marty

My husband and I are planning a trip to New Zealand and Australia next Feb/March--about 4 1/2 weeks. Our tentative intineray is <BR> <BR>6 days in New Zealand--3-Rotorua Lake Taupo area--maybe a day trip to Napier; 3 Coromandel Peninsula <BR>5 days in Sydney--with maybe a day trip to the Hunter Valley <BR>then the transcontinental Indian Pacific to Perth <BR>2 days in Perth <BR>3 days in Margaret River <BR>fly to Melboune for 3 days <BR>Tasmania for 4 days <BR>Lord Howe Island 4 days <BR>then back to Sydney and on to the U.S. <BR> <BR>Is this a reasonable schedule?We want to see as much as we can--our interests are contemporary art (my husband is a artist), restaurants (cooking is my hobby), gardens, wines. And of course we like beaches, hot springs. Also are there any absolutely-don't-miss attractions at any of the places we are going? <BR> <BR>We wanted to stop in Hawaii on our way back to the U.S., but United frequent flyer tickets allows a stop only on the outbound portion--booo--but we do get to stop in N. Zealand because of that--yeaa. So anyway that's the reason for the final stop at Lord Howe Island--to relax and unwind before our reentry into reality. This leads to my second question--is Lord Howe as wonderful, beautiful as it looks in the pictures I've seen? <BR> <BR>P.S. Great Barrier Reef and Uluru--next time, I hope.

Rhonda

Looks great with time allowed for travel between destinations. I'm envious.

Leslie

Hi Marty - <BR> <BR>Your trip sounds fantastic. Can't offer any suggestions on NZ, Lord Howe (although I have heard it is beautiful), or WA - but I do have a couple for Sydney, Tas, & Melbourne. <BR> <BR>A day trip to the Hunter is possible, but 5 days for Sydney is a lot - you might consider renting a car & spending the night in the Hunter. There are many B&B's and/or smaller hotels, and since the region is so pretty & the wines good, a day trip might leave you wanting. I would also recommend the bridge climb, but it will be hot that time of year. Take the ferry to Manly (great views of the harbour & Opera House), or train to Bondi for 2 of the better near city beaches. Don't forget your sunscreen. Melbourne also has a wine region - the Yarra Valley - which is only about a 45 min. drive from the CBD. That is a very easy day trip, and I'm pretty sure there are organized tours. The trams are a great and easy way to get around Melb. Buy a Daily Ticket (sold at news agents)for $5.00 and that will get you access to all buses, trains & trams for the whole day. If you have time, the Great Ocean Rd. is always a crowd pleaser. I'm not sure where in Tasmania you are going, but I recommend Cradle Moutain (stay at the Lodge), Hobart (stay near Salamanca Place/Battery Point), and Freycinet. <BR> <BR>Enjoy!

sonia

6 days in NZ is a crime!!! It is far too beautiful to just leave such little time. Also, the south island is far more beautiful. I would visit Rotorua and Coromandel (rotorua is ugly but amazing geothermal stuff around the area). But if you can, fly down to christchurch or queenstown and see some lakes and mountains! <BR> <BR>I live n Sydney but i would definitely sacrifice a day or 2 here for more of NZ. <BR> <BR>Also, the Transcontinental is a very slow rather monotonous journey! You would be better off flying and using your time sightseeing!

marg

I have to agree with the last post - the train trip across the continent is long and you will see lots of nothing. We've driven across Australia a few times so believe me. You are better off flying - about 3 hours flight - which will give you at least two days more to spend sightseeing. <BR>In Perth, take either the train or boat to Fremantle and spend a few hours wandering around the town. <BR>In Melbourne, look out for the free City Circle trams to get around the CBD - they are generally old trams painted brown. If you are in town on Sunday, go to the St Kilda Esplanade for the markets and people watching. Have lunch or dinner at Southgate. Take the ferry from Southgate to Williamstown and wander around the shops and restaurants. The Yarra Valley wine region is worth a visit and if you have time, try to extend it further to Healesville and the native animal sanctuary. <BR>Melbourne's Art Gallery has an excellent collection and Sydney has a modern art gallery right on Circular Quay. The NSW Art Gallery is worth visiting also. Take the ferry across Sydney Harbour to Taronga Zoo - great views and a good collection of Australian and overseas animals. Another good ferry trip is to Manly - lots of good places to eat and a pleasant trip.

marty

thanks to all for the suggestions--Sonia, I do feel guilty about so little time in New Zealand. Since we added our stay there after we found out we could only make one stop on the outbound part of our flight--we had limited time. The photos I've seen of the South Island are gorgeous--we're thinking maybe a future vacation just in NZ. <BR>My husband is the one that is convinced the transcontinental train trip is something he really wants to do. However, if I can convince him to reconsider--which would you recommend--two days at Uluru on the way to Perth--flying of course--or take the train to Adelaide (one night on the train) and spend a couple of days there and then fly on to Perth. Appreciate all the help.

steve robertson

Pretty good itinerary, I'd say: Perth in Feb is brutally hot (97F) but it is a dry heat - beware. You will love Tasmania. Four days is just a bare minimum, but try for Cradle Mtn (in the north) and Mt Field NP, just 90 minutes from Hobart. The Tasman Peninsula has great scenery and history, too. Lord Howe is idyllic and perfect for unwinding. It's very small and 4 days is fine. Climb the easy Mt Eliza and mostly ride bikes and snorkel. I agree with the idea of no train trip across the Nullarbor - too long. While in Melbourne, do a (long) day trip (by tour bus) out to the 12 Apostles for stunning coastal scenery. Sovereign Hill in Ballarat is an excellent theme park (think Old Salem in NC) and an easy bus ride from the city. There are excellent wineries in the Yarra Valley and the Mornington Peninsula to get you out of the city. I'd advise taking a tour. I've lived here 5 years and still find the stupid road layouts, traffic and lousy road signage to be something out of the 4th World (They may reach 3rd World status here sometime in the 23rd century).

marty

Steve, thanks--especially for the advice about tours out of Melbourne--we were planning on renting a car and driving--will rethink that. And I am going to convince my husband that one night on the train and two days in Adelaide is a good idea. Your comment about dry heat--I had to laugh--we live in Colorado and just went through a summer of many days of 90+ degrees "dry heat"!!