Even from the West Coast, Australia is a long plane ride away. Yet, my month's wanderings around the Land Down Under brought me face to face with more American students and grad students than any of my other adventures.

Why Travel to Sydney?

Australia, and Sydney in particular, has an obvious appeal for student travelers. Start with the language. Aussies speak English in a way so charming and original that you start to greet each other with "Hello mate" and applaud your friends with a hearty "good on ya." Aussies are genuinely friendly and upbeat; even in the midst of an avalanche of growth, they stay pretty calm. When I entered the country I had to state if I have ever been convicted of a crime. When I answered "No," the officer turned to his fellow inquisitor and asked with a grin, "Should we let her in anyway?" When was the last time you heard an airline official make a joke?

And then there are the animals. The only platypus I saw was in the Sydney aquarium at Darling Harbor (my favorite of Sydney's three.) But I did see the prehistoric cassowary in the rain forest, and communities of kangaroos live on patches of grass along major highways. The conservancies for koalas and roos are not far from Sydney.

Australia as a spectacular variety of biomes. Naturalists and backpackers can live in the savanna, a woodland environment, the desert or the tropical rain forests that dot the continent. My favorite location was the Great Barrier Reef. I slept in the lighthouse near Port Arthur and got the chance to snorkel and scuba dive with the tourists there.

Accommodations

As for staying in Sydney, students will find that the Sydney Central Hostel (www.yha.com) is well-equipped and posh. It's directly across from the train station and within walking distance to all you'll want to see. It's also close to a pedestrian mall with cinemas, shopping and economy eateries. If students are looking for good, cheap eats, they should check out Chinatown in Sydney; one joint there has buffet offerings from every Asian cuisine imaginable.

Best Sydney Sites

The harbors are more fun than a barrel of Tasmanian devils, and they offer a lot more than just an opera house. Visit the interesting Maritime Museum at Darling for free, wander the harbor stores or try an Australian wine at a local establishment. You can even visit the kid's amusements for an old-fashioned Coney Island-style experience. Of course, the Sydney Opera House at Sydney Harbor is awesome. I admit I skipped seeing the opera, but I did catch a one-man show and a musical that was broadcast live on local radio and written by a listener. And you must visit nearby Bondi Beach, preferably during Australia's summer. Buy yourself a rescue team t-shirt or hoodie to remember the experience. Sydney is a cosmopolitan city, but you will easily understand and master it.

Sydney Sports

You'll especially be impressed with the city if you love sports. Even though I'm not a sports maven, I was carried away by the American Idol-style competition to pick the best song for the Socceroos, Australia's soccer team. The winner was the Green and Gold by Freedom of Thought "I want to scream and shout in a stadium, filled with Australians." Truth be told, I liked the runner up's ditty better, which dubbed the team the only "lawful union of man and kangaroo."

Students will love that Syndey is so relaxed, comparatively safe and very manageable. You'll hardly feel like you have strayed from home, but, at the same time, you'll get enough exotica to relish your foreign experience. And the prices are similar to what you're used to in the US. The experience of climbing Harbor Bridge or "Bridge Walk," for 3 ½ hours tied to a cable is upwards of $150.00, depending on day and time, but you make your visit affordable with Sydney cards and youth discounts.

But, enough of this American prattle. In the succinct Aussie way, let's just say that if you visit, it will be good on ya. Read More