For the 11th year in a row, Australia tours reign supreme as the dream vacation for most folks in the United States according to a recent Harris Poll. The land DownUnder topped Italy, the UK, France and Ireland to be the #1 choice for a vacation destination, if cost was not an issue.

1. The Accent: The Australian accent is utterly charming. Starting with Crocodile Dundee and continuing through Mel Gibson and Nicole Kidman, not to forget Craig Ferguson on late night TV (woops, he's actually Scottish, but the accents all sound the same after a few glasses of good old Aussie merlot....), the spoken word is captivating and totally unlike any accents found in the US.

(Apologies to the Kiwis and Aussies reading this - most of us in the US cannot differentiate your accents.)

And how great is it that everyone says "G'day"?!

Friendly, casual, welcoming - "G'day, Mate" exemplifies the hospitality of the country.

2. Australia is BIG: Roughly the size of the United States, with only 7% of our population, Australia is a continent AND a country.

Whether you're seeking fun in the sun; active adventures; luxurious, pampered retreats; culture and history; superb trout and deep sea fishing; gourmet dining and fine wines (plus samplings from boutique beer breweries); wildlife encounters; the list goes on....

You'll find it in Australia.

After all, they've been preparing for us for over 40,000 years.

3. Australia is mysterious: Many of us know Steve McQueen's classic movie, Papillon, set in Devil's Island off the coast of French Guiana (South America).

Imagine an entire continent founded by Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman!

Australia's English-speaking roots trace back to the 1800s when it was used as punishment for "Olde" England's harsh laws and "undesirables" - the characters who built Australia.

Remnants of these early travelers are scattered throughout the country. Spend a day on Maria Island, off the eastern coast of Tasmania (yes, there is a Tasmania and there are Tasmania Devils!) and explore the limestone quarry ruins, ice age fossils and remote beaches. You can even spend a night or two in the "characters'" cells.

Or, if you're not afraid of reoccurring insomnia, join the 90 minute nighttime Ghost Tour at Port Arthur's ruins and meet the oldest settlers... if you dare. The photos you take may include a few surprises, with "proof" that the former inhabitants are still very much there.

4. Sense of Adventure: How many people who have traveled to the Caribbean, Mexico or western Europe do you know? Lots!

And how many people have been DownUnder (Australia and/or New Zealand)? Probably just a few - those with a lust for discovery.

Part of our US heritage is a spirit for exploration and adventure. Traveling to Australia gives all of us the chance to be the "Lewis and Clark" of our community - we've survived the long plane rides, driving on the "wrong" side of the road, feigned attacks from snapping crocodiles and wallabies that dive into car headlights at night.

We've covered the country on our Aussie AirPass and climbed to the top of the Story Bridge in Brisbane, swum with dolphins in Monkey Mia, explored ancient rock art in Kakadu, met all the locals at the Walhalla Star Hotel (population of 8), "fossicked" for opals near an underground city, watched the feeding frenzy at the Cod Hole in the Great Barrier Reef and drunk a bit too much Shiraz.

The memory-board of our fantastic Australia tours will top most any other experience.

Go for it - gather your mates and start living your dreams by planning your trip DownUnder.

Black flies in Australia don't bite!

Unlike the miserable blood-sucking, welt-producing black flies swarming through New Hampshire in Spring, the Granite State's Aussie cousins merely swarm, land briefly to say "G'day" and then take off to greet some other folks -- without leaving a nasty, itchy red pin-prick on your skin.

Appearing now in Kakadu World Heritage National Park, with permanent engagements elsewhere in the Northern Territory, the Aussie black fly is not a blood-thirsty micro-sucker. Instead, they gather their mates to welcome you to the relaxed, casual lifestyle of the Top End of Australia.