List of Sports

Australia is widely considered to be one of the best places to visit for tourists and travelers. The island and continent of Australia has features that make it one of the best places to travel to. It has the advantage of being located in a tropical area of the globe, giving it considerably good weather for most of the year. It is also features a wide variety of places and locations making it a unique travel experience.

When Australia is mentioned, people immediately think of the Kangaroo, and with good reason. The Kangaroo is the national animal and the international symbol for Australia. But this isn’t the only creature that is synonymous with Australia. There are other indigenous animals such as the lazy Koala and the Tasmanian devil.  Australia also hosts a wide array of animals and vegetables that span the entire continent.

The Australian landscape features a beautiful and lush countryside that makes it a frequent destination for backpackers from all over the world. There are various geographical formations in the island and helpful bike paths that make it among the best locations for hikers and backpackers. The people are also described as helpful and friendly. Despite being the 6^th largest nation in the world, Australia is also among the countries with the lowest population density.

There are also the famed beaches of Australia. The island is surrounded by over 50,000 kilometers of coastline with over 10,000 pristine beaches. These beaches offer beautiful sand and clear waters. There are also the infamous waves that make Australia one of the best locations for surfing. Events and competitions are constantly set up in the Australian beaches. Surfers around the world are required to pay pilgrimage to the legendary waves of the Australian coast.

The mainland features most of the tourist attractions but there are many other options outside it. Australia features over 8,000 islands within its coastline territory. The most notable islands are tourist favorite Fraser Island, the world’s largest sand island, Tasmania, home of the Tasmanian devil and Tiwi island of Melville.

There are many other attractions to be found in Australia. There are the iconic images of the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbor Bridge in Sydney, the famed city life and urban paradise of Melbourne and the cultural and musical hub in Brisbane. But these amazing cities only represent a small percentage of the many wonders and attractions found in Australia. 

Everybody is looking to save money these days with fears of job cuts and global money worries. Getting rid of luxuries is often the first step. Things like nights down the pubs or evening in fancy restaurants are becoming less frequent as are our holiday plans. You may be able to cope with swapping your designer labels for high street but can you really go all year without a holiday?. For this reason people are choosing to stick to the UK for their holidays recently. Although the UK can’t quite rival the likes of Florida and Australia for sun and sand it can offer an abundance of sea.

Because we’re an island one thing we can boast is lots of water. You may not relish of lying on the beach in your bikini if it’s cloudy and overcast but there are plenty of other things you could do with the water.

In recent years surfing has seen a huge surge in popularity. Although the sun maybe nice it’s not needed to enjoy a day surfing. Surfing can be very dangerous and shouldn’t be attempted unless you know what you’re doing. If you are thinking of investing in a surfboard all of your very own it’s advisable to get a few lessons with a professional first. Before you start surfing it’s vital you have a good board. These can be expensive so unless you’re planning on doing it regularly you may be better just hiring one for the day. To start off with you should stick to a slightly lager board. Brands like Bic surfboards are perfect for beginners. If you’re after something that doesn’t require so much waiting around, you may want to consider wakeboarding. If you are going to try wakeboarding it’s just as important you get the right equipment. Liquid force wakeboards are among the most reputable on the market. Any reputable retailer would be able to recommend the right board for you.

If you want to learn how to surf you need to think of it like any other skill. You need the right equipment, some good instruction and plenty of practice.

The first piece of equipment you will need is of course a surfboard. Many make the mistake of trying to learn on a board that is too short. While professional surfers might choose a short board for learning it is recommended that you choose a larger board.

My recommendation for learners is a board that is at least 9 feet long. Choose a board that is both wide and thick for stability and buoyancy. Try to find a board that has a soft, foam covered deck which are best for learning.

Then you will need some suitable swimwear. Its worth remembering that you are going to be spending a lot of time in the sea and its going to be cold so you may want to get a good wetsuit. If its warm enough then a pair of good board shorts or a bikini will be OK.

Once you have the gear that you need the next thing to do is get used to your surfboard on dry land before hitting the water. It’s a good idea to master a move called a ‘pop-up’. You will have seen other surfers use this manouvre to quickly lift themselves into the upright position when they catch a wave.

Start by laying your board on the beach, deck side upwards, and lie down on the board with your head about one third of the board’s length from the front. This is the position you will adopt when paddling out through the waves. Be sure to apply enough sun protection to your back, or wear a t-shirt to protect your chest from getting a rash.

Grasp the board on either side, at about shoulder level, and lift yourself up so that your feet are at the same point on the board as your hands. You should now be in a crouching postion with both hands grasping the board, knees bent and feet parallel with your hands. In this position you are now ready to stand upright.

Repeat this maneuver on dry land until you are totally confident, then hit the water. Paddle out to just beyond where the waves are breaking and turn around so that your board is pointing in the direction that the waves are moving. Begin to paddle toward the shore ahead of a wave then you should feel the wave lift and then push your board forward, then try your pop up move.

Mastering this move will take a lot of practice but, by the end of the first day, you should have it under your belt.