Today I start a series of programs about my journeys.

Right now I am at Helsinki-Vantaa airport,

from whence in a few minutes my journey to Australia and New Zealand begins.

So, I invite you to come with me.

My acquaintance with Australia, as with the majority of tourists, I begin in Sydney.

Sydney is not the capital city, however; it is the biggest city of the county,

the heart of Australia nowadays.

The city perfectly suits those who are tired of the “Old World” and eager to see a “new,”

flourishing and vigorously developing one.

However, many things here remind one about former links to the British Empire,

starting from the British queen of the banknotes, the flag,

and finally, the barracks for the prisoners who built the city.

Despite the modernity, there is no feeling of fussiness, as in New York City for instance.

There are many parks in the city.

The Royal Botanic Gardens, for example, have an impressive collection of plants.

Flying foxes also live here,

reminding everyone of their presence with sharp sounds.

The bay exits to the Tasman Sea, making, in my opinion, a romantic atmosphere.

On the city beaches you may find surfers.

Of course, the most popular sight of the city is Sydney Opera House.

This easily recognizable building, a project of the Danish architect Jørn Utzon,

became the “visiting card,” of the city a long time ago.

The famous Harbour Bridge is situated opposite the Opera house,

the largest bridge in Sydney.

In the Sydney museum I have met the culture of local aborigines, original Australians.

In their incredibly colorful paintings an absolutely different Australia is pictured,

different from the contemporary point of view.

There are plenty of wildlife parks around Sydney.

In one of them I met, and even have had an opportunity to stroke a kangaroo, a koala and an ostrich.

There were cockatoos, dingo dogs and even the penguins which live in warm conditions.

The albino kangaroo and peacock are the real wonders of the park.

But most of all I liked the Tasmanian Devil, which I have heard of, but never seen before.

Oh, dream city Sydney!

Perhaps I would like to live here,

but enough of dreaming. It’s time to move further.

My journey continued to New Zealand.

I start my New Zealand journey in the small town of Christchurch,

which is located on the Southern Island.

Unfortunately, there was a serious earthquake,

and the center of the town became severely damaged,

including the main sight – the cathedral.

Tourists can only take photos of the fences surrounding the destroyed center.

Let’s hope that the town will be restored, and its doors will be opened for everyone soon.

Well… right now I am at the Christchurch railway station.

It’s 6:30 AM in the morning and quite chilly.

In just a few moments I will board this wonderful train

which will carry me throughout the whole of New Zealand.

Actually, the train by which I am traveling

runs along the eastern part of the Southern Island only, along the Pacific ocean coast.

Thus the train is called the “Coastal Pacific.”

Once someone said, “Better than a sea can be only another sea.”

Believe me, better than a sea can be only an ocean.

Finally the “Coastal Pacific” has arrived at Picton, where some very unusual transport was waiting for me.

I think you agree, there is no need for comments.

All I can say that the Cook Strait can be crossed in three hours by the ferry,

which was very quickly left behind by the plane.

I have arrived at Wellington.

The city appeared modern, cozy and a little bit provincial at the same time.

Probably an incompetent tourist would never think that he is in the capital of the country,

unless he faced the impressive Parliament building, which is very often called simply the “Beehive.”

Dear friends, my New Zealand journey continues. Right now I am on the Northern Island.

Again I am traveling by train… from the city of Wellington to the National Park station.

The last one is situated at the foot of Mount Ruapehu, the highest peak of the Island, if I am right…

The mountain is also known to be an active volcano. So, I am going to stay there for 3 days and I will try to climb the mountain.

Well, let’s see what happens…

This national park was named after Mount Tongariro.

The Ruapehuas as well as Ngauruhoe, are also part of the volcanic massif of Tongariro.

It’s hard to believe that such a still and peaceful place sometimes shudders upon eruption of these giants.

That’s why, I think, the last one – Ngauruhoe, by the way here it is, in the clouds –

appeared as Mordor in the “Lord of the Rings” movie.

My journey continues…

the Northern Island’s tourism train the “Overlander” brings me to Auckland city, my final destination in New Zealand.

Every new landscape view is more beautiful than the previous one.

The evergreen nature of this country may really make an impression upon one.

Auckland is found on the narrow neck between the Tasman Sea and the Pacific ocean,

and is known by its weather’s changeability.

Locals say: “If you don’t like the weather in Auckland, then just wait for 10 minutes”.

It seems that Auckland tries to compete with Sydney in its architectural style.

Auckland is considered not only the largest city of New Zealand, but of the whole of Polynesia as well.

Moreover, it is a famous educational center. Students from all around Asia study here.

Due to the picturesqueness of nature here, New Zealand has become an attractive place for filming.

As in Australia, I would like to bring your attention to the culture of the Maori people, native inhabitants of the land,

the language of whom has official status.

The word “maori” means normal, natural, common.

It was used to distinguish the common people from the gods whom the Maori believed in.

I think you will agree that it is difficult to consider as normal bygone cannibalism ceremonies.

Tattooing is another wonderful custom, which is used to mark people according to their social rank.

New Zealand’s fauna cannot leave any zoologist untouched.

As for me, I liked the kiwi bird the most.

A pity, but this nocturnal creature is difficult to meet nowadays in nature.

Well, there are a number of animals we shall not see alive anymore.

Dear friends, right now I am in the Auckland airport, where my New Zealand trip comes to an end.

My next stop will be the Great Barrier Reef. I am coming back to Australia.

My airplane is delayed more then 3 hours. Hopefully I will have enough time to transfer in Sydney.

As you may see, I made into my plane in time. However, it is better not to go into detail regarding this flight.

Again I am in Australia, it is exciting and hotter than before.

Unfortunately my excursion to the Great Barrier Reef was cancelled due to bad weather conditions.

Well, I will have another chance to go there next time.

Moreover, I had another unpleasant surprise by not being allowed to swim in the Coral Sea without a special protective swimming suit,

because of the small dangerous jellyfishes all around the shore.

Fortunately, there are artificial lagoons created in the towns close to the sea.

Airlie Beach is one of those towns, and there I stayed.

In a few days I departed to Melbourne, the last city in my journey.

Melbourne is the second largest city of Australia, and the most southern city with a population of over a million people.

You may easily hop off the free tourism tram running around the city centre and go sightseeing.

Among the sights, Flinders Street railway station,

the Royal Exhibition Centre

and Saint Patrick’s Cathedral immediately strike one’s eye.

The Queen Victoria market has over 150 years of history.

The Immigration Museum tells of the settler history of Australia

and touches everyone who has ever left the motherland for any reason.

Dear friends, it is a thousand pities, but everything in our lives comes to the end,

such as my journey to Australia and New Zealand.

I am very happy that I had an opportunity to visit these two wonderful countries.

Of course I recommend that everyone come here.

As a matter of fact, I just can add that the airplane you can see behind me

is the Airbus A380, to the date the largest passenger airplane in the world.

And it will bring me back home!