Itinery comments/Qantas seating
Jul 4th, 2004, 04:03 PM
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Itinery comments/Qantas seating
It's been a long project, but the itinery is near set for the trip in 2 weeks. This fabulous forum has helped tremendously. I'm inviting comments on this itinery --flaws? Also have 2 questions, what Aussie sports are available in late July that I could get tickets and how does a person secure a decent seat on a Qantas flight...tricks?
Day 1-4 Sydney: Bridge climb, wildlife park (which one?), harbor and city exploration. Maybe zoo or aquarium...
Day 4-8 Mossman: Silky Oaks, Australian wilderness tour incl Daintree et al, nightwalks, river canoe and biking
Day 9-12 PD: Apartment on the hill at the end of the beach, in town. Pick a day GBR, and will have car for general wandering. Lava tubes too far? Kuranda not much appeal. Options in bad weather?
Day 13 depart for 24 hours in Auckland, looking at Duxton Apts, no clue on activity.
Family with 2 teenagers, mom and dad were in Sydney in 1988. Favorite memory?? Take it easy on me...petting the Roo's and the joey in pouch. Don't have those in the USA!
Thanks in advance for your feedback...
Day 1-4 Sydney: Bridge climb, wildlife park (which one?), harbor and city exploration. Maybe zoo or aquarium...
Day 4-8 Mossman: Silky Oaks, Australian wilderness tour incl Daintree et al, nightwalks, river canoe and biking
Day 9-12 PD: Apartment on the hill at the end of the beach, in town. Pick a day GBR, and will have car for general wandering. Lava tubes too far? Kuranda not much appeal. Options in bad weather?
Day 13 depart for 24 hours in Auckland, looking at Duxton Apts, no clue on activity.
Family with 2 teenagers, mom and dad were in Sydney in 1988. Favorite memory?? Take it easy on me...petting the Roo's and the joey in pouch. Don't have those in the USA!
Thanks in advance for your feedback...
Jul 4th, 2004, 04:25 PM
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A most unusual itinerary. In regard to Sydney...concentrate of Taronga Zoo (its close to the city, if your staying in the city, and its a pleasant ferry trip over to the zoo, also the zoo has had some nice changes). There is an Aquarium at Darling Harbour which is closeby to Circular Quay, and again another nice ferry trip. Australian Football and Rugby League are both played during our winter season. Yes, do the bridge climb, it is well worth it. For something different, try to visit the northern beaches of Sydney, eg. Palm Beach, they are far more interesting than Bondi Beach.
I hope your only going to pat the kangaroos and not "pet" them. Just be careful kangaroos can strike out sometimes, with their hind legs, and give a nasty cut.
I hope your only going to pat the kangaroos and not "pet" them. Just be careful kangaroos can strike out sometimes, with their hind legs, and give a nasty cut.
Jul 5th, 2004, 04:36 AM
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Hi,kuzmagirl!
You mention the zoo (Taronga Park) AND a wildlife park, but I suspect that after you have spent a day at Taronga, any of the other wildlife parks will seem like an anti-climax. If you really feel like another one, I would vote for Featherdale at Doonside, near Blacktown, as you could possibly combine that with a day trip to the Blue Mountains... or, if you hire a car, a drive from Featherdale to Euroka Clearing at Glenbrook; you won't be able to pat the roos there, as they are not tame, but you'll be able to get close enough to pose with them.
If Featherdale is your choice, my advice is: go early. Even in July, the tour buses will descend en masse after 10 a.m., and the character of the place changes dramatically.
By the way, you will probably be thrilled with the July weather. This has been the warmest (and driest)winter Sydney has had in living memory. Just today our newspaper commented that, as the temperature reached 25 degrees celsius with not a cloud in the sky, our winter weather was on a par with the summer weather in much of Europe. It hasn't always been like that, I assure you!
You mention the zoo (Taronga Park) AND a wildlife park, but I suspect that after you have spent a day at Taronga, any of the other wildlife parks will seem like an anti-climax. If you really feel like another one, I would vote for Featherdale at Doonside, near Blacktown, as you could possibly combine that with a day trip to the Blue Mountains... or, if you hire a car, a drive from Featherdale to Euroka Clearing at Glenbrook; you won't be able to pat the roos there, as they are not tame, but you'll be able to get close enough to pose with them.
If Featherdale is your choice, my advice is: go early. Even in July, the tour buses will descend en masse after 10 a.m., and the character of the place changes dramatically.
By the way, you will probably be thrilled with the July weather. This has been the warmest (and driest)winter Sydney has had in living memory. Just today our newspaper commented that, as the temperature reached 25 degrees celsius with not a cloud in the sky, our winter weather was on a par with the summer weather in much of Europe. It hasn't always been like that, I assure you!
Jul 5th, 2004, 05:46 AM
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Hi kuzmagirl. Regarding your question about Qantas- it IS possible to ask for a specific seat. I know, because I've done it. Mind you, when I did it it was back in 2001 on an overseas flight. Things have probably changed since then, and I'm not sure you could get the same results for a domestic flight.Worth trying though.
I just rang Qantas direct to confirm my flights and asked for seat allocation then and there. I got my "near the wings, left hand side and next to the door" (good footspace!) seat without a problem. Much harder for you to do from the US, though.
Tropo- have you tried any good Thai restaurants in Hervey Bay recently? I've heard there's a good one on the Esplanade, serving a mean Tom Yum soup.
Must be warmer up there than it is in Melbourne right now!
Cheers,
Possum
I just rang Qantas direct to confirm my flights and asked for seat allocation then and there. I got my "near the wings, left hand side and next to the door" (good footspace!) seat without a problem. Much harder for you to do from the US, though.
Tropo- have you tried any good Thai restaurants in Hervey Bay recently? I've heard there's a good one on the Esplanade, serving a mean Tom Yum soup.
Must be warmer up there than it is in Melbourne right now!
Cheers,
Possum
Jul 5th, 2004, 07:47 AM
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No worry, we wouldn't miss the Zoo! In 1988 we drove north of Sydney I think and visited a small reserve where an old famous 'roo lived (had been a TV star). That's the experience we're trying to replicate, just the chance to wander with some friendly 'roos. Koala's nice but not required.
As far as Quantas is concerned...is there preferential seating when you arrive early? The flight is Sydney-Cairns on 7/20(a Tuesday?) out of the international terminal on a big aircraft. What makes it tougher to work out a seat from the US, is the the frequent flyer program or??
As far as Quantas is concerned...is there preferential seating when you arrive early? The flight is Sydney-Cairns on 7/20(a Tuesday?) out of the international terminal on a big aircraft. What makes it tougher to work out a seat from the US, is the the frequent flyer program or??
Jul 5th, 2004, 08:10 AM
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ALAN- thanks for the great weather news! I've been watching daily temps and the word winter doesn't compute. Here our winter means 5 months of snow cover, ice covered water and temps below zero for weeks at a time. Let's hope it holds for a few more weeks!
Jul 5th, 2004, 08:31 AM
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Hi kuzmagirl,
I doubt you would be able to get preferential seating on a domestic Qantas flight just before boarding. Even if you arrive early.
I obtained my "preferred seats" on an international flight months before actual check in.
But really, ANY seat on a Qantas domestic flight is fine. There is no need to request any special seating. I've flown on internal American flights. Peanuts and orange juice do NOT signify that FOOD has been served- on a 4 hour flight. It was appalling! Thanks, AA.
Luckily,even on a one hour Qantas flight (Sydney to Melbourne) you will be served breakfast, a gourmet sandwich lunch or a reasonable dinner or supper.
Enjoy your Australian flights. I'd say they're a whole lot better than anything American or Northwest currently offers.
Possum
I doubt you would be able to get preferential seating on a domestic Qantas flight just before boarding. Even if you arrive early.
I obtained my "preferred seats" on an international flight months before actual check in.
But really, ANY seat on a Qantas domestic flight is fine. There is no need to request any special seating. I've flown on internal American flights. Peanuts and orange juice do NOT signify that FOOD has been served- on a 4 hour flight. It was appalling! Thanks, AA.
Luckily,even on a one hour Qantas flight (Sydney to Melbourne) you will be served breakfast, a gourmet sandwich lunch or a reasonable dinner or supper.
Enjoy your Australian flights. I'd say they're a whole lot better than anything American or Northwest currently offers.
Possum
Jul 5th, 2004, 09:42 AM
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Are you talking about the domestic flights or the international flights? We were able to pre-book aisle seats on the international flight. Didn't try on the domestic, so don't know if it was possible. However, even on the international flight to Australia, it was what I would call somewhat annoying. I was in an aisle seat, but there were 2 people in the seats beside me. So in a row of 3 seats, there were 3 of us. On the other hand, the row immediately in front of us had only 1 person and she had a window seat. Why do airlines do that? I moved, after asking if the person in front minded. (I would have thought her pretty nervy if she had, but I wanted to be polite.) I still had my aisle, the other person had her window, but now there were 2 of us sharing 3 seats in both rows instead of 3 crammed in 1 row and 1 person having 3 seats!
Jul 5th, 2004, 12:53 PM
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Hi Possum, I should have guessed it was you. Yes I have tried the Thai Food on the Esplanade, and its called Thai Diamond Restaurant, at Scarness. Its the one you spoke of sometime ago, and yes the soup was great. Also a nice Coffee shop next door, and just near the intersection of Esplanade and Queens Road, is the Pub, where you can sit outside in the beer garden watching the traffic, whilst sitting in the boot of a car (seats designed like the boot of a car...I guess you would remember)
I like your screen name, does it mean you stir the possum, or your soft & cuddly like a possum?
I couldn't think of a suitable name for a while, so I thought, come summer with hight humidity, I will go tropo.
I like your screen name, does it mean you stir the possum, or your soft & cuddly like a possum?
I couldn't think of a suitable name for a while, so I thought, come summer with hight humidity, I will go tropo.
Jul 7th, 2004, 08:07 AM
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Hi tropo!
Nice to catch up with you again. Nothing very clever about my screen name at all. Only the most Aussie thing I could think of at the time!
Glad you like the Thai place and the pub at Cordalba. Told you that it was a good one!
Enjoy the sun!
Possum
Nice to catch up with you again. Nothing very clever about my screen name at all. Only the most Aussie thing I could think of at the time!
Glad you like the Thai place and the pub at Cordalba. Told you that it was a good one!
Enjoy the sun!
Possum
Jul 7th, 2004, 10:47 AM
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Hi kuzmagirl,
Regarding getting a decent seat on Qantas - all you have to do is call!
Take a look at your plane on www.seatguru.com first. That site shows the seating configuration with tips on good & bad seats. I've found it to be pretty reliable. Next, give Qantas a call and ask them for the specific seats you want. If they are available, they will be assigned to you right on the phone.
If you're in the US, the toll free number for Qantas is 800-227-4500.
As for your itinerary, the bridge climb is an absolute must. Try to book it for around 3:30 or 4:00. You'll end up climbing the bridge in the daylight and coming down in the dark. Seeing the sunset over Sydney and watching the city lights come on was one of the highlights of our visit.
Taronga Zoo is a world-class facility. The zoo is on a hillside, right on Sydney Harbour. The best way to see it is to take the ferry to the zoo, ride the cable car to the top of the hill and work your way downhill. Allow about 4 hours.
The Aquarium was pretty good. We're from Miami and have seen many of them and the one in Sydney is better than average. The tunnel through the shark tank was the best part.
Alan's advice about Featherdale Wildlife Park is perfect. (Alan's advice always is!) We got there about 20 minutes before the tour buses hit and the mob of people ruined the experience. It's a nice little park but go early!
We have a lot of pictures of these places and more online. They are at http://www.sd4.com/australia.
Have a great trip!
John in Miami
Regarding getting a decent seat on Qantas - all you have to do is call!
Take a look at your plane on www.seatguru.com first. That site shows the seating configuration with tips on good & bad seats. I've found it to be pretty reliable. Next, give Qantas a call and ask them for the specific seats you want. If they are available, they will be assigned to you right on the phone.
If you're in the US, the toll free number for Qantas is 800-227-4500.
As for your itinerary, the bridge climb is an absolute must. Try to book it for around 3:30 or 4:00. You'll end up climbing the bridge in the daylight and coming down in the dark. Seeing the sunset over Sydney and watching the city lights come on was one of the highlights of our visit.
Taronga Zoo is a world-class facility. The zoo is on a hillside, right on Sydney Harbour. The best way to see it is to take the ferry to the zoo, ride the cable car to the top of the hill and work your way downhill. Allow about 4 hours.
The Aquarium was pretty good. We're from Miami and have seen many of them and the one in Sydney is better than average. The tunnel through the shark tank was the best part.
Alan's advice about Featherdale Wildlife Park is perfect. (Alan's advice always is!) We got there about 20 minutes before the tour buses hit and the mob of people ruined the experience. It's a nice little park but go early!
We have a lot of pictures of these places and more online. They are at http://www.sd4.com/australia.
Have a great trip!
John in Miami
Jul 10th, 2004, 06:08 AM
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To JohninMiami:
Checked out your photo link. Wow! How did you get such fantastic photos underwater? Those, the panoramics and closeups were really nice quality, and this from a phtographer's daughter!
Did you encounter the kangaroos at Kuranda or Featherdate in the photos?
Checked out your photo link. Wow! How did you get such fantastic photos underwater? Those, the panoramics and closeups were really nice quality, and this from a phtographer's daughter!
Did you encounter the kangaroos at Kuranda or Featherdate in the photos?
Jul 10th, 2004, 12:33 PM
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kuzmagirl - Thanks for the compliment! We used a Canon D30 with an underwater housing & strobe. Once you go below about 10 feet, the reds disappear and the blues take over (not a State of Origin reference) so a good flash is vital. We took hundreds & hundreds of photos (thank god for digital!) and the vast majority were crap. What you see online is the best of the best.
The panoramics were done on the same camera with a Sigma 14mm 1:2.8 lens. It gives me an extra wide view without the distortion that a fisheye lens would give.
Finally, most of the close-ups were done with a tripod. I drink way too much caffeine so I don't have the steadiest hand. I've found that using the tripod with a remote shutter release allows me to get a much crisper picture than if I try to do it by hand.
Truth be told, it's the camera that takes such great pictures. I've had it two years and I'm still learning how to use it.
The roo pictures were taken at Featherdale, Australia Zoo near Brisbane and Kuranda. On the website, if you are in the Sydney - Blue Mountains section, then those are at Featherdale. The SE Queensland - Croc Hunter/Aust Zoo are at Australia Zoo (Crikey Mate!) and I think there's one picture in the Nth Queensland - Cairns section.
Looking forward to hearing about your trip when you get back!
The panoramics were done on the same camera with a Sigma 14mm 1:2.8 lens. It gives me an extra wide view without the distortion that a fisheye lens would give.
Finally, most of the close-ups were done with a tripod. I drink way too much caffeine so I don't have the steadiest hand. I've found that using the tripod with a remote shutter release allows me to get a much crisper picture than if I try to do it by hand.
Truth be told, it's the camera that takes such great pictures. I've had it two years and I'm still learning how to use it.
The roo pictures were taken at Featherdale, Australia Zoo near Brisbane and Kuranda. On the website, if you are in the Sydney - Blue Mountains section, then those are at Featherdale. The SE Queensland - Croc Hunter/Aust Zoo are at Australia Zoo (Crikey Mate!) and I think there's one picture in the Nth Queensland - Cairns section.
Looking forward to hearing about your trip when you get back!
Jul 10th, 2004, 02:37 PM
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John, great pix and a very clean, easy-to-navigate site. You could do me a big favour by telling me how you went about putting together your website - did you use an off-the-shelf package? If so, is it reasonably idiot-proof? (Essential attribute in my case.)
Jul 11th, 2004, 09:21 AM
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Neil - thanks for the kind words. I'm a web developer by trade so I put the site together myself. If you're looking to do something similar, email me at [email protected] and I'll help any way I can.
