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Review #4745630
Viewing a review of:
My Trip to Australia  [E]
My advice on visiting Australia...Pictures and popnotes too!
by Maryann
Review by Annette
In affiliation with The WDC Angel Army  
Rated: E | (5.0)
Access:  Public | Hide Review (?)
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The views and opinions on this review are mainly the things discovered by the reader and therefore, do not reflect necessarily to the group, activity and/or event being affiliated herein. This is only the opinion and suggestions of the reviewer and it is still up to the author of this piece to consider this review as a corrective action or otherwise.


Hello Maryann

First impression:

The title tells me immediately that I will be interested. I would love to go see Australia for myself, but the travel diaries of others help me fill the void until then. I also appreciated the intro line that promised pictures and popnotes. Popnotes are a great way to give additional context without slowing down the actual text.

What works:

The amazing pictures that break up the paragraphs give this item the veneer of a high quality travel book or National Geographic article. You received a Photography merit badge for this item and it is highly deserved. Every single photo is of perfect composition. Of course, I am partial to the animals, but I have to say the mall photo from that angle is a stunner also. The way you centered the clock makes it a very iconic shot.

The popups with the links are just the best! I love how personal you made the essay and also weren't afraid to mention the things that you wouldn't do again. That doesn't mean others have to avoid them, it only means that they had a fair warning. For instance, I'm not a casino gambler in the first place, but I might try it out somewhere else. I won't waste my time to try it in Sydney.

I think it also so cool that you mentioned how people can go over the top arch of the Harbor Bridge and although you didn't do it, you explained how safe it really is as people are strapped to the banister. It's totally something I would do. Not on a super windy or rainy day, but if the weather was the Sydney version of pleasant, I would so go on that bridge arch.

What needs work:

Not a real critique. I saw that the article was published here in 2009. In the flea market section, you mention that the vendors mostly only accept cash. I wonder if that has changed in the years since then. Mobile paying has become ubiquitous in many parts of the world, almost more so in the shadow economies of private to private sales. Of course, I don't expect you to travel back there to find out. It would be a neat addition to this item if you were able to get the information whether the cash only policy is still the norm or if that has been pushed aside by now.

Final thoughts:

This piece makes me want to go to Australia so badly! I hope they still let people pet the koalas and kangaroos. Petting zoos are always a little iffy as I don't want to be abusive to animals. I think it's always very quickly visible when animals are happy with their situation or not. Here in California, I went to an ostrich and emu park where visitors can give the animals feed out of large plastic pans. The animals looked okay. Their enclosures were large and seemed appropriate. I was more worried about the very young people who were selling the tickets and staffing the gift shop. They looked like those people in Tiger King ... not very healthy.

Thank you for taking the time to write this informative article. I got a lot out of it.


Annette
"The WDC Angel Army


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!.
   *CheckG* You responded to this review 04/17/2024 @ 10:03am EDT
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