jwhite1115

MY TIME HAS BEEN CUT SHORT FOR VACATION AND WANT SOME INPUT AS TO SPENDING 3 NIGHTS IN CHRISTCHURCH (GOING TO KAIKORA AND SWIMMING WITH DOLPHINS OR WHALEWATCHING) TAKE A HALF DAY TRANZ ALPINE TRAIN RIDE, AND ONE DAY TO REGROPUP WHEN WE GET THERE FROM THE STATES. WE WERE THEN GOING TO GO TO QUEENSTOWN FOR THREE DAYS TO GO TO MILFORD SOUND, JET BOATS, AND OTHER ACTIVITIES. THEN GO TO ADELAIDE, KANGAROO ISLAND FOR TWO NIGHTS THEN SYDNEY, MORRISET AUSTRALIA TO TAKE MY DAUGHTER TO SCHOOL, THEN BLUE MOUNTAINS ONE DAY AND BACK TO SYDNEY TO FLY HOME. DOES THIS MAKE ANY SENSE? MY DAUGHTER WANTED TO GO TO ADELAIDE TO A CONCERT. THIS MAY BE TOTALLY STUPID WHEN WE CAN DO THIS IN THE STATES.
THANKS FOR ANY INSIGHT.

lizF

You don't say when this is to be but it sounds too jumbled due to getting from one place to another i.e. Queenstown to Adelaide - Adelaide to Morriset as you don't say how this is to be done.
Unless we know when this is to be perhaps there are no whales at that time of year or swimming.

jwhite1115

SORRY ABOUT THAT. WE ARE LEAVING THE 13TH OF FEBRUARY AND HAVE UNTIL THE 1ST OF MARCH. MY DAUGHTER IS GOING TO SCHOOL IN NEAR MORISSET AUSTRALIA (45 MINUTES FROM SYDNEY) WE JUST HAVE ABOUT A WEEK TO GO TO NEW ZEALAND AND A WEEK IN AUSTRALIA. SHE HAS TO BE AT SCHOOL THE 27THN OF FEBRUARY AND I WANTED TO STAY AROUND A FEW DAYS BEFORE I LEFT HER THERE. THAT IS GOING TO BE A HARD ONE. WE ORIGINALLY HAD PLANNED TO FLY TO CHRISTCHURCH, TAKE THE TRAIN GO TO GLACIERS, MILFORD SOUND THEN QUEENSTOWN, THEN AUSTRALIA. WE WILL BE BACK JUNE 24 TO PICK HER UP FROM SCHOOL AND WERE THINKING ABOUT SNOW SKIING IN NEW ZEALAND AND DIVING GBR AT THAT TIME. IN JUNE MY TWO SONS COULD GO WITH ME AND WE COULD HAVE A REALLY GOOD TIME SKIING AND DIVING. MAYBE WE WOULD BE BETTER DOING THIS ANOTHER WAY. I AM REALLY CONFUSED AT THIS POINT BECAUSE THE TRIP IS SO CLOSE AND I HAVE NO ITINERARY. I HAVEN'T EVEN BOOKED MY TICKETS YET. I AM ALSO OPEN TO 4-5 STAR ACCOMODATIONS THAT WOULD BE SUITABLE FOR THREE. ANY HELP WITH UNSCRAMBLING THIS WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON IT AND CAN'T SEEM TO GET ANYWHERE. I HAVE TO TAKE MY DAUGHTER OVER THERE TO SCHOOL NO MATTER WHAT.
THANKS FOR YOUR HELP,
JAMIE

lizF

OK - Well you can do most of all you want but I would not be going to Kangaroo Island because the number of kangaroos around the Morriset area is really high. I used to work at a hospital there and we would hand feed them. It is a long way to Adelaide from Sydney and then it is a long way to K.I - depending on how you are getting there and at the time of year it can be unbearably hot.
Do the Dolphin swim in Christchurch and see a bit of that area and the idea of going back in June for skiing around Queenstown is a good one so why not leave seeing Milford Sound until you are there in June? Its a long, long day trip from Queenstown.
There is lots to see and do just in Sydney and perhaps as you will be up near Morriset you may like to go and have a tour around the Hunter Valley vineyards.
The other alternative of course is to do one country this trip and the other in June. Unfortunately in June it is the best skiing time and also the best time to be diving on the reef so it is a bit of a catch 22 situation.
I don't think it is whale season at this time of year in NZ but I could be wrong.

jwhite1115

THANKS FOR YOUR ADVICE. DO YOU KNOW ANY GOOD PLACES TO STAY AROUND MORRISET (GOOD SCENERY AND NICE ACCOMADTIONS FOR THREE). ALSO, WHAT ABOUT IN SYDNEY, CHRISTCHURCH AND QUEENSTOWN. SO WOULD IT BE OUT OF THE WAY TO GO TO ADELAIDE AND THEN SYDNEY AND MORISSET? WE CAN ALWAYS SEE THIS PERSON IN THE STATES IF IT IS REALLY OUT OF THE WAY AND NOTHING THERE. ALSO, ARE THE BLUE MTNS. NEAR MORISSET? WE WILL DROP MY DAUGHTER OFF AT SCHOOL ON THE 27 AND WANT TO STAY SOMEWHAT CLOSE FOR A FEW DAYS TO BE SURE SHE GETS ADJUSTED. ANY SUGGESTIONS? WOULD MILFORD SOUND BE A PLACE TO GO IN JUNE, JULY OR WILL IT BE TOO COLD? ANY ADVICE ON DOING THE HALF DAY TRANS ALPINE TRAIN TRIP? WE WILL HAVE A TEENAGER WITH US WHO LIKES TO DO ADVENTUROUS THINGS NOT MUSEUMS AND SUCH. MY DAUGHTER IS ACTUALLY GOING TO AVONDALE COLLEGE IN COORANBONG. HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF THAT? WE COULD SPEND OUR TIME IN SYDNEY AND BLUE MTNS INSTEAD OF DOING ADELAIDE AND KANGAROO ISLAND. WE HAVE TWO WEEKS SO WAHT WOULD BE YOUR SUGGESTIONS? I DEFENITELY WANTED TO SEE WILDLIFE.
THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR ADVICE

Judy_in_Calgary

Jamie, toggling back and forth between the two countries on both trips is going to leave you frazzled.

I suggest you consider which activity would be more different from one that your sons could do relatively easily from home. I'm guessing they could get to a ski slop in North America more easily than they could get to a prime reef location. So drop the idea of taking them skiing in NZ.

Hence I suggest doing NZ with your husband and daughter in February. Spend only as much time in Australia as you need to get your daughter settled in Morriset.

Then in June show the GBR and Sydney to your whole family.

Sorry, but going all the way to Adelaide for a concert in that time frame sounds impractical to me.

Judy_in_Calgary

Sorry, Jamie, I didn't notice that you had posted another message just before my last one. In fact I feel sure yours wasn't there when I checked the progress of the discussion thread prior to posting.

Anyway, in the case of the visit to Adelaide at least, it seems you already had come to the same conclusion as I had, or at least were heading in that direction.

lizF

Yes I think Judy has the right idea and I would concur with what she suggests.
Unfortunately it is a long time since I was in Morriset so I don't know what is available there now suffice it to say that Newcastle which is near Morriset is not one of my favourite places - but if you stay there is just for the support for a couple of days it probably does not matter much.
The wildlife you want to see will wait until you are back in June and you all can go up to the Daintree and Port Douglas and GBR when you can get your fill of all that - and probably the best anyway. Take one of the tours with David Ambrust ( spelling help please folks) when you are up there and I am sure you will be very happy with that and snorkling/diving.
Morriset can be got to by train and taxi from Sydney or by renting a car. Contact the school for information about the best places to stay near there as they would be the best people to tell you that.
Have a nice time whatever you do.

Neil_Oz

The greater Newcastle area has about 300,000-400,000 people. Until I got to know the city better (when my daughters were living there) I shared Liz's opinion of it, but I think it's an outdated view, based on its past "Steel City" image. The steelworks are now closed, many of the inner suburbs with their Victorian terrace (row) houses are becoming "gentrified", there are good dining areas/cafe strips and an active cultural scene, and Sydney is accessible by a good electric train service. And the city's physical surroundings are fantastic. Where else can you see a surfer walking through the central business district on hs way to a fine Pacific beach virtually at the end of the street? Not to mention the nearby lakes and the Hunter Valley wine area.

Jamie, I believe that Cooranbong is a Seventh Day Adventist college? That's all I know, though.

PS: if you post again, would you mind typing in lower case please? Capitals are equated to "shouting" in email protocol and while I know that's not your intention, most people find them distracting to read. Thanks.

margo_oz

Yes - I was about to object to the "shouting" as well!

jwhite1115

I see what you mean about the shouting. Sorry guys. I jsut found out I only have 10 days to a week and my huisband is not going because his dad only has about 6 months to live (colon cancer). SHould I just concentrate on Australia and if so which areas
Thanks for all your help
Jamie

Judy_in_Calgary

Golly, Jamie, so sorry to hear about your family circumstances.

I fear if you try to do too many touristy activities under the circumstances, you may not enjoy them at all.

When we were living in Melbourne, a family whom we knew, who were fellow ex pats, were about to return home (in their case home was the U.S.). They'd heard how beautiful New Zealand was, but had not managed to see it during their expat assignment in Australia. They decided to squeeze in a trip to NZ just before their departure from Oz. When I asked the wife / mother how their trip had gone, she said they hadn't enjoyed it at all. She said the scenery had been gorgeous, but she and her husband had had so many "to do" lists running through their minds, they just hadn't been able relax and enjoy it. I think that effect may be amplified in your case.

How about doing a trip that would be relatively easy and simple, one that would not take you anywhere that far from Morriset? How about a bit of Sydney, maybe a bit of the Blue Mountains, a bit of the Hunter Valley, Newcastle and Port Stephens?

If you don't feel like driving too much, Sydney is navigable by a combination of ferries, buses and trains (indeed that's the best way to get around in that city).

You can get to the Blue Mountains by train and, once you're in Katoomba, you can use the hop on / hop off trolley for sight seeing in the mountains (well I think of them as charming hills, rather than mountains, but let me not lead you too far astray from the topic at hand).

As Neil mentioned, there is a train from Sydney to Newcastle.

I didn't find driving on the left hand side of the road difficult in the countryside and small towns. It does take a certain amount of concentration to stay on the left, however, and it helps to have a committed navigator when you're driving on an unfamiliar route. I don't know how distracted you and your daughter will feel, considering the developments at home.

Also, there would be the matter of your returning from Morriset to Sydney to catch your flight home, and then you wouldn't have a navigator to assist you.

I'm sure it will be tough for your family to be separated at a time like this (I mean when you've returned home and your daughter is still in Australia).

If I was in your shoes I would wait a while before thinking about the June trip. There is an increase in tourism in Queensland in July, when Australian schools have one of their shorter vacations, and southerners (from Melbourne and Sydney) flee to the tropics to get a break from winter. However, your June trip won't coincide with that, and I feel you can afford to wait and see how things develop.

I think it would be good to do one thing at a time at this point. Mainly get your daughter settled in Australia with a good system of communication so you can stay in touch.

Best of luck with everything.

Judy_in_Calgary

Postscript. If you're feeling overwhelmed by the family stuff, perhaps it would help to ask a travel agent to make your reservations. Our fellow Fodorite, Melodie Kennedy, is a travel agent who not only is a Certified Aussie Specialist and a Certified Kiwi Specialist, but also travels to NZ and Oz on a regular basis, so she has her finger on the pulse. She lives in California, but has clients all over the U.S. If you're interested in pursuing this with her, you can find her contact details at:

http://www.kennedykruises.com/

Although it isn't necessary in these days of modern communication, if you really want a Certified Aussie Specialist in your own state, you can find one at this website:

http://www.australia.com/plan_your_t...?L=en&C=US

But when you contact a travel agent from the list, do ask them if they've been to Australia. I would not recommend dealing with anyone who hasn't travelled there personally.

Hope that helps.

jwhite1115

Thank you both so much for the advice. I think I am going to concentrate on Australia and getting my daughter settled so when i do leave her there i will feel as good as I can about the situation and not have to wory more than I already will. Thanks again for everything.
Jamie