Australia and New Zealand this fall

Shiloh09 · ‎07-03-2013

My sister and I are celebrating my retirement with a huge trip! We have both been to Europe and decided we would go for it and travel to a different hemisphere...go big or go home! Anybody ever been to either place? Our plan is three weeks...and we are interested in renting vacation home in each place if possible.

Any suggestions and tips are welcome..this is going to be an adventure for sure!

JudyL · ‎07-11-2010

@Shiloh09

I'm sure someone will chime in and answer your questions. I went to Australia and New Zealand in 1972 and I still have great memories and remember the fun that I had.

You will love it! Enjoy!

World Traveler · ‎02-02-2015

@Alter Ego had a great daily report on her trip to Australia, the places she stayed, the place where she ate, various activities; she planned it on her own. Great read and can be found on the old Travel Chat thread. Believe it was in October 2016, if that will help you find it. Hopefully she will chime in. She was quite detailed and had many helpful tips and wonderful photos, lots of photos!

I went to New Zealand a few years ago, from north to south, during Christmastime and loved every single inch of it! Beautiful land, beautiful people. I was with a group and we had the best time.

There is so much to do. If you are an active person there is Canyon jumping, and a great deal of water sports. We even did some panning for gold. Never a dull moment.

The Maori people were so gracious to everyone and we enjoyed hearing about their history.

I made a video of the trip, two DVDs; that's how much there was to do! I couldn't get it all on one hour!

I know you will get other responses. Let us know what you decide and please post when you go!

Alter Ego · ‎03-12-2010

Two words: Tim Tam

You'll thank me when you return.

I was in Australia for a little under two weeks last November. Sydney, Cairns, Kangaroo Island (and Adelaide). LOVED it! This may sound weird, but sometimes it's nice going someplace where everyone speaks your language. Found it so easy to get around and I'm not sure I could point to something that I didn't like. And, from what I'm told, everyone likes New Zealand even more!!

I'm a bit of a city girl and I really loved Sydney. I went to the beaches and relaxed, but then also went to a show at the opera house. So many malls LOL! I also went during Melbourne Cup (1st Tuesday of November) and it was so interesting to see the gambling vans and how everyone would dress up to go to work. So much fun to see and I hadn't even planned it!

I did meet two sisters who spent an entire month renting a house outside Sydney. Even if I could remember the name of where they rented, I wouldn't recommend as it was so far away. They took trains everywhere and I recall them saying they had to get a train at 5am (??) to make our tour. That's not meant to dissuade you - they loved where they were and it worked for them. Just commenting because they DID love it so much.

Weather was also perfect for me, but layers were necessary as sometimes it would be warm enough for a tee, but needed a fleece a minute later. However, I believe there were bad storms the week or so before - but, weather is unpredictible almost anywhere you go. I do understand that, if you want to go to Uluru (?) Rock, that mosquito netting around your face is highly recommended.

They may not have the same rich history as Europe, but their history is interesting in it's own way. I originally went because I needed to click the continent off my list, but I ended up loving it. I'm sure I will return one day.

Let me know if you would like me to provide specific information on what I did for ideas of what's available in the areas I stayed.

Alter Ego · ‎03-12-2010

@World Traveler

You are too fast for me!

I am kind of bummed we didn't have this forum back then - my trip report is hard to find!

edited to add: begins on page 115

https://community.qvc.com/t5/Among-Friends/Travel-Chat/td-p/2751281/page/115

World Traveler · ‎02-02-2015

@Alter Ego Can you cut and paste, including the photos, or too much work? Would be GREAT to move that over to this forum. Invaluable information you supplied us with.

saltysails · ‎06-24-2010

I lived in Melbourne for 3 years. The plane ride is just too long. When I came back, I stopped in Hawaii for a week. That made a huge difference and I would suggest it to all, if possible.

Alter Ego · ‎03-12-2010

@World Traveler wrote:
@Alter Ego Can you cut and paste, including the photos, or too much work? Would be GREAT to move that over to this forum. Invaluable information you supplied us with.

I just took a walk down memory lane, reading my old posts. Honestly, they span over 10+ pages and, in some cases,I'm responding to questions as asked. Don't think it would be so simple to cut and paste...although, I must admit that I think I did a pretty good job! LOL.

World Traveler · ‎02-02-2015

@Beth-QVC or @Susan-QVC Is there any way you or one of the other moderators could move the Travel Chat thread from Among Friends over to the Travel Forum? It has around 10 months (May 1, 2016 to approximately March 2017?) of good ideas, tips, but mainly people's experiences traveling.

Right now the original poster on this thread could benefit from reading @Alter Ego fantastic notes on her trip to Australia around six months ago (October). She posted every day and included beautiful photos. Her detailed listing of what she did each day and the accompanying photos were a joy for many of us to read and view.

I know it is a hugely long thread, but from time to time I believe several of us who were regulars on it would like to be able to refer to various pages or dates on it (or cut and paste from it) so newer posters could benefit from those experiences.

Thanks so much for anything you can do in this regard!

World Traveler · ‎02-02-2015

@Alter Ego wrote:
I just took a walk down memory lane, reading my old posts. Honestly, they span over 10+ pages and, in some cases,I'm responding to questions as asked. Don't think it would be so simple to cut and paste...although, I must admit that I think I did a pretty good job! LOL.

@Alter Ego Yes, you did!!!