Travel Advice: Luggage Advice Sought

[Barkeep49]

Long story short I will be getting free airfare for a vacation in Australia. I learned this today and need to purchase tickets essentially by Friday. I am working on the budget piece, but taking that out of the equation:

1. How long would you recommend I go? I am a teacher and so I can carve out quite a bit of time. But how much is the right amount?
2. What are things I shouldn't miss? Obviously this will help to inform #1.

Going to Australia fulfills a dream I've had for quite a few years and so I'm just ecstatic at this opportunity. But I tend to be a very methodical planner and so having to figure out how long I should go for on such short notice is a little nerve wracking (but in an absolutely awesome way).

[PurdueBrad]

BK, I don't know anything about the trip but congrats, Australia is my life-long travel dream as well. Enjoy yourself and post pics!

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Barkeep49

Long story short I will be getting free airfare for a vacation in Australia. I learned this today and need to purchase tickets essentially by Friday. I am working on the budget piece, but taking that out of the equation:

1. How long would you recommend I go? I am a teacher and so I can carve out quite a bit of time. But how much is the right amount?
2. What are things I shouldn't miss? Obviously this will help to inform #1.

Going to Australia fulfills a dream I've had for quite a few years and so I'm just ecstatic at this opportunity. But I tend to be a very methodical planner and so having to figure out how long I should go for on such short notice is a little nerve wracking (but in an absolutely awesome way).

wow - that's fucking rad!

ummm - watch out for sharks if you go in the water. and poisonous snakes. and crocodiles.

[moriarty]

Originally Posted by Barkeep49

1. How long would you recommend I go? I am a teacher and so I can carve out quite a bit of time. But how much is the right amount? .

Originally Posted by Barkeep49

2. What are things I shouldn't miss? Obviously this will help to inform #1.
.

I would say minimum two weeks (assuming you are flying from the states). It's too long of a flight to go for any less than that. Obviously the longer the better, - you should have a great time. Don't forget if you go during out summer it is winter over there though.

Sydney - pretty much another 'big city' but some nice touristy spots. Obviously the opera house, but you can take a bridge walk (walk across the top of the harbor bridge there) which is fun albeit not as much of a rush as you would expect. You can also do a harbor cruise which is very nice, and there are several short excursions to nice beaches. I believe the zoo is there as well (the one Steve Irwin used to work at).

Melbourne - I didn't go there, but may Australians told me it has the best beaches and is well worth a visit.

Ayers Rock / Alice Springs - takes a flight to the middle of no where, but it was worth it in my opinion. It's the iconic red rock you see in all the pictures. You can climb it if you wish (some say it pisses off the Aboriginees, but everyone was doing it). Several day excursions from there and some nice 'dinner in the desert' type things from the local resort. Probably 2-3 days max though.

Cannes (sp?) - basically if you're into diving / scuba you absolutely must go up the north east and go see the great barrier reef. You'll need to take a boat out to it, but there's nothing like it. There are also some jungle / crocodile type excursions you can take from there.

Perth and the west coast I didn't visit, but it's a heck of a flight out there so I'd hesitate to go there unless you have a LOT of time. There's also the island off the coast whose name escapes me, and New Zealand is close by as well.

Have a great time. I really enjoyed the people i met there and the beaches were awesome.

[21C]

1. I can't really help you with this but it will depend on how you plan on getting around (car/plane). Australia is a BIG country and the only effective way to get around is by plane which can get expensive. There are some discount airlines but they usually operate between major cities.

2. I think that Sydney and the Great Barrier Reef are major places of interest. They are about 1000 miles apart. Uluru (Ayers Rock) in central Australia is another place to see but it will depend on your vacation time. I like Canberra with a lot of the national museums/memorials but that may not be your cup of tea. Melbourne is another place that is under-rated for tourists.

If you get a chance, go to an Aussie Rules game in Melbourne - preferably the MCG.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by moriarty

Sydney - pretty much another 'big city' but some nice touristy spots. Obviously the opera house, but you can take a bridge walk (walk across the top of the harbor bridge there) which is fun albeit not as much of a rush as you would expect. You can also do a harbor cruise which is very nice, and there are several short excursions to nice beaches. I believe the zoo is there as well (the one Steve Irwin used to work at).

Taronga Zoo is in Sydney, but it's not Irwin's Zoo. That's in the Northern Territory, and there's basically no reason to ever go there.

Melbourne - I didn't go there, but may Australians told me it has the best beaches and is well worth a visit.

Melbourne is a city I really enjoy. Great shopping, great nightlife, but the best beaches are the East coast of Australia. Basically from NSW all the way up through QLD.

Ayers Rock / Alice Springs - takes a flight to the middle of no where, but it was worth it in my opinion. It's the iconic red rock you see in all the pictures. You can climb it if you wish (some say it pisses off the Aboriginees, but everyone was doing it). Several day excursions from there and some nice 'dinner in the desert' type things from the local resort. Probably 2-3 days max though.

Never been, but will one day.

Cannes (sp?) - basically if you're into diving / scuba you absolutely must go up the north east and go see the great barrier reef. You'll need to take a boat out to it, but there's nothing like it. There are also some jungle / crocodile type excursions you can take from there.

Cairns isn't much of a place by itself, very touristy, but it's a great launching spot for all those activities. It's bloody hot however.

There are some of the most beautiful beaches in the world not far from Cairns.

[johnnyshaka]

While you're already out that way, why not spend some time in New Zealand?

[chesapeake]

I heard on the radio yesterday that the swine flu has hit Alice Springs, of all places, pretty hard. I guess it makes sense since it is winter in those parts. Keep your hands clean.

Visiting the Great Barrier Reef is on my big list of things to do.

[flere-imsaho]

Originally Posted by moriarty

I would say minimum two weeks (assuming you are flying from the states). It's too long of a flight to go for any less than that. Obviously the longer the better, - you should have a great time. Don't forget if you go during out summer it is winter over there though.

Based on my trip to New Zealand, I'd like to echo two weeks at the bare minimum. You're going to lose, effectively, 2-4 days in transit from the US to AUS alone (not to mention time getting around Australia), so it really behooves you to spend as much time as possible.

I'd also put a vote in for jumping over to New Zealand, but if you do, try to stay more than a week there, and I'd spend most of it on the South Island, to be honest (though we liked the North as well, the South was just unreal).

Also, and I'm going to bold this for emphasis, because it almost screwed us with our 8-hour layover in Sydney:

MAKE SURE TO GET A VISA FOR ENTRY INTO THE COUNTRY BEFORE YOU GO!!!!

Having travelled primarily in Europe, and not needing a Visa for New Zealand (at least, not one you have to apply for beforehand) we almost had to spend 8 hours in Sydney's airport when we arrived for our layover on the way back. Luckily immigration was super nice and finagled our docs since we were staying for such a short time, so we were able to meet a friend in downtown Sydney and actually do a fair bit before boarding our plane for the flight back.

Have a GREAT time!

[Barkeep49]

Thanks to everyone who had posted earlier. It goes like this:
Days 1-7 Sydney
Days 8-9 Melbourne
Days 10-11 Uluru (Ayer's Rock)
Days 12-13 Melbourne
Days 14-20 New Zealand
Day 21 - Travel Day (Auckland to Melbourne to Sydney)
Day 22 - Sydney

I've booked most of my airfare. Still left to book is my flight to Los Angeles (so I can get to Sydney) but the fare tracking websites say to wait so I'm holding off on that.

It was a tough decision deciding whether to go to New Zealand or to see more of Australia, but in the end I decided that my odds of getting to that part of the world again were small and so seeing New Zealand was going to be worth it.

Now that I have my itinerary down, I have to figure out things like what I'm actually going to do, for instance I want to spend one of the Sydney days going to Barossa Valley, a wine area. So given that itinerary are the things you all would recommend I don't miss? I really appreciate all of the advice I've received so far.

[Karlifornia]

Make sure to try some of the local cuisine. One suggestion:

Outback Steakhouse

[path12]

Originally Posted by Karlifornia

Make sure to try some of the local cuisine. One suggestion:

Outback Steakhouse

Well played.

[21C]

So when's the trip happening?

The Barossa Valley is actually near Adelaide so I'm guessing it might be the Hunter Valley which is wine country near Sydney. I think that you did the right thing in choosing to go to New Zealand as part of this trip.

As far as more suggestions, what are you interested in? Sightseeing, shopping, museums/galleries, casinos? Do have wife/kids?

My suggestion is to not automatically go on a Sydney Harbor cruise. You can see just as much of the harbor by catching a ferry to Manly (beach suburb) and it is a lot cheaper. Don't take the Jetcat - it's faster and better for commutes but the ferry takes a more leisurely pace. There are other ferry services around the harbor but I couldn't tell you much about those. There's more here. By all means, do the harbor cruise as well but there's not that much more you'll see on those.

The tourist places around Sydney are the Rocks (first settlement area), Darling Harbor, Sydney Tower, Opera House and Harbor Bridge.

I'll repeat my suggestion of seeing an Aussie Rules game - preferably in Melbourne and preferably between two Melbourne teams.

[Barkeep49]

I'm going to be there between July 29th (when my flight lands) and August 18th. I have put down the AFL game between Sydney and St Kitts which is played on August 1st as something I definitely want to do. Tickets go on sale on Tuesday so I'll have to check back then.

[MacroGuru]

Not a whole lot to add other than I loved Australia when I was there for the 3 weeks for work...

I will tell you this much, based upon everyone I met, the friends I have made online and just being there...I could live there, in a heartbeat...

[Mac Howard]

Hate to be a wet blanket but you do realise that it's mid-winter here? I'm looking out the window and the weather's foul and I'm in "hot" Perth. I recommend you stay in the cities - Sydney and Melbourne where there'll be lots of indoor stuff - because I don't think you'll spend much time at the beach unless you go to Darwin or North Queensland.

Some advice to anyone that might like to come here - make it between October and May. If you don't like too much heat then October/November or April/May. But June through to September isn't the best time to come.

[Barkeep49]

Yes, I'm fully aware of the fact that it's winter. One of the reasons for sticking with Sydney and Melbourne is that the smart people are up in Cairns . Frankly your miserable winter weather is going to be a lot nicer than what I think of as miserable winter weather. I did order a new rain coat today though.

[Mac Howard]

Originally Posted by Barkeep49

Yes, I'm fully aware of the fact that it's winter. One of the reasons for sticking with Sydney and Melbourne is that the smart people are up in Cairns . Frankly your miserable winter weather is going to be a lot nicer than what I think of as miserable winter weather. I did order a new rain coat today though.

Yes, it's not exactly New York in Febuary (62 F yesterday) but I just spent half the morning fixing the top back on the rooftop airconditioning unit that blew down last night. 70 kms down the road houses were demolished with 150 km winds

You'll be ok in Sydney and Melb'n - just stay away from the bikies and the Lebanese gangs

We need the money

[BigDPW]

I strongly reccommend hitting New Zealand while you are over there. I have only been to the north island but it is gorgeous. I particularly liked the Maori culture around and the boiling mud pools and landscapes around Rotorurra.

I have been to Australia too (primarily Sydney and Cairns) I enjoyed both of those places as well.

I hope you have a great time!

[Barkeep49]

There actually have been two days since I started planning this trip where it's been nicer in Australia than here. But I think summer has actually started here so hopefully I can get some 80/90 degree days in before I leave.

And that's quite the wind! Glad to hear that it only blew down an AC unit (which must have been a huge pain to put back up).

[Mac Howard]

Originally Posted by Barkeep49

And that's quite the wind! Glad to hear that it only blew down an AC unit (which must have been a huge pain to put back up).

Not the whole unit, just the top. We were lucky. The major problem was about a hundred kms down the way (the weather not the AC unit ).

The image that Australia has - sun, sand, sea and surf - is fine for 7/8 months of the year and I thoroughly recommend holidays here. The problem is that for Americans, Europeans, Japanese and Chinese - the source of most tourism here - the holiday period (say June to September) coincides with our winter months. And though we don't see sub-zero temperatures at all often (usually a minimum daytime temperature of around 55 F) the winter weather isn't exactly holiday weather either. It tends to be stormy, even wet (not normally associated with Australia), and when wet it's often torrential. So you need to be somewhere where there are indoor activities (Melbourne and Sydney are fine).

It varies, of course. The difference in climate between Tasmania (that island someone mentioned) and Darwin is as great as that between Chicago and Miami. Yesterday Darwin was a nice 32 C (about 90 F) but Tassie 13 (about 55). Darwin is tropical but Tassie a bit like Southern England. Melbourne tends to be wetter than Sydney.

But it will vary from day to day. The last few days have been miserable but today it's dry, occasionally sunny, and may get to 20 C (68 F). Hopefully you'll see a lot of these days and Urulu will be fine (though not a lot of sea or surf )

But I don't recommend New Zealand right now. The southern island in particular will be a bit like Ireland in December. Very spectacular, yes, but very wet and cold.

For others I recommend Christmas! That's the best time to come. Have a Christmas day barbeque by the pool and then down to the beach This place is great for a winter break for you guys.

I'm taking a break on the Gold Coast (best known for Surfers' Paradise) this year but it will be November when I go and I'll stay through to Christmas (with family over there).

[kiwiLB57]

Australia: Nice place, full of Australians. They are everywhere. Place is overrun with them.

New Zealand Itinerary.

Depends where you fly into. You can catch flights from Australia direct to Christchurch which is the big smoke in the South Island (400,000 or so out of the 1,000,000 in the South Island). Considering it is between Georgia and Illinois in size, you may find it a little empty of people.

If you like winter sports (skiing / boarding etc) then there are quite a few decent ski resorts in the Wanaka / Queenstown areas. Queenstown is also home to adventure sports of every description: bungee jumping, speed boating etc etc

Milford Sounds is a must see natural highlight. Even better if its raining because temporary waterfalls kick in with the rainwater cascading down the side of the sheer mountains directly into the fjord.

In the North Island, I would skip Auckland. Its nice in summer when you can go to the beaches and sail in the harbour. But if time is short, I would skip it. The Far North is wonderful. Ninety mile beach is stunning and the sand dunes at Te Paki are awesome. On the way up you could stop and visit New Zealands largest and oldest trees (Tane Mahuta is the largest, I forget which one is the oldest). The beach on the east coast is Rarawa beach. The distance between the east and west coasts at this point is only three or four miles. The Bay of Islands is also magnificent if you can get a clear day and do a tour of the Bay on the water.

Rotorua in the central North Island is the other main highlight (if you are going to get really picky that is and slash the rest of the island from the schedule). You could do worse than book my parent's holiday cottage for a night or so (www.sandylochcottage.com). Be warned, they enjoy a beer. Rotorua has three main attractions: a dazzling collection of lakes, crazy geothermal activity (steam geysers, bubbling mudpools etc) and is the heartland for Maori cultural tourism activities.

Its going to be a busy week for you! Good luck!

Cheers,

kiwiLB57

[Mac Howard]

Originally Posted by kiwiLB57

Australia: Nice place, full of New Zealanders . They are everywhere. Place is overrun with them.

Corrected your post

New Zealand Itinerary.

Depends where you fly into. You can catch flights from Australia direct to Christchurch which is the big smoke in the South Island (400,000 or so out of the 1,000,000 in the South Island). Considering it is between Georgia and Illinois in size, you may find it a little empty of people.

If you like winter sports (skiing / boarding etc) then there are quite a few decent ski resorts in the Wanaka / Queenstown areas. Queenstown is also home to adventure sports of every description: bungee jumping, speed boating etc etc

Milford Sounds is a must see natural highlight. Even better if its raining because temporary waterfalls kick in with the rainwater cascading down the side of the sheer mountains directly into the fjord.

In the North Island, I would skip Auckland. Its nice in summer when you can go to the beaches and sail in the harbour. But if time is short, I would skip it. The Far North is wonderful. Ninety mile beach is stunning and the sand dunes at Te Paki are awesome. On the way up you could stop and visit New Zealands largest and oldest trees (Tane Mahuta is the largest, I forget which one is the oldest). The beach on the east coast is Rarawa beach. The distance between the east and west coasts at this point is only three or four miles. The Bay of Islands is also magnificent if you can get a clear day and do a tour of the Bay on the water.

Rotorua in the central North Island is the other main highlight (if you are going to get really picky that is and slash the rest of the island from the schedule). You could do worse than book my parent's holiday cottage for a night or so (www.sandylochcottage.com). Be warned, they enjoy a beer. Rotorua has three main attractions: a dazzling collection of lakes, crazy geothermal activity (steam geysers, bubbling mudpools etc) and is the heartland for Maori cultural tourism activities.

But it's always WET! Even a ski slope looks better when it's sunny

Now don't get me wrong. I'm from Manchester, England - the rain capitol of Britain - and I'm much more tolerant than most of rain. Hell, I'm water-logged! But everything is better appreciated when it's sunny. New Zealand? Beautiful country! But best seen in the summer when the spectacular scenery can be appreciated - between the showers and, erm, sheep

[Barkeep49]

Update. I have pretty much everything set at this point. However, I realize that I don't have a good piece of luggage that I can use to carry-on. As I will be taking a whole slew of flights over my trip I would like to simply be able to carry on everywhere so I don't have to worry about checking. Can anyone recommend some luggage that is durable, that I can carry-on, but could still give me enough space to pack for 3 weeks (knowing I will have to do laundry)?

[Peregrine]

Well personally I am a huge fan of Tom Bihn's carry-on series - it is expensive, but extremely well engineered, and there are basically three versions. I have this one, the Tri-Star. What I love about it is that it's a relatively small bag but it holds a lot of stuff thanks to three main compartments (a lot of people have taken it on 2-3 week trips if they are light packers and do laundry) but is easy to carry around. It has duffel-bag style handles, an optional but excellent shoulder strap, and if that weren't enough there are backpack straps hidden away that you can break out and use that way!

Tom Bihn also makes a bigger version called the Aeronaut if you need more space. Like I said though, they are expensive, and I'm sure there are tons of other options if you don't want to spend that kind of money.

Also, if you're interested in advice about the carry-on only trip, there are a couple of great websites with a lot of info about that. I like the One Bag, One World site a lot, and the slightly more intense One Bag site has a lot of info of setting up a packing list for a long trip.

[flere-imsaho]

The only piece of advice I'd add is that if you're trying to keep yourself to just one carry-on, get one without wheels and the associated extensible handle (that you see business travelers using). The reason for this is that the wheel/handle assembly takes up space and adds weight you just don't need, especially if you're trying to make the most of your use of space as possible.

Rick Steeves (use teh googles) also used to have a good line of luggage/backpacks specifically for this purpose.

[path12]

Good choice on the one-bag option. After spending 2 1/2 weeks in Greece with a carry-on a few years back I wouldn't travel any other way (even with doing laundry).

[lordscarlet]

My wife and I have, for the most part, stopped bothering with trying to fit everything in carry-ons because of the liquids restrictions.