FEEDBACK PLEASE
 

I for one would love to hear from people who I have given suggestions to for their holidays etc, say a post-holiday report. It helps us to help others and also helps us to keep up to date too. All too often a restaurant that was absolutely wonderful when you last went there has been sold and the new people are terrible. I can remember an instance when a favourite "outback hotel" I had stayed at a number of times was my choice for family friends from the USA. They arrived in time for dinner and the cook was as drunk as a skunk and the steak that was served up to them was rancid. Needless to say they complained and were then subjected to a display of drunken indignation and throwing of china all over the place. The people in the bar were in hysterics due more in part to the dumb-struck look on the faces of said friends I think. A local grazier took them home and made them a nice dinner before taking them back to the hotel to sleep. He stayed with them just in case of any further problems. <BR>This story ended well because our friends had a sense of humour and the town's people made them feel special but it could have ended differently and they could have left Australia thinking that we still live in the dark ages. <BR>I don't suggest staying at that hotel to anyone anymore but that was only because I got feedback. <BR>So please write back to us after your holidays and let us know how things went. Whether hotels/restaurants/B&B's or whatever where up to scratch and finally how you enjoyed your holiday because if we were interested enough to give you some ideas we are interested enough in knowing how things went. <BR>Cheers Liz

I've read many of the great reports from travelers returned from Australian tours. I think this site is great - it's helped me a lot in planning my trip to Australia and New Zealand. I've received help selecting hotels in Sydney, in Port Douglas, sightseeing around Hobart and Melbourne, walking the base at Uluru, and then checking out the southern Alps in New Zealand. I haven't left on my trip yet!! I'll be happy to be like Mina and others and rave about all I did and saw. Thanks for answering and helping so much. Patti

Hi Liz:<BR><BR>I posted a trip report (which for some reason doesn't seem searchable...maybe I'll top it) and, like you, would love to hear other's stories. I don't know how long you've been posting...I was researching last July, and don't remember seeing your posts...but I wish I did!<BR><BR>Caroline B is in Oz now and is keeping me posted via email (never met her, so it's fun to hear from her), so hopefully she will post when she gets back in a couple of weeks (she did say my suggestion for a massage with Annie in Port Douglas was right on the nose! :) )<BR><BR>Patti, don't know when you're going, but we look forward to hearing all about it. Like Liz, I noticed when I was doing my research that there weren't a whole lot of detailed trip reports here...and they help a ton. Have a groovy trip!

I posted about a bad experience I had at a hotel. I made nothing up. I was instantly told by someone (I suspect the hotel manager himself as he seems to have nothing better to do than search the Internet) on this site that I was defaming the hotel and that he was going to have the post removed. And then the post was gone. I think travel boards only work when people are free to say exactly what happened to them and to warn other travelers. And board administrators have to support the people posting.

TOBEHONEST:<BR><BR>Please email me and let me know which hotel was such a disappointment. I'm planning a trip downunder and it's much too far to travel just to be disappointed. <BR><BR>Thanks!

Hello Lizf! <BR><BR>We're about to book a two week family vacation for August, visiting Sydney, Alice Spgs/Uluru and Cairns. We have a tradition where my wife takes the pictures (shes a photographer) and my daughter (age 14) records the daily events in a journal along with any brochures, etc. Once we return, I plan on creating a website of our trip (I'm a programmer) to share with future travellers.<BR><BR>I see from your email address that you're from Oz...any tips you could share on local customs would certainly be appreciated! I've already been told not to photograph the Aboriginal peoples without asking permission - any other tips you could share?

Just 2 weeks to do all that John - whew you are going to need a holiday after the holiday.<BR>Actually I had never heard that you cannot photograph the aboriginies without asking them but then I am an of an age where they used to be just part of our community and things have changed dramatically since then. I am sure that if you offer some recompense to them they will only be too happy to oblige. The full-blood aboriginals are a fantastic gentle people with such a wealth of knowledge that they sometimes will only part with if they like you. As for customs in the rest of the country - I am sure that the suggestion that you will "shout at the bar" will get you anything you want and that goes for ALL Australians whatever their colour. <BR>Other than that we will look forward to your reports and hope that you have a wonderful time. Please stay in the swimming areas recommended on the GBR though if you are there in the summer/Autumn. <BR>Have a great ONE!!