Canberra - it may be the seat of power, but its not that exciting...

Tuesday 15th came and with it my penultimate, and probably shortest, Greyhound journey to Canberra. I left a dull Sydney and arrived in a sweltering Canberra that looked and felt very much like it was in the middle of the desert or similar. After a slight altercation with my map I found the YHA in the centre of Canberra City and proceeded to acquaint myself with the Nation's Capital city. Although to be honest, unless you venture to the main places of power and monuments etc, there isn't all that much to see!


So the next day I take advantage of a discounted ticket on a tour bus and set about finding out what there is in Canberra! The first stop is the much visited Australian War Memorial which has views all the way down Anzac Parade to the Old Parliament House, it houses displays on all the conflicts Australian has been involved in and has a fairly good sound and light show based around a real Lancaster Bomber. From there we drive down Anzac Parade and see the various memorials to different groups and conflicts before visiting the Parliament House. On the guided tour I get to see both Houses (Representatives and Senate) which work in much the same way as our Commons and Lords but the rooms themselves look a lot more modern! On the top of the building is a giant flagpole bearing the Australian Flag and the rooftop gives 360 degree views of the city. Next stop is the Old Parliament and whilst, smaller and no longer suited to its previous job, its has far more character and charm than its modern clinical successor. As it is no longer used and serves as a museum you are able to see nearly every part and I found it exciting to wander through rooms once used to run the country from. On our way to our final stop we drive through the diplomatic zone and see some of the different embassies and high commissions and, surprise surprise, the biggest belongs to America closely followed by the Chinese Embassy! The last place I visit is the National Museum, a unique and controversial building that houses exhibits on Australia's past, present and future. The displays didn't really draw me in but the building itself is an attraction with its modern colours and angles.

On my last day in Canberra, before getting my final Greyhound coach, I visit the Australian Mint and learn about the history of Australian coins and currency, before striking my own special $1 coin to take as a souvenir.