Today was pretty simple really: we woke up early, dropped the rental car, checked in, and… boarded onto our first plane of the return journey, to Singapore. I learnt thanks to Sarah that I was an Airport Dad, so everyone in the family is making fun of me now.

These 4 weeks have passed at light speed. It seems that we arrived yesterday. At the same time, it seems that we haven’t stopped moving, visiting places and meeting people.

There are two things that have struck me with Australia.

First, how well developed public and recreation areas are. Bbq and picnic tables everywhere, parcs, playgrounds, water fountains, public toilets everywhere (while they’re nowhere to be seen in Norway – too afraid of a few junkies using them), changing rooms next to beaches. It seems like local governments and councils are focused on making sure that people / the general public can enjoy outdoor life in the cities and along the coast. A basic service to everyone over there, and definitely tourist friendly.

The second, is how appeased society seems to be after the reconciliation efforts by both recent Australian and aboriginal Australians. Government and society have acknowledged their past crimes and errors, and will still acknowledge them. They also recognised that aboriginal Australian are the custodians of the land. This acknowledgment is a natural start of all guided tours, will be written at the entrance of any building, and will take the form of a welcome ceremony at public events. There are some things that can never be repaired, but everyone seem more focused on the present.

What we see in other western countries is rather the opposite, a shared unwillingness to reconcile: blacks vs whites in the US, perpetuating guilt and fear narratives; European countries vs their old colonies unable to make peace on the past; minorities and “majorities” unwilling to define a present and a future together. I found that Australia was becoming at peace with themselves, through this genuine and honest reconciliation work. And because it is sincere, it creates a general impression of peacefulness.