It is difficult to say which country is more sports crazy – England or Australia. Each countries national obsession with sport has led to many a classic confrontation over the years. Memorable encounters include:

·         The Ashes 2005 - 5^th Test The Oval

The greatest Ashes series ever… Certainly as a sporting dual with England, after 20 years of tasting defeat, finally matching the Aussies shot for shot, ball for ball and sledge for sledge! It all came down to the final afternoon and one critical moment. Shane Warne, easily the best Australian player throughout the series, put down Kevin Pietersen in the slips early on in his innings. KP went on to score a memorable hundred and England to reclaiming the Ashes.

·         England 1 Australia 3 – 2003 Friendly

      The Socceroos, not renowned as a global power in the football world back in 2003, embarrassed England at Upton Park playing them off the park leading many an English sports journalist to lament the death of English football!

·         England 20 Australia 17 – Rugby World Cup 2003 Final

      England became the first Northern hemisphere country to win the Web Ellis trophy with a Jonny Wilkinson drop goal just 26 seconds from the end of an absolute classic final. Just deserts for England who outclassed Australia in the final but lacked the killer instinct to finish them off in normal time. A win in the Aussie’s back yard was pretty sweet for the English as well!

·         The Masters 1996 – Nick Faldo v Greg Norman

       Six shots behind starting the final round of the Masters in 1996 Faldo showed nerves of steel whilst the Great White Shark suffered the  worst collapse in majors history giving the Englishman his third green jacket.

Just four classic encounters of recent year… Feel free to disagree. There are certainly many more epic contests I could have picked from…

It is well known that Aussies have a certain penchant for ‘blowing the froth off a cold one’. Popular beers include VB, Tooheys, Coopers, Crown and of course ‘Australians won’t give a Castlemaine XXXX for anything else’. The popularity of Fosters in Australia is an urban myth and if you ever hear a local order one whilst on your travels let me know!

Despite the stereotypical portrayal of Australians swigging away on their stubbies (in true Crocodile Dundee style) it is a country well known for producing a fine array of wines and until recently was outselling its more illustrious competition in France. Any trip to Australia is not complete without a visit to a vineyard. Most famous regions include Barossa Valley in South Australia, Margaret River in Western Australia and Hunter Valley in NSW.

Alongside traditional red and white wines Australia has also developed a good reputation for producing quality sparkling wine as a less expensive alternative to champagne. Not convinced about the sparkling red though…!

Other renowned Australian alcoholic beverages include rum from Bundaberg, affectionately termed ‘Bundy’ by the locals.

So take time to sample the local refreshments whilst travelling around the country but remember moderation is the key. There can’t be anything worse than a nasty hangover in serious heat.

We were saddened to hear of the death of Emily Jordan whilst river boarding on the Kawarau river in Queenstown recently in what appears to have been a tragic accident. The Lazyshark team would like to offer our deepest condolences to Emily’s family and friends.

Australia is a sports mad nation. Geographically vast in size it has a much smaller population and hence player base to pick from than most other countries around the world. However this has not stopped Australia emerging as a force to be feared in most team and individual sport played throughout the world. Legends from across the sphere of Aussie sport include:-

·         Don Bradman – the greatest batsman of all time. Needed just 4 runs from his final ever test innings to finish with a test batting average of 100. Bowled for a duck but 99.94 isn’t bad is it!? Even the infamous tactics of Douglas Jardine in the Bodyline series couldn’t stem the flow of runs from Bradman’s bat.

·        Cathy Freeman – torch bearer and athlete given the responsibility for lighting the Olympic flame at the Sydney Olympics Freeman was under intense pressure to deliver gold in the 400 metres. She duly did and has become an Aussie sporting icon.

·         David Campese – mercurial winger and still Australia’s top try scorer. Famed for his goose step. Never short of a controversial word or two off the pitch either!

·         Ian Thorpe – aka ‘The Thorpedo’ - 5 gold medals in the pool at the Sydney Olympic Games and a member of the Aussie quartet who broke American hearts in the 4×100m freestyle relay. Need I say any more…

·         Shane Warne – leg spinning wizard and chief tormentor of England over many Ashes contests. Who can forget his first ever ashes ball to Mike Gatting…

·         Mal Meninga – Aussie league colossus remembered for his formidable power, pace and handling ability. As captain inspired his team to many a great victory and the title of undisputed world beaters for more than a decade.

·         Greg Norman – aka ‘The Great White Shark’ Norman cut an imposing figure on the golf course terrorising his opponents as the undisputed world number 1 for years. Winner of 2 majors but would surely have won at least another two but for miracle chip shots by Bob Tway and Larry Mize. 

·         Leyton Hewitt – gritty never say die tennis champion who became the youngest tennis player in history to reach the number 1 world ranking. Winner of 2 grand slams including Wimbledon in 2002.

The top 8 Aussie sports legends of all time? A matter of opinion but they all deserve a place in the pantheon of Australian sporting greats. Disagree? Let us know.

Visitors to Australia who are used to the free services offered by the NHS might be surprised at the way that health care is delivered in Australia and it is worth being aware of this before you find yourself having to give your credit card details to the receptionists in A+E!

The UK along with several other countries has a “Reciprocal Health care agreement” with the Australian government such that British nationals are eligible for “Medically necessary treatment” (treatment that needs to be undertaken before going home). Obviously this is in no way comprehensive. For example, ambulance fees are not covered. These fees can come as an unwelcome surprise- often a minimum of a few hundred dollars; they can be over a thousand if transfer from a remote area is required. Dental examinations and treatment are similarly not covered. It is well worth considering additional insurance that covers these costs.

If you are going to be in Australia for more than a couple of weeks it is worth considering applying for a Medicare card.

Medicare is a universal health insurance system that covers some basic costs of healthcare. UK residents are eligible under the reciprocal agreement for Medicare, but you need to apply for a Medicare number and this process may take a little while. If you require treatment and have not been issued with a Medicare number, you will have to pay the full amount, get a receipt from the doctor or hospital and then be reimbursed by Medicare once you have completed the application process. The Medicare website is helpful and well written, and you can apply before you go.

Medicare is not nearly as comprehensive as the NHS. For instance, a GP might charge AUS$45 for a standard consultation. The Medicare rebate for this is AUS$32.10, leaving a gap of AUS$12.90 for you to pay. Other costs are prescription medications, (contraception is free), and some surgical procedures (that are not “medically necessary”). If you take regular medications, ask your GP at home if they will give you a prescription to cover your trip - only 3 months can be issued at one time under NHS rules.

This is in no way meant to be a comprehensive assessment of the Australian healthcare system but just a quick guide. For further details we recommend you visit the Australian government initiative healthcare website Health Insite.

Following the deaths of 5 British travellers killed in a road crash on Saturday near Jipijapa the Lazyshark team would like to offer our deepest condolences to their families and friends. A tragic lose of life and we hope they find the lorry driver responsible.

The stunning landscapes of New Zealand have provided the perfect backdrop for many a great movie. In particular The Lord of The Rings trilogy has proved to be a great trailer for the NZ tourist industry showcasing the epic nature of the South Island with its stunning mountains, beautiful lakes and breathtaking glaciers. Some other classic films include:

·         Lord of the Rings

·         Once Were Warriors

·         Whale Rider

·         The World’s Fastest Indian

·         The Bounty

·         The Piano

·         King Kong

·         The Chronicles of Narnia

If we have left your favourite off the list let us know.

We all know that the Aussies like nothing better than throwing a few shrimp on the barbie and cracking open a can of Castlemaine XXXX – shocking stereotyping I know!

But seriously what local delicacies should you try during your travels around Australia? Personal favourites of ours worth checking out are:

·         The Great Australian Pie (tomato sauce optional!) – The national dish?!

·         Kangaroo meat – Recommend either steak or fillets

·         Sydney Fish market – for Lobster Thermador and chips or Rock oysters (if your budget stretches to this!)

·         Moreton Bay Bugs – that’s shrimps not insects!

·         Bowen mangoes – make sure you have a photo taken by the huge model if you visit the town!

·         Tasmanian salmon – delicious…

·         Coffin Bay scallops – pick up a bottle of wine at a Barossa Valley vineyard to go with them

If we’ve left a favourite dish of yours out let us know. Now go and hunt out some quality Aussie tucker….!

If you ask most backpackers if they could take one book with them on their travels it would invariably be a travel book and specifically either The Lonely Planet or The Rough Guide. They are useful tools in giving you the low down on the best places to visit during your travels – even we used them during our trips!

Remember though they are only a guide. We found that one of the main downsides with them is everyone else has a copy so the places listed within them often tend to lose some of their magic over time due to the constant flow of tourists and travellers passing through.

Some of the best places we visited were as a result of bumping into locals who are usually thrilled (especially after a beer!) to recommend some of the less well travelled sites worth seeing.

Lazy Shark Tip: Chatting to locals and other backpackers often reveals the hidden gems worth visiting during your travels not listed within the guide books.