Kokonutz - I really am not going to get into philosophical discussions about MY country and countrymen and culture with someone who now admits he has NEVER been here .. sorry. And you call MY comments above "presumptious". Chee!

I've travelled to over 100 countries on vacation, and every continent, (including Antarctica,) many several times, and been to the USA about 40 times, and write detailed articles about all holidays - see my website. I restrict MY commentary to what I have seen or experienced - simply that. FACTS.

Me making sweeping comments about Gambia or Greenland without having ever been there would be pretty foolish, IMHO. To imply there is racial segregation here in Australia is simply stupid, and is insulting to me, and I cannot believe any sensible person would say that. Most especially one who has never been here!

And as to:

"How can you say with certainty that none of the Dutch explorers who landed in Australia at the beginning of the 17th century (and established many colonies in the region) left no failed colonies on the island?" .... you really must get real, and get some FACTS together PLEEEEZ.

The first Dutch explorers to visit this continent in the early 1600s (note, this is not an "island" as you so quaintly call us twice, but at 3 million square miles is similar in area to the 48 contiguous USA states) did so seeking new land to claim for the Crown and new riches to return with.

They then did these funny little things called "detailed reports of the voyages" for their Monarch, and even funnier, did them in WRITING. Inspect them next time you are in Holland.

If you have however stumbled upon the "Dead Sea Scrolls" pointing to failed Dutch settlements in Australasia, you will be flying paid First Class, for the rest of your days with the book, movie and government monies etc they will toss at you! And that connection seems to be the ONLY one here remotely connected to "Flying" in this entire discussion, so I will leave it at that.

And I can see why Mrs Betty Lowrey quit teaching and went into travel, if she taught you Australia having its first European visitor in 1616 (Dirk Hartog) gives a 500 year time span. My math teacher told me it came to 384 years, but then, she never went into travel.

Get on a plane, come down and VISIT first .. and air your learned opinions THEN! Seems pretty sensible to me.




[This message has been edited by ozstamps (edited 08-02-2000).]