The romance of the Outback

My curiosity about Australia started in high school, when I devoured romantic novels published in U.K. about British nurses going into the Australian desert, known as the Outback, for some adventure and maybe finding true love. Later in life – in my years as Travel Editor – I developed a penchant for Tasmania, its verdant virgin expanse along with its unique flora and fauna. Well, I checked that destination out of my bucket list in 2010…the longest travel I have notched in getting to a particular destination. I have now come to appreciate Australia in the few times I have been to the different parts of this isolated island continent “down under.”

It was my pleasant surprise to receive an email from Dir. Rowena Montecillo of DOT-7 on the start of a direct Darwin-Cebu charter flight schedule of Wild Orchid Airlines by December 15, 2012. I attended the press conference at Waterfront Cebu City Hotel last September 26, where I met David William Fleming – Director for Global Operations, Terry Curtis Argent – Managing Director and Paul Wyatt – Marketing & Promotions Director.

From them I learned that this would be the first attempt to connect Cebu with Australia’s Northern Territory, specifically Darwin. Fortunately, these sharp Aussie entrepreneurs sniffed the trail of Darwin-based balikbayans coming home in droves for reunions, fiestas or just for a vacation. Interestingly, 60% of the Filipino community in Darwin is Cebuano. Hence, the focus on Cebu. (My main article in the Lifestyle section.)

On the other hand, Darwin locals have been going to Bali, Indonesia, all these years for R &R, as it is cheaper and nearer to take a vacation in Bali than in other parts of the Australian continent. Bali however has become a predictable place, with a recent influx of tourists that makes it less ideal for relaxation. Who wants to be on a beach swarming with people?

Cebu, on the other hand, has many beautiful beaches, dive spots, a vibrant nightlife, with attendant cultural/natural sights and exciting shopping opportunities for tourists of any persuasion. More than that, Cebu’s being a transportation hub makes it ideal for balikbayans going back to Luzon, Mindanao, or the rest of the Visayas. There are hourly flights to the rest of the country, as well as convenient shipping and bus schedules. The choices are there, for any budget.

Yet, it is the outbound that I am interested in, and Darwin is the gateway to the Outback, in Alice Springs, by rail. As we don’t have any trains in Cebu, that would be a treat for the children to travel by rail into the desert. There is also the lure of the Crocodile Cruise on the Adelaide River or a day excursion into Corroboree Billabong in the Mary River Wetlands, home to the largest grouping of saltwater crocodiles in the world. (My 4-year-old grandson Noah, who is fascinated with crocs, will have a heyday!).

Australia is a must-visit destination, especially for families with children who will be able to experience the numerous indigenous animals – on land, in the treetops, on air and underwater – in their natural habitat. I wish to see the faces of the little ones as they watch a platypus swim underwater, then waddle off on land; or check out how cuddly koala bears voraciously chew away the leaves of Eucalyptus trees. These are but two of the Australian fauna not found anywhere else in the world. Then, children will hopefully grow up sensitive to the balance in nature that must be maintained for all life to be preserved.

Ahhh…that expansive island Down Under with its deserts and wetlands and islands and emperor penguins and the awesome Great Barrier Reef…lush with promise of great adventure for travelers of all ages. Can we now say: Darwin, here we come?