Australia trip report
 

Hi, live in Bombay, India and just back from a 16 day trip to Australia and wanted to post a trip report. This forum has been so useful everytime we plan to go somewhere and its our turn to put out some information that can be of use to other travellers. I am going to try to include as much factual information as possible, and if I make any gross errors or typos, apologies in advance. Also if anyone needs any other information please feel free to email me on the above. <BR><BR>Firstly a word on getting there. There is a lot on information on ticketing options on this forum, all of it useful. Our experience has been that booking domestic flights in conjunction with the international one on Qantas is the most economic option as you get something known as the One World voucher fare which was cheaper than the internet deals as well as the rates on Virgin Blue. Worth checking out with the travel agent. We did have to fly one sector on Virgin Blue and the thing here is to book as far ahead as possible, as the date draws nearer and the bookings fill up, the rates increase and pretty soon any discount that you might get is out the window.<BR><BR>We started our trip in Sydney where we spent three days. There is never enough time to spend in a city like Sydney and although it was my second trip there, I still felt I could have done with a couple more days. I want to thank Alan on this forum for mentioning the Lord Nelson Brewery, where we stayed, just five minutes from all the action in the Rocks and Circular Quay. We opted for a room with shared bathroom for $ 120 a night including continental breakfast, but they upgraded us to a room with ensuite facilities for the same price, so we had a really good deal. The hotel is clean, comfortable and cosy and the bar is just down below and gets quite lively in the evenings, not noisy though. One thing of course is that the accommodation is on the 2nd and 3rd floors so you do have to lug your bags up and down. They are on the web. <BR><BR>From the airport, there are two types of shuttles. One is a regular airport shuttle, which drops you off at certain predetermined hotel stops. If your hotel is not on their list of stops, you can pay a little more and opt for a hotel shuttle which will drop you at the door of your hotel. If my memory serves me right the regular shuttle is $ 13 one way and $ 26 return. The special hotel shuttle is $ 16 one way and $ 32 return. For the return they give you a number to call in advance ( we used to call 24 hours in advance) and schedule a pick up based on your departure flight time. The ride into the city is not very long but can take upto an hour while you wait for the shuttle to fill up at the airport and because you are dropping people off at various stops. <BR><BR>This is getting to be a long post so I'll continue in another.<BR><BR>

Continuing where I left off in the last post. <BR><BR>The day we arrived happened to be a Saturday, so we spent some time in the weekend rocks market, which was certainly good fun and a decent market with nice arts and crafts, not very kitschy. Thereafter we took a ferry to Taronga Zoo. Someone on this forum had mentioned a VIP Gold Tour that we had liked the sound of, and we had opted for it. It basically covers entry to the zoo, unlimited rides on the cable car at the zoo, as well as a guided tour of the main features of the zoo with the keepers acting as a guide. You get up close to the animals and can feed and touch some of them. The ferry to and fro is still your expense through. The cost is $ 55 per person, and there is more information on this on their web site. You need to book this in advance as they only have two tours a day with a maximum of 6 people in each tour. You do not get to touch or hold koalas, but we got to touch and feed echidnas, wallabies, an owl and a snake, a blue tongue lizard, and an absolutely delightful little field mouse called Pud who loved to get his cheek massaged ! The keepers are very informative and you learn a lot about the animals as well as the zoo.You get taken to the kitchen and storage areas and get a behind the scenes look on the workings of a zoo. After the tour you can spend as much time as you like browsing around on your own. The Zoo is pretty exhaustive and you get to see a lot. The setting is absolutely beautiful too. The cable car does get halted everytime there is a strong breeze which is what happened when we were to leave but you can take a bus down to the ferry if you do not want to walk. There are refreshment cafes and a shop as well.<BR><BR>On our return, we decided to spend the rest of the afternoon in the Rocks area, browsing through the various shops and cafes. In the evening we took a ferry to Darling Harbour. On the week end, the regular ferries are cut back in terms of time and you have to take smaller ferries. Also, the last ferry back is at 9.30 p.m. which does not give you too much time out but if you’re staying in the Rocks area, a taxi back from Darling Harbour will cost about the same as a ferry, which is about $ 9.00 for two people. There is a taxi rank just outside the Harbourside shopping Center in Darling Harbour. We had dinner at the food courts there which are quite good, and there was a concert going on outside with fireworks which made for a good time. <BR><BR>One other thing, most people are going to be like us and will not be able to stop clicking away those photographs. If you are using a digital camera like we were, the 256 mb card is going to be exhausted fairly quickly. What we did all through was find camera shops and transfer the images onto CDs, allowing us to use the card again. In Sydney, there is a Fujifilm camera shop in the Circular Quay building which will do this in a couple of hours and they charge about $ 30 for the 256 mb card. <BR><BR>Will get on with the rest in another post.

Dimple,<BR>I enjoyed reading your post. Thank you for the helpful information. I will check back to read more about your trip.<BR><BR>Thanks,<BR>Keri

On the next day, we had decided on a trip to the Blue Mountains. We went with a company called Oztrails, where the biggest advantage is smaller numbers, we were 7 people in the group. That has been our experience all across, the smaller groups make the difference, so wherever possible, do you day trips with smaller groups. We had a great time, covered a lot of ground and our guide was hilarious and gave us a great introduction to Oz humour. We stopped at the Olympic Village before heading out into the mountains. We stopped again for breakfast on the banks of a river and then again at a table top for a view of the valley from a spot where bigger buses do not go. After that we reached Katoomba, took the train down which is fun, had an enjoyable walk in the rainforest for about 40 minutes before returning on the Scenisender cable car. Lunch was in Leura, a lovely little village. Ask for the sweet shop, your kids will appreciate the mind boggling array of sweets and chocolates. After lunch we had a short walk to Wentworth Falls before returning to the city, stopping to see wild kangaroos and wallabies which was great. On the whole it made for a very enjoyable day. They are on the net and the trip cost us $ 95 per person. <BR><BR>We spent the evening at the Aquarium, which is a good productive use of an evening when most other attractions are closed, as the Aquarium closes at 10.00 p.m. with last entries at 9.00 p.m. The same ferry that goes to Darling Harbour goes to the Aquarium. Well worth it and can take upto 2 hours. There is a free guidebook available at the airport called Discover Sydney or something like that, and the back of the book has coupons for discounts for various attractions, one of which is the Aquarium. If you have booked tours with some of the bigger companies such as APT or Aat Kings, sometimes they throw in a free city tour or a free entry to an attraction like the Aquarium here or even in Melbourne so it never hurts to ask. The Cockle Bay Wharf adjoining the Aquarium spoils you for choices regarding restaurants and cafes. <BR><BR>Our final day in Sydney saw an early start with a visit to the Opera House. While there, we booked seats for the evening performance in the Concert Hall. There was also an opera – Tosca, but we decided to go in for a lighter performance by a male Welsh Choir. The Opera House shop is worth a look. After spending some more time at the Harbour, we went in for the Bridge Climb, which I'll cover in my next post.<BR>

Dimple Shah<BR>Thanks for your trip report. Someone has asked me about a trip to the Blue Mountains, and I looked at the OzTrails website, so I'm glad to hear a report on their tours. I live in Sydney, and often find it quite difficult to suggest things for tourists - although I think Bridge Climb is a winner - I await your report.

The Sydney Bridge Climb is a fun thing to do, and if you want those coveted twilight spots where you climb in the light and come back in the dark, you should book in advance. The day we climbed, the twilight slots had been booked out in advance. We wanted to climb during the afternoon though and that was no problem as there is a group that leaves every 10 or 15 minutes. The afternoon also makes for clear and nice pictures. You are required to report for your climb at least 15-20 minutes before your allotted time. Once there, the first thing they do is make you sign a release form, and take a breathalyser test to make sure you have not been drinking before the climb. Thereafter, you are issued your bridge climb suits. After you change, you are given lockers to put away all your other things, and that includes just about everything. One lady in our group was told that she would have to take down her hair as hairpins were also forbidden, and to use a scrunchie that they provide. She refused and had to forfeit her climb. You have to remember that there are no refunds and you cannot change your time slot once you have booked. You are walking over moving traffic and they are absolutely hell bent on ensuring that nothing you have can become a projectile for the cars down below. While on the climb you are hooked by a cable onto a railing all through the climb, so the next few minutes are spent on hooking on the apparatus and figuring out how it works. Thereafter, you are taken to the odd bins to pick up things like gloves, lanyards for sunglasses, etc, as well as packs with a fleece for when it gets cold up there. All this gets clipped onto your suit. The climb involves a stretch of straight walking, climbing a set of 4 ladders to get to the arch, and then the ascent up the arch itself. The only real climbing bit is the 4 ladders, and in the base station, they give you a practice run on a set of ladders. After that you get a radio hooked on to you with headphones so you can hear what the climb guide is saying, after which you are off. The Climb is not hard at all, and the views are stunning. You do not traverse the whole arch, but go halfway, cross over and come back down on the same side. Plenty of stops along the way as when a group reaches the top they spend some time there taking pics etc so following groups wait till they can move on. On the ascent of the arch you get the Opera House in the background. Since you are not allowed to take your own cameras up there, they take pictures for you. You get a group picture taken on top for free, and throughout the climb, they take five other pictures for each person or couple or whatever. The thing to remember is that you are on the cable going serially at all times, so if you want pictures with your friends or relatives in the group, you must make sure that you are behind one another in line right from the start itself as the order cannot be changed later on. You can choose to buy these additional pictures when you return. Each additional picture costs $ 15.00 or you can have a single picture with a montage of four pictures put together for the same price. You also get a climb certificate and the chance to spend more money in the shop for T-shirts and other paraphernalia proclaiming that you did the climb. <BR><BR>I'd better continue in another post.

We had a well deserved dinner and headed off to the Opera House for our performance. I would highly recommend that everyone visiting Sydney do at least one event there. The acoustics are wonderful and there is something about enjoying a performance in a setting of that kind. The Concert Hall is the biggest hall, followed by the Opera Hall, and they raise the roof for the performance allowing for even better acoustics. <BR><BR>That pretty much was Sydney for us. As I said, we would have liked more time, but then we have a good reason to go back to discover Manly, Watsons Bay, etc. If you can though spend more time here, you will absolutely love this city. <BR><BR>We left the next morning for Cairns by a Virgin Blue flight, which we had booked on the net. On arrival in Cairns, we took the Coral Coaches shuttle to Port Douglas. The journey takes about an hour and cost $ 25 per person one way. We were staying at the Portsea Resort in Port Douglas at the rate of $ 150 per day for an unserviced apartment. First off, I underscore everything said on this forum about staying in Port Douglas, it is a really pretty and quaint place, and a good base for the Reef, as compared to Cairns and its surrounding spots. Most people in Cairns and Palm Cove etc bus down to Port Douglas anyways. The Portsea Resort for us represented good value. It’s a nice clean comfortable place with a large lagoon pool and all amenities. Its about a 7 minute walk to town, and a 2 minute walk to the beach. We were satisfied with our choice. The distance meant that we could easily walk to the centre of town without any great difficulty. The Mirage is situated further away, and the Thala is really far away. There is an option of taking a shuttle into town. This is basically the same Coral Coaches shuttle that plys up and down the coast and you can hail it down on the road to take you into town as it stops at the Marina Mirage, which is the point of departure of the cruises and the site of a shopping complex. This costs $ 2 per person one way, but its good to know that there is an option. There is a detailed timetable available at all the resorts for the shuttles. <BR><BR>The town is basically a one street affair with shops and cafes lining both sides. The cafes are all pretty good and some of the shops are worth a browse. There are chemists which stay open till 7.30 p.m. and the main supermarket is Coles which stays open till 9.00 p.m. There is also an IGA supermarket on the road leading down from the Portsea to town. While Port Douglas has photo shops, none of them have the equipment required to transfer images from cards to CDs and we had to rack our brains to find a solution to this problem.<BR>

On the day we arrived, we ambled into town and spent the rest of the day checking out the place. Our barrier reef cruise was the next day, and we went with Quicksilver, even though it meant a bigger boat and more people as my husband does not swim and they offer the opportunity of seeing the reef through the semi submersibles as well, which meant that he could see the reef as well while I was in the water. However, it turned out to be a good thing that we were booked with them, since the weather was fairly rough for those few days, and a bigger boat does make for a more comfortable ride. I am prone a little to motion sickness so I visited the chemist, who gave me Travelcalm, which is the same compound as the Kwells people have mentioned on this forum. You should take one tab with breakfast on the day of the cruise so that by the time you board, it is already taking effect, and there will be no problems whatsoever. It has drowsiness as a side effect, so you need to take just one, and maybe one in the afternoon for the journey back if you think you need it, I did not. The chemist told me that the mistake most people do is to wait till they are on board and start feeling uncomfortable, you should have it in your system before you board. <BR><BR>Also bought an underwater camera. There are a few different types. The first is a Kodak disposable one which costs around $ 20, gives you 27 exposures. You click away and then give it to the shop for developing, end of story. This kind can be used for taking pictures when you are snorkelling but does not work if you are diving. The second kind is one called Snapshot, it can be used for diving, gives you the same 27 exposures, uses 800 ASA film, and after you develop your underwater pictures, you can load regular film in it and reuse it like a regular camera. If you can put it back in its acrylic outercase and seal it tight with a good sealant, you can also probably use it underwater again. This to me represented better value at $ 32. Also a word of caution with regards to where you buy cameras from. I found the above prices to be the cheapest and they were at the Tourist Information Office in the Marina Mirage. The other shops were selling the Kodak camera for $ 26, and the price for the Snapshot camera on the cruise is $ 40, if you decide to wait to buy it on board.<BR>

Great trip report. I look forward to hearing more. Thanks for taking the time to post.

We were up early on the day of our cruise and after a light breakfast met the Quicksilver shuttle that took us to the marina. We boarded the catamaran that would take us to the Outer Agincourt Reef, and like I mentioned, even though it was a big boat, the wind made for a fairly choppy ride. Most times we could not stand erect without keeling over if we did not hold on to something. Not uncomfortable at all though, plus my Travelcalm held me in good stead. I had signed up for an introductory dive so about 30 minutes after departure from the marina, I went to the dive crew station in the boat for my briefing. The first thing they do is make sure that you are fit to dive, which means they ask you questions like have you been sick lately, or do you have asthma or other symptoms that may compromise your safety. You have to sign a release. They also provide you with the option of taking insurance for the dive if your travel insurance does not cover it. It comes to about $ 11. The dive itself costs $119. All the prices etc are on their website. Thereafter, the crew gives you a general briefing and introduction to the apparatus, after which you are slotted into time slots for your dive. There are three slots, the first is at 11.30, the second at 12.30 and the last at 1.30, since the boat has to leave the reef at 2.30. I understand this is because post 3.00 sharks enter the reef for feeding and naturally we don’t want to be around when they are. The first slot is fairly quickly filled up by people who want to get things over with quickly and then spend their time snorkelling and over lunch. The second slot is normally filled up by people who may decide to do a second dive after their first. I was in the third slot, which gave me time before to snorkel as well as have a small bite. There are about 3-4 people in a group with one instructor, and if there are more people there are more instructors. If I had to do things over, I would finish the dive first by opting for the first slot, leaving me free for the rest of the day. If this is your first dive as it was mine, it does tend to hang over your mind till you’re done with it. <BR><BR>Before we arrived at the reef, people started changing into their swimwear. There are washrooms and toilets only on the boat, not on the floating pontoon where the boat docks, so its advisable to do this early before the rush. This is also a good time to talk about the generous use of sunscreen, this is not being blown out of proportion, it is really important to cover all exposed areas, especially shoulders and the back of the thighs which are often neglected. The water is not very cold, and you can opt to swim with a t-shirt over your swimwear as added protection from the sun. <BR><BR>As soon as we docked I made my way on the pontoon to the odd bins area, where there are bins to pick up your snorkelling tube, mask and fins. Once that was done, I had a good hour plus of snorkelling. The water is really clear and you do get to see a lot of fish and coral of all shapes, sizes and colors. It does get pretty crowded in the water though and you do bump up against other people, so if you want a more isolated and exclusive experience, this is not for you. In terms of the quality of what you see, I’m not any sort of authority, as a first time experience it seemed all right to me, as I said could have done with fewer people though, but that is something we went prepared for and there was no option, given my husband’s situation. Next time, I will definitely go for a smaller group. My husband tells me that the semi submersible rides were very good, very informative and you do get to see a lot even staying dry. They even saw a shark. The commentary is good and each ride stays out for about 25 minutes. I had no time to take any of these rides but I was happy just seeing things for myself snorkelling.<BR>

After snorkelling, I had a very light bite. I am a vegetarian, which means no meat, fish or eggs, and I must say that though the spread on the boat seemed to be quite good, I did not have much to eat beyond salad and a bread roll, which is probably just as well. The others did have seafood salad and cold chicken, and no one seemed to be complaining about the food so it must have been alright. Can buy icecream for desert. Can also buy postcards with the barrier reef stamp. <BR><BR>After lunch, I suited up for the dive. There is a three quarters wetsuit provided, plus the weight belt and the tank. You can just about stand up with the stuff, it really weighs you down but once you enter the water, you are fine. You put on your fins last, and then after putting the regulator in your mouth, you get a few minutes to get used to things. This is also where they teach you three basic things, first, how to get rid of water if it enters your mask, second, how to remove your regulator and reinsert it while on the dive, and third how to access someone else’s oxygen supply in an emergency by using the spare regulator that every diver carries. It is important to listen carefully to what they say and follow their instructions carefully. They also show you the basic hand signals for communication. The most important thing is to keep your mouth closed firmly around the regulator with the lips in a kissing pose to avoid water from going in. <BR><BR>After this brief instruction, you descend slowly using a rope. Every few feet you have to equalise pressure by holding you nose and blowing hard, it’s the same feeling you get on aircraft. You reach a platform at the bottom, where you spend a few minutes getting used to the water and the breathing. This is where I made my mistake of smiling at something, because the minute you smile, you relax your lips and water enters the mask. This made for a few disconcerting seconds but the instructor was right there and calmed me down immediately. You then descend to the floor by following a set of ropes which are slanting downwards. Once you reach, you are taken to three areas, one to see a sea anemone up close, it feels rubbery to the touch, the second to see a bunch of interesting coral, and the third to see a giant clam. Moving around underwater takes time and effort, and before you know it, its time to move up the slanting ropes back to the platform, where again you spend a few minutes, followed by slowly moving up the rope to the surface. I would definitely do it again, it’s a different world down there, but it is not recommended for anyone who is even remotely claustrophobic. Also, my few seconds of water in the mask made me aware of how fragile we are in this environment. You come back with a feeling of great respect for the sea and all the creatures in it. You are given a certificate for your dive which qualifies as part of the overall Dive Certification should you wish to pursue it in the future. You are underwater for about 40 minutes with 10 minutes each pre and post for prep and you dive about 12 metres.<BR><BR>By the time I was out of the gear and everything, it was time to leave, so we got back onto the boat and departed. The ride back was similar and uneventful, I watched a video of my dive and you can place an order for a copy either on tape or VCD. Tape I think is $ 70, VCD is $91. Also, while you are in the water snorkelling etc, there are crew members in the water taking pictures of you which you can then buy for about $ 18 each, or I think the deal is $ 18 for the first picture and $ 15 for every additional picture. They take credit cards for payment. We redocked at the marina at about 4.30, and the shuttle takes you back to your hotel. Dinner that evening was at Michaelangelos, which is a nice Italian bar and caf&eacute;. <BR>

On the next day, we had booked a trip to the Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation with BTS Tours which were highly recommended on this forum and I will stand by that recommendation as well. They take a lot of trouble to show you the real forest and explain the ecology and the symbiosis that exists between the flora and fauna of the forest. We were picked up at the hotel, and driven to the Daintree River for the ferry crossing. After that, we picked up supplies for lunch and then headed off for our cruise on the Daintree River which was very interesting as we saw many different types of birds as well as a couple of crocodiles. After the cruise, we were taken to a lunch spot in the rainforest, where they have a permanent tent erected. It’s a lovely spot next to a fresh water hole, and you can have a brief dip in the water, with fish and small turtles for company. They also have a couple of canoes and you can take those out onto the small river for a spin. While you do this, lunch is being prepared on the barbie, usually consisting of grilled fish or steak along with fresh salad, potato salad, bread and fruits. After lunch, we went on an hour long walk in the rainforest and saw many different types of trees and birds while our guide George explained the rainforest ecosystem in great detail. It was most informative. The highlight was seeing two rainforest dragons, which are a kind of lizard found in the rainforest with a head that makes them look like miniature dragons. BTS has a photograph on their website. We were able to get really close to them, and by sticking out our hand, induced the lizard to wrap his legs and tail around our fingers, thinking us to be a tree branch. I never thought I would say this about a lizard but it was pretty cute. After our walk concluded, we drove to Cape Tribulation where there is a scenic look out point and a lovely beach. It truly is a wonderful spot where the rainforest meets the sea. You have about 30-40 minutes here to walk or swim if you want. Thereafter you begin the return journey, stopping at a lookout point for squash and cookies before retracing your steps to Port Douglas. As I said, all in all, it was a pleasant and informative trip and gave us a closer look at the rainforest ecosystem. Details are available on their website. <BR><BR>Our next day was planned for a visit to Kuranda. We had a bit of a bother getting the trip organised though. First off, we called the Skyrail people as they have a package option that includes a pick up from and drop back to Port Douglas. We wanted their first slot as we envisaged getting back in the afternoon so we could relax a bit in Port Douglas. However, the only time they could give us was at about 10.00 a.m. which meant that we would reach Skyrail at 11.00 and then the ride up, time in the markets, the ride down, plus we wanted time to burn our pictures onto CD which we could not in Port Douglas, and catch the return shuttle from Skyrail at 3.00 p.m. to be back in Port Douglas by 4.00. Not possible, so what we had to do was book a Coral Coaches shuttle into Skyrail ( they will drop you off right at the doorstep if you tell them that’s where you are going) and the return was with the Skyrail shuttle, although we had to pay Skyrail for transport both ways, which was a little crappy, its one thing we felt we could have planned better. So if anyone has any plans of getting to Skyrail early etc from Port Douglas or wherever, the lesson is send them an email and book your transportation ahead. <BR>

I finally got a chance to read this (I was &quot;saving&quot; it for a time where I would not be interrupted at work). :)<BR><BR>What a helpful, informative report! Thank you so much for taking the time out the post about your trip. I'm sure many people will be able to use your information to help plan their trips. It sounds like you had a wonderful time!

Hi!<BR>This report will be a real help to those planning a trip. Thanks for taking the time to post!<BR><BR>Great report!<BR>Debbie<BR><BR>

Before I continue, Keri, Margo, Aussie, Mina, Debbie - thanks for the encouragement and kind words. Its good to know that one's actions are being appreciated and helpful to others. Doing this in a way helps me relive the experience, so may be all my motives aren't necessary honorable ! Anyways, on we go.....<BR><BR>As it was we arrived with the Coral Coaches shuttle just as the Skyrail was opening up and hence could avoid all the rush. The ride over is simply great, you glide over some wonderful rainforest cover. We had decided earlier on that we would do the Skyrail both ways, because that’s the only way you get views all the time, in the train it would depend on where you were seated. On the way back, the driver of the shuttle asked people which mode of transport was better and most people said they preferred the Skyrail. The only selling point for the train for people seemed to be the old world charm of riding a train, but for views it was definitely Skyrail.<BR><BR>Now Skyrail says that it takes about an hour and a half to get there and an hour to get back, totally about 2.5 hours. This is not the ride time, which at best is about 30 minutes each way. The extra time is built into their estimate assuming that you get off at the two stations in between the start and Kuranda and spend time doing the rainforest boardwalks with the rangers or whatever. We found that this changed our estimate of time etc completely, had we known earlier we could have planned things differently. We did not do any boardwalks, one because we did not have the time, and two since we had spent a whole day up close and personal in the rainforest the previous day. I’m sure they must be interesting though. <BR><BR>Once we reached Kuranda, we got off and started walking towards the centre of town to the markets. Once you reach the main streets, the procession of shops does start on both sides, but these are not the markets, they are much further. The shops also do make for some browsing for T-shirts and other souvenirs and there are many aboriginal art and craft shops as well, some kitschy, others not. There is one good shop on the left hand side as you walk from the station to the markets, its more like a large gallery with wooden floors and paintings on the wall, they had some original work. There are also the usual kangaroo/crocodile leather shops and other souvenir shops. <BR><BR>There are two main markets and they face each other. One is called the Kuranda markets, and it is situated within an open courtyard next to a small shopping centre. People put up their stalls and you can browse and buy. The other is opposite it called the Heritage Kuranda markets and that is in the courtyard of the three other attractions of Kuranda, Butterfly World, a zoo and an aviary I think. This was where I made my find that made my whole trip to Kuranda really worth it. The zoo here allows you to take a picture cuddling a koala. The entry fee is $ 13.00 and the picture costs $ 13.00 as well so for $ 26.00, I was able to fulfil one of the things I thought I would not be able to since we were not going to the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in Brisbane. I was able to cuddle a 10 kg adorable bear called Hamilton, and it’s the closest you’ll ever come to cuddling a live furry toy. You can also see wombats, feed wallabies etc, but this was the highlight and I got a great picture. <BR><BR><BR>

Dimple, thank you for taking so much time to give the details of your trip. I will be going to Australia in Dec. and hadn't made decisions on a few things. In Sydney, I want to do the Bridge Climb but my travel companions don't. How long was it from arriving at the bridge to leaving? I need to figure out when do do this and arrange to meet my family after I'm done. You made it sound like a piece of cake to do the walk. I assume you didn't feel dizzy or insecure. I'm an energetic 50 year old. Were thee people of all ages doing the climb?<BR>Also, we do not want to do a large boat when we snorkel at the Great Barrier Reef. Any smaller boats you heard about that you can recommend?<BR>Thanks for your answers and anyone else who wants to respond.

Ok Debbie, let me see if I can address those queries. Firstly the bridge climb. I would allocate about 3-3.5 hours from the time you report in for the climb to the time you leave. The first hour is all the information and guidelines, etc. then the climb itself which would be about 1.5 hours, then the walk back to the office, selecting photographs, getting the certificate etc. Best to allow 3.5 hours altogether. There certainly were people of all ages doing the climb, there was a couple that looked over 60 in our group itself. No sweat, the climb is really doable. The first part is a straight walk, then come the four ladders, these are to be climbed one after the other, but they are quite small, about 12-15 steps each only. You can take your time, and one of the rules they make you follow, which is really good is that there can only be one person climbing a ladder at one point of time. So if you are climbing, everyone else below you has to wait, till you are at the top and moving on. The ascent up the arch is a very gradual gradient, plus as I mentioned, you are given a few stops along the way to allow for groups before you who have reached the tops to get their pictures taken etc. I have absolutely no doubt that you will be able to do it, and the views are really great. No question of feeling dizzy or insecure, you are attached by cable all through and you are never really suspended over mid air or anything like that. Here’s a suggestion. Why don’t you keep a morning or afternoon free and go down to the office. They have a video of the climb going on at all times that is really detailed and takes you through the whole thing. Watch it, and if you think its doable, then sign up for the next time slot that is free on the spot itself. They have groups leaving every 10 minutes, so should not be too difficult. Or you can arrange to come back another day. As regards smaller operators for snorkelling, I have heard only good things about Wavelength, so I would think they would be your number one choice. If you want to do diving, then there is Calypso, Poseidon and Haba, who all seem to enjoy a good reputation. I hope I’ve been able to answer your queries adequately. Let me know if you need anything else. You are going to have a great time. <BR><BR>Moving on with my report, we found the markets at Kuranda as a whole are a trifle kitschy and its more the fun of browsing around a quaint little village than actually buying something worthwhile, which most people seem to agree on. After spending a decent amount of time, we headed back to the station for our journey down and we still had about 2 hours to figure out what to do about our pictures. Our first plan had been to take a taxi into Cairns to a photoshop, but luckily one of the shops at the market told us that there might be a photoshop at the Smithfield Shopping Centre which is adjacent to Skyrail, about a 15 minute walk. We looked up the yellow pages and called them and they said yes, so we simply walked across, gave the card and browsed and had lunch in the mall till they finished, picked up the CD and walked back to Skyrail for our shuttle back. It saved us both time and money. For any of you who wish to have the same kind of adventure, the Smithfield Mall is a 15 minute walk one way, you come out of the Skyrail terminal and turn left. It is opposite a McDonalds and Hungry Jacks outlet. <BR><BR>

Dimple, Your trip report is good and deatiled and does help plan things. Am particularly keen on the BTS thing ( you seem to have done a cruise as well and seen the crocs) and also the Kuranda trip. And, now am also booking the Xmas concert at the Sydney Opera House! Good writing.

Thanks for the informative report. I hope to go to Australia in Jan or Feb. How many days are ideal for each place if time is not a problem. Did you make all of your arrangements on the web? Safe for a woman alone? Do all the tour groups you mentioned have web sites? Can you share them? I am a novice in planning a solo trip and your details have been so helpful. Thanks so much.Johanna

Johanna<BR><BR>Dimple Shah has done a brilliant job of her trip report!<BR><BR>Australia is generally safe, even for a single woman.<BR><BR>DO NOT HITCHHIKE!

Hi Johanna,<BR>Australia felt very safe--I spent a month there recently and had no problems as a single woman traveling alone. In fact, it was the easiest solo holiday I've ever taken! <BR><BR>When planning my trip, I considered doing the multi-day group tour thing, but decided that I wanted to be more flexible. Instead, I signed up for the occasional day tour so I could visit out of the way places. The rest of the time it was me, myself and I--well, that is until I met someone along the way! I not only enjoyed the country but the people were amazing! I felt very welcomed by most everyone. <BR><BR>If you have any specific questions, just post and I'll try my best to help out.<BR><BR>Good luck!<BR>Debbie<BR><BR>PS Dimple Shah--I'm not trying to hijack your wonderful report. It's so comprehensive and has so many terrific tips! Lots of travellers are going to find it very useful :-)

Dimple Shah, your report was fantastic!<BR><BR>I'm in the middle of planning a trip to OZ from the USA and had so many questions. You have answered quite a few of them.<BR>Thank you for taking the time to post your trip information. (:)

Thanks everyone for the kind words. Let me see if I can help out with some of the queries raised before I move on. Johanna, yes we did do all of our bookings and arrangements on the web, I thank God for the internet everyday as it is so useful and convenient. As far as ideal no of days go, that’s a tough one, there are times you feel that you could stay in some places forever. If you are asking for my wish list based on the places I went to, I would say about 5 days in Sydney, a week in Port Douglas and the surrounding area, maybe 2 –3 days in Ayers Rock, 4-5 days in the top end, and about 5 days in Melbourne. This would give you enough time to see everything, as well as not feel as if you are running around like a mad chicken all the time, it will make for a more leisurely pace for sure. And give you the time to really take in the place, chat with the locals, browse around, etc. Then again with more number of days I might feel tempted to include Kangaroo Island, the Whitsundays, etc, so like I said, its really a personal choice. I suggest you start with the number of days you have, then come up with the places you want to see for sure and then plug in the gaps. There were quite a few women we saw who were travelling alone, I don’t think safety is really an issue as long as you stick to following common sense rules as you would anywhere else such as no hitchhiking, wandering around lonely places after dark etc. Planning is half the fun, and you will enjoy planning for your Oz trip. As regards the websites, they are easy enough to find, just type the name of the tour operator or hotel etc plus another key word like Australia or Darwin, for eg, in any search engine and they should throw the sites right up. If you have trouble finding any particular site, let me know and I’ll find the url for you. <BR><BR>Debbie, no worries (I seem to have effortlessly inducted this favourite Oz phrase into my lexicon ! ) about hijacking the report in any way, its wonderful to see my experiences becoming a nucleus for more ideas and tips. Speaking of which, on we go……<BR><BR>We met some people while waiting for the shuttle whom we had met in Kuranda and they had spent their time after coming down at Tjapukai. Apparently, most people that day seemed quite disillusioned with it, with adjectives like kitschy, touristy, etc floating around. People were coming out fairly quickly after going in. We never did go, and had not planned on going as we were hoping to see aboriginal culture when we went to the Northern Territory, so I cannot give you my own opinion on this attraction. <BR><BR>We returned by shuttle and spent the rest of the day in Port Douglas town, picking up some gifts, etc. One place I would recommend checking out is Bilby’s Art Gallery, pretty good aboriginal art and craft, and a good place to source from if you are not going to Darwin. We had dinner at Caf&eacute; Ecco. There were a couple of things we did not get to do while at Port Douglas, one was the Rainforest Habitat for the breakfast with the birds which we had heard a lot about, and the other was Hartley’s Crocodile Farm, would have liked that picture sitting on top of a croc ! Of course we had no time, but I think the other reason is that if you do not have your own wheels, it is quite a bother to get transportation arranged even for short distances, you are relying on shuttle, their timings, how booked they are etc. It seems like a nice place to rent a car for a day or two, gives you much more mobility and freedom I think. <BR><BR>We had arranged our return shuttle to the airport the next morning through the hotel itself, $ 50 for the two of us, and we left Port Douglas at the godforsaken hour of 4.00 a.m. the next morning to catch our flight from Cairns airport to Ayers Rock. <BR>

Ah Ayers Rock. To go or not to go, the debate continues. We read enough on both sides of the fence on this forum and decided to do it, purely because it is such a symbol of Australia. But in deference to all the nay sayers we decided to do devote just one day to it. Accordingly, we arrived at around 9.00 a.m. into Ayers Rock airport by our flight from Cairns. One suggestion, if you are really keen on seeing the rock from the air, you can do it for free if you sit on the left hand side of the plane. As it lands, it flies past the rock and you get a really good view. I hope this is true of all flights that land here, no reason why it should not be. So get your boarding passes accordingly, as even if there are free seats, the stewardesses will want you to remain in your original seats because the flight is landing. <BR><BR>The Ayers Rock Resort sends a free shuttle bus that meets every flight. Being the only accommodation anywhere near the Rock, we had to choose from the 5 or 6 options that they had. We settled for the Outback Pioneer Lodge dormitory. Our reasoning was that we were there for just the one night, and this was the cheapest option at $ 40 per person. They take a $ 10 key deposit at the time of checking in, which is refunded when you check out. We had opted for the 4 bed dorm and that is pretty much what you get, a small room with 2 bunk beds. The linen etc is changed and clean though. The rooms are air conditioned which is a must as the weather is very hot and very dry as well. The weather does come as a huge shock after the cool experience in Sydney and the mild weather in Port Douglas. There is also a fridge in the room. The showers and loos are in a separate building just a few steps away, and there is a common recreational and barbeque area and pool as well. We dumped our bags and moved out to check out the place.<BR><BR>The resort has an internal shuttle bus that goes around the various properties at 15 minute intervals. This is really appreciated as although the distances are short, the heat makes any walk quite oppressive. There is a central area called the shopping centre which has shops and the restaurants as well as a supermarket. We browsed around there for a bit first, before taking the shuttle bus to the other hotels in the complex, most of whom have some other shops or galleries. Can spend an hour or two this way for sure. Each hotel has its own look out point to Uluru, and there are others around the resort as well so one can take in a couple of those as well. <BR>

Hello Dimple Shah,<BR>I am enjoying reading your additions to your trip report. Thanks for taking the time to post it.<BR><BR>I am now curious about your conclusion regarding Ayers Rock. Was it worth it? How much did the plane tickets cost? I am trying to plan a 4 week intinerary for July, and am wondering if I should exclude Ayers Rock...I am having trouble deciding.<BR><BR>Thank you,<BR>Keri

Keri<BR>Uluru (Ayers Rock) is the spiritual heart of Australia. If you can do it, you should. Check qantas.com.au for fares. Yes, it is expensive, but - will you be this way again? GO!<BR><BR>Dimple Shah - I'm really enjoying your continuing reports.

I am headed for Australia (Sydney, GBR, and various other places) on 11/11 for a 21 day honeymoon. I had a simple question about whther an adapter is needed for electricity for camera chargers, PDA chargers etc..

ehas<BR><BR>Yes

First off, Margo is right on both counts. Ehas, you do need an adaptor for recharging your camera batteries, also, you will need to remember to carry a multipoint plug pin as some of the hotels have 3 pins and some 2 pins. The pins are flat pins and not round pins. Keri, Uluru is such a big icon that we felt it would be amiss to not do it at all, and at the same time, we did want to do other things as well, so the compromise was to spend just a day there. As Margo says, it is not cheap since you have to fly to get anywhere near there, but our reasoning was that in future it might be easier to get to Sydney or Melbourne on another trip, what chances will you have to plan a trip to the red centre easily. As I mentioned right at the start of my report, since we were flying internationally and domestically on One World alliance partners, our domestic tickets were cheaper than even the internet deals on Qantas, since we were entitled to the one world coupons. Your travel agent should be able to give you more information on this. <BR><BR>Our experience with Uluru was scheduled to begin that afternoon. We had booked a half day tour with AAT Kings, one of the largest day tour operators. The tour covered a visit to the Olgas and a walk around there, followed by sunset viewing of Uluru with wine. While we assembled to embark on the tour, we were informed that the road to the Olgas had been closed off due to bush fires which were raging in the area. As a result, we would not be able to visit the Olgas at all. The company then switched us onto another tour which covered a visit to the Uluru Visitor Centre, a walk to the Mujitlu (sp ?) waterhole in Uluru itself, a drive around the rock and the sunset viewing. This tour is cheaper than the one we were originally booked on so I must look out for the refund on my credit card.<BR><BR>Speaking of refunds on credit card, just remembered the GST refund and I might as well get that out of the way lest I forget. Unlike the UK, Australia is brilliantly uncomplicated about this. All you need to do is spend $ 300 or more in a store to qualify for the GST refund. It has to be $ 300, $ 299 will not do. You can club receipts from the same store as well. They will need to inspect the goods when you leave the country. The GST refund is after immigration, so if your items are in check in luggage, the airline officials at check in do the inspection and stamp the receipt. Items in hand luggage are sighted by the GST refund desk itself. They check the goods, and then process the receipts and you can get the refund on your credit card, no cash. There is no processing fee unlike the UK which is great. One very important thing that we realised here is that you have to make sure that your receipts have something called the ABN No. which is some sort of store reference number used to process the GST. Without this number, they are liable to reject your receipt as they cannot process your claim. Many stores do not have this number pre printed on the receipt sometimes. Two of our receipts did not have this number, but luckily, we had the telephone numbers of the stores, and the GST refund desk staff was kind enough to call them and take the number down over the phone. We were the only people at the desk at that time, so may be that had a bearing on it, if they were busier, may be our receipts could have been rejected. This is not something that a tourist has to be or even is aware of, but it is something that we encountered. So if you are buying anything over $ 300 in a store, get a receipt and keep it safely, but make sure that it has this number on it. <BR>

The Visitor Centre at Uluru is run by the aboriginals and there is are exhibits explaining the history of the tribes in the area and their beliefs and way of life. Photography in the center is not permitted. That’s one other thing, the aboriginal people do not like their photographs taken, so in case you want to, always ask permission. I don’t blame them, must be tiring to have people gawking at you all the time. There is also a caf&eacute; and two shops. The merchandise is authentic, but my opinion is that you should restrict your purchases to souvenir kind of things. If you seriously want to buy authentic aboriginal art or craft, you should wait till you get to Darwin. <BR><BR>After the Visitor Centre, we were driven up close to Uluru, and we embarked on our walk to the watering hole. Be prepared for droves of tourists. The walk is about 15 minutes on level ground and by then the sun was losing its bite, so not too unpleasant but still very dry. At the watering hole, you are told some of the fables and beliefs that the aboriginal people have about Uluru, and its significance, and there is also some rock art. Time for a few photographs and then back to the bus for a drive around Uluru to see its various views from different angles, till finally we get to the sunset viewing area. Must have been about 25 buses and busloads of tourists there, more like a massive barbeque crowd, sipping wine and taking pictures ever so often. The colors on Uluru that day were disappointing, I had hoped for more, and the atmosphere is far from serene. Probably the smoke from the bush fires had something to do with it. If you are luckier though, remember that the best way to take photographs is to take one every 5 minutes or so. That way, even though your mind cannot see the change in color, the camera will capture it for you. <BR><BR>That was our interaction with Uluru and to be honest, it was just about Ok with us. We had no intentions of climbing it, our logic was why go against someone’s belief if you have a choice, and unlike a lot of others who would trudge out there for the base walk or the sunrise the next day , we got what we had come for, an interaction with one of Australia’s most well known icons, and some wonderful pictures. We returned to the resort and hurriedly had dinner at the Mediterranean caf&eacute; in the shopping centre, quite good. We were not interested in the Sound of Silence dinner having been to Egypt, Jordan and Israel, as well as our own Rajasthan, so we have had occasions of dining in the desert before. We rushed back to the Outback Pioneer, as we had a pick up scheduled for the Night Sky Show, which is 75 minutes of looking at a clear desert sky both with the naked eye and through a telescope. You are driven to the Ayers Rock Observatory, which is a small shed like building, and there is an astronomer who explains basic concepts and shows you constellations and star groups. We were a little concerned about visibility given the bush fires, but things had cleared up pretty well, and the sky was amazing, so many stars, its sad to think that they are there all the time, only we can’t see them back home due to the pollution and harsh city light cover. It was quite enjoyable, and although I did not learn anything new, it was fun looking through the telescope at stars and other galaxies. Don’t expect what you see on Hubble telescope pictures obviously. <BR><BR>Back to the dorm and to bed. We shared the dorm with just one other person that night, a Japanese lady. We had to be up at 4.00 a.m. to embark on our trip to Kings Canyon. <BR>

Dimple. For one, you sure have packed in a great holdiay in 16 days. <BR><BR>And the details are great for planning my own holiday.<BR>Just wanted to check - did you do the daily full day Cape T tour with BTS?<BR>And, which cruise did you do with Quick Silver?<BR>Thanks.

Ok first up Tongsa, yes the day trip to Cape Tribulation is the one that we did with BTS Tours. And the trip we did with Quicksilver is the day trip to the Agincourt Reef, which is an Outer Barrier Reef. They also have a day trip to the Low Isles. I think you’re going to be in Oz in December, since you mentioned a X’mas concert at the Opera House. You are in for a great time for sure. <BR><BR>We were up early and off to Kings Canyon. This trip again was with AAT Kings which meant a coach group of 50 people, but we did not find anyone else willing to do this within our planned framework. The drive to Kings Canyon takes about 4 hours, hence the need to start really early. On the way, there is a breakfast stop at a cattle station where you pay for your breakfast, which can range from the eggs, bacon sausages, to just toast and jam or sandwiches. Quite an experience seeing many Paul Hogan look alikes making omelettes ! We reached the base of Kings Canyon at around 9.30. <BR><BR>The experience at Kings Canyon provides for two options. One is a walk on the floor of the canyon. This can take about 90 minutes, is mostly on level ground and is suited to people who do not want to exert themselves, it is graded as an easy level walk. The other is the walk around the rim of the canyon. This is a 6 km walk, for which you need to be moderately fit, there are steep ascents, the path is pretty uneven, but you are rewarded by spectacular views. This walk takes about 3 hours. We opted for the rim walk, as did most people in the group. The bus driver as well as another AAT Kings representative act as guides on this walk. <BR><BR>The toughest part of the walk is right at the start. There is a steep ascent that takes you on your way to the rim of the canyon. The guides told us and I can concur in retrospect now, that if you can manage this first 25-30 minute ascent, the rest of the walk is in the bag as it is much simpler. They in fact make the floor walk group wait for a bit first while we started off on the rim walk, just in case some people who went for the rim walk found it unmanageable and wanted to retire to the easier walk. It is a little laborious, being a climb, but over fairly quickly. <BR><BR>More on this in my next post.

First of all, thank you so much for such a terrific report- I am planning my first trip for the middle/end of March, and reading this is just making my mind hunger for more information!! <BR><BR>I have a question that I hope you can give me an answer to (or your opinion). I was trying to decide about Ayers Rock - I don't want to go overnight, and was thinking about just about 4hrs (flying and out of Connellan Ayers Rock airport, not Alice Springs). Is that do-able? Or should I just keep that for another trip? If this is a do not miss, and would require an overnight, I will have to rethink my plans.<BR><BR>Any thoughts are greatly appreciated.<BR>Monica

Monica<BR>And are you coming back next year to do it properly? Flying in for 4 hours is, in my opinion, a waste of time and money. Flying in from where - for goodness sake. Uluru is the spirit of Australia. At least spend one night there. I don't wish to sound too critical, but.....

Margo,<BR>Not being critical at all - that's why I asked. I will be spending time in Sydney and Cairns. I am going for work to Sydney, and am able to extend the trip by only a few days. I don't know when I would be returning, but I know I will be back - there is too much more to Australia that I want to see.<BR>Thanks<BR>

Monica I can understand your predicament ‘coz we went through pretty much of the same thing when we were planning for our trip. On the one hand you have the most famous monolith in the world, on the other hand you think, its just a rock. Well let me say this, although by the time you get to Uluru, the novelty is all gone ‘coz you have seen it over and over plastered on just about everything even remotely touristy, there is something about actually standing in front of it and seeing it for real, and realising that it is exactly what you thought it would be. There does seem to be something spiritual about the place and more than anything else, I was surprised that I would feel it since I thought that Uluru due to over exposure in my mind would be a jaded experience. I don’t know how much sense this is making, but that’s how I felt. Practically speaking too, I think that 4 hours seem to be cutting it too fine. The various tour groups operate at specific times, so if you are not going to make it for one of them, how are you going to manage to see things. That would possibly mean renting a car and driving out to Uluru and seeing things for yourself and getting back to the airport, which is doable, albeit will be tiring, but do you want to do things that way, or have some sort of guided experience that tells you more about the spiritual significance of Uluru and the myths and legends surrounding it. I know I’m muddying the waters rather than clearing up your confusion, but my feeling is that unless you are really sure that you want your interaction to be just for a few pictures and nothing more, an overnight is probably the most economical amount of time to spend here. Hope this has helped some. <BR><BR>Something just occurred to me that I forgot to mention before, pertaining to Uluru. The rock is part of the Uluru National Park, which means that you need to buy a ticket to see it. The fees are preposterously high, $ 16.25 per person, which entitles you to a 3 day pass. The pass is minimum for three days, there is no discount for a single day’s sightseeing which is what we would have liked. In fact, when we had checked into the dorm, we were approached by a couple who were willing to sell us their 3 day passes at a discount, since they had used it the day before, and were leaving and not making use of the full 3 days. We at that time did not take them up on their offer, we thought we would get our own day pass, but it seems to me that there must be a thriving market for second hand underused passes. You are expected to write your name etc on the pass, but no one checked it or anything. When you pass by the ranger checkpoint in the coach, all you do is hold your pass up at the window so the ranger can see that everyone on board has a pass. <BR><BR>

Getting back to Kings Canyon, after you reach the top, you spend the next two hours or so walking around the rim, stopping to see the unique vegetation and for the views. It is really very very hot, and if you are lucky, there may be a breeze that makes things a little more bearable, we had a decent breeze that day. AAT Kings provide you with 2 litre waterbottles that you fill from their ice box at the start of the trip and most of us ran through them very easily before the walk ended. They are big round blue plastic waterbottles that can be slung around your shoulder or crosswise and hence make it easier to climb. You definitely need to wear a hat and please use huge amounts of sunscreen, my husband went a little easy and had a heat rash afterwards.<BR><BR>The most beautiful part is the walk through the vegetation called the Garden of Eden, and the walk down to a waterhole. Of course, that means that you have to walk up as well ! The views are stunning and make for good pictures. At the end of it all, you are tired, thirsty, hot and sweaty from the exertion, but its well worth it. The tour company then takes you for lunch to the Kings Canyon Resort, which is operated by the same group that owns the Ayers Rock resort. Lunch again is a pay as you go affair, with several options possible in the caf&eacute;. There is also a small convenience store attached to a gas station for some munchies, ice cream, and some run of the mill souvenirs. <BR><BR>The other reason we had opted for this particular tour was they gave the option of either returning after the Kings Canyon excursion to Ayers Rock, which we did not want to do, or going on to Alice Springs, which fit into our plan perfectly. After lunch, the group was divided into two depending on where people were supposed to end up , and we were on our way to Alice Springs by about 3.00 p.m. The drive to Alice was long and uneventful, stopping for a tea break along the way at an outback diner and gas station, which had a small art gallery attached. While waiting for the bus to leave again, I looked around me at this lonely quiet spot in the middle of nowhere, the quintessential Australian outback, and to my mind, as close to the real Australia that you can possibly get. Its not all about cities and harbours and happening attractions. This was the real thing, and the people in the diner were hardy sheep and cattle farmers who lived and worked in a seemingly harsh landscape that they had made their peace with. That was a great feeling, and the photograph I have of that lonely gas station in the middle of nowhere is splendidly evocative of a true and pure way of life that I touched for a few brief moments. <BR><BR>We reached Alice Springs at around 7.30, and after the usual round of dropping people off, were dropped off ourselves at our accommodation for the night, Toddys Backpacker Motel. Again, the same logic, one night, no fuss, cheap at $ 58.00. It is a typical backpacker place, the owner drives a Harley and walks and talks the part of a biker. Our room was large with a double bed and four bunk beds, but fairly run down. The TV did not work, some of the woodwork needed to be fixed, but we were tired and did not even go out for dinner. They have an all you can eat BBQ option at the motel itself, which would not have done my veggie diet any good anyways. Centre of town is about a 15 minute walk away. We had purchased some munchies along the way and made a meal of those after a long hot bath and tumbled into bed. We had some leeway the next morning as our flight from Alice Springs was at 12.30 p.m., but we needed to catch up on our sleep.<BR>

Breakfast next morning was a rudimentary affair of grab your plate and knife, toast your own bread and help yourself to a communal pot of jam and butter, and wash your plate once you’re done. Included in the room rate. Toddy’s has a free shuttle service to the airport which we had booked into at check in time itself, and that’s a good thing coz it gets filled up pretty quick, and then you have to request the paid airport transfer coach. On the way to the airport, the theme song was Smokie’s “Livin’ Next Door to Alice” ! <BR><BR>The flight to Darwin lasted 2 hours and was uneventful. On arrival at Darwin airport, we took the shuttle into town, same funda again, can pay for a return trip and call them when you need to book the return coach time. It was $ 13 per person one way, $ 26 return. We were staying at the Value Inn Hotel, and I cannot recommend it enough. It has a fantastic location, right in the heart of town on Mitchell St, 5 minutes walk from anywhere, be it the shopping area, the Esplanade, restaurants, whatever. The rooms are small, seriously, but very clean and comfortable, and I don’t think you can find a better option for $ 60.00. <BR><BR>We dumped our bags and headed out. As I mentioned before, Darwin is the place to look for serious aboriginal art and craft, ranging from paintings by award winning artists, to didjs. By the time we were able to get out, it was nearly 3.30 p.m. and shops all close at 5.00, so we had barely enough time to look. I would recommend three places to check out. All are within a five minute walk of the hotel, one is just 2 minutes away. The first is called Indigenous Creation. Then there is the highly reputed Raintree Gallery. The third is the Aboriginal Fine Arts Gallery which is on the ground and first floor on Mitchell St itself. We are avid collectors of art and craft were looking to buy a didj as well as a painting to add to our collection of Indian art and we spent a fair bit of time in the latter two. We did not get a painting eventually as anyone who buys art knows that you cannot normally reach a decision to buy something in 30 minutes flat, as surrounded as we were by choice, but we did get a didj from the Aboriginal Fine Art Gallery. We paid $ 550.00 for it, but that’s because it is a real collectible, and is made by a gentleman called Djalu Gurriwimmi (sp. ?) who is world renowned for his didjs. So that was a good buy and we were very pleased. They give you an authenticity certificate and an artist profile on request as well. We never saw any other place with the kind of choice and originality of aboriginal art that we saw in Darwin, the only place that was relatively comparable was Didj World in the Rocks Centre in Sydney. I would still recommend waiting to make that one special purchase in Darwin if its on the itinerary. I just wish we had more time to look at the art, but both the Raintree and the Aboriginal Fine Art Galleries are on the net, so we can always go that way.<BR><BR>We had also given our overfull camera memory stick for transfer to CD in a Kodak Express shop right around our hotel, so after collecting it, we went for a walk on the Esplanade. By now, we had massive withdrawal symptoms for Indian food, so dinner was at Hanuman, which is a 5 minute walk from the hotel on Mitchell Street. It serves Indian, Thai and Japanese food, and while I cannot comment on the latter two, the Indian was top notch. We turned in early as the next day was an early start for our visit to Katherine Gorge.<BR>

Katherine Gorge in Nitmiluk National Park is about 5 hours drive one way from Darwin, hence the need to start really early. Again, the one day tour is conducted only by big operators, so you get to go with AAT Kings, or APT. This is honestly the only bone I have to pick about the whole thing, the need to use larger tour companies simply because there don’t seem to be options in terms of smaller operators taking limited numbers for day tours, especially in the Northern Territory. I could be wrong, but we did not find any. Anyways, this was the only way we could see Katherine Gorge, so we took it. One thing that got our back up right away is that around 7.30 a.m., we stopped at a point on the road and waited about 45 minutes for another bus to join us. This time wasted basically hounded us for the rest of the day, as we had to hurry through our break at Edith Falls as well as through lunch, to make up for the lost time and ensure that we made the boat cruise. <BR><BR>As I said, it’s a pretty long ride. The first stop is for breakfast at the Adelaide River Inn. Breakfast is again pay as you go, with a large number of options. Highlight of this place is Charlie, the bull or bison that starred in Crocodile Dundee, he has been stuffed and mounted on the bar counter. So there’s that one of a kind photo op with a film star. After breakfast and a bit further down the road, you stop at the Adelaide War Cemetery in honour of Australian soldiers. A 15 minute browse around the tombstones and engravings and you’re back on the bus. Our next stop was Edith Falls. It’s a lovely spot, a freshwater hole with a waterfall. We were supposed to have time here for a swim, and it sure looked like a good idea. The heat is really oppressive. However, due to our morning delay, we were given about 20 minutes here, certainly not enough time to swim out to the falls and back and dry off before continuing onward. A few brave souls did venture into the water, the rest of us sadly dipped our feet thinking of what might have been. <BR><BR>Next stop Katherine Gorge. Once you reach the Visitor Centre, you have lunch, which is included in the tour price itself. I was getting pretty sick of the potato salad and bread diet I was on by now, but there seemed to be cold cuts and chicken for the others. Lunch again was a rushed affair as we had to make the boat cruise. Now, there are two ways to see the Gorge. The first and most interesting way is to canoe down the gorge. The Katherine Gorge is a system of 13 gorges in all, and if you stay there long enough you can canoe down the whole stretch, but most people do either 2 or 3. In the dry, as they call the summer, the gorge levels can drop quite a bit, so very often you have to paddle down one gorge, get out, cart the canoe over a set of rocks before setting off on the next one. If this is the way to go for you, you have to ensure that you get to the gorge by 9.00 a.m. as that is when they let out the canoes. Well nigh impossible if you’re travelling form Darwin, which means you have to be staying in Katherine itself if you want to do this. Those bussing up from Darwin, like we did have only the second option open, that of the boat cruise. Here too there is a 4 hour cruise that takes in 3 gorges, which again the bus tours have no time for, and a two hour cruise, which takes in 2 gorges and is the one most day bus tours will take you for. <BR>

Dimple, <BR>Your trip report is terrific, I printed it out but have not finished reading it yet...as I wanted to reply with a thank you. My husband wonders why should listen to anyone on the internet but he read your trip report and says there are a lot of good things in it. Ha. You have made a believer of a sceptic.<BR>We are planning an AU-NZ in Jan. 2003 and are trying to put the month long trip together and not be up and down in the air for 30 days.(our current plan has 12 different flights which includes our flights from our home to LAX to SYD both ways)<BR>Thanks again for your thorough, complete trip information.<BR>Dee