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

[Edited on 28-7-2005 by everton]