disparaging we can be to one of our closest neighbours with whom we culturally share so much. Despite all our differences and all of our past difficulties, both cultural identities are not really that dissimilar. Both nations are extremely proud, arrogant, liberal and secular. Across Europe and the world our two countries have become renowned as global centers for art, architecture, literature, food and fashion.

With so much common ground and common history between us it’s a surprise that our two countries don’t get on better. Aside from the similarities, one thing France does have over England is the weather. For sure France wins that one hands down. Another grudging point I must make is that France has the upper-hand when it comes to scenery, but this is down more to geography, rather than some sort of national or cultural superiority. Yes indeed France has some truly spectacular regions and vistas to behold. Come with me on a virtual road trip as we pick up a hire car and head through the French countryside

Northern France is quite bleak, for obvious reasons, yet it holds a myriad of charms as anyone who has ever been to Paris, Nancy or Strasbourg can attest to; Nancy has to be one of the most beautiful and idyllic cities I have ever been to and it well worth a stopover. Paris, well what does one really need to say about such a spectacular city? There is so much to do and no trip to ‘Paree’ is complete without a walk through the Louvre, a waltz round the Eiffel Tower and a quick wander through the Palace of Versailles.

Palace of versailles

As you head down south the scenery just gets more spectacular and weather just gets hotter and hotter. Of course if you head east and south things get slightly colder as you head up towards the French Alps. Another thing France has over England is mountains. Although, we have one or two they certainly don’t compare with the ones France has to offer. Some of the best skiing in Europe is situated within the French Alps, and if you’re passing through the Alps then should definitely consider hopping over the border to Switzerland and visiting the beautiful city of Geneva and its great lake.

Mont blanc

Right down in the south lies the French Riviera, Monaco and the great Mediterranean. Towards Spain and the Spanish Pyrenees lies the historic medieval town of Carcassonne, one of the most well preserved castles of its era. Now a UNESCO world heritage site, the city is a must see for anyone who finds themselves within that area. After you’ve had your fill of culture you can always finish up in Biarritz, France’s undisputed surfers paradise and a well known holiday hotspot.    

Carcassonne