Heather

Hi I would love some comments on my proposed itinerary for GBR, Sydney and Hunter Valley <BR><BR>6 nights at Bedarra Island <BR>3 nights in Hunter Valley <BR>4 nights in Sydney at either the Observatory or the Regent <BR><BR>Is this doable ..is this a good mix of sun ans sights...are the distances manageable...would you suggest anything different. <BR><BR>We will be coming from the West Coast of the US.<BR><BR>Thanks in advance<BR>

Libby

I don't know why you want to include the Hunter Valley for 3 days. At best it is a days trip from Sydney. It is not particularly pretty and the wines you buy from the growers are at far higher prices than you can get them at the local pub. <BR>You can't go from the Hunter to the Blue Mountains and 4 nights in Sydney is not enough particularly as you will have your first night there after a long flight - which means that you are only there for really 3 nights. I don't know when you are coming but the whole of Australia should be sunny anyway - so you can just concentrate on the sites.

Heather

Libby<BR>Thanks for your comments, <BR>We wanted to do Hunter Valley b/c we want to see a wine region. We are also doing the Bedarra at the beginning og the trip so we can relax first...so would you recommend the Blue Mountains over Hunter Valley..or what would you put in there instead.<BR><BR>Thanks <BR>heather

Libby

Yes I would certainly put the Blue Mountains over the Hunter region anytime but I would suggest that you would need about 5 nights in Sydney at least and then I would stay in the Blue Mountains ( perhaps Alan will let us know the best accommodation up there now) for a couple of days. If you have any time left I would then take the train to Canberra as it is certainly worth a visit. <BR>Remember that Sydney is a destination in itself with lots and lots of things to do. <BR>You will love Bedarra

Heather

Thanks Libby, <BR>I am also thinking about another twist...6 night Bedarra and then the Orient Express train from Cairns to Brisbane and then get a car in Brisbane and drive to Sydney via the Blue Mtns and then LOTS Of time in Sydney as you recommend...Lillianfels in the Blue Mtns looks great.<BR><BR>Thanks for your advice.<BR>Heather

Libby

The train from Cairns is nice if it times itself to go through the nice bits during the day and the boring bits at night. I love train travel and I have done that trip a few times but not on the Orient Express. <BR>Your revised trip sounds nice and all we have to do now is make sure that you see all those things you should see from Brisbane to the Blue Mountains.<BR>You realize though that the trip from Cairns will take 2 days and the drive from Brisbane to Blue Mountains about 14 hours of driving - which in effect is another day.

Heather

Libby, <BR>You have such good advice....I am so esger to see so many things and do it in style (since it is our honeymoon) maybe I should pose my vacation another way that puts it in sage hands. If you were planning a trip of 2-3 weeks and must include Sydney and the GRB what would a great itinerary look like to you.<BR><BR>Thanks in advance<BR>Heather

libby

Well, because of the time constraint you have no alternative but to fly, which is unfortunate but let me see if we can make up for it some way. If you had more time I would have suggested a route that takes you through some fantasic country which is little seen because they keep down the numbers of tourists because of the fragility of the natural areas. <BR>However what about this if you are able to take stops en route to Sydney without it costing much more, and more to the point, if you can in fact stop at some of these places. <BR>I would suggest flying from Cairns to Hamilton Island and taking a sailing boat cruise around the islands for the day there - perhaps staying the night depending on flight availability. There are some really nice cruises which also take in whitehaven beach for a b-b-que lunch. Fly to Brisbane and either rent a car for a day and night and either go to the north coast and see Steve Irwins place and the hinterland or to the south and do a round the Tweed River and Hinterland tour - either way I can direct you if you think that perhaps you would like to do that. <BR>Do a search of Gold Coast and Hinterland and also one of Sunshine Coast and hinterland. <BR>Either one of those would be nice for a stop-over and depending on the time of year ( you havn't said) would take you from tropics - to semi-tropics and then to more temperate climate areas. <BR>Depending on where you went you would either get a plane from Brisbane to Sydney or Coolangatta to Sydney. Then depending on how many days left there was for Sydney would depend then on what you did from there. <BR>I used to holiday on the GBR just about every year and I would drive up from Bundaberg to Cairns and stay about 3 weeks - never less than 2 though and every day we would do something different so you won't be bored. <BR>I will write further but have to do some work now. Let us know WHEN you are coming.<BR><BR> <BR><BR>

Heather

Sorry Libby, <BR>Time of year would be crucial...we will be arriving around March 18th.

libby

That would be a great time of year everywhere actually. Still swimming weather most places and without the westerly winds that start later in the year and very nice for either coast area north and south of Brisbane - Brisbane itself too would be nice and also the weather would be good for the Blue Mountains. <BR>Normally I would not suggest Brisbane but it is a "different" kind of place and the areas I have suggested are also a change from both the Cairns/PD area and the Sydney area. <BR>The Blue Mountains, whilst nothing like the Sierra Nevada and of course no where near as high, have some beautiful places to trek to and are really worth the visit. Nice little villages too. <BR> <BR><BR>