Australia -- A land that celebrates life

I believe in love at first sight — at least that’s how I can best describe my first visit to Australia some time back. My team, along with my Pakistani musician friends Ali Azmat, his entire band and the famous Pakistani stand-up comedian Umar Sharif were on a concert tour, an Indo-Pak peace tour called the Dosti tour.

The least I can say is that it was a wonderful trip — a fabulous mix of work and pleasure. I had never been to Australia before and though we were on work, we also kept a week’s break in between shows to be able to explore the country. I like holiday destinations which have a story to tell so that I can bring something back home. This apart, that I’m also a musician drew my attention to unique musical instruments like the didgeridoo, which I got back home as a memento.

In Sydney, we stayed at the Harbour side which boasted of a breathtaking view. One fine day, we drove uphill and in two hours we were at the highest mountain top of Australia, the Blue Mountains, with sub-zero, freezing temperature. The very same evening, we drove to the Bondi beach, with its scorching sun - such is Australia, a land of extremes.

The Blue Mountains tour was simply fantastic. And yes, we had one of the best guides, perfectly versed with the ins and outs of the slopes. It definitely was one of the highlights of our holiday in Australia.

Moving on, in a gorgeous private location in the Docklands is one of Melbourne’s most beautiful nightclubs, Alumbra. This is one place that goes beyond good music and great drinks. Its stunning decor is matched by the panoramic view overlooking the pier.

A trip to the Koala Sanctuary starts with the unique scents of the Eucalyptus rainforest. What followed was a colourful, floor-to-ceiling mural depicting the koala’s 15 million-year history accompanied by the sounds of an aboriginal corroboree, which I particularly liked. Pay a little attention and one can actually hear a koala call out! 

Of course, no trip Down Under is complete without a visit to the Sydney Opera House. I saw the Grand Organ, the largest mechanical tracker action organ in the world, with over 10,000 pipes.

Public transport in Australia is pretty convenient. Trams are popular in Melbourne and I enjoyed travelling in them. The very familiar yellow taxis in Sydney reminded me of home but the most enjoyable were the very affordable ferry rides from downtown to uptown. What amazed me was how well the waterway was being used as a mode of transportation, along with a fabulous view of the city. 

I quite enjoyed the multi-cuisine food in Australia - Japanese and Thai being the most popular. Sydney Harbour is dotted with the best restaurants. Bondi Beach, similar to our very own Goa, is the perpetual party place and with a huge variety of food. In Melbourne, I had some amazing seafood at St Kilda Beach and lip smacking Italian food at The Crowne Casino. I can’t forget a restobar in Sydney which is actually a church converted into a German restaurant. I’d like to go back to Australia soon. It’s a land which celebrates life to the fullest. Australians strictly don’t like to work after 5pm, how I wish we could do this in India too.