For those living in the Northern hemisphere, which I presume is the majority of you, here are a few photos that will hopefully help chase away the winter chill and damp, at least for a few minutes anyway.

While I have called Switzerland home for nearly 20 years now, I grew up in tropical North Queensland, Australia.

So naturally I took everything for granted (or nearly everything): warm weather all year round; fantastic winters, or more accurately, no winters at all; fresh fruit (I’d forgotten just how much tastier locally grown fruit is); incredible fauna and flora; relaxed lifestyle and people; and the Great Barrier Reef.

Okay, I’ll admit the last one isn’t true and that I have always appreciated just how great the diving and snorkelling is on the reef.

It has been quite a few years since I’ve visited Australia and even more since I’ve visited the Whitsunday region; however I have the great fortune to be here now.

As it was a nice day for a drive, my wife and I did just that today and the photos above are just a few of the vistas (and animals) we saw from the side of the road (albeit a dirt road at times).

Except for that photo of the wild cockatoos that drop in for afternoon tea each day.

If ever you manage to visit Australia, or if you are already here, I cannot recommend the Airlie Beach and Whitsunday region too highly. It is simply fantastic!