From croc-filled rain forests to desert cattle drives, from beaches with the world’s best surfing, to the urban delights of Sydney’s world-famous opera house, it’s hard to imagine a more diverse and romantic destination.

In my travels throughout Asia I have met many Australians.  In fact, most of my friends – or mates, as they say — are Aussies.  I enjoy their easy-going, fun-loving attitude more than the occasional arrogance you might encounter from a Brit, Canuck or Yank.  If you happen to visit Australia’s wild west, where Perth is the largest city, you may have trouble understanding them.  I hung around with a couple Aussie miners from near Perth while holidaying in the Philippines.  They were great drinking buddies, despite my not being able to understand half of what they said. 

As for the women, I can’t speak much from personal experience.  Sailors I have spoken with raved about Perth as a favorite port of call.  They particularly enjoyed being greeted by the hundreds of young Aussie women waiting for them at the dock.

Romantic opportunities abound.  The urban centers of Sydney and Melbourne offer all the sophisticated city delights, from opera to casinos, one could ask.  Red meat lovers will find the quality of beef and lamb every bit as good as the American versions.  While Aussies may scoff at popular American beers such as Budweiser and Miller as “beer flavored water,” their wines are world class award winners.

If the seaside is your idea of romance, Australia is a vast dream.  It boasts more beaches than any other nation, including the world famous Great Barrier Reef.  Sample the local vintage in the vineyards of the New South Wales wine country.  Nature lovers may find relaxing at a spa in a rainforest more their style.  Escape the mainland, if you must, with a visit to the World Heritage site, Fraser Island, the world’s largest sand island, and enjoy the many lakes and rainforest.

A stay in this diverse island nation with your Aussie lover will be an event you will never forget.

Posted by Wade as Places, Romance at 7:48 AM EST

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If you haven’t traveled overseas before, it can seem like landing on a different planet. If you’re traveling to look for a prospective lover, you’re in for a great time. Don’t hesitate to travel alone. You don’t have to be alone for long. Don’t feel you have to make some contacts before you travel.

Expect unusual reactions when people find out you are planning a trip to travel alone overseas. I used to read a book on Thailand while on the bus to work. I got some surprising comments. One woman on the bus said her male friend was looking for an Asian wife because he was fed up with American women. A man warned me that communist guerillas were planning an imminent invasion (that was early 1984, and we’re still waiting). Another woman groaned in disbelief when she found out I was going to Asia, of all places, alone, for a vacation!

Planning Your Trip

This book is designed to supplement, not compete with, information available in commercial travel guides. There are many excellent travel guides available, and I will make some recommendations at the end of this chapter. I recommend you read up on the country you plan to visit before you leave. If nothing else, a good travel book tells you what to expect. That and good planning can save you time and money and enhance the enjoyment of your trip. Do your research before you leave rather than waste precious time while overseas. The more you know about the culture and country you visit, the more you’ll enjoy your trip.

Traveling alone can sound intimidating to rookie travelers, even if you have someone special waiting for you at the airport. Some people — undoubtedly those who don’t enjoy life to the fullest — may tell you that it’s unsafe, that all kinds of potential mishaps await people who travel overseas alone. They’ll talk about terrorists, communists, wars, thieves, malaria, even AIDS — anything to keep you from going abroad and having the time of your life. They haven’t got the guts to go themselves and are jealous.

Several people may ask you why you traveled alone overseas, without any friends or contacts to meet when you arrive. It comes down to two fears: Weren’t you lonely? Weren’t you afraid? You need not be either. It is safer walking down the streets of Bangkok than in most American cities. As for loneliness, it is ironic that people should be concerned about that, of all things. One reason you’re going to travel to exotic places is to get rid of loneliness. Most people, once they know what they’re doing, will feel less lonely during their travels than they ever have.

Making Friends after Arrival

Should you decide to travel overseas without previous contacts, you will meet interesting people after arriving. The easiest way is to just head for the singles bars. Don’t overlook the opportunity to meet and make friends during your travels. It can actually be easier to make interesting friends overseas than it is in your home country. There are many English-speakers living and traveling in popular travel destinations. The best places to meet them are in the bars and restaurants frequented by international travelers and businessmen.

People in many parts of the world are open, friendly and interested in getting to know you. Chances are they will take you to meet their families, who will be extremely hospitable. They will be eager to help make your trip to their country as enjoyable as possible.

You will find many places to meet people: thriving open markets, universities, stores and discos. Just hanging out in one of these places gives you an excellent chance of meeting a friendly and nice-looking local eager to practice their English on a native speaker. This is especially true of university areas, where you are most likely to meet a young, English-speaking student for companionship. Most people in the tourist service business also speak good English.

Posted by Wade as Lifestyle, Romance at 5:14 AM EST

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Deciding which country to seek love in is a tough but enjoyable decision. You can look for love anywhere on the planet. I hope this information will arouse your curiosity, and eventually, when you meet someone in person, your ardor.

Deciding How to Look

Before you decide where to look, start thinking about how to look. My advice is to develop a game plan. Develop a method to achieve your goal. Some factors to consider are your personality, independence, financial flexibility and whether you’re interested in friendship, a love affair, marriage, or all of the above.

The kind of personality you have — your lifestyle, religion and general attitude toward life — are the most important considerations when looking for someone from another culture. Different people from different countries have different personalities and customs.

Of course, anything I state about the characteristics of people from a particular country are based on personal experience, what I’ve heard from others, and research. There are exceptions to everything. For example, the people of Malaysia are a combination of four or five different cultural and religious traditions. Don’t expect everyone in each country to be similar. There are striking exceptions, so be alert for them.

Study the Culture

Before making a decision on which country or countries to target, I recommend that you research the history, culture and customs of countries that interest you. I hope to give you some ideas about where to look, but the world is your playground. There are so many countries in the world, and the map is always changing. It is estimated that there are thousands of cultures to choose from with a vast diversity in customs, languages and race.

Research Tools

A list of nations is found in any good world almanac, along with brief information about the country. An encyclopedia such as the free online Wikipedia has more detailed descriptions of each country and its peoples. The encyclopedia is a surprisingly good source of information for people interested in seeking love overseas. These resources give some hint to the kind of person you are likely to encounter: customs, religion, temperament and eating habits. A good travel guide will also have helpful information. Most libraries have books on all major countries. Hopefully, understanding something about their country will help you make a decision on which country you are most likely to find a person you can love.

The CIA World Factbook is an excellent reference on the economies, politics, geography and climate of every country in the world. It is available in the reference section of the public library and on the Internet. Of course, there are some things a book can never tell you. These can only be learned by seeing and touching the person you desire.

Posted by Wade as Lifestyle, Romance at 1:24 AM EST

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Involvement with someone from a foreign country will probably include contact with one of four religions: Buddhism, Orthodox Protestant, Catholicism or Islam. Korea and Thailand are mostly Buddhist, while the Philippines is over ninety per cent Catholic.

The chances are good a Malaysian will be Muslim. Don’t necessarily let this hinder your ardor. The American press doesn’t portray Muslims fairly because of their preoccupation with sensationalizing terrorism. Malaysia is not an Arab country. The Muslims there are peaceful and tolerant of other religions.

Don’t let religion be a barrier to coming together with the right person. Few follow their religion with a fervor that prevents them from marrying someone of another religious belief. A belief in God satisfies most, and some will even marry an atheist.

Make sure you know what to expect so there will be no disappointments or false expectations. As a Buddhist, Muslim or Christian, your intended might not want to live with or make love to you until you are officially married. You can clear that up by being honest and open in all your communications.

Posted by Wade as Lifestyle, Romance at 1:01 AM EST

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