High adventure for the action starved!

It could be the heat, but it seems that people in Australia love doing crazy stuff. Adventure is big business, and more and more visiting adrenalin junkies are getting in on a piece of the action too. Bungee jumping, skydiving, off-roading or flying through the sky at 800 kilometres an hour, you’re sure to find your niche in the world of adventure touring around Oz. Variety is the word, and everywhere you look there’s another challenge for the taking.

Up in the air, you can start with a nice, relaxing skydive. There’s nothing like jumping out of an airplane hundreds of metres above the ground to make you forget the worries of everyday life. Because you’re too worried about hitting the ground! Aussie safety standards are second to none though, so you can rest assured that the parachute will open. If you want the rush but not the jumping, then perhaps a flight in a jet fighter plane would do. It can be a bit pricy, but the feeling of flying through the air at 800 kilometres per hour is well worth it. You’ll do military manoeuvres as well, and some operators will even let you take the controls for a while.

Down closer to the ground, the action is still high. Bungee jumping has taken off world wide in the last few years, and Australia has caught the jumping bug. If you decide to take the plunge on your travels, stop in at Queensland. It’s the bungee capital of Australia where you can get a rush in the middle of the rainforest, or get the ultimate thrill when you combine parasailing with bungee on the parabungee! Or you could get down even further with some adventure abseiling under the earth’s crust. All around Oz is a network of limestone karst systems for you to explore. Perhaps the most intriguing are the caves of the Nullarbor, where you can go scuba diving in caves under the desert.

Out on the water, you can cool down with some of the most popular adventure sports in the country. Australia’s shores are blessed with some of the best surf spots in the world, so grab a board and take to the waves. If you’ve never surfed before, there are a number of surf schools around the country that will show you how. Or you could try water skiing, rafting, jet skiing, windsurfing or any number of other sports that will get you close to the water. You could have a go at skiing on the frozen variety too, on the mountainous terrain of the eastern states. If you want to get right down under the waves, deep sea diving on wrecks or the majestic coral walls of the Great Barrier Reef is for you. The ultimate underwater thrill though, has got to be off the shores of South Australia. Here you’ll find one of the only places in the world where you can go cage diving with the Great White Shark.

Hard core enthusiasts will revel in the motor sports offered on and off-road. Get behind the wheel of a powerful four wheel drive and explore parts of the country that roads just don’t go. Off-road vehicles will take you through rivers, across the desert or just about anywhere else you want. If you don’t want to drive yourself, a safari tour guide can do the driving for you. Back on the bitumen it’s just as thrilling. Seat yourself on a Harley and ride your way across the country, leaving your cares far behind. Or you could do a few laps at race tracks around Sydney or Melbourne in your own V8 super car, and get to know how it feels to be a pro.

If you were thinking of just sitting around in your hotel room and visiting a few souvenir shops on your visit to Australia, think again! There’s way too much fun and adventure out there to be had on your travels to just sit around relaxing. Get off the couch and let loose, and you’ll remember what being alive is all about!