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An American tourist who thought she was heading on the trip of a lifetime – two weeks in Australia – has labelled the experience "bland".
Travel blogger Grace Cheng went to Australia for two weeks last year, visiting Melbourne, the Gold Coast, Byron Bay and Sydney.
But she didn't like it very much, and told her 70,000 social media followers why that was the case in a video posted on 29 December.
She said the trip was "bland" because the country was spread so widely, and that its beaches and cities were "mediocre".
"If you watched my previous video I mentioned how it was bland. If I'm being honest, none of the cities really stood out to me.
"I know it's probably on me for not having the best travel itinerary, but if you're comparing to world standards, the cities aren't that interesting.
"Australia is very much known for its nature instead. The trip pretty much consisted of mediocre beaches and city life. Australia is also just so far away from everywhere else in the world. Travelling time alone probably takes over 24 hours.
"It can be a little bit inconvenient and a hassle if you're not getting the most out of this country."
However, Cheng did admit that Australia's cities beat European capitals like Paris and London on cost.
"I don't want to only talk about the negatives, I did have a good time here. I know a lot of people say that travelling here is expensive and while it is, it's not comparable to places like Paris or London.
TikTok/@gracietravels
"Obviously, it was super easy to get around because there was no language barrier. It's not too big of a culture shock coming from the states either. I will say the lingo is different and it was hard at some times to understand what the locals were saying.
"I'm impressed to say that every restaurant we went to was so good - this was a pattern throughout the four cities we visited.
"While my experience here wasn't what I expected it to be I really can't say I dislike the country as a whole."
Social media users were outraged at Cheng's comments, especially about the beaches being "mediocre".
One person wrote: "They have the best beaches in the world. like you said, it's on you to not go to the best places."
Another person said: "Mediocre Beaches. Show me a place with better surf beaches?"
And a third said: "Nowhere in the states has the bondi to Coogee walk, or Manly ferry or Parsley Bay. if you're not at a Harbour beach why bother coming?"
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