(Entertainment-NewsWire.com, November 11, 2012 ) NSW, Australia- On November 14, shortly after the break of dawn and weather permitting, onlookers will see a black disk with the sun's glowing corona stretching beyond it - a total eclipse of the sun lasting just over two minutes. The total eclipse will take place in Northern Australia.
More than 50,000 tourists, half of them from overseas, are expected to travel to Australia to see the eclipse, said Margaret Darveniza, regional development officer for Advance Cairns. Most will arrive into the Cairns-Port Douglas area in Queensland.
Linda and George Bugbee from Virginia are eclipse fans with three eclipse trips under their belt. They have already have plans for a fourth solar eclipse to Australia. Linda recalled the first eclipse trip as more emotional than she expected.
"Time sort of stops, but you know it's only going to last a minute or so. You sort of take the universe and the planets for granted, but when this happens, it seems so real."
Some hotels have been booked for November 14th phenomenon for three years, and approximately 5,000 tourists will stay in campers. Tourists will capture the moment from land, boat, train, and even by hot air balloon.
Considering a trip to Australia is on the other side of the world for most travelers, many tourists will take the opportunity to ensure a full itinerary to other destinations in the region. The Cairns' Green Island Resort, offers the opportunity for snorkeling, windsurfing, canoeing, and nature walks. The region is also known for its proximity to the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree, the world's oldest living rainforest.
George Bugbee, a retired anesthesiologist and astronomy enthusiast, stated before the couple's first trip to see an eclipse, he watched recorded programs featuring Alex Filippenko, a professor of astronomy at the University of California-Berkeley. Shortly after, he saw an ad about an ocean cruise to see a total solar eclipse with Filippenko as guest lecturer. His wife declined until she found out the cruise was in the South Pacific.
The trip was suspenseful due to cloudy weather, but the sky cleared moments before the eclipse. The couple’s first eclipse experience lasted 56 seconds. Others they've seen lasted as long as six minutes.
"Everyone gets really quiet," explained Linda Bugbee. "After people start seeing it for a few seconds, they start screaming and crying. When it's over, the party starts. People start dancing and singing." The first eclipse reminded her of the Bible passage in which the sky turned dark after the passing of Jesus. The Bugbees' also took two other two trips to see eclipses in 2006 to Egypt and 2008 to Mongolia.
In Egypt, they were amongst thousands of other viewers for the eclipse, including then-President Hosni Mubarak. They remember a traveling group from Norway in a tent displaying the country's flag. They were also warned not to venture into certain areas that across the Libyan border due to danger of possible land mines. While traveling in Egypt, they were accompanied by armed guards.
There are several companies that specialize in organizing trips to see eclipses around the world. The Bugbees are using Melita Trips for their travel to Australia.
George and Linda Bugbee anticipate many more future trips to see solar eclipses. They have met people who have witnessed 25 to 30 of them. Eclipse traveling has lead the Bugbees to parts of the world they likely wouldn't have visited otherwise. They are currently planning a trip to Morocco for an eclipse next year.
As for this year's Australian excursion, George Bugbee expects the eclipse will be similar to the other. He just hopes that it does not rain.
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