I hadn't read any of Bryson's other work before this but I knew I was going to like it straight away. It's the subject matter
you see; I'm drawn to all things Australian after my round Oz trip earlier this year, and although I was fairly sure I would enjoy the book that didn't necessarily mean it was going to be a quality book or a humorous yet realistic look at the vast land that is Oz.. The only way to discover this was to get stuck in, so I did, the very same night.
Bryson travelled round the
country in a fractured fashion, starting in Sydney and exploring the south eastern corner including Melbourne and Adelaide and much in between. He makes much of the fact that eighty percent of Australia's population is concentrated in this peninsula and yet he can still drive for many miles without much in the way of anything at all. Few vehicles, animals or people caused him any detraction on his journey. He really gives the reader a true flavour of what this part of the country looks and feels like and I found many of my own descriptions of the area coming off the page at me. I of course, loved this and now feel like a ‘proper' traveller.
The Ozzie character was also well portrayed and people are generally welcoming, friendly and easy going, it's not just a stereotype as Bryson quite rightly points out. The second part of the trip, up the east coast to Port Douglas and the Great Barrier Reef was done a while after the first and Bryson had a companion along. I enjoyed very much the repartee between the two men and the
authors delight at some of the reactions of his companion in certain situations. I have never been this far north so can't comment on the authors view of what he found. Al l I can say is that I enjoyed it and I will be adding this part of the country to my itinerary next time I'm there.
One of the other things Bryson really wanted to share with us is just how perilous Australian Flora and Fauna can be. This is something that captivates most travellers to the country and one can't help but simile at Bryson's description of a seashell that will go for you. What with the Crocodiles and the Box Jellyfish and the myriad other horrors just waiting to get you Bryson's emphasis of the dangers is entirely justifiable.The subject of Australia's indigenous people, the Aborigines is touched upon and Bryson tries to understand how they have ended up in poverty, poorly educated and why it is not a popular topic of conversation with other Australians. He's doesn't really do the topic justice but my own feeling is that he doesn't try to. This is ultimately a travel book and any political observations will and should always be secondary. Australian political history and identity and history of previous Prime Ministers also gets a light dusting and Bryson marvels at how much of what goes on in this country is completely unnoticed by the rest of the world.
The exploration continues to Darwin, or the ‘Top End' as the locals call it, then onto Western Australia, which is quite beautiful and faithfully recreated in your imagination thanks to Bryson's efforts. This book is pretty addictive and although my sides weren't splitting it raised more that the odd smile and roused many pleasant memories of the time I spent there.It's saf