The thrill of golfing Down Under

One of the first nights after we had come to Australia, I was flipping through the TV-channels, fighting jet lag and trying to find something that would keep me interested and therefore awake for a couple of hours more. I found a talk show with the topic ”How to move on with your life after a shark attack”. I was surprised and somewhat startled too. Is this really happening to so many people it’s necessary to dedicate an entire talk show during prime time to this?! ”Avoid surfing in shark infested waters as it could be hazardous” is perhaps an advice that would be of good use before hitting the waves. 

Summer means peak season for the golfers. But not only golfers come alive during this time. Golfing in Australia is bringing a whole new level of thrill to the sport. On the news they warned golfers to search for their lost golf balls as more than one golfer has been bitten by snakes out in the high grass. And the ponds, if you lose a golf ball there just leave it as the pond – although it’s in the middle of a golf course – might very well be home to a crocodile or two. The best advice for golfers in Australia: stay on the fairway! A lost ball is a lost ball. Drop a new one and move on. 

Melbourne is relatively spared from predacious animals; sharks are not often seen in the bay and they don’t like the shallow waters by the beaches here. The temperatures are too cool here for crocodiles, the really big snakes and the dangerous spiders. The temperatures are somewhat too cool for my liking as well but If I have to choose between 25C-45C all year around with all the creepy crawlers, over sized slithering snakes, savage sharks and carnivorous crocs that comes with the package or 12C-40C with less or none of the above stated animals, I would choose the latter. Being a mother and housewife provides me with a steady flow of adrenaline, stress and excitement – I don’t need more excitement than necessary when I’m outdoors. 

I read an interview with a lifeguard at one of the beaches here. He said that he hadn’t seen any sharks swimming by, only snakes. Great... Anyone fancy a swim?

          Shark at the Melbourne Aquarium. That's a close enough encounter.