My travel plans for when this is over: General Peter Cosgrove

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This was published 3 years ago

My travel plans for when this is over: General Peter Cosgrove

By Julietta Jameson
Updated
Yasaka Pagoda and Sannen Zaka Street in Kyoto, Japan.

Yasaka Pagoda and Sannen Zaka Street in Kyoto, Japan.Credit: Alamy

MY ONE DREAM DESTINATION IS STILL …

New Zealand (due to open a travel bubble with Australia early next year). It is beautiful and naturally pristine, with rich culture, very friendly people and a great tourist industry. It is compact in terms of internal travel, it is close to Australia and great value for money. My first time there was in 1973, as part of an Australian infantry battalion on a training visit. My wife and I had our honeymoon there in 1976 – snow on Mount Cook in December – magic.

WHEN THIS IS ALL OVER I'M DREAMING OF VISITING …

Former Governor-General of Australia General Sir Peter Cosgrove.

Former Governor-General of Australia General Sir Peter Cosgrove.Credit: Dominic Lorrimer

India: the sights, sounds, food and the teeming hordes of humanity. In 1994 we lived in New Delhi for a year and fell in love with the ancient cultures and the people we encountered. There is so much more to see even though we have been back several times since. More time in southern India beckons.

MY DREAM TRAVEL BUBBLE DESTINATION IS …

Japan – we have a fascinating history with our firm friend, Japan. We have visited there officially before but only scratched the surface. It is ancient, exotic, friendly but attractively opaque. Imagine the fascination in bringing our Aussie goodwill and inquiring minds into a nation that wishes all of us well.

MY DREAM DOMESTIC DESTINATION IS …

Brisbane. A precious one third of our descendant family lives north of the border and we've been cracking our necks to get up there to see them and hug them (Facetime, etc just isn't cutting it). Cuddling your infant grandaughter beats all of our other natural beauty and Aussie hospitality.

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MY DREAM DOMESTIC TRIP SO FAR HAS BEEN ...

20 years ago, on the 24th February, 2000 when I flew from Darwin to Sydney on an RAAF jet at the end of INTERFET (the International Force East Timor, a multinational peace making taskforce) and stepped into the arms of my wife Lynne: mission accomplished.

General Sir Peter Cosgrove's new memoir is You Shouldn't have Joined … (Allen and Unwin, $49.99). See allenandunwin.com

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