Há quem viaje para escalar montanhas, nadar em mares azul-turquesa, desbravar florestas selvagens. Há quem goste das cidades vibrantes, dos campos tranquilos, das línguas e cultura estrangeiras, das comidas exóticas. Quanto a nós? Gostamos de tudo isso, claro. Mas a vida em outro país produz incontáveis momentos de descoberta, momentos de cama, mesa e banho, banais e fascinantes ao mesmo tempo. A Indonésia está cheio deles.

Com suas praias, rios, florestas, dunas e barreira de corais, a Austrália é um eterno playground natural para todas as idades. E o governo ainda acha vários jeitos tornar esse playground ainda mais atraente. Por exemplo, com as indefectíveis churrasqueiras a gás instaladas em cada parque, praia ou área de piquenique. Ou com as lagoas artificiais e piscinas naturais.

(English) It doesn’t take long to see that the eastern Australian backpacking trail, which stretches form Sydney to Cairns, is geared for the sub-30 set. Hundreds of young’uns, mostly European, flock to the Gold an Sunshine Coasts chasing sunny beaches, bountiful alcohol, and beach-beautiful bodies.

Nothing wrong with this, but it’s not for everyone. Which is the reason that travellers 30 and above are a rare sight: it’s easy for them to feel they have outgrown this kind of budget-minded tripping.

(English) Queenstown is the most convincing proof that governments can profit from the legalization of drugs. This is, after all, the city that deals the world’s most expensive narcotic. Walk around its compact downtown and you’ll see hundreds of addicts, just biding time until their next fix, for which they’ll pay hundreds of dollars.

The drug dealers are registered companies that are taxed and subject to stringent safety standards. There are very few deaths and virtually no violent crime caused by the drug.