marshacarlin

Is it just me or does it seem impossible to plan a 2-3 week trip (not counting husband's business) to Australia, NZ, and or Tanmania ?????? for this April.......I've done lots of traveling and am usually the one to do the planning but am overwhelmed by the size of the countries/ options/ short timeframe for planning, etc.

He will be going to Perth and then suggested I join him in Sydney. We'd have 2-3 weeks and although he loves the outdoors I'm not able to hike much anymore (hip/stamina problems) so I can't decide if I want to get it together for such a long trip to a place that seems to be mostly about the out-of-doors. On the other hand I love learning about other cultures and don't want to miss the trip of a lifetime IF I can get it together.

My husband's main interests are Sydney, snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef (is April weather still warm enough for that?) and then the North Island of New Zealand but he/we would be open to any and all suggestions. I usually do the research/planning but really don't know where to start on such short notice. Also, other than his travel to and from Perth, we'd be paying for my travel and both of our costs beyond Perth so, although I'd like to stay in a few standout places, we could also drive ourselves and economize where appropriate.

Also, the thought of such a long trip in one go is not appealing. We'd be coming from NYC so is there a good place to take a couple of days to break up the trip that wouldn't break the bank---know it's a lot to ask for........but thought I would ask (we've stayed in apartments/house before and loved that but with so much territory to cover thought that wouldn't be the best idea for Australia/NZ............but what about in Tahiti?????!!!!!!!

Anyway any advice, encouragement, cautions, referrals to past posts, etc. would be greatly appreciated. thanks!

Susan7

I'm sure you can plan a trip with over a month to prepare! For the Australian leg would you have about 10 days? In which case visit 2 locations. Given your stated interests, I'd suggest Sydney 4-5 days, Cairns 5-6 days.


April is often still very warm in Sydney, it will be great for Far North Queensland.

Saltuarius

Firstly, yes go with him.

Australia is a huge country so it might be best just to see some of it. As you are not into the travelling part, three places may be the way to go:- Perth, Cairns and Sydney from where you would be well placed to fly home. There are direct flights from Perth to Carins where you can visit the GBR.

In most places there are options for short walks as this is all most people do. A car would give you the option of stopping where you want but means doing your homework. The other alternative is to mix it up or try a step aboard guide who will travel in your vehicle and concentrate your day around your interests.

You could take day trips to the north of Perth while your husband is working and then drive together to the Margaret River area and Albany. Week two in Cairns, Tablelands, Daintree area where there is an abundance of wildlife. The water will be fine. There is some chance of cool drizzley days on the Atherton Tablelands but just plan what you want to do and then allocate the day's activities according to the weather forecast. Night tours on the coast. Week three in sydney to visit the famous sites, the Blue Mountains and perhaps the Hunter for a few wines.

Bushranger

I think Salty has missed that you're already aghast about such a long trip and plan on meeting him in Sydney.

And be it 10 -12 days or a fortnight in Oz, Sydney and Cairns as suggested by Susan sounds fine with both having a lot to do, some outdoors, most you can do with a bit of self driving or with public transport in Sydney and surrounds.

Travelling in Oz is just so easy and just start with nominating your two or three or four locations you'd really like to see, our westernised culture being very much like that of the US actually, no Kangaroos bounding up Main street and the nearest you'll likely come to crocs will be the tears over Wall St.
Sydney - http://www.sydney.com.au/ http://www.sydney100.com/ and http://www.131500.info/realtime/newjourney.asp will get you started and then http://www.thetourspecialists.com/tours-reef.html for Cairns and http://www.whitsundays.com.au/ for islands.

Tasmania will be getting on the cooler side and we're all praying for heaps of rain down south to quell the bushfires in Victoria and anywhere else they are without rain.

www.drivenow.com.au will get you a vehicle when needed but it's far too long a drive to get from Sydney to northern Queensland areas [ will still be quite humid there but storm season should be past - hopefully!] and www.webjet.com.au can be used to see what best flights are and then book direct with the airline.
www.wotif.com can be used to look up accommodation rates but particularly in places like Cairns there is so much three star quite comfortable options you'll not even need to book ahead too much.

One of our Posters here Pat Woolford has a B&B in Cairns and sure she'd only be too happy to play host.

And so put any place of interest into www.google.com , pick an interesting link and just prioritise what you want to do.
Though we're generally considered an outdoors country, we're all very far from being Steve Irwins or Crocodile Dundees and so you can take it as easy as you like or push harder - maybe settle back with a cocktail whilst Hug goes out to climb the nearest mountain!

But have a read of some recent threads and/or trip reports but there's a real mix of things to see.

afterall

Sometimes the best advice is to stick with your initial instincts and not go researching like mad to see what else there is to see!! Because there is such a lot. There is plenty to occupy you in Sydney for 4 days, FNQ/Cairns for 4, with a day to travel inbetween. 4 in NZ. Then you might be able to squeeze in Tasmania AND a Pacific stopover, but you would need a full three weeks of holiday time. Personally I wouldn't. I would chose Tassie or the Pacific stopover right at the start to save yourself a lot of heartache.

Whatever, a lot depends on flight arrival and departure times. It's the flights you need to research and the good news is that there are budget carriers in Australia. Bad news is that April is Easter and school hols.

www.virginblue.com.au
www.jetstar.com.au

If you fancy stopping at a Pacific Island destination have you looked at Air New Zealand? There's Tahiti, sure, but there's also Rarotonga (Cooks) though I have no idea what the weather would be like in May.

Best of luck.

Bushranger

Tahiti is one location to break the trip though it is reportedly a bit expensive there, maybe not much different to Hawaii which I'd see as being closer to halfway half time and Tahiti will give you a different cultural experience.

ElendilPickle

I was also thinking of Hawaii as a place to break up your trip.

As much as I loved New Zealand and want to return, you might consider spending all your time in Australia. It's a big country with lots to do and see.

Lee Ann

wlzmatilida

Marsha,

it IS do-able, and even on short notice, as you say, just as long as you're not trying to pack too much in to a too-short timeframe (which you're trying to do). I know, I know, you think you're never going to be there again, so you want to pack it all in...but then you just end up exhausting yourselves and not doing any one place justice.

Your comment about breaking up the trip coming from NYC is a good idea - just not breaking it up where you're thinking about! Especially taking into consideration the cost, which you said is a consideration ...each one of those "stops" is going to add approx. $300 per person to your trip cost. (or more).

Now, if you were to fly from NYC to San Francisco, there's some really good specials going on right now, roundtrip from SFO to Sydney for under $800. Spend the night in San Francisco, recoup from the flight from NYC, and start refreshed onto Sydney. Maximize your time in Sydney and Cairns/GBR area. There's more interesting things to do once IN Australia than either Hawaii or Tahiti (you have beaches and snorkelliing in both those locations - you can do that on the Reef without stopping at either one).

As you mentioned your husband's on business, perhaps he's got mileage accrued from business trips, and you could use that to fly to the West Coast and then take advantage of the airfare specials we've got going on (this would also be viable from LAX, but I'm just partial to SFO). Break up the trip that way with a day stopover on each end.

If you're feeling overwhelmed, go to australia.com, the official tourism website and find an Aussie Specialist in your area who will help you pull the whole trip together.

Hope this is helpful!

Regards,

Melodie
Certified Aussie Specialist

Bushranger

Of the last two posts Marsha, they haven't referred to the softness of the flesh but may be soft somewhere else for one reckons a break in SFrisco will be better than one a third of way across Pacific, Hawaii by far being the nearest to a halfway point in nearly a direct line.
Tahiti btw throws a big dogleg into your route.

And then it seems that whilst one thinks you're trying to do too much in three weeks!, there is then the suggestion of you going to Perth too!

The other of recent posters is thought of on another thread as doing some advertising, a similar post having been made.

There are some great airfare sales on at the moment and not sure whether they extend past Qantas or V-Australia to US airlines or whether you can get a special so close to flying time but it'll be worth looking at the different airline sites if you have not done already.