Australia: My 100th U.N. Country & 7th Continent

And, so here I am, about to takeoff for my 100th U.N. Country and 7th Continent!

I am a creature of habit. I like the comfort of familiarity. And, I love being a hermit in my condo.

And, that is why, several years ago, I chose to challenge that sense of comfort by giving myself this goal of 100 countries. Reluctantly, yes, I wanted to see them, but no, they were not really on my list of places to travel to…until I went.

My 100 country travel challenge may seem as if it is about the numbers but it was my way to get myself out into parts of the world that I literally knew very little to nothing about because I’m incredibly curious. I want to know. I want to experience. And, most of all, I want to learn. And, for a world traveling couch potato like myself, I love seeing and doing things I have not done before.

Throughout these past 20 years of extensive travels, I’ve done solo junkets, group tours and traveled with friends and family. Although this sounds unbelievable, I’ve been to more than half of the countries around the world. And, I’ve met a diverse group of incredibly kind, caring and wonderful human beings along the way.

There’s so much happening in my own country where diversity is being shunned for some unrealistic notion that what works for one should work for all. I want diversity in my life. I need it. Through travel I’ve chosen to put my western ways aside to better be able to internalize the culture, geography and people I am incredibly privileged to encounter around the world. Yes, I’m a participant, but I’m also an observer, and hopefully a respectful one.

I do believe in traveling light and not just with my stuff, but with expectations and conclusions that may or may not have any place in the here and now.

I am the planner of my choices and as a such, I accept the consequences of where those choices and actions lead me. I plan where I go and what I want to do. I plan a budget for my finances. I am the Chief Operating Officer of my life and I would not have it any other way. Frankly, that’s no one else’s job but my own and I pray I have the physical strength and mental acuity to continue to do so. Here’s to setting a challenge, a goal, a desire, a want, a need and creating the mind set while taking the steps to see it to fruition. There is no life dress rehearsal. The is it.

Today and for the next 16 or so more days, I am not only reaching my goal of 100 countries, and let’s not forget, my 7th and final Continent, but I get to share this experience with two people that I love and cherish, my daughter Sydney and her wife, my fabulous daughter-in-law, Allison.

Syd and I, with input from Allison of course, plus suggestions from Australians themselves, along with fulfilling our own travel dreams, have put together a jam packed itinerary for our time in the Land Down Under as we breeze from Sydney to Melbourne to Adelaide then Cairns and back to Sydney.

Thank you for cheering me on and so warmly and kindly accompanying me on these most wonderful journeys.

And now, come celebrate 100 countries with me.

Day 1: Arrived in Sydney, Australia, my 100th country & 7th Continent; treated to lunch by Tammy and enjoyed a relaxing Sydney Harbour Sunset Dinner Cruise

In Sydney, Australia and celebrating reaching my 100 countries. And with me to celebrate is my daughter Sydney and my daughter-in-law Allison.

Our Qantas 17-hour direct flight from Dallas landed early so we were off to passport control, customs and getting an Uber ride to our hotel. We were able to check into our hotel early in the morning because we paid for a night in advance.

It was nice to check-in, get showered and change clothes before meeting up with my travel buddy and Aussie friend Tammy who not only welcomed us to Australia but treated us to an early Chinese food lunch at Haymarket.

After walking around Haymarket, we bid Tammy farewell…for now, I hope…and headed back to the hotel for a bit of a respite before a wonderfully relaxing Sydney Harbour Sunset Dinner Cruise.

What an amazingly first full day in Sydney.

Thank you to Syd and Allison for the 100 ballon marker. Took a lot out of them to blow up the balloons. And to Tammy for a delicious lunch treat and such a warm and kind welcome to Sydney. (Just an FYI, Tammy and I met more than 10 years ago on a Rick Steves tour of Turkey and Greece and we’ve traveled together since then, in fact just recently in France.)

Sydney, Australia, I am so grateful you are my 100th U.N. Country and let’s not forget, 7th Continent.

Day 2: Day tour of the Blue Mountains from Sydney; Dinner at Spice Alley

We took a day tour of the Blue Mountains, about an hour’s drive from Sydney, in Katoomba. The morning began somewhat cool and cloudy at the Echo Point Lookout to see the famous sandstone rock formation of the Three Sisters. but it progressed to being a beautiful day. We ended up making a second trip to see the Three Sisters, but it was worth it. 

For thousands of years, the Blue Mountains were home to Aboriginal peoples, specifically, the Gundungurra and Darug tribes. They knew the area as kedumba, meaning shiny, falling waters. Many of them were forced to move from their ancestral lands to Aboriginal settlements such as “The Gully”, a tract of land in south Katoomba, as part of discriminatory policies established at the beginning of the 20th century. Kedumba or Katta-toon-bah is an Aboriginal term for “shining falling water” or “water tumbling over hill”.

Also, as a part of our visit in the Blue Mountains was the Scenic World Tour which included views of the Jamison Valley and the Three Sisters in the distance. We also took a quick ride on the famous Scenic Railway, a glass-top cable car on the world’s steepest passenger train before taking a walk through the Scenic Rainforest Boardwalk. 

After our Rainforest Boardwalk, we had a wonderful lunch and then moved on to our last site of the day, the Featherdale Wildlife Park to mainly see the Koalas before taking the ferry back to the Sydney harbour. 

But our day actually ended with a wonderful dinner just steps outside our hotel door along Kensington Street, better known as Spice Alley. It’s a wonderful food scene of Asian street food, restaurants and boutique bars. We just loved it here.

Day 3: Sydney Opera House tour and ‘Great Opera Hits’ show

It was a cold, overcast, cloudy and rainy day, perfect for our day touring the Sydney Opera House and a 90-minute show of “Great Opera Hits”.

The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre located on the foreshore of the Sydney Harbour. It is widely regarded as one of the world’s most famous and distinctive buildings, and a masterpiece of 20th-century architecture.

This UNESCO World Heritage-listed masterpiece, known for its distinctive sail-like design, is covered in with over 1 million white ceramic tiles. It is a premier performing arts center hosting 1,500+ events annually, including opera, theater, and symphonic music, featuring the massive Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre. Designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon and completed in 1973, its structure features interlocking, vaulted “sails” or “shells” inspired by nature and boat sails.

Here’s to a day at the Sydney Opera House. 

 

Day 4: Leisure rainy morning; afternoon walking tour of The rocks and dinner at Spice Alley

I had an early evening and a late morning which was needed and appreciated. Plus the weather, a morning rain storm, made staying in the best choice. I may have spent the morning in, but Allison and Syd had other plans using the Go City Pass Experience which included a visit to Taronga Zoo, Sydney Tower Eye and the Sea Life Aquarium, which they were pretty much disappointed with it all. Sorry to hear that for them because they were really looking forward to their day. 

As for me, I got out just when the rain stopped. Although cloudy, it was a comfortable temperature and arrived early enough to find where to check-in for my Sydney The Rocks walking tour. 

So, what is The Rocks? It represents the location where the Aboriginal people, Australia’s First Nations people, are known to have inhabited long before the European, British colonists, established their settlement at Sydney Cove in 1788.

The afternoon turned out to be a beautiful day for a walk. And, later in the evening, I met up with Syd and Allison for dinner. And, where did we go? Yes, back to Spice on Broadway, but this time, it was for Italian food.

Day 5: Speedos Cafe, Bondi Beach and the Art Gallery Museum for our last full day in Sydney before moving onto Melbourne

Our last full day of Sydney adventures began with breakfast at Speedos Cafe. This was a Syd discovery after seeing  “Somebody Feed Phil” on Netflix. Although the day began a little cool and cloudy, the weather in Sydney changes throughout the day and things got warmer. 

Tammy and her cutie dog Gabby met us for breakfast. I’ve heard about Gabby and seen photos but this time, we all got to meet and spend time with Gabby and of course Tammy. 

After breakfast, we walked along the beautiful Bondi Beach where a deadly antisemitic Islamic State inspired terrorist attack occurred a little more than a month ago on Dec. 14, 2025 at the Archer Park area of Bondi Beach. A father and son killed 15 people during a Hanukkah celebration, a Jewish holiday attended by around 1,000 people. 

I’m not sure it was beach day weather, but there were a few people walking along the beach, a few in wetsuits out for a swim and others sitting on the sand along the shoreline. 

After our walk, along the promenade, we piled into Tammy’s car and she took us to the sandstone cliffs in Watson Bay called the Gap Lookout with stunningly gorgeous views of the Tasman Sea, rugged coastline, and the entrance to Sydney Harbour. 

From here, Tammy drove us to the opening of the new Sydney Fish Market where Syd, Allison and I we said our goodbyes to Tammy and Gabby and tried to explore the fish market but the line to get inside was literally around the corner from the entrance. This is where Syd and Allison went their way and I caught an Uber to the Art Gallery Museum to see the exhibit, “Dangerously Modern: Australian Women Artists in Europe 1890–1940.” It showcased over 200 works by 50 pioneering artists and focused on trailblazing Australian women in Europe who defied social constraints to pursue careers in painting, sculpture, and ceramics.

And, for dinner, it was back to Spice Alley and Andiamo for a repeat performance of some of the dishes, like the pizza and shrimp, we previously enjoyed there for dinner. 

Here’s goodbye to Sydney, for now, and on to Melbourne. 

Day 6: Melbourne Food Walking Tour

We left Sydney for Melbourne on an 8:19 a.m. Jetstar hour and 22 minutes flight. We landed with enough time to drop off our luggage at our hotel, the Novotel Melbourne On Collins before starting an 11:30 a.m. Melbourne Food Walking Tour.

We arrived to a beautiful day in Melbourne, perfect for a city food walking tour.  Although I can’t say that the food was all that yummy, we did get a chance to see the city and get some nibbles in.

Day 7: Exploring the Great Ocean Road Reverse from Melbourne

It was an early morning and little more than 4-hour long scenic drive along the Great Ocean Road Reverse. Sounds like an odd kind of a full-day tour, the ‘Great Ocean Road Reverse’, but it basically means traveling inland through the scenic, rolling countryside route passing beautiful but dry fields through small, historic country towns in the morning and driving the coastal route back to Melbourne in the early evening.

The first stop of our morning route was the Port Campbell National Park for its breathtaking coastal scenery of dramatic limestone cliffs, rock formations highlighted by the iconic Twelve Apostles limestone stacks. The park is located along the Great Ocean Road and with the Twelve Apostles we also ventured to the Razorback Lookout, Loch Ard Gorge and the Mutton Bird Island Lookout. All gorgeous sites.

We also took a brief walk through Melba Gully State Park to enjoy the greenery of the forest and another walk along Ferrier Drive to see the wild koalas sleeping in the eucalyptus trees before stopping in the town center of Apollo Bay for a late lunch as we made our way along the coastal route back to Melbourne.

After lunch, we stopped at the Memorial Arch, the iconic wooden timber archway with its Great Ocean Road entrance sign and a nice but brief walk along Lorne Beach before heading back to Melbourne and being dropped off at the pedestrian waterfront area of the Southbank Promenade, a  is a vibrant, pedestrian-only waterfront precinct along the southern bank of Melbourne’s Yarra River, featuring scenic views of the city skyline, riverside dining, bars, and entertainment,

The views literally throughout the day were spectacular and so was the 70s music from my teen and early adult years like Carole King, Otis Redding and Cate Stevens but unfortunately for me, I was in the most uncomfortable seat on our packed Mercedes van. The guide, Chris, the music and walking to the viewing sites of these incredible landscapes made the obnoxious seat a lot more palatable.

Here’s to a breezy, beautiful day along the Great Ocean Road.

Day 8: Yarra Valley Wineries from Melbourne

Even though I enjoy a nice glass of wine, I am not a wine connoisseur. I’ve drank wine from countries around the world. At least those countries that allowed alcohol consumption. And, even though I may not be a chocolate connoisseur, I am quite the chocoholic. I don’t mind dark chocolate but I’m straight up a milk chocolate woman. Add in a blue sky and sunny, but cool day and we have the epitome of an incredible day of wine and chocolate tasting.

We took the Yarra Valley Wine & Chocolate tasting tour. The valley, located about 30 miles or 50 km east of Melbourne, is a premier cool-climate wine region renowned for Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and sparkling wines.

Let’s go drink some wine and eat some chocolate for our last day in Melbourne.

(I won’t be listing the names of the wines or what my non-discerning palate thought of them because in my world, it either tastes good or it doesn’t and more often than not, I will drink it anyway. Told ya, not a connoisseur, just your average wino who loves visiting wineries while traveling.)

Day 9: Travel Day from Melbourne to Adelaide

Today we took an hour’s long after flight from Melbourne to Adelaide. Why Adelaide? For one reason and one reason only, to visit Kangaroo Island.

And, oddly enough, the only photo I took today was of our JetStar flight only to be told that photos were not allowed on the jetway.

We took a quick Uber ride from the Adelaide airport to our hotel, Grosvenor Hotel Adelaide by Accor. Got checked in and proceeded to find food. Not sure why but we planted ourselves at this little restaurant, Transit & Co., a short walk from our hotel and had a relaxing afternoon and evening in preparation for the following long day visiting Kangaroo Island.

Day 10: Kangaroo Island from Adelaide

Today the temperature was expected to hit 108 degrees Fahrenheit for our pretty full day Kangaroo Island Tour from Adelaide. That required leaving our hotel, the Grosvenor Hotel Adelaide by Accor, at 6:00 am , with temps at a dry 82°F (27°C). For the 10-minute walk to Adelaide’s central bus station. The dry heat from just a 10-minute walk literally dried out my throat and nasal passages.

Anyway, at the bus station, we boarded a luxury bus, which was quite full, for an hour and 45 minute drive to Cape Jervis Ferry Port to take the 45-minute SeaLink ferry ride to Kangaroo Island.

Back to the weather, at least throughout our travels in Australia, has been comfortable. A little rain. A little coolness. And warm, like in the mid-70s. The expected high heat weather caused the closing of the Seal Bay Conservation Park, a part of what was scheduled for our tour on Kangaroo Island. However, yes, it was a warm day, but it definitely did not reach 100 degrees Fahrenheit, I would say more like 80s Fahrenheit or so.

In my limited knowledge, I thought in coming to Kangaroo Island we would be seeing numbers of wild Kangaroos, which is why and where I thought the island got its name from. Evidently sightings are more common at dawn and dusk. Although the island was named, after these large marsupial native to Australia, by British explorer Matthew Flinders, but not in the way I thought. Upon landing in 1802, Flinders crew faced severe food shortages until they discovered a massive population of the native Western Grey Kangaroo that ended up providing them with a much-needed, fresh meat food supply. Not the kind of story I had made up in my head.

While small bushfires occur periodically on Kangaroo Island, the 2019–2020 catastrophic “Black Summer” fire caused mass fatalities burning nearly half the island. Roughly 30,000 to 50,000 kangaroos and wallabies were killed, or roughly 40-50% of the population. Additionally, nearly 44,000 livestock animals (sheep, cattle) perished and an estimated 25,000 to 40,000+ koalas died.

Although kangaroos are native animals, the population has grown throughout Australia to a significant over abundance with populations often exceeding 40–50 million—roughly double the human population.

We arrived to a luxury bus waiting for us on Kangaroo Island to take us first to the views of Pelican Lagoon and then to the sites of Flinders Chase National Park, a 126 square mile (326 square kilometers) wilderness protected area on the western end of the island. The park, which features significant coastal landscapes, is where we got to see Weirs Cove, the Remarkable Rocks and Admirals Arch. Then we spent the late afternoon doing what Allison and Syd came here to do, get up, close and personal with the kangaroos at the Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park.

Although the weather was anticipated to be incredibly hot, it turned out to be a comfortably warm day for our time on Kangaroo Island. Come check it out.

Day 11: A brief walking tour and restful day in Adelaide

Although the main reason we came to Adelaide was to see Kangaroo Island, our time here was low key and well spent. First, we got to sleep in, which was lovely. We had a full day on Kangaroo Island yesterday and quite frankly needed an easy, slow day and Adelaide provided that for us.

That doesn’t mean we stayed in all day, heck no. We took at 10:00 a.m. walking tour of Adelaide, but stepped away from the tour, early, around noon. We, mainly me, were hot, tired and hungry. We ate at Guzman y Gomez, the equivalent to Chipotle’s, our favorite place back home.

One of the places we wanted to visit was the Adelaide Central Market, one of the largest undercover fresh produce markets in the southern hemisphere that’s said to be perfect for foodies, but unfortunately for us, it is closed on Sundays.

As much as I wanted to explore more of Adelaide, I just couldn’t. So, I took it easy and didn’t make it back out until the three of us got together for a lovely and leisurely dinner at a Japanese food restaurant.

Come check out our leisurely walk to just a few of Adelaide’s sights on an incredibly beautiful day before we depart for Cairns.

Day 12: Early morning flight from Adelaide to Cairns on Australia Day!

We took the 7:26 a.m. Jetstar 3-hour flight from Adelaide to Cairns, gateway for accessing the Great Barrier Reef. All on a holiday, Australia Day, celebrated on January 26. Although highly controversial because it marks the 1788 arrival of the First Fleet in Sydney Cove, the celebratory day is viewed by Indigenous Australians as the start of colonization, violence and loss of culture…considered more like Invasion Day.

I thought that arriving on a holiday, we would have a difficult time finding open restaurants, but that turned out not to be the case. We arrived at the Abbott Boutique Hotel in Cairns, stored our luggage and made our way to Dundee’s on the Waterfront for lunch. Although it was a beautiful day and Dundee had outdoor seating, we sat indoors by a window and enjoyed our seafood meals.

And, for dinner, we made our way to Lemoncello’s in Cairns, a delightful Italian restaurant overlooking the Esplanade.

Here’s to an easy travel and relaxing day in Cairns.

Day 13: Exploring the Great Barrier Reef in Cairns

I am not a swimmer, snorkeler, diver, nada, nothing when it involves a vast amount of water. But Syd and Allison are swimmers and for them, seeing the Great Barrier Reef was important. I get it and I absolutely agreed. And, oddly enough, I quite frankly enjoyed watching the whole process of them getting out into those vast waters with their wet suits, snorkel mask and pool noodle.

We booked the Great Barrier Reef Snorkeling and Diving Cruise with Down Under Dive and spent the day aboard their luxury vessel, Evolution, that took us to an outer reef location.

Although I did not touch the water, I watched Syd and Allison swim in the world’s largest coral reef ecosystem. The vastness of the Coral Sea is a bit too intense for me and even though they made it look easy, that did not stop my Mom spidey senses from keeping an intense watchful eye on them.

Something that I did do, that got me into the Coral Sea without getting wet was to board a semi-submersible vessel. A bit of an additional cost during the cruise, but so worth the opportunity to share the Great Barrier Reef with Syd and Allison, who joined me.

I don’t think I would have made it to the Great Barrier Reef if I was traveling solo so I’m so glad I was able to do this with Syd and Allison. Come join us.

Day 14:  Back to Sydney from Cairns for our last night in Australia

Our 11 a.m. Virgin Australia flight from from Cairns to Sydney was about three hours. And, since we booked the Rydges Sydney Airport Hotel, it was just a short walk to the hotel and to get checked in.  But we could have just as easily stayed where we began our time in Sydney, at the Spice On Broadway hotel since we unanimously decided that we needed to head back to Spice Alley, one last time, for dinner.

From Spice Alley, we made our way back to the new Sydney Fish Market but there were no crowds this time and although we were full from our appetizers and meal at Spice Alley, Syd could not pass up the Sydney Rock Caviar oysters. Although all the prepared seafood looked delicious, Allison and I had both met our food limits. But what a stunning place for seafood lovers.

This whole trip has been stunning. Come share in our last night together in Sydney and Australia.

Day 15: Heading back home to Dallas

I knew this would be a world-wind trip, and it was, but it was also leisurely and fun. The plans Syd and I put in place from the hotels and tours to the airline flights from city to city pretty much came off without a hitch. Travel always has its stressful moments but the three of us sailed through it all with laughter and joy.

I have gotten this rare opportunity to travel the world. I have done it in tour groups, on my own, with dear friends and with family. I am so grateful that the three of us were able to experience this wonderful country and continent together. Did we see all the things we wanted to see? For a first trip, yes.

I absolutely loved traveling with Allison and Syd and sharing my 100th U.N. country and 7th Continent with them.