Lure of the Great Outdoors

dining outdoors with friends @ Robe, SA

It's obvious that the average Aussie has an enduring love affair with the great outdoors. Having 4 seasons with temperate climate helps. Weather is not as predictable as it is back home where it is easy to take the lush tropicana for granted. But I believe it's more than that, they appear to have a close affinity with the land. It's so refreshing to hear them speak so positively, almost lovingly about mother nature. There's usually an element of awe too. This is evident in their expansiveness---gorgeous, fabulous, fantastic, beautiful---are words more oft used to describe how they see their environment even in the driest, greyest, dullest drought-stricken areas (oops I just revealed how I see it ha!). Sun-worshipping is their favorite outdoor activity (small wonder why Australia has the highest incidence of skin cancer in the world!). Outdoor dining wins hands down over indoor. 

water-skiing @Murray River, campers at back

They also love going barefoot anywhere they can get away with it. And going hatless even in the heat of day. I have taken to wearing hats to avoid the sun (a favorite outdoor activity of Pinoys: sun-avoidance) rather than use an umbrella. Umbrellas are almost nonexistent here. Even in the hottest of summer days, warm fresh air trumps stale airconditioned air anytime. A trend slowly picking up in Manila although I would hesitate because of the horrendous pollution and the sticky humidity. Quite uncomfortable rendering one looking like a limp rag. In Manila, I'll take the stale air-conditioned indoors over the warm carbon monoxide-laden outdoors anytime thank you. 

Mildura motor show draws a good crowd; default 
dress code for most everything is CASUAL

Events and activities they will do outdoors if they can help it. Water-based events such as ski races and fishing comps are very popular. Land-based such as motor shows and market days are convenient excuses to celebrate the great outdoors. They do know how to have fun. I am loving it. I've always been an outdoorsy person, but I am more so now having married a man of the bush.

caravans, a common sight on the road

This love affair extends to their golden years. Grey nomads. The common goal of the true green-and-gold Aussie---to explore the country on wheels in their greying years---at least the baby boomer generation of which I am told I'm part of (I don't mind, even though I feel and look more gen x. Heck I'll take both and enjoy the best of both!). Something like retiring on the road. The wander years. Fun! Entire magazines are dedicated to it dishing out advice on caravans, camping gear, destinations, hot fishing spots, stopovers, toilets guide, etc.  It's a common sight---a car or 4WD towing a caravan, a smiling relaxed older couple at the helm. 

typical caravan park

The countryside is replete with very comfortable caravan parks, a friendlier alternative to motels. Now, motels in Au do not have the same seedy connotation as they do in the Philippines, e.g. infamous for quickie illicit liaisons, places of ill-repute no self-respecting Filipina would be caught dead in. In fact, they're quite respectable places offering accommodation, nothing else. Hotels, at least in rural Au, are not the same as hotels where I come from e.g. high-rise places offering accommodation, fine food, conferencing facilities, entertainment. Hotels are in fact pubs where the community congregate after work for drinks, a feed, a game of darts or billiards, or watch some sport on the telly; normally no accommodation offered. 

my neighborhood pub/hotel

It's where the latest goss is shared between gulps of one's favorite ale. It's a good place for the traveling grey nomad to get the latest news from the bartender who would normally be the owner-publican (no not the anti-Christ character of the Bible, but the person that mans the pub. I felt so silly reacting like an offended Catholic upon hearing that word for the first time ---images of Christ being persecuted by a mob of publicans and sinners flashing through my mind ha!).

tyranny of distance; Mungo park 
far from everywhere

Travel, in general, seems to be in their blood. And why not? It'll take a lifetime to explore all 7.68 million sqkm of this vast and wonderfully diverse land. It's kinda by default that they have to travel anyway to cover tremendous distances. They even have a catch-phrase for it--the tyranny of distance. It used to boggle my mind  that it was nothing to them to drive 100 km for a meeting or a party then drive back the same day. What with such good roads and little traffic, 100 km would only take an hour to drive. As a Manilena, driving that far meant an overnight stay and certainly at least two hours of stressful driving one-way. I remember doing the commute from Subic (where I lived and worked for 4 yrs) to Manila and would pride myself if I covered it in under 3 hrs, all 160 km of it!! Must be better now with the new highway that's supposed to cut travel time by half. The only times I would come back the same day was when I hired a driver. Otherwise, it was too much for me. Now 4 years onward, it's nothing to me to drive for meetings 200+ kms away and come back in time for dinner. Certainly distance does not impinge on my quality of life these days. Most, except the ferals (remember this from Strine II?), are even overseas travel-literate which accounts for their warmly accepting manner. Nothing like exposure to other cultures and way of living to expand one's understanding and raise one's level of tolerance for human differences. 

@ Mungo Park lookout; the vastness behind us

Our personal homage to the great outdoors is our humble nipa hut (see The Aussie Barbie). It allows us many hours of outdoor enjoyment in comfort. Not to mention the business that Stan runs allows him to stay in close touch with it.  Me too from time to time when they need a female perspective or a spare cook. Someday, we will hit the road like a couple of smiling  relaxed grey nomads and carry on the happy tradition of our generation. Until then, we will strive not to let work get in the way too much of our travels.