Spedprof

Folks,

You were quite helpful in a previous message but I was in error. My wife and I, both about 60 yrs. old and in good shape, are visiting our son, who is on a semester of study, in Sydney for 7 1/2 days next February. We live on the beach, about 30 minutes from New York City. Given that we want to spend some time in Sydney, we are considering one or more day or 2 day trips, namely Blue Mountains, GBR, and/or Kangaroo Island. As for GBR, we will not be diving nor unlikely we will even snorkel, plus I've read that the weather can be bad. Given that, can you recommend an itinerary that will show us the uniqueness of Australia?

Thanks

johhj_au

well Spedprof you no doubt know that australia is a large place and as oft said here the size of the continental usa. A typical usa two week(12 day) vacation to australia includes..
sydney
gbr (usually cairns/port douglas)
outback (usually ayers rock)

with 7.5 days that really limits you to two "destinations."

Kangaroo island is too far and if you are clever you can see the animals close to sydney.

you could be looking at...

sydney 3 days
overnight at blue mountains (2 days)
hit and run to southern GBR (2.5 days)

eliza3

I think you are underestimating the distances - Blue Mountains is very accessible but in no way could either Kangaroo Island or GBR be considered day (or 2 day) trips from Sydney. 7.5 days is a very short time - how would you advise someone to find the uniqueness of the USA in that time? I suggest you restrict yourself to Sydney and all it has to offer with the Blue Mountains as a day trip.

Spedprof

Thanks... If someone was coming to New York for 7 days, I'd tell them to do NY City and Washington and they would miss so very much of the country. I agree that 7 1/2 days is too short for my first visit. We'll surely do Sydney and Blue Mountains, but I wanted to confirm that it would be virtually impossible to add either Kangaroo Island or GBR. You have all been helpful.

johhj_au

It is possible to have a meaningful two day visit to the GBR.
Check out..
http://www.ladyelliot.com.au/

You can fly out of sydney at 0830 and be on lady elliot that morning.Stay overnight and catch the plane out at 1600 the next day.That gives you over 24 hrs on a genuine coral cay on the GBR.

Ironically many tourists who go to say cairns for four days would do one boat trip to the reef and spend maybe 5 hrs on the reef.