Australia...
 

Come on Tony, I know you'll first on this one...

Pondering on a jolly there, but know sod all about the place, well apart from we shipped all the criminals there, and Kylie, Danni and Natalie come from the place.

What to do, where to go, wouldn't mind trying to get to Philip Island for the GP if possible...

Where to stay enroute, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia etc etc

Could you be any more vague?

You can do pretty much whatever you want there ... diving, skydiving, bungee jumping ... surfing schools ... GP, WSB ..

Unless you've experienced real heat and humidity before I'd tend not to go in summer, try spring ... it's a bit cooler .. especially if you're going north somewhere ..

offshore fishing as well, that's pretty cool ... Barrier Reef ... mate, help me narrow it down .. what do you want to do/see ... any particular places you want to visit? touristy or not quite ..

Bluddy Hell!!! - you moan about the North / South divide and having to travel too far for circuits and now you're off to the Southern Hemisphere!!! ;)

So no complaints about Brands trackdays from now on eh!!! ;

Tim

I always fancied riding overland to Oz but never did, how about that Jon. Beats Quantas any day.

When I go home and we can sort it out I want to ride around Australia on a GS or something ... just have a good look around, take 6 months or something to do it ...

I've seen more of Europe and England than I have of my home country and it's mad because it's such a beautiful place.

Can i come please:D

The more the merrier big fella - it would be sensational. You'll have to learn to scuba dive, if you can't already, because I'll be doing lots of it all around the place. It won't be a poverty camp everywhere trip, hotels and camping, restaurants and fishing ... the wide range of experiences ...

Phil you lucky *******, I wish I had taken the time to do something like that.

Now I'm homesick ... I haven't been home since we moved over here, over 3 years ago now ...

:(

Yeh - best you go home ;)

Big whales like me are naturals at scuba diving:lol:

It could be kind of cool ... the DSC tours Oz?

Wouldn't be for a few years yet though ...

I'm being vague because I know bugger all about the place, all I know is the GP hits town in a few months, so couple that with a jolly..

Where to go - touristy stuff, how to get around, how expensive etc etc

Enroute to Australia, I've heard some excellent things about Emirates airline and they go via Dubai.

In the past I've gone via Kuala Lumpur, which was ace because on landing for USD20 you could buy your way into a proper airport lounge with showers, big comfy chairs, food, beer etc.

I've also flown with Japanese Airlines via Kansai. This was OK one way as there was an overnight stop at a hotel included in the price of the ticket. However, going the other way there was only a brief stopover, the plane was full and the seats aren't made for big people.

I have heard good things also about Singapore and Malaysian airlines. I've used both for various trips with S.E. Asia and never had any problems.

Australia truly is a beautiful/wonderful place.

I ran a project with Telstra in 1998/9 and was in Oz many times between Sydney & their newly commissioned NOC in Melbourne.

Took the opportunity to see friends I hadn't seen since they emigrated many years before who now live on the Gold Coast which is almost God's country (almost because God's country is Yorkshire). Went to Brisbane, Mackay, Newcastle, Cairns.

Sydney is one of the world's great cities. You've got all the famous sights, Blue Mountains nearby, really cookie districts like Paddington (a cross between Soho & Kensington) - great for cheap eating, Darling Harbour - great for seafood, circular quay - great place to watch the world go by and where to catch a ferry to one of the many beaches etc, etc.

I just love the place - don't forget Melbourne - very European with a fantastic riverside on the Yarra - opposite side to Flinders St. I remember a gas flame which is actually a clock!!

Pity the country is so far from here.

I always used to stop off in Singapore or Hong Kong on the way out & back. Sometimes Tokyo & used Cathay Pacific or Singapore airlines - both great!

Bangkok's a popular route stop so I'm told. Didn't like the place much myself - only kidding - a great stop off place but only went there a couple of times.

Sigh! Wish I was going - it's really wet & miserable here today and thinking of this has brought back many happy memories :( :smug::smug:

[Edited on 28-7-2005 by everton]

like the TV ad should say ....

"visit Earls Court, a true taste of Australia .... or failing that any 'Walkabout' bar in London."

I could drink Fosters, and give Reggie a call...

CSS Laguna is full now... well according to the website :(

call Andy, see what he says .. worth a call mate ....

You mean I have to speak to people?, I'm an IT geek in a dark room with servers whirring around me and a 20 watt bulb as company

Do you get pizza shoved under the door?

....There's a door?

Yes, it's on the server cabinet ;)

:saint:My brother is a restaurant manager in Darling Harbour,Sydney.He won't fly with anyone but Singapore Airlines,this seems the general concensus amongst my friends.Don't go with Q*****s they crap.
I'm going in March/April next year and stopping over at Dubai on the way over and Singapore on the way back,staying with friends in the first instance and my next door neighbours relatives in Singapore on the return.
The thing that amazes everyone is how bloody big it is.If you can manage it New Zealand is even better.:devil:

[Edited on 28-7-2005 by swannymere]

:o

I don't bloody think so!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:D

I am sat 4 foot from him so he could potentially ask me, but as he said he is a geek and asking via the t'internet is probably more his style :P

I travelled with Emirates and they were pretty darm good... only did East coast (tourist hell) but managed to include Cairns, Brisbane, Sydney (new year) and Melbourne.

C'mon folks talk him into it......

I absolutely love the place. Which I'm sure sounds strange seeing as I live in London but that's more about life choices for the short term. We will eventually go back to live in Aus and I think it's amazing.

Its a bit bloomin warm though ain't it!!! :D

I have to say I did enjoy it and wouldn't mind going back but being a bit more particular about where i went and try to get away from the backpackers this time!

You get used to it though.

I remember we had a break during the day when I was on a promotion course in Melbourne once. It was 34 degree's and really humid but it was normal for me so I went for a run (I was quite fit back then). The people who were onthe course from Melbourne couldn't believe I'd done it.

Just drink a lot of water and take care in the sun :D

I think I may have just done it all a bit sudden. I flew into Melbourne and it was warmish but not hot by any means, i then got straight on a plane and flew to cairns which was something stupid like 40 and 98% humidity. No point in showering as you got wetter through sweating when trying to dry yourself :lol:

Yeah it's kind of hard when it's so hot and humid.

Just remember to buy a BFO hat, and wear it in the sun. Be careful about the sun because you will burn very quickly. The sun has real bite in Oz, it's nothing like it is here. Always put on suncream and SWIM BETWEEN THE FLAGS! As an ex-surfclub member on the Gold Coast the most people we pulled out of the water because they'd not seen a rip or whatever were tourists. Japanese mainly but a lot of English.

Jon, do it mate. It's a great country with so much to do and the weather to enable you to do it every day. YKIMS

[Edited on 28-7-2005 by TP]

and don't swim at Bondi in a tie up bikini - it will come off :D

c'mon sell it boy, i need your help here to oversome his lack of enthusiasm for the flight time!!!!

All,

The other Aussie here! Just go!!!

Costs - exactly the same as the UK except in AUS$, with the current exchange that's $2.50 to the £1.00. Really cheap to eat,drink and be a tourist.

I'm always pleasnatly surprised how little it costs when we go back, usually every 12-18mths.

Always fly Singapore Airlines - can't fault them , usually pay £500-£750 return for flights. Via Singapore - a one night stopover there is worth it to lessen the effects of jet lag.

Length of holiday - At least two, better three weeks.

Suggest - Sydney, drive the coast road to Melbourne, fly home; in 2 weeks or add another week and visit the far north Queensland and the Reef.

Depends what your into in terms of holiday really?????

I'm not one for sitting on a beach, soon get bored, although I would spend a day maybe just chilling, obviously if I went I want to do the sights (cities, points of interest), possible doing some watersports and if I could time it right get to the races.

Maybe!:smug:

Could be talked into sorting GP out for you! Whats it worth?
Full Pit passes with suzuki GP team and tour of the garage with gary, jon hopkins data tech who you met at rockingham last year.

Name yer price!:bouncy:

I look at some of Australias policies and think god theyve got it right..the boat load of people springs to mind! ( and thats not racist, its just the takers are outweighing the payers)

Just recently theyve kicked out a child molester. Hes served something like 36yrs and was up for release?? Surely thats patriation, as he was british theyve kicked him out rather than release him into their country!

Somewhat ironic me thinks.........

I went out to OZ for the WSBK earlier this year and had a great time.Phillip Island has plenty to see if your into the wildlife, and the country around Merlbourne is beautiful. I flew with BA,but like many have already said,go Singapore Airways.

Well you did have a spin on Bob! ;)

If IRC you had a spin on spinelli too!;)
send us a utu with some contact details and i will get the ball rolling with gary and set it all up!:)

MBS

Not certain if he has sent u2u, but as per PM on VD its still only a possibility as his lordship has not decided yet :) but if you can help us it would be brill :)

Lived in Sydney most of my life, and would hightly recommend it. Went with BA club class, and it was worth the extra £'s. Loads of leg room, seats you can fall asleep in and made you feel a bit special too. With the exchange rate, you can have a great holiday for very little money. As far as holidays go, you can't go wrong. Just do it.

We spent three weeks in Queensland last year, did a bit of diving and a bit of strolling in the rain forest.

Road out of Cairns to Port Douglas and the one up to Kurunda are fantastic - Kurunda especially, sheer drop, no barriers, you get the picture!

Emigrating ASAP :)

It is worth spending a couple of days in Singapore on the way back, cheap electircals and Sentosa is well worth a visit.

[Edited on 4-8-2005 by rxtim]