Sharing Travel Experiences

Watching and Waltzing Australia

by Andy Hayes

Australia seems to be the name in the frame as of late. First it was Australia The Movie (has anyone seen it? I’ve not been yet). And now it’s Cynthia Clampitt who has penned a lovely travelogue called Waltzing Australia in which she explores the more colourful, offbeat side of Australia. I spoke with Cynthia about the book and asked her a few questions – as many will know, I love Australia, especially Melbourne, so it is always great to take the opportunity to speak with an ‘Australia Expert’.

---

To me, this is a book about the “real” Australia – not just the shiny coastlines in Sydney and Melbourne. Would you agree?

I think it would be more accurate to say that the book is about the “complete” Australia, because Sydney and Melbourne are definitely part of real Australia, but are only a fraction of the complete picture. In Australia, I experienced rainforests filled with orchids and parrots; the Great Barrier Reef, where one square mile of reef offers more sea life diversity than the whole Atlantic Ocean; the Hamersley Range, thought to be the first part of the earth’s crust to cool; Kakadu, where birds congregate by the tens of thousands and crocodiles glide through the water; the southwest of Western Australia, where towering gum trees challenge California’s redwoods for size and the countryside is blanketed by breathtaking spring floral displays; Kangaroo Island’s delightful wildlife and fabulous rock formations; the splendid wine regions of South Australia and New South Wales; Tasmania’s impenetrable wilderness and convict relics; and vastly more.

Was there somewhere on your travels that was really amazing, special, and inspirational? A place that when you arrived you knew that this is why you had come on this journey?

There were actually a few places that were hugely special, but it came in stages — the deeper into the adventure I got, the more I discovered — about Australia and about myself. However, my first revelation came less than a week into the trip, when I visited the rainforest for the first time. My reaction to the incredible beauty was profound. I have a few excerpts from the book on my blog, and this one describes that first experience of the rainforest.

The Red Centre, in the Northern Territory, was the next big surprise. As I note in the book, the Northern Territory gave me myself. The weird, rugged beauty of the Centre enchanted me. I wanted so terribly to embrace the strange beauty, to be part of it, that camping out (something I hadn’t done since childhood) seemed, not a challenge, but a natural progression. It was as if, after years of wandering, I had finally come home.

King’s Canyon

Australia is a pretty big place – how long did it take to have all these adventures? Was it longer than it took to write the book?

I spent nearly six months that first time Down Under, covering nearly 20,000 miles. In a way, because the book is a journal, writing took just about the same amount of time as the trip itself, as I wrote every day. Of course, transcribing and polishing took a bit of time, mostly slowed by my need to earn a living and rebuild my career when I returned home.

How did you get from one place to the next? Are there options for people like myself who don’t want to drive all the time?

Actually, I didn’t drive until my second trip to Australia, at which time I did rent cars and covered fairly large substantial distances. But on that first trip, I mostly relied on local bus services and an occasional airplane. Australians are great ones for travel, and I found that Greyhound is a favorite way for many Australians to get around. It’s a great way to travel, as you can stare out the window and not worry about watching the road; or you can save money and time by taking an overnight bus and sleeping en route. There are bus routes just about everywhere there are roads, and Australian drivers are justly proud of their skill and on-time records, so it’s a very reliable way to travel — if you have the time. I did take a few planes that first trip — the less time you have, the more you need planes.

For the extremely remote areas, I’ve always gone with guides, with bush-savvy friends, or on tours. Australia is the size of the continental United States, but with only 20 million people, so once you’re out bush, you can go for days and even weeks without seeing another human being. It’s not the sort of place where you want to go walkabout without either years of experience or a good guide.

You’ve been compared in style to Bill Bryson. Would you agree with such a statement? How would you define your “style”?

I think that what I share with Bryson is the inclusion of personal meaning and the weaving in of information that deepens the reader’s understanding, rather than simply reporting what is being observed. However, the comment was that I was like a female Bill Bryson, because being a woman traveling alone slightly alters both how others related to me and how I was able to interact with my surroundings. So similar but different. If I had to define my style, I’d say conversational—but my conversation, which tends to be filled with anecdotes, factoids, enthusiasm, and humor. Friends have said they can hear my voice in their heads when they read the book. Others, including some reviewers, say they feel like I’ve taken them along with me. That’s pretty much what I was aiming for—having it be my voice and carrying folks along on the journey.

For our readers who are interested in exploring Australia in the way that you did, how would you suggest they get started in planning for their trip (apart from reading your book, of course!) ?

Well, my book is great for “showing” you the country and letting you know what Australia is like, but it’s not a guidebook — there are no hotel prices or visa information. So I’d recommend getting a good guidebook, such Lonely Planet, and going through and marking the pages that give you the practical information about all the places you want to visit. (Tip when picking guidebooks: I always make sure I get one book that is not fancy — no glossy paper or photos — and then I cut that book apart, so I only need to be carrying with me the pages I need on any given day.)

As for the serious planning, a lot depends on how much time you have—not only for the trip, but also for the preparation. I’d say that, if you can’t devote a huge amount of time to preparing and booking, and especially if you’re only going for a few weeks to a couple of months, then your best bet is to find a travel agent who specializes in Australia (online, if not in the neighborhood). Tourism Australia can give you some guidance in booking, but also has a link for finding a travel specialist. Even with all I know about Australia, for a shorter trip and if I don’t have a lot of time to plan, I go through my local Aussie Expert, because she keeps up to date on discounts, tour guides, and new discoveries.

But if someone really wanted to go for a long trip, like I did, then I’d recommend figuring out approximately what you want to do and when (for example, to avoid the rainy season or arrive for a festival), then just book the first week or so and head for the local state tourist offices when you arrive. (All state capitals have tourist offices for all other states.) That way, if you plan as you go, you can stay longer in one place if you fancy it, or you can move on more quickly if it’s not your cup of tea. There are endless possibilities for customizing the trip, if you can stay for several months. But Australia is a big country, so winging it like this really only works if you have time.

Cynthia is a freelance writer, culinary historian, and world traveler. She is the food historian and primary travel writer for Hungry Magazine and has written history or geography materials for every major educational publisher in the United States, among other projects. Research for her writing has her taken me all over the world, from Mongolia to Morocco, India to Iceland, Ecuador to Egypt.

She is currently working on a few new books. The one that will probably be completed first is about adding more travel to your life—and more life to your travel. But she also plans to do a sequel to Waltzing Australia, and she’s working on a food history project, as well.

---

Wow, Cynthia, loads of interesting insights and great information. Thanks for the tips and I hope to see you here on the blog in the future to discuss those other new books.

Readers, what’s your view on Australia? Tell us in the comments.

Does exploring the wilds of Australia sound like a dream come true?

What are you waiting for? Travel more with our special travel deals, such as:

Or, get hands-on travel help from Donna, our travel concierge.