# Downunder trip



## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

My wife likes to travel, so I bought a new tractor a couple years ago, and offered her the opportunity to 'travel' around my hay fields. When that didn't work I tried to get her to travel around the hay fields with a new tedder, once again I didn't have much success.

Instead she travels with her cousin. They have managed to go on several cruises/trips. Now, they are discussing a Australia / New Zealand trip. I told them there are some folks on HT that live down under and maybe some folks who have made the trip down under (or researched some interesting things/places).

They are hoping for some pointers on traveling to these countries. From best time of the year, to sites and sounds recommendations. They are considering a 3 week excursion. So with a couple of days travel on each end, around 17 days on the ground (and water if a cruise is involve in part of trip). Maybe I will need to hire Molly Maid for that long of a trip (I warned her already, what might happen if this trip is during MY hay season).

So HT, what are some ideas/places to see, things to do, trips/excursions/cruises to check out, along with best time to go?

Also, how about places to avoid (besides the poisonous snakes)? And they will not help harvesting or driving tractors/equipment, so don't bother with those suggestions (see first part of post, about wife traveling in case you forgot).

I have already warned them about 'falling' off the world and upside down pictures when they come back. 

My boys are already asking "What's Dad's new toy going to be, when you get home Mom?" Dang kids, can't seem to keep their mouth closed anyhow. :angry: What did they think I built a big shed for anyways, if you can't keep a 'few' toys inside. 

If you wonder why I don't go, it simple. Slamming doors, street noise and sirens during the night, along with a strange bed, doesn't equate to a good nights rest for me. A couple hundred (or thousand) fellow prisoners on a boat, with the potential idiot (or two or three) that you can't escape from for a week, doesn't fit as well as the peace and beauty of a hay field (yea, call me sick ).

Larry


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## MrLuggs (Dec 14, 2015)

r82230 said:


> My wife likes to travel, so I bought a new tractor a couple years ago, and offered her the opportunity to 'travel' around my hay fields. When that didn't work I tried to get her to travel around the hay fields with a new tedder, once again I didn't have much success.
> 
> Instead she travels with her cousin. They have managed to go on several cruises/trips. Now, they are discussing a Australia / New Zealand trip. I told them there are some folks on HT that live down under and maybe some folks who have made the trip down under (or researched some interesting things/places).
> 
> ...


As a now US-based Aussie, I'll do my best to answer your questions:

Best time of the year is probably spring or fall, still a lot going on, but you'll escape most of the sweltering 100+ degree weather. Remember that seasons are opposite down there! Mind you, I just got back from 12 days over there at the start of the month, and that 100 degree weather was pretty darn nice after the -45 weather we had before I left.

The east coast is probably the best bet for a first-time visitor, lots to see there! I'll start from the north-east and work south. I grew up in Queensland, so that's the one I know most about, I'm sure more of our southern/western Aussies will have more things to add to their local areas.

Queensland

- Great barrier reef (Great diving here if that's your thing)

- Daintree rainforest (Nature!)

- Hervey Bay (Whale watching, seasonally - check dates) / Fraiser Island

- Whitsunday islands (Resort islands)

- Glasshouse Mountains (Nature)

- The Gold Coast (Surfers Paradise - touristy, kinda like Miami or southern Los Angeles)

New South Wales

- Sydney (Opera house/Bridge/Bondi beach - Great multicultural city)

- Blue mountains (Man from Snowy River country)

Victoria:

- Melbourne

- The great ocean road / 12 apostles

- Barossa Valley and the wine district

- Bells Beach (famous surf beach)

If you want to go see Uluru, that'll usually require a flight out there and a guided tour.

New Zealand, definitely recommend the south island, especially if you're only there for a short time.

If you've got any specific questions, do let me know!


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## Dakba (Jan 14, 2011)

An Aussie here I would suggest the South West of Western Australia. Great beaches amazing scenery, plenty of wineries, you have the tree top walk in the Valley of the Giants and lots of other amazing things to see and do. This would be from Perth around to Esperance where there is a replica of Stonehenge. Best time for travel would be September to November.


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## Palmettokat (Jul 10, 2017)

Larry, do not count on her not willing to help with hay while on vacation. People do the strangest things on vacation: travel for many miles to shop at Wal Mart and eat at McDonalds.

That would be a great trip.


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

Palmettokat said:


> Larry, do not count on her not willing to help with hay while on vacation. People do the strangest things on vacation: travel for many miles to shop at Wal Mart and eat at McDonalds.


Well I better warn a few folks. Here she is not much of an adult beverage person, but with wineries in the area...&#8230;&#8230;.. better have an easily operated GPS and possible breathalyzer on board. 

Larry


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

MrLuggs said:


> As a now US-based Aussie, I'll do my best to answer your questions:
> 
> If you've got any specific questions, do let me know!


She asked, is there any specific airline you use or avoid?

Do you take a pit stop (day or so lay over) or try to get direct flight?

Length (hours in the air) of flight?

Any specific place that's better to fly into? (Like a direct flight from Flint to Orlando, is better than a pit stop in Atlanta or O'Hara.)

She will have more questions, no doubt, you might have opened Pandora's box. 

Larry


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## bool (Mar 14, 2016)

We only mention the snakes and other venomous critters to discourage undesirables.

Can you tell us what kind of things your wife and her cousin like to do or see on vacation? It might help fine-tune our recommendations.

I prefer Qantas but that's because I am Australian.

Any of the major cities on the east coast (Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne) are good to fly into. Sydney-Melbourne or Sydney-Brisbane is about a 90 minute flight, Brisbane-Melbourne two and a bit hours. Choice of gateway depends on where you want to go and which offer better connections at your end. Last time I went in your direction I flew direct Melbourne-LA but as an airport LAX sucks so next time I will investigate alternative US gateway airports or go via Vancouver instead.

It's easy to spend 3 weeks in Australia, and another 3 weeks in New Zealand. A week in NZ would get you a rushed road trip around parts of one of the two islands but not a completely silly idea. I would recommend the south island for its grandeur, but the north island does have its gentle charms. Again, some info on their interests would help, as well as some idea whether they like moving fast to see lots or prefer moving slower, seeing less, but chilling out and relaxing and soaking up the vibe more. I lived in NZ for a few years so I can give suggestions on both countries.

I live near the western end of the Great Ocean Road.

Roger


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

bool said:


> Last time I went in your direction I flew direct Melbourne-LA but as an airport LAX sucks so next time I will investigate alternative US gateway airports or go via Vancouver instead.
> 
> Roger


Good to know.



bool said:


> Can you tell us what kind of things your wife and her cousin like to do or see on vacation? It might help fine-tune our recommendations.
> 
> Roger


I'll check with them, both are more countryside site-seeing (I think), than city (not that they didn't stop into Vegas while traveling from the Dakotas to Nevada, checking out most of our National Parks along the way).

Larry


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## MrLuggs (Dec 14, 2015)

r82230 said:


> She asked, is there any specific airline you use or avoid?
> 
> Do you take a pit stop (day or so lay over) or try to get direct flight?
> 
> ...


Airlines: I use Delta, because of their hub in Detroit, if you're vigilant, you can pick flights from Detroit to Brisbane or Sydney for < $900 return. They partner with virgin australia for the trans-pacific leg, and they're all newer/nice planes.

Stopovers and flight times: You generally need to stop in LA (I have flown back from Vancouver though), usually the flights are like an 8am departure from Detroit, 1 - 2 hours in LA, then off at about midday PST.

4 - 5 hours to LA then 14 hours or so from LA to Brisbane, 15ish to Sydney. When all is said and done, it's usually 22 - 24 hours door-to-door. It's a long-ass flight, so make sure you get up and walk around every hour or two.

Where to fly into: That's kinda depending on where you want to go. Drive times are pretty long to get between major cities, it's 10 hours drive from Brisbane to Sydney, and 10 hours drive from Brisbane to Cairns/the Barrier Reef. Depending on your timeframes, comfort level with driving on the other side of the road, you might want to consider flying if you want to hit multiple states and landmarks.

If you want to start in New Zealand, United/Air New Zealand flies from LA -> Auckland (North Island).

I've done that flight many times, since it's usually cheaper to have that stopover (when I had more time than money ) on the way back to Australia. You can traverse pretty easily between Australia and New Zealand though, with flights from Brisbane/Sydney to most major airports in New Zealand pretty cheaply (~$200).

Again, tough to give an accurate answer here until you have an idea of the big things you want to hit. Are you thinking this as a "once in lifetime" thing? Or see a little bit this time and go back again to do, another big region?

Questions: No worries, happy to help!


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