澳洲被称为羊背上的国家。去过两次澳洲，别人问起澳洲印象，第一个反应就是澳洲人的朴实和真诚。05年第一次去澳洲，归程飞机座位左侧是个十几岁的澳洲女孩，坐下前对我一笑，一脸的灿烂中透出的是纯净的腼腆，如同深山里的一泓清水，当时有种久违了的感觉，曾几何时，女孩的脸上常常有这种稚嫩的羞怯、真诚但收敛的目光。回国后，常常感叹在我们的大城市里怎么见不到这样的笑容了呢。07年去澳洲的那次，左侧座位上坐的是一个学生模样的华裔澳洲青年，一路上，他像所有那个年龄段的年轻人那样戴着耳机，沉浸在音乐之中，似乎周围的人都不存在。飞机停定，大家站起拿行李，这时，他突然转向我说，我帮你取行李吧。我正求之不得，我那个箱子对我来说分量不轻。我谢他，他没有多少表情地说不谢，然后左右张望看看是否还有其他人需要帮助，接着还是那样“目中无人”地提着自己的行李匆匆下了飞机。

我的澳洲同事和朋友，GLEN教授更是澳洲人的典型，他已被我们誉为澳洲雷锋，对此他很是乐意。他曾经对我说，“We Australians like to help others without asking for return.”

可就在前两天，GLEN教授给我发过来邮件，附件中是他接待的一名中国访问学者在澳洲极其不愉快的经历（见下文，该文已上澳洲媒体），张同胞在澳洲遭遇如此不善之人，真是不幸。

To whom it may concern,

This is Mamie ZHANG, a university lecturer from China, and visiting academic at EdithCowanUniversity to do a research project on Australian literature. I write to report some frightening things that happened during my trip to the Pinnacles national park on Monday 7^th January.

In my eyes, Australia is a beautiful country, a lucky country, a mysterious country, which is endowed with rich resources and a clean natural environment. The vast majority of the Australian people are friendly, kind, warm, hospitable, understanding, caring and willing to help others. But there are still some people who are dishonest and try every means to gain their own interest at customers’ expense.

I do enjoy my wonderful stay in Perth except for two terrible days.

The whole thing happened like this:

On the morning 4^th, Jan. 2008, I called Aussie Perth Tours and got the exact information that I could book the same tour; take the same bus on 5^th, Jan. with two friends from Sydney (Dr June N Sheriff) and Singapore (Doreen Tan Taylor), for they booked the tour 3 days earlier. I told the working stuff at Aussie Perth Tours the reason that I wanted to book the tour was to travel with my friends together before we 3 left Perth on 12^th, Jan, or I would not go by myself. The working stuff understood my idea and gave me a definite answer, yes. At about 11, I went to Aussie Perth Tours at 138A Murray Street and asked all the information again then I paid my fees of $130 for a full day tour of Pinnacles, New Norcia & Wildflowers. The staff told me to wait for the tour bus at WentworthPlaza, the corner of William and Murray Streets at 7:20 on 5^th, Jan. I looked forward to an exciting tour.

The next day (5th, Jan.), I got up at 6 and Prof. Glen Phillips of ECU picked me up at 7 and we arrived at the destination at 7:15, then he left and I waited for a bus to pick me up. I waited and waited, finally a tour bus came but after checking some information, the bus driver failed to find my name on the list, and refused to pick me up. At 7:40, another bus came but the same thing happened. I saw my friends on the bus and I talked to the bus driver, my friends talked to the driver, but he could not pick me up for the same reason. Nervously, I used my mobile to call Aussie Perth Tours. The first time I called, a lady answered my phone but offered no solution to the problem, then the line was off. Then I dialled their No. 92212400 again and again at least 10 times, but it was always occupied. There was no way out. I did not leave WentworthPlaza, the corner of William and Murray Streets in case that another bus may come to pick me up. I waited till 8:20 and there was no sign of any bus to pick me up. Desperately I ran to the office of Aussie Perth Tours but it was not open. I had to find a bus stop to go back home and carry all my heavy stuff with me.

My pleasant plan to see Pinnacles and New Norcia with my friends ended up in smoke.

At 10:30, Prof. Glen took me to Aussie Perth Tours and asked the reason why there was no bus to pick me up. Their response shocked me: it was not their business and they have finished their job! I asked my full refund, because it was not my fault to have missed the tour, since I arrived at the correct place before the given time. But they did not agree to give me the full refund, charging 20% of the total---$26. I said it was not fair, I paid them, but no bus came to pick me up, I did not travel at all, it was not my fault, but their fault and mistake. The boss said what she could do was to give me a little discount. But I insisted the same trip with the same route, they did not provide. So the choice was either to take my money back losing $26 without any travelling at all or to get back $30 to take on another trip to Pinnacles ( the full price is $125) organized by their company. I did not have any way to take back all my money and did not want to take any trip organized by their company. I insisted on my full refund, but was refused. I had no way out. I was forced to choose either of them; anyway Aussie Perth Tours did not want to give me back any money which might be their policy. My whole plan was destroyed and my whole day was ruined. I lost money, but the most important is precious time left in Australia, for on 12^th, Jan. I will go back to China. I could not afford to waste even a minute in Perth.

By contrast, the second choice offered by Aussie Tours seemed better; I would not lose much money and still could see one of the most famous scenic spots close to Perth. Reluctantly I accepted the second choice, having a $25 discount and would go to Pinnacles on 7^th, Jan.

You may think it was the end of the story, but it wasn’t. The worst thing was waiting for every tourist on that trip.

1. The bus driver --- the tour guide was good at keeping silence! He did not explain anything on the way to or at the Pinnacles. The first stop was YanchepNational Park. He asked 8 tourists to walk for 20 minutes, and then to get on the bus. Most of them did not know what to do without any guide; we stayed close to the lake and took few photos. That’s all. We asked the tour guide to explain something, but he did not reply.
2. At Pinnacles, we were given less than 30 minutes to look at the beautiful scene. All the 8 tourists got off the bus, walked around and took some photos, and then the driver drove the bus on through the Pinnacles. We watched from the bus. I thought there may be other interesting Pinnacles yet to come. After a while, I saw the sign of EXIT, so I asked the driver whether there were some other places to visit, and he replied that’s the end of the trip. How disappointed I was! I only stayed there for less than 30 minutes and that’s the whole day’s trip! It was 2:30, early to end a full day trip. But the driver said he had to be back and it would take him 3 hours to go back to Perth. I did not have a good look at Pinnacles and knew nothing about its origin, its past and present situations. Anyway I was taken there and all I saw was that there are numerous Pinnacles.
3. The bus was terrible. On the way to the Pinnacles, the air-conditioning seemed to work, but on the way back, there was no air-conditioning! It was 40۫ C! It was terrible to sit in a small bus without air-conditioning! I had to use my umbrella to keep off the heat of sunlight. Some others also tried to let some fresh air in, but the air outside the bus was hotter and so the hot breeze came into the bus which made it even hotter. We had no choice but to shut the windows! We were in an oven!
4. The worst thing was that the bus driver often fell asleep! We did not notice he dozed until he drove into the right-hand lane. Suddenly a car came. We saw it was extremely dangerous, and all the tourists shouted. An elderly woman of 78 years old stood up and yelled, ‘You closed your eyes to drive a bus!’ We did not have any guarantee of the safety of our lives. All the tourists were alert. We kept a close eye on the driver. But after a while he dozed again and I had to speak to him and wake him up at least 6 times! He said when the road was straight; it was safe for him to close his eyes and sleep! You see how irresponsible he was! How irresponsible the travel agency was! For such a hot day, they should have used a good bus equipped with good air-conditioning and two drivers to drive the bus by turns. Tourists’ safety should be guaranteed.
5. All the tourists were extremely worried about their safety on the whole way back to Perth. They did not have a relaxed and pleasant trip. They spent their half day in panic. Among the 8 tourists, I am the youngest, and most of them are over 50 and the oldest is 78. Aussie Perth Tours should have taken the age of the tourists into consideration and provided the elderly with a better and comfortable bus.

In short, the travel agency Aussie Perth Tours did not give priority to the safety and interest of the tourists. What they emphasized was to make as much money as possible.

I have written this letter to complain of their dishonesty and lies to me for they cheated a foreigner and knew I had no way to deal with them within the short period of time of my visit.

I hope all the relevant authorities will consider this matter seriously. Do not let them cheat tourists home and aboard any more. Their dishonest behaviour has a terribly effect on Australian tourism and the Australian image. I strongly advise that some measures should be taken to punish such an irresponsible travel agency----Aussie Perth Tours ----so as to protect tourists’ safety and interests.

I want my money back, for the trip was not worthwhile and I spent my day in danger anxiety and panic. I hope such a terrible trip in Australia will never happen again to any traveller from home or abroad.

Yours sincerely,

Mamie Zhang Xiuqing

Inner MongoliaUniversityAustralianStudiesCenter, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia.

Visiting Academic at Edith Cowan University (1^st December 07-12^th January 08)