Rommel Sharma, Solutions Development Manager, Adobe, gives us the lowdown on five major cities of Australia - Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Gold Coast. He was there for a few months for work. He feels 'Down under' is fairly distant from the rest of the world—the continent- country of Australia is a study in contrast: cosmopolitan and up to date, yet gifted with some of nature's most extreme anomalies. It is, therefore, in Rommel's words "A traveller’s paradise, with something palatable for every taste." Read on to find out more…
By the way, Australia also plays a mean game of cricket. Easy enough to by-pass—even if you are a cricket crazy Indian—given the many noteworthy pluses of the world's largest island and continent-country
Get this: it is the sixth largest country in the world in terms of land-mass—richly gifted with nature's bounties and a love of sport, business and investment that makes it the perfect haven for travellers and investors alike.
One of the first things that stands out about Australia is the clear-cut demarcation of a Central Business District or CBD in each of its state capitals. "This makes travel easy and efficient, and is a triumph of town planning," says Bengaluru-based Rommel Sharma, Solutions Development Manager, Adobe. "In Melbourne (capital of Victoria) within the Central Business District, the public transportation is free and is a boon for tourists due to the connectivity and affordability it offers. Anything outside of the CBD you will need a MyKi contactless travel smartcard," he says.
Other outstanding features? "This is a country that has not had a recession in close to 25 years. Good governance, honest use of tax-payer’s money, and a banking system that is vibrant, buoyant and responsible have a lot to do with it," he says. "The government also subsidies the loan on your first home, apart from cutting back on stamp duty."
But that's far from all. “As someone mentioned to me, when all people pay taxes it becomes easier for a nation to offer top of the line infrastructure, free or affordable healthcare, education and where possible discounted or free public transportation at certain places," he observes.
A business-friendly destination, you can go there for work, and eventually, if you stick to the law— you'll get citizenship. "They also have a scheme for significant investors wherein they invest over 75 million USD in the country—and get an extended visa and other benefits," he says.
The Chinese have a significant presence in the country, given Australia's magnetism as a business paradise. Indians are relatively few—usually there to study—and less than a lakh in number in various states. But overall, Australia—like America—is multi-cultural, friendly and welcoming to visitors.
"What also makes it a nice place to live is the availability of space. Like the US, they are land-rich and even middle-class people can afford big homes," says Sharma.
Not unlike other western countries, work-life balance is largely adhered to with the weekends being reserved for family, pubbing, partying or outdoor sports.
"Since Australia is blessed with lots of beaches and natural spaces, the Aussies love outdoor games, jogging, swimming and surfing activities. The weather is beautiful, and both trekking and walking are a pleasure," he says
As a people, they are non-interfering, friendly and easy to talk to. "There is also a deep sense of pride with regard to its aborigine (native settlers) population. Even as 'Made in Australia' ware dominates the malls, the aborigines are duly acknowledged. "For example, one of the best buys I made was a boomerang with the picture and profile of its craftsman aborigine. I thought, what a wonderful way to recognise one's history and varied culture," he says.
Rommel also makes an interesting link between the sledging the Aussie cricket team regularly draws flak for-and the local culture. "When they talk to visitors, they are unfailingly polite and soft. But amongst themselves— they call each other names. However, it's not an exercise in nastiness. It is, instead, a show of affection and comes from a largely informal, relaxed, interpersonal dynamic," he smiles. "As a result, you are most amused than taken aback, despite coming from a more formal set-up back home."
Here's a bird's eye view of some of the cities that Rommel visited:
Katoomba and the Blue Mountains:“Sundays are great days to travel by public transportation because the Sunday fare is AUD $2.50. All you need to do is buy an Opal contactless smartcard for public transport services that is available from bus/train stations and from various retailers
I took the train from Sydney to the famous Blue Mountains that offers views of some beautiful sandstone mountain formations that have taken interesting shapes due to erosion over a period-The Three Sisters formation being the most touristy in this region. I got down from the train that I took from Sydney CBD, at a quaint hill station named Katoomba and headed to the famous “Scenic World”
At Scenic World, I enjoyed a train ride that lets you experience a 52 degree incline being the steepest passenger railway in the world. The scenic railway is an engineering marvel for the time it was constructed for coal miners and locals. In addition, you can enjoy rides in Cableway or a Skyway offering you beautiful views of the mountains.
The Famous Bondi to Coogee Walk:“For an enjoyable walk in Sydney that offers breathtaking views one must go for the walk from Bondi to the Coogee beach. I walked around five km enjoying the walk and got into the public transportation to head back to my hotel, as the weather suddenly turned a little stormy on that evening affecting several flights to Sydney.”
Opera House and the Harbour Bridge: “There are a couple of free walking tours that are ideal to experience the heart of Sydney that take you around the famous landmark buildings including the Opera House and the harbour bridge. At the end of the tour, you pay whatever you feel like. Great concept—and a wonderful way to find out more.”
One of the first things that stands out about Australia is the clear-cut demarcation of a Central Business District or CBD in each of its state capital
“The first thing I learnt about Melbourne is that it is considered to be the cultural capital of Australia and as the tour guide jokingly said, Sydney tries its best to host as many cultural events and promotions to bag that title as well! Yarra River passes through the city and Southbank is one vibrant area where I enjoyed a nice long evening walk and dining at a couple of restaurants. This area has excellent options for some good restaurants by the Yarra River in addition to some arts and culture centres. There was even a helicopter sight-seeing service from a helipad at the banks of the river.
St Kilda is another area I enjoyed visiting. For families and children Luna Park is a good theme park in this area. There are streets packed with nice restaurants and shops and one can enjoy spending time here. There is also a beach nearby with a lot of stalls by the beachside on weekends.
This city is on the Brisbane River. If you would like to cuddle Koalas and get some cool pictures with Kangaroos, a visit to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary is a must. While I enjoyed my breakfast here I was given company by an Eastern Water Dragon that too was enjoying the sun. After being alarmed initially my fellow Australian tourists assured me it was okay and safe and I could enjoy taking some pictures of the giant lizard that I did. The TransLink Go contactless smartcard makes it easy for you to commute in public transportation that includes bus, train, ferry and tram.
Perth is the capital of Western Australia, a state known for its mining, petroleum, and agricultural export industries. The Perth Zoo is an attraction there. For cricket lovers, it is the Western Australia Cricket Association Ground, Perth. During one of my visits to Perth in January 2016 I got to see several members and players from the Indian cricket delegation that was staying in the same hotel— the Crowne Plaza Perth overlooking the beautiful Swan River.
From Brisbane I made a day trip visiting Gold Coast and spending the time at Surfer’s Paradise and in the streets around. Very vibrant place for those who want to relax and unwind by the beach side. Perfect for revellers of all types including families and kids.
Food:Being a vegetarian, I was concerned about food choices in Australia and was surprised by the availability of excellent options for vegetarians. Australians are good with food. I enjoyed varieties of the delicious smashed avocado dishes. My hosts introduced me to Vegemite that people either love or loath. I loved it. Wikipedia describes it: “It is a thick black Australian food spread made from leftover brewers’ yeast extract with various vegetable and spice additives developed by Cyril Percy Callister in Melbourne, Victoria, in 1922”. The other drink my hosts introduced me to, again something unique to Australia, was the Bundy rum (formally the Bundaberg Rum) that is also having a unique preparation. I enjoyed the drink while many don’t as the process to prepare it is a little different from that for a conventional rum.
Safety and Economy:Overall, the capital and the major cities of Australia that I visited are very safe. Crime rate is low.
Consistently, transparent government policies and auditing, well planned investments and trade and several other public and private sector initiatives have ensured that the country remains stable, safe and welcoming.
So the next time, the Aussie cricket team face off India—remember there’s so much more to their country than just that.
By Kalyani Sardesai
