Tom Williams Chats About Travel
Hi there people out there in Travel Tart land – today I’ve got an interview with Tom Williams. He has the enviable job of being a television and radio presenter in Australia, which includes many travel themed shows like The Great Outdoors and No Leave, No Life. He’s even won an Australian series of Dancing With The Stars and makes thousands of women weak at the knees with his hunky good looks. Plus he’s pretty buff as well. His six pack puts my one pack to shame…
Anyway, he’s been silly enough to have a chat to me about his new role as an ambassador for the Northern Territory. You know, that place that epitomises outback Australia and contains the cultural icons of Uluru (or Ayers Rock) and Kakadu National Park. Plus it’s home to a lot of quirky events which have made their way to my website! Actually, one in four Australians rank Uluru as the most iconic landmark in Australia over other national treasures including the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Sydney Opera House and the Great Barrier Reef.
Anyway, here is the interview! You can also follow TomWilliams70 on Twitter.
The Tom Williams Interview
The Travel Tart: Hi Tom, thanks for your time. You’re a familiar face in Australia, but for those outside of the continent that contains a lot of animals that could kill you but hardly ever do, tell us a bit about yourself.
Tom Williams: I travelled the world for the last 9 years on the Great Outdoors TV show here in Australia. Ive worked in North America as a ski bum and experienced some of the worlds most interesting civilisations. Walking the Inca Trail into Macchu Pichu was a highlight and cruising around the Artic ocean…travelling is an education and experience that will live with you forever, its also your passport to conversation anywhere in the world.
The Travel Tart: You’ve scored a cool gig to promote the Northern Territory to Australians to help convince them to visit their own backyard. I’ve been to around 50 countries including places hardly anyone goes to like Kosovo and Kazakhstan, and I haven’t been to Uluru yet even though I would like to! Sounds like a good excuse for someone to send me there on a junket! Ironically, I’ve had to knock back a couple of press trips to the Northern Territory because I was overseas, but my time will come! Anyway, why do you think one in five Australians will fly over the Northern Territory this year to other holiday destinations like Southeast Asia instead of touching down there to holiday in their own backyard? I thought the place would sell itself! Ironic, since recent research commissioned by Tourism NT suggests the Northern Territory is on more than half of Australian bucket lists.
Tom Williams: I think because the lure of a strong dollar which gives you more value when traveling overseas is a big reasons people may be missing the NT. Now its time for everyone to sample the true spirit of Australia and holiday in the NT. Adventure, great people and a beautiful landscape are only a short flight away.
The Travel Tart: I recently undertook an interview with thrill seekers Cas and Jonesy who managed to score a great trip by undertaking a Northern Territory pub crawl in a helicopter. That would definitely beat staggering around town trying to find the next pub! I thought that was so cool, I want to add something like this to my bucket list! What’s the coolest gig you’ve scored so far with your role as a Northern Territory Ambassador?
Tom Williams: We did a similar thing, flying in a chopper to Mt Bundy station for some mustering and fishing then flying around Litchfield National Park for a swim in the water falls and capped it off by heading to the Adelaide River to see the jumping crocs! On the drive home we stopped in at the Humpty Doo pub, so managed a few beers then!
The Travel Tart: The Northern Territory is known for a lot of quirky events which seem to be a good excuse to drink beer – which means I want to go them! I’m talking about the Camel Cup (Camel Races with Human Jockeys), Beer Can Regatta (Boats made out of aluminium beer cans that race each other) and the Henley On Todd Regatta (a boat race in a river without water). What’s the most bizarre event you have experienced in the Territory?
Tom Williams: Definitely the croc-a-sauras….in Darwin you can drive in a tank with the biggest bloody croc you’ve ever seen…it swims right up to the clear perspect cage and completely freaks you out…
The Travel Tart: One of my favourite newspapers in the world is the Northern Territory News – that’s because they usually feature an article about a crocodile every day! I reckon you’re buff enough to wrestle a croc! Have you considered doing this to help promote the place?
Tom Williams: You would have to be a complete loon to wrestle a croc! Unless you know what you are doing of course. They are the most deadly beast on this Earth…a total dinosaur, killing machine that just wants to eat you. Those jaws will crack you open and some of them could swallow you whole.
The Travel Tart: One of life’s challenges is to drink a couple of Darwin Stubbies and live to tell the tale (for those who don’t know, a Darwin Stubby is a 2 litre (or 10.1 U.S. fl oz) glass bottle of beer. How many of those can you hold without falling down? ;P
Tom Williams: I’m not much of a sculling man these days…I reckon I’d only get through about a schooner glass before ‘having to take a rest’.
The Travel Tart: Have you had a chance to chat to any of the NT locals? I’m sure you’ve met a few characters!
Tom Williams:The locals are some of the most colourful and brilliant people you could meet. So often people will just walk past each other in the city. Friendly locals make a place and in the NT you could meet a better bunch of folks. Happy to help out with plenty of rural charm.
The Travel Tart: You used to be a surf life saver back in the day. Here is a multiple choice question – are you a board shorts or budgie smuggler man?
Tom Williams: Speedos are for racing and training and boardies for anything else…as an ex boat rower, speedo’s were the only option…but it always look weird to me seeing a Man between the ages of 6 and 60 wearing speedos. Put some pants on!
The Travel Tart: And finally, where was the first place that made you realise, hey I love this travelling thing? You’re welcome to give the Northern Territory a gratuitous plug!
Tom Williams: The first time I saw Uluru I remember that moment thinking…why is it here…in the middle of no where, just a huge big red rock..it blew me away and every time I go back that reaction is exactly the same. Its mesmerising…
The Travel Tart: Thanks Tom!
Anyway, check out more at the Tourism NT website!
I should check the Northern Territory as well…
You’ll love it – I want to see more of the place myself!