Whales, it turns out, are a lot like us. They live in family groups whom they go to great lengths to protect and care for. They love to sing, and “chart-topping hits” spread quickly from group to group. They’ve even been known to stand up for other, weaker species — us — when danger threatens.

Melbourne is a Playable City; in both name and character. It is one of my favourite cities to visit, with its hidden laneways scattered throughout the bustling CBD.

We were the lucky ones: As a family, we were able to hit the road and travel from Sydney to the Tweed Coast (northern New South Wales) without hindrance or hesitation. In any other year, the road trip along the East Coast of Australia can bring a sense of adventure and wonder.

Today we’re going to explore the land down under – Australia.  As an extra bonus we will also enjoy a listener’s favorite travel memory. What is it about Australia that captures our imagination? We had hoped to explore parts of Australia until COVID-19 forced a change in all of our plans.

For many long-term backpackers, it has been a new adventure in survival and endurance as their usual fallback job opportunities have also been affected by the shut-down.

China is not happy with Australia after its prime minister extended its travel ban of foreign nationals leaving the country for seven additional days in the wake of a deepening Coronavirus crisis. There will be a weekly review of the China Travel ban, and its decision is the result of businesses warning that it could add to the damage of the domestic economy thanks to the virus and the communist regime’s protests. According to a Chinese embassy spokesperson, since the COVID-19 outbreak, China has taken broad, strict prevention and control measures that have surpassed the WHO and International Health Regulations’ recommendations. The spokesperson said this is leading to positive results, and the epidemic will soon be over. WHO does not feel it is necessary to put travel and trade limitations on China. Australia and a handful of other countries have gone to extremes, which many consider to be an overreaction. [...]

The Australian bushfire season for 2019/2020 has been the worst on record. Globally, news reports have tried to capture the enormity of the situation, often falling short. Red, orange, and black smother the traditional Australian green-and-gold. And yet, from the ashes, there is a sprout of new growth; as a few green shoots are found in the burnt-out bush, there are also seedlings of hope for the affected communities. 

  As Australia’s wildfires continue to rage on, the massive blaze may have an impact on the entire world.  While the rainfall the area received was celebrated, NASA expects the fires’ smoke will make a complete circle around the world. It’s already being seen in the New Zealand region, turning the sky into an ashy color and discoloring glaciers. By Jan. 8, the smoke had made its way to South America, where skies became hazy with technicolor sunsets and sunrises.  NASA believes the clouds that developed will make its way all the way back to Australia.  For now, the fires don’t appear to be slowing down. To date, over 17 million acres of land have been scorched, nearly 30 people killed, endangered 500 million animals and destroyed hundreds to thousands of buildings (homes and businesses).  If you plan to visit Australia, there is no reason to cancel the trip. In [...]

With the wildfires still raging something fierce, Australia's New South Wales (NSW) government declared a week-long emergency with the region ravaged by the bushfires and the number of deaths still climbing.

A climbing ban on the sacred Uluru rocks in Australia brought hundreds of people to get in one last climb before enforcement takes effect. The ban, which was passed in 2017, recently went into effect after the Anangu aboriginal people claimed it was a sacred place for many thousands of years and should never have been considered a rock to climb. The problem began at the start of the early 20th century when more visitors came to the area. 

For people planning to visit New Zealand, there are some extra hoops to jump through before one can be approved to enter the country. The New Zealand government said in March that it would be implementing a new tourism entry approval system called Electronic Travel Authority (ETA, for short).

Uluru is not just the geographical heart of Australia; it is considered by Indigenous Australians to be the spiritual heart as well.