... experiencing hospitality in 'Ose tara lia'

... experiencing hospitality in 'Ose tara lia'

PERTH (JP): When Captain James Cook embarked on a long voyage,
in search of new lands centuries ago, it was, in the same era,
usual for sailors from Ambon to sail thousands of kilometers --
the captain's ship often passed these sailors.

One day when the captain looked through his binoculars he saw
a black spot on the horizon. "Land ahoy!" he screamed with
delight.

He then looked down and saw a traditional Ambonese ship near
his great ship. "Ahoy sailor, could you tell me the name of that
land," the captain asked curiously.

The Ambonese looked completely perplexed and said: "Ose tara
lia", Ambonese for "I don't see anything."

Australia!, the captain said to himself, I have found
Australia....

That's a story a friend of mine told me and I do not know
whether it's true or just a joke. However, a new continent was
found; it's now called Australia and the British Empire used it,
originally, as a penal colony.

The convicts have been replaced by friendly people with great
hospitality, that now makes the continent one of the main tourist
destinations in the Asia-Pacific region.

Hospitality is easily found in Western Australia, in its
capital Perth, as well as other towns. A backpacker book states
that Perth has been described as "the friendly city" by many
visitors, from the world over, who have experienced its
hospitality.

Tourists will have no problems if they are lost, or just
looking for information, because people will help you, from taxi
drivers to shop keepers, they treat all customers the same.

"Oh my God, you can't spend $20 just for a taxi. Let me see in
the book the cheapest way to go there," That's what a lady at the
Fremantle tourism center said to journalists when she was asked
about the taxi fare to Whiteman Park.

She, who obviously had no idea of the whereabouts of the park,
then opened several books and maps and told us how to get to the
park cheaper. By using an electric train to Midland and then
getting a taxi to the park, "It will be cheaper," she assured us.

Although, in the end, the taxi fare to the park cost us about
the same, we appreciated her good-will in helping us, perfect
strangers, by making the time to read through several books and
maps just to find out where the park is and how to get there.

Another example of hospitality was found during a quick tour
of a vineyard. At Range View, in the Swan valley, owned by George
Sorgiovanni, tourists can watch the family run the vineyard, from
picking the grapes to the packaging process.

"My family has been living on this farm for about 30 years and
now my son Robert is helping me with my business," George said,
while he was carefully picking and putting fresh grapes in a box.

Together with his wife and son, he serves tourists with smile.
"Would you like to taste this fruit, love?" George often offers
his fruit to female tourists for free.

He kept offering the fruit and tourists kept accepting the
grapes. I began to wonder whether he made any profit from selling
the fruit because on many occasions he just gave it away.

Cheap holiday

The family has a small house, which functions as a shop and a
place where George packs the grapes in boxes. Just behind the
house tourists can step into the vineyard and pick the fruit from
the vines.

George said he hires seasonal workers during harvest and seed
time to help pick and grow the grapes on his 30 acre plantation
because his family cannot do it themselves.

Many of the seasonal workers are backpackers, who have work
visas. Most of them are young travelers, who intend exploring the
country, as well as to find jobs to finance their holidays.

Temporary employment is available in various kinds of job,
such as fruit picking and packing at Kununurra in June-July,
computer and word processor operators, telemarketers, collectors
and sales persons, which are constantly in great demand. These
temporary employment positions can easily be found in the
employment section of the West Australian newspaper.

For backpackers, the most important aspect of such a job is
cheap accommodation near the work place. And the room rate is
relatively cheap, as low as A$10 per night in some instances.

Staying at farms, stations or country retreats are other
options. Tourists can stay at a farm in the country and enjoy
day-to-day farm life, while getting the chance to be cowboys.
Staying at these places, tourists can help the farmers do their
jobs or just enjoy the heartland of Western Australia.

There are more than 40 locations, all over Western Australia,
which offer this type of holiday, with the fare ranging from $40
to $90 per day.

These unique, unusual experiences have attracted many
Indonesians to Australia. Well, I guess the Ambonese cannot say
Ose tara lia anymore, because many do see the continent. (yns)