No offense Moiraine, Paris was just the main place I stayed when I was there. My main impression if you like. Of course, I understand the difference between the window and the heart and soul of a country.
In regard to Australia, it helps if you percieve it as a small continent (which it is). We have snow capped mountains in the south, places where it always rains - places where it never does. We have lakes of salt (no water), Asian-like rainforest/jungle up north near Cairns. Plenty of beaches, some desolate, others crowded - one is ninety miles long.
Melbourne with its trams and culture has been likened to certain Euro cities, while Sydney with its beaches and car-reliance to certain American ones. I think if you came here you'd find them quite unique. Sydney harbour is a sight. (I often catch ferrys over to the studio.)
In the north west I saw huge canyons or gorges as we called them, a lake with marble instead of sand as it's base, mountains of red rock/dirt, huge farms that take days to cross.
In NSW I've seen lakes that would make Suul-Yinn feel at home, huge huge forests in the south, which are evergreen - (no NATIVE Australian tree loses their leaves in winter.)
Here bushfires make the forest grow back thicker and greener and are necessary for gum trees continued propogation.
Like any country we have problems, but on the upper, the multicultural element of Australia means we have great variety of food. (YUM) I found when coming back into Australia from being O/seas there was a more relaxed easygoing vibe that pervaded everywhere.
Mind you the number of killer 'things' is incredible. Blue ringed octopus, great white shark, redback spider, funnelweb spider, scorpion, snakes, crocodiles. On the radio I heard about one northern town where there were more crocs than people. "Where do they go?" the DJ asked. "Oh, the main street" was the casual reply. "What do you do?" the DJ shot back. "Stay indoors" the local drawled "Call the ranger".
There are no crocs or kangaroos hopping where I live though.
See ya.
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