I have just read that the British Conde Nast Traveller magazine has listed Victoria's Great Ocean Road as &quot;journey of a life time &quot;<BR><BR>It places it on the top of 20 must do experiences for all tastes in the world ! <BR>______________________<BR>Top 20 Travel List.<BR>___________________<BR>1. The Great Ocean Road.<BR>2.The Silk Road, Central Asia.<BR>3.Trans Sahara.<BR>4.The Pan American Highway.<BR>5.Trans Siberian Express.<BR>6.Orient Express.<BR>7.Glacier Express,Switzerland.<BR>8.Blue Train South Africa.<BR>9.Trans Canada.<BR>10.Inca Trail.<BR>11.Camino de Santiago. Spain.<BR>12.Himalayan Trek.<BR>13.Kilimanjaro.<BR>14.Milford Track, New Zealand.<BR>15.Voyage to Antartica.<BR>16.Sailing in the Galapagos.<BR>17.Amazon Experdition.<BR>18.Hot Air Balloon Namibia.<BR>19.Helecopter trip over Grand Canyon.<BR>20.Concorde &amp; cruise London/New Your.<BR>___________________________________<BR>

B...y Hell!!!<BR>But then I have not gone along with Conde Nast's surveys anyway in the past, mainly because it is a survey and a lot of people havn't done all the others anyway and it really is on how many have been to any particular place. You don't think that it was meant to be read backwards do you because I would rate the helicopter trip over the Grand Canyon far and away closer to the journey of a lifetime than the trip on the GOR. I am not saying that the GOR is not nice or isn't enjoyable but from an International standpoint it is not in the ratings. For instance the Icefields Highway between Banff and Jasper in Canada doesn't even rate a mention in the list and it is probably one of the most magnificent drives in the world. The Fiord lands road in Alaska is not mentioned either and neither is the trip from Porto Monte, Chile to Barraloche in Argentina through the Andes via the roads and lakes mentioned. I cannot comment on a lot on the list but I have done the Trans Canada, Orient Express, Glacier Express Switzerland, Pan American Highway, Inca Trail, Milford Track, ( was hoping to go to Antartica this summer but seems there are not flights)&amp; Helicopter trip over the Grand Canyon and if I was being truthful to myself the GOR wouldn't rate a mention against them. However different strokes for different folks but one is constantly amazed!<BR>Now who said I was biased????

I don't know about the Brit version of Conde Nast Traveler but I recently looked through the US publication and as far as I can see there isn't much in the whole thing but ads - with a couple of articles and pix thrown in to make it a magazine rather than a catalogue. Liz is right, who'd give creedence to anything such a publication says? It caters strictly to the jet-set crowd and as far as I can see doesn't have much to offer the regular traveler. We are doing the GOR this winter and expect it to be a great experience. Isn't it difficult to compare the GOR with (for example) the Grand Canyon or the Orient Express since they are totally different experiences? Enjoy each of them for what they offer - why compare!

Hi, Aussie!<BR>You're putting us on, aren't you?<BR><BR>Liz is absolutely right... admittedly, I haven't driven the Great Ocean Road in twenty years, but unless the topography has undergone major cataclysmic changes, the best I would say about it is that it is pleasant... but it's not significantly different from, for example, the south coast of NSW (and why should it be? It's all part of the same formation!), which, for travellers deplaning in Sydney (and that seems to be the majority of tourists to Oz) is much easier to get to. This list of yours is just barmy... how could anyone possibly compare, say, a cruise of London and New York with a trans-Sahara trek? Or the Silk Road with Antarctica? My bet is that there is no such list, and that you just made this up in a quiet half-hour to get the board all fired up. If there IS such a list, then I would have to say that the publishers have their head screwed on backwards.... you don't encourage people to travel by ignoring differences and simply ranking the world!<BR>For those of you who are ready to give up that trek through the Inca Trail or the climb up the Himalayas and instead grab the next plane to the Great Ocean Road, I have only one word of advice... and, really, it's been said better already by Liz and the other respondents.

Sorry Aussie for doubting you. I have just done a check on the UK Conde Nast and it does have the ratings in just the manner you say. As I've said before &quot;there is not accounting for something or another&quot; <BR>

A leisurely drive from Melbourne to Adelaide along the Great Ocean Road for the very first time is absolutely uplifting. One should not go through life without experiencing this magnificent road and the coastal towns,beaches, forests and rock formations (eg 12 Apostles &amp;London Bridge)that happen to be along the way.If you haven't done this trip yet , I suggest you do it now. And to be fair to the other 19 experiences, just do them in descending order!

I only reported what I have read &amp; thanks for the apoligy Liz.<BR>I could not beleive my eyes I do come from Victoria &amp; enjoy the Great Ocean Road but to see it no.1. blew me away.<BR>I do not beleive for one second that it should have this rating.<BR>Sorry Alan I wasn't pulling your leg.. its not April yet !

You are welcome Aussie - for my money, and for a lovely drive in Victoria you cannot go past a holiday through the Ovens Valley in spring or autumn. Possibly its out of the way of the major tourist traffic but none-the-less it is a world class drive and there are so many interesting little places in and around there, not least of which are the Merytleford (sp??) wines. Perhaps someone could tell me if they still make Blackberry nip? I have never seen that area plugged on this site.......why?