Guest Author - Michelle R. Mangio
If you missed it airing on television in the US in January, you can still check it out at http://www.oprah.com/showinfo/Oprahs-Ultimate-Australian-Adventure - and if you don't know what I'm talking about, it's Oprah's Ultimate Australian Adventure.
That's right: Oprah Winfrey, and 300 of her Ultimate Viewers, headed down under for what was truly the ultimate adventure in Australia. It was, perhaps, one of the most amazing looks at the best places and most luxurious experiences to be had while journeying in Australia, and if you've ever wanted a peak at what you might be missing by not going to Australia, be sure to check out the four episodes!
Why should you care about Oprah's trip to Australia? Well, for one thing, it helped to raise awareness of just what there is to see and do while in this fantastic country. But it's also what it means to you, as a traveler: namely that in the wake of such a huge amount of publicity to "The Land of Oz," many tour operators have packaged together some fantastic itineraries that will allow you to experience Australia like a celebrity. And many more have some great deals and itineraries that will allow your dollar to take you even further. Now truly is a great time to visit Australia.
But if you've ever wondered - what is it like in Australia? What things can I see and do? And you'd much rather watch something that gives you some amazing highlights, rather than spend time researching and reading, then Oprah's show is worth checking out.
Don't get me wrong - there's a lot she got to do that most of us will never experience. Be it that we're not celebrities ourselves (so it's unlikely that Hugh Jackman will zipline down to the Sydney Opera House for us), or that it just may be beyond our budgets (a Barbeque on Whitehaven Beach would be a very expensive thing! That said, there are some options for getting out there, if it's on your must-do list!). Or, in the case of the Aboriginal Woman's dance in Uluru, not something offered to the average traveler.
But there's plenty you can do: you can still go experience Sydney Opera House (minus Hugh Jackman), and take a helicopter over the Heart Reef (it does run around $350 per person, mind you). And it highlights the amazing experiences you can have: sunrise over Uluru, for example, is something you are likely to never forget, and the tours to get you out there are affordable.
Oprah is certainly not the first to make a huge promotion out of taking a journey to Australia, but she's probably made it the most accessible to American audiences. And if you've wondered what the hype is about - why a trip to Australia truly is the adventure of a lifetime - check out her four videos and see for yourself.
