Rosalie Bischof

My husband & I are going to Australia Dec 27th and returning to NYC on Jan 22nd. Our trip started out as a house swap, but we have since booked many interior flights. We are each taking ONE carry on bag, and I will have a camera bag and he a smaller tote. We are trying to travel as light as possible. We will start in Towoomba, and travel to Melborne, Sydney, Cairnes, Ayers Rock, and Hamilton Island, just to name a few places. My concern is the type of clothing to bring. I have been under the impression it will be VERY hot, and am packing very light, quick dry clothing. I am also packing VERY casual. We are used to high end dining, and am wondering if we'll need fancy clothes for the cities? I am now hearing it will be the rainy season. What exactly does that mean, and what parts of Aus. will be effected? <BR> <BR>I am an avid photographer, and wonder if anyone has some great tips on photogear, etc specific to Aus. I thank everyone for their help! <BR>Rosalie

Paul S

Hi Rosalie, <BR> <BR>The wet season only affects the top end of Australia, places such as Darwin, Cairns and Broome. The Wet Season means that there is a lot of rainfall and the temperatures are still very warm creating overwhelming humidity. Some people say you need a pair of gills to breath at that time of year. <BR> <BR>Yes it will be hot, in some places such as Alice Springs and Ayres Rock you will most likely encounter temperatures over the 100 degrees F. Bring light casual clothing and good comfortable walking shoes such as joggers. Make sure you carry a bottle of water if you venture out on a bushwalk as you can easily dehydrate in the Australian summer conditions. <BR> <BR>I would suggest you bring at least one nice outfit for city dining in the upmarket restaurants but for most country town dining smart casual atire will suffice. <BR> <BR>I will suggest that you bring a wide brimmed hat that can accommodate a fly net as you will need a fly net in the interior of Australia. <BR> <BR>Hope this helps.

David

Rosalie, <BR>I agree with everything Paul said but bewhere....Toowoomba is on the Great Dividing Range. Because of this it can be cold at anytime of the year, so at least pack a jumper (sweater) and jeans. Also, Melbourne can be cool...even in January.

Michael

Pack light, pack casual. Summer dining is never formal in Oz, the wet season is in the far north and you can expect a lot of rain in a short space of time in the likes of Cairns etc but it will still be hot and VERY humid. As to photo gear just think about the terrain you will be in (desert, ocean, rainforest) and you should be able to set your camera appropriately. You will also find the quality of film here is as good as what you'll buy in the US.

Elsa

Hi Rosalie, <BR> <BR>We just got back and as far as fine dining goes - we ate at VERY nice restaurants that were as good as any in the US and Europe. Their fish (and I wasn't a fish eater) is delicious and the fruits & vegetables were always fresh. I assume since it will be summer when you are there, you will have a dress/skirt. Those will be fine for the better restaurants. I dressed up a casual sweater at night with a scarf. There was 1 restaurant where most of the men had jackets (Level 41), but there are so many great places where guys were dressed "smart casual".

Mary Ann

Just got back from NZ and Sydney and Caines. In Sydney, at some of the better restaurants, jackets were recommended for men. "Smart Casual" was recommended for women. I took a silk pantsuit which packs very small and did not wrinkle much (pack wrinkle free) and it worked out fine. My husband took a travel smith jacket that worked very well. It was evident that at one restaurant, how you dressed did dictate where you might be seated (with the best views). Please be advised that carry on bag limits are much smaller for Air NZ and Quantas than we are use to in the US. Rolling 21/22 inch bags will most likely have to be checked. Our rolling one had a garment bag that worked out really well for dress clothes. One of our flights from Auckland to Blenheim in the south island actually was only a 12 seater. Even our tote just made it as a carryon since seats were single on each side with no overhead. They do not let you advance reserve seats on domestic flights and they still get them off on time probably due to reduced carry ons. <BR>Have a great trip.

Andy

The other responses to date have covered the weather and clothing, but I haven't seen much in answer to the phot question. Do you have camera equipment already? If so what do you have? I always travel with 2 cameras, a full-featured SLR and a small automatic camera for inconspicuous use, or as a just-in-case camera. <BR> <BR>If you use an SLR you'll want a minimum of a general-range zoom (about 28-70mm) and a telezoom (70-200 or more). Also get a polarizing filter. Your skies will be bluer, shots over water will have reduced reflection, and your pictures will take on a more "professional" look. For outdoor photos in these areas use 100 ASA film. The MAX film so many people use now is NOT the best for bright sunlight. Plus Australia has higher UV rays, which will make your photos look washed out (hence the polarizing filter). <BR> <BR>If you want more information based on what equipment you have, or if you want to see some of my Australia shots from my website, e-mail me and I'll be happy to give you more information.