Author: Ben Hoyland
Source: ezinearticles.com

It’s actually a pretty good question. Why should you go backpacking in Australia, the strange and deserted country far away from anywhere else? Being solely known for kangaroos, the boomerang and a nut head chasing crocs, Australia doesn’t give a good first impression. And apart from that, it’s probably the most dangerous place on this planet. We are talking about the world leading country in venomous spiders, hungry sharks, and deadly snakes. In fact, of the ten most dangerous snakes in the world, Australia has the lot. So why would you travel to such a horrific place?

The answer is simple; Australia is a backpacker’s paradise. Being equally wonderful ands unique, Australia give you the opportunity to dive the spectacular Great Barrier Reef, experience the surfer lifestyle and survive a night in the outback. Australia has everything a backpacker could ever look for, and the hostels are packed with like-minded backpackers year-around.

Australian lifestyle:
Australia is often referred to as “The country of long weekends.” The relaxed and laidback Aussie way of living is a dream comes true for every backpacker. The only place in the world where ordering a Big Mac would take you about a half hour.

A country where people would not look twice if you got married in boardshorts or came to a business meeting in slippers. The people are actually so lazy that their spoken language make “sms speech” look like an easy read.

“No worries mate, I’ll chuck a snag on the barbie!!”

Travel to unique destinations:
Backpacking Australia gives you an unique opportunity to see spectacular wonders of nature that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. The mesmerizing colour of the Uluru’s rock, the breathtaking coastline of Great Ocean Road and the wondrous mysteries of The Great barrier reef are just a few of the trips Australia can offer. It might look astonishing on photos, but it can only be truly experienced in real life, accompanied by thousands of japanese tourists.

Meet the weirdos:
The mystical country down under is also home to quite a bunch of weirdos. We are talking about the country that took the concept of Lassie and thought; “Hmm, we could do the same with a kangaroo.” The greatest nut head of them all, Steve Irwin, is another Australian hero that has dominated the nature channels the last decade with his crocs and “Crikeys!” After his sudden and sadly passing in 2008, Steve Irwin’s passion and spirit can only truly be experienced in his lifework: The Australian Zoo. The zoo is still driven by his family, and has kept its atmosphere, unique to any other zoo in the world.

So how do I get down there?
When should I go?
Where should I go?
How much money do I need?
Should I travel with car or train?
Who should I travel with?
“…”

All of these questions are important, and need to be faced sooner or later, but guess what; NOT NOW! Planning a trip to Australia isn’t done over night, and the biggest mistake you can make is to start with the problems. When you travel around Australia, you will find there is one thing in common between all the overseas travelers. They all had a real desire to go there.

Before you can face the big tasks, you need to build up a desire to go there. Why do you want to travel there? Do you want to live the surfer lifestyle? Do you want to do a 16,000 feet skydive in Cairns? Do you want to live the cowboy lifestyle on a farm, miles from anywhere else? Read books, and articles reviewing Australia attractions and let them inspire you.

Find the one thing you are passionate about doing, get excited and even the hardest obstacles will come easy to you, while planning your trip to the equally mysterious and wonderful country down under.

Ben is a degenerate backpacker and a freelance travel writer that wrote this article for BackpackAustralia.net after spending 3 adventures months backpacking Australia.

This article is the first in a Backpack Australia series, that gives you all the fresh and hot tips on where to go and how to get there. You can read this article and the follow-up here: Backpacking Australia.