It was confirmed to me just what type of traveler visits Australia last night as I walked out of the hostel lift onto the floor with the TV room.
Culture Vultures
It was as busy as I’d ever seen it and I wondered just what was on TV drawing the huge crowd. There were bodies scattered everywhere like a war zone.
Could it have been a program about Aussie culture? Perhaps a documentary about the history of the Aboriginals? erm…no… it was in fact the opening night of the new Big Brother (like we needed anymore) .
I’m Getting Old
Maybe I am just getting old but staying in a Sydney hostel draws huge comparisons with my time at university. Perhaps most people in the hostel are at university or are yet to go but it’s the same drinking culture that is ingrained.
There are a lot of English and Irish people around, it’s uncommon to see them without beer on most nights. There is also a group mentality were there seems to be an “in group”, I don’t know where these people have met perhaps on an “Aus Experience” bus or something.
The “In Group” don’t like to mix with anyone else as they have their own little group to hang out with, it’s this narrow mindedness that I hadn’t seen much of since setting off on my travels.
Traveling For The Wrong Reasons?
I don’t think this is unique to Sydney, in my eyes a lot of young people come to Australia to travel but for all the wrong reasons. Many of them see it as an opportunity to meet people and get drunk, whilst seeing a few sights along the way. Maybe it’s their first time away from home?
It probably wasn’t like this many moons ago but as air travel has become cheaper and to “go traveling” has become the “thing” to do it has become a kind of rights of passage for many.
While this is not always a bad thing if you are a 18-24, I find myself cringing at the club 18-30 like crowd and activities(It’s pole dancing next on Thursday).
Don’t get me wrong, there is a minority of people who don’t fall into the category of backpacker I have described above but they are few and far between.
It was completely different to this in most of Asia (perhaps a little in Thailand) where most people you met where genuinely interested in seeing new cultures, tasting new foods, fascinated by the unknown and a new challenge.
Have I Left Home?
In all honestly, if I had enough money I would have left Australia by now. While I think the scenery is amazing and there are some breathtaking sights I am craving to be in a very unfamiliar place right now.
In Australia it feels far too familiar,as we speak playing on the CD player is “Spice Up Your Life” by “The Spice Girls”… I think you understand what I’m saying.
Even the backpackers here carry different items. For example it’s pretty common to see hair dyers or straighteners in Australia. You’re unlikely to spot many pairs traveling around Asia.
I have to admit as I landed in Australia and into a more familiar, status driven and Westernised society (especially in the cities), I felt the need to smarten myself up. I went out shopping to buy some jeans and a few new T-Shirts as I felt like a tramp walking the streets of Sydney as I was. There were brand names and status symbols everywhere.
I crave the unfamiliarity. I want to sit in a restaurant and eat strange new foods with strange local music playing in the background and be surrounded by foreignness. Not Subway, KFC, Mc Donalds and Hungry Jacks.
For now I’m stuck in Australia working to get some money together, it feels very much like I’m living in the UK…
It’s even drizzling outside.
Your not wrong about australian 'travelers' just being out for the partying, although it's probably more absent mindedness that narrow. Most other australian I hear who are traveling have a very different idea of what that is to me. Same goes for a lot of british and irish travelers in australia too.It's not exactly growing independant young minds but it's far from wrong, we might consider our travel 'right' but the truth is they are worlds apart we just similar venaculare to describe ourselves and thats about the only place we cross paths really.
Like Mike said, I'm planning to visit Australia for a few weeks, though I'm much more excited to see New Zealand. I know Australia has some great offerings to the traveler – surf culture, sailing, the outback, Foster's, however I associate it with the US too much, and therefore am not particular psyched to spend a good deal of time there. I'm currently planning on 3 weeks, spent along the east coast. At 30, I'm edging past my bar and "get drunk for fun" phase even here at home, so I expect that newfound level of maturity will carry over abroad as well. We shall see soon enough!
I must say that the 'drinking culture' associated with backpacking in Australia irritates me. Why bother spending hundreds of pounds to travel to the other side of the world and then do the same things you can do at home?I guess that a lot of these backpackers are probably fresh from school, out to have some fun before Uni, and Australia is appealing because it's far away but just like home. I'm from the UK but live permanently in NZ now and although there are some small differences, it has been relatively easy to carry on my life as I would back in the UK. However, I think travellers here are much more interested in seeing and doing all NZ has to offer rather than spending the entire time partying.I am itching to travel to somewhere less westernised too, whilst NZ is my home now the novelty has unfortunately worn off a wee bit and I'm craving somewhere off the beaten track. Unfortunately it's gonna have to wait a few years…
I felt ancient when I was in Oz a few years back and I was only 25! I was surrounded by pre-uni gap-yearers who eyed me with total suspicion. I did my best to avoid them and had an amazing time. I did partake of a Tooheys or two but it certainly wasn't the reason I was there – I enjoyed the beaches, watched the sun rise from the top of mount warning and fell in love with Kakadu. Don't write Oz off because of the kids it has attracted – there is so much on offer.
Even as an Australian I can admit that for anyone on a RTW it won't be the highlight of the trip, but I must say Tasmania is a lot like New Zealand and only 3% of international vistors to Australia come here, so it's worth considering.
I have to agree with much of what Travmonkey says, and I am an Australia. I try not to spend too much time here simply because of the narrow minded mentality. I think because of this "group mentality" thing, I have found it difficult fit. Give me the wide open space of the world without the boundries.
nice post here mate! Your view on this topic is certainly different from the others that I have read
I'm Australian and though I think we have a beautiful country and generally easy-going people, when I've met travelers overseas who have asked me if they should visit Australia, I recommend them other places; New Zealand, SE Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Pacific Islands… most of these places are far cheaper and offer a much more enriching experience when it comes to culture and new exposures.
If you are super keen on Australia, by all means, come on over, just check out the smaller towns and the west coast rather than the typically developed cities on the east. Staying in a backpacking hostel in the inner cities is as bad as an all inclusive resort; you experience nothing new or unique.
i like reading the different opinions, as ill be in Oz in august. thanks everyone!