Going to be in OZ late June or Early July...

[jims6t6]

The better half and I will be in OZ at the Lions Club International Convention in Sydney JUNE 28 - JULY 2, 2010. Since this will probably be our only opportunity to visit OZ we plan on staying a week before or a week after. Need help in what to see and where to stay.

Thanks

 

[Shaun]

Sydney is a beautiful city. Try to get tickets to an event at the Opera House. I didn't see opera but saw/heard an orchestra, the sound is incredible. Take the boat over to Manly for great views of the bay. The beaches over on Manly are nice also.

Some good wineries in the blue mountains just outside Sydney.

If you have the time, fly out to Uluru (Ayers Rock). Well worth a trip to see how vast Australia is and how few people there are in such a massive country. I flew there then took a bus to Cairns to go diving/sailing. The bus took 3 12-14 hour driving days! Most of it was on dirt roads and I slept at a cattle station in the middle of nowhere the first night, then at an outback pub also in the middle of nowhere. If you have time and are into diving/snorkelling you cannot visit Australia without at least dipping your googles at the Great Barrier Reef. I've never seen such large corrals or such a mass of fish before (and I've been under the sea quite a lot).

You could also head up the coast to Brisbane, the Australia Zoo is just an hour or so north of there. Great place. I saw Steve Irwin there in 2004 before he met his maker. Great zoo. Lots of crocs!

Beautiful country, great people. Loved it.

Wifey and me at a Uluru sunset:

Dinner at the cattle ranch. NO, NO, not the roo, it was dinner time and he happened to be there...

3 days on this bus from Alice Springs to Cairns:

Sailing our rented 75' Swan ketch around the barrier reef:

 

[scedd]

The first thing you need to do is work out where you want to go.
OZ is a BIG place and everywhere is a long way away -
Sydney to Melbourne - 900kms
Sydney to Brisbane - 1000kms
Melbourne to Brisbane - 1600kms
Brisbane to Cairns - 1600kms
Sydney to Ayers Rock (uluru) - 2800kms

http://www.auinfo.com/australian%20distance%20calculator.html

Airfares are cheap, car hire is cheap.
Most of the major highways are 2 lane undivided when you get away from the cities.
If you wander along these at 80khm, you will get to meet a B double driver in a bad mood.

Australia rely's on trucks and the highways are full of these. They have long distances to travel and tight deadlines.
If you head out into the outback (make sure you watch Wolf Creek first) the b doubles grow into road trains.

They CANNOT move off a single lane road for you, so the best thing is to pull off the road when they come towards you.
You will see the dust cloud from miles away

If you wanted to fly out to Ayers Rock, you will land at Alice Springs, then you will still have a 5 hour drive to the rock and when you get the accommodation bill at the resort, you will think Ned Kelly is still alive

Our nations capital, Canberra, is well worth a visit.
Its only 300kms from Sydney, about a 3 hour drive.
Surprisingly, it has the best roads in OZ.
If you go there, a visit to the Australian War Memorial is highly recommended and free.
You could spend a whole day there and it is very moving.

For me i would hop a plane to Cairns, head out to the great Barrier reef,

take the train up to Kuranda and get ripped off at their markets,

come down on the Skyrail,

visit the Crocodile park,

visit Port Douglas and get ripped off at their shops,

take a boat rip up into the world heritage listed Daintree,

vist Paronella Park

and then call into Edmonton to see the most beautiful granddaughter in the world.

 

[66gt350]

Skip the conference -- go have a good time. Just don't try to smuggle a koala or kangaroo back to the states in your pants. :lol :lol

 

[scedd]

You dont have to smuggle our aussie icons home, you can eat them all here.
We are the only country that eats our coat of arms

 

[scedd]

You will also need to learn Australian Etiquette


IN GENERAL
1. Never take an open stubby to a job interview.
2. Always identify people in your paddocks before shooting at them.
3. It's tacky to take an Esky to church.
4. If you have to vacuum the bed, it's time to change the sheets.
5. Even if you're certain you're included in the will, it's rude to take your Ute and trailer to the funeral.


DINING OUT
1. When decanting wine from the box, tilt the paper cup and pour slowly so as not to bruise the wine.
2. If drinking directly from the bottle, hold it with only one hand.


ENTERTAINING IN YOUR HOME
1. A centrepiece for the table should never be anything prepared by a taxidermist.
2. Don't allow the dog to eat at the table, no matter how good his manners.


PERSONAL HYGIENE
1. While ears need to be cleaned regularly, this should be done in private, using one's OWN Ute keys.
2. Even if you live alone, deodorant isn't a waste of money.
3. Extensive use of deodorant can only delay bathing by a few days.
4. Dirt and grease under the fingernails is a no-no, it alters the taste of finger foods and if you are a woman. It can draw attention away from your jewelry.


DATING
1. Always offer to bait your date's hook – especially on the first date.
2. Be assertive. Let her know you're interested: "I've been wanting to go out with you ever since I read that stuff about you on the dunny door two years ago."
3. Establish with her parents what time she's expected back.. Some will say 11:00 PM, others might say "Monday." If the latter is the answer, it's the man's responsibility to get her to school on time.


THEATRE/CINEMA ETIQUETTE
1. Crying babies should be taken to the lobby and picked up after the movie ends..
2. Refrain from yelling abuse at characters on the screen. Tests have proven they can't hear you.


WEDDINGS
1. Livestock is a poor choice for a wedding gift.
2. Kissing the bride for more than five seconds may cause a drop in your popularity. (Excessive use of the tongue is also considered out of place.)
3. For the groom, at least, rent a tux. A tracksuit with a cumber- bund and a clean football jumper can create a tacky appearance.
4. Though uncomfortable, say "yes" to socks and shoes for the occasion.


DRIVING ETIQUETTE
1. Dim your headlights for approaching vehicles, even if your gun's loaded and the roo's in your rifle sight
2. When entering a roundabout, the vehicle with the largest roo bar doesn't always have the right of way.
3. Never tow another car using panty hose and duct tape.
4. When sending your wife down the road with a petrol can, it's impolite to ask her to bring back beer too

 

[Anonymous]

4. When sending your wife down the road with a petrol can, it's impolite to ask her to bring back beer too

:lol :lol :lol :lol I almost sprayed soda on that one!

 

[FordDude]

It is Christmas time here and nice cold weather to go along with it. Right now in OZ it is the their summer, and 6 months from now their winter. So what is winter like in OZ? err I mean the weather like in July?

 

[jims6t6]

Skip the conference -- go have a good time. Just don't try to smuggle a koala or kangaroo back to the states in your pants. :lol :lol

Don't plan on doing too much at the convention

 

[scedd]

Sydney is 33 degrees below the equator, Los Angeles is 33 degrees above the equator, so the weather should be fairly similar.
Up here on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, we are at 25 degrees, the same as Miami, so we have to start wearing shoes around June and maybe long pants for a few days in July. Could need a jumper in August if the westerlies start blowing.
During winter we get invaded by Mexicans in Campervans and caravans, but after they have spent all their money they p1ss off back where they came from (New South Wales, Victoria & Tasmania)