ldsant

Is this still on?

Punki

Ozstamps, why don't you pick the most perfect date and we will do everything our power to make it to your party.

Punki

I actually became impatient and searched out wonderful (free, first class) flights.

I am (we are) coming to Sydney (with my beloved) May 20, 2004, leaving May 23, 2004.

Party????????????

ozstamps

Punki ..... well lets study this closer. Weather here is excellent during the months January to December. Outside that period it is also very pleasant too.

If a few folks decide to head down to OZ it would be helpful if a few dates are tossed around by those with the inclination.

United tell me today from the USA April 28-June 19 is official LOW season as far as airlines go. Therefore revenue tickets, if they are EVER going to be a decent price will be lowest then ... in theory. From both Europe and the USA I guess

AWARD tickets, likewise as it is low season will also be gettable more than likely if one plans a little ahead. United just today firmed up 2 x First Class 747 award suites for us in early January (the absolute highest part of high season) after 2 days on the waitlist. So seats are getting easier for those with UA miles.

Qantas has added a lot of capacity to USA for those connected with AA and One World.

Also weather in Europe and USA at that time is still a little chilly - and our Summer does not end until February 29, so later April is a good time weather-wise. Still warm but not too hot.

Easter is April 7-19 which is a peak travel season here internally, so a later April date keeps well clear of that one too.

So perhaps anyone interested can post some ambit dates and see where that takes us all.

ozstamps

Punki -- you were posting as I was typing. Great news.

I suggest you and Hunki try and lock in Sleeper Suites 4E/4F right NOW as that seems to be the prize pick for 2 pax travelling together on 747s:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum50/HTML/021750.html

OK ... now someone has actually locked in confirmed seats, let's see who else can get themselves here in May.

I do not quite follow - you fly out May 20 and return home May 23?

Punki

We have locked in the first row. We leave SEA 5/18 and arrive, SYD 5/20 at 6:10 a.m.

We will leave SYD 8/23 at 2:45 p.m.

So, what do we do with our weekend???????

Shareholder

May to mid-June would be best for me, and any other AC FTers, since Aeroplan discounts its J/C/D awards by 20K [to 80K] for its top tier elites, so the trip becomes a pretty good deal. [Not sure I'd want to go to 140K for First on either NZ or UA, given the AC rate for ExecFirst.]

By the end of the year, should have a nice 50K in my QF account, residual SPG transfer for last summer's Concorde flights, plus all my HHonors and Radisson airline miles. So it's time to plan to do a return Down Under, and see a bit of the wild west while I'm at it. Freemantle is calling, as is the Murray Rivers wine country...

[This message has been edited by Shareholder (edited 09-01-2003).]

ozstamps

First row on a 747? You and Joe are not speaking to each other any more? You'll be a yard+ apart for 14 hours each way.

And young tenny boppers like you 2 will sleep for a day after your 20 hours flying from SEA, so forget about the 20th.

There are lots of things to do here ... let's see if any other FT'ers are about in May and we can offer a few suggestions.

ozstamps

Well where is thread starter spiff palced on this May date deal?

Joh

I’m sure that if there is an Ozfest in Sydney next year, some sort of a program will ‘evolve’. The following is just to ‘wet your appetite’ for this great city of ours…

Info on Sydney and surrounds…

The City Centre as well as the inner eastern, western and northern suburbs are all located on or near Sydney Harbour – its natural focus…

The exclusive Eastern suburbs offer much: from some of Sydney’s best shopping and dining in places like Paddington and Double Bay to the green expanse of Centennial Park, the sandy beaches of Bondi and Cogee and picturesque harbourside suburbs such as Vaucluse and Watsons Bay.

The Northern suburbs, renowned for their reserves, tree-lined streets, waterways and national parks such as Ku-ring-gai Chase commence just across the Harbour Bridge. A spectacular coastline stretches north from Manly to beautiful Palm Beach, providing many fine swimming and surfing beaches. Like Sydney Harbour, the peninsular area of Pittwater provides for great sailing/yachting, also into Broken Bay and the Hawkesbury River.

The city’s urban sprawl has pushed west almost to the Blue Mountains, starting around 70km inland. The highlights of this vast region include Parramatta, Australia’s second oldest settlement and Sydney Olympic Park, the epicenter of the 2000 Olympic Games.

The southern region includes Sydney Airport, Botany Bay (where the First Fleet arrived in 1788) the beachside suburb of Cronulla and the glorious Royal National Park – known for its wildlife, walking trails and unspoiled beaches.

Further afield

Head to the Central Coast for beaches, waterways and national parks, then on to the city of Newcastle with its galleries, museums and historic buildings and glorious Port Stephens – famous for sandy beaches and whale or dolphin watching (seasonal). To the west of this, the tranquil Hunter Valley is one of Australia’s premier wine producing regions.

Just an hour or so west of the city, the World Heritage listed Blue Mountains region has something for everyone. From magnificent scenery, fine food and comfortable guesthouses to bushwalking, horseriding and challenging adventure sports.

Relax on the beautiful South Coast beaches, particularly around Kiama and Jervis Bay and visit the city of Wollongong. Inland, the historic Southern Highlands offer colonial architecture, antiques and crafts, charming towns and villages and the excellent Bradman cricketing museum at Bowral.

1-4 hour “Around the City” itineraries
- Visit Centrepoint for some shopping and continue to the deck at the top of Sydney Tower where you will see breathtaking views of one of the most beautiful cities in the world. This is a great way to get your bearings…
- Take a Sydney Explorer bus and cover the most interesting destinations in and around Sydney city (hop on/off service with commentary).
- Take a short morning tour of the Sydney Opera House, then enjoy a coffee break while watching the world go by at an Opera Quay or Circular Quay café.
- Take a scenic ferry ride across the harbour and spend a couple of hours visiting Taronga Zoo’s wildlife.
- Take another ferry ride across the harbour (cheapest unescorted tour and best close up views of Sydney Harbour bridge and the Opera House) and enjoy the seaside delights of Manly with its Corso and many cafes. There’s also the Manly Aquarium.
- Spend an hour or two admiring Australia’s sub-marine wildlife at Darling Harbour’s Sydney Aquarium.
- Ride the Light Rail to a number of unique city destinations including China Town, Darling Harbour, Star City, Sydney Fish Market, Paddys Markets and the scenic Inner Western suburbs.
- Cruise the harbour at any time; pick your own long or short, day or evening cruise.
- Visit one of Sydney’s excellent museums or galleries to discover something of Australia’s Aboriginal and European History. The Art Gallery of NSW, Australian Museum and Museum of Sydney are all highly recommended, as are the Powerhouse Museum and National Maritime Museum that are easily accessed by Monorail.
- Indulge in some of Sydney’s acclaimed shopping in the City Centre or The Rocks.
- Enjoy a walk around The Rocks, Sydney’s most historic region.
- Starting from the Sydney Opera House, take a scenic walk through the Royal Botanic Gardens to Mrs Macquaries Point – the harbour views are sensational. From here you can walk to the Art Gallery of NSW, then finish with a stroll along Macquarie St, home of the fascinating Hyde Park Barracks Museums.
- Take a Bondi Explorer bus tour around the Eastern suburbs. You’ll visit cosmopolitan Kings Cross, harbourside Double Bay, Rose Bay, Vaucluse and Watsons Bay, the beaches of Bondi, Bronte and Coogee and still have time to shop in trendy Paddington (hop on/off service with commentary).
- Head west on a RiverCat ferry from Circular Quay to either Sydney Olympic Park or historic Parramatta.


Traveling time/distance between Sydney and other cities:
Sydney/Melbourne: 1h25mins by plane (706kms)
Sydney/Brisbane: 1h30mins by plane (745kms)
Sydney/Cairns: 3hrs by plane direct (1,965kms). Gateway to the Great Barrier Reef.
Sydney/Perth: 4hrs by plane (3,283kms)
Sydney/Adelaide: 1h50mins by plane (1,166kms)
Sydney/Darwin: 4h05mins by plane direct (3,148kms)
Sydney/Hobart: 1h50mins by plane (1,039kms). Gateway to Tasmania’s Natural Wilderness

ralfkrippner

mmh, this is tempting...

If I can get decent award seats on KL/MH to OZ or to KUL and a cheap onward ticket, I will try to participate in the one or other event.

As ozstamps has invited me for a beer this at least will pay partially for the trip cost... Say, do they serve Alt anywhere in SYD...?

Any other confirmed or planned dates so far?

ozstamps

Hmmmm ... this IS looking suspiciously like a FT event already:

America
Canada
Germany



Ralf ..... you are in line for more than a beer from Joh and I.

Australians cannot be relied upon to remember how to spell or say "ALT, ALT, ALT" after a few beers, so they made it easy for us, and all you need to remember is:

" XXXX "

chisinging

This sounds exciting. Usually go in Mid May so the date works for me so count me in would love to meet so many who post here at flyertalk. Am also in Oz 18th October Through 15th November this year. Perhaps as time gets closer could meet with a few FT's in Sydney for Lunch? Dinner? I will be staying in Sutherland so will take the train into the city.

Spiff

I am watching the fares and awaiting the release of the summer schedule for work so I can see if August 2004 works. I definitely will be visiting before March 2005 because that's when some of my QF upgrade credits expire...

Punki

How far is the city from the airport?

Is there good public transportation to and from the airport?

Why is the Hilton, downtown "sold out" the weekend of May 21-23? We now have rooms at the Sheraton Hyde Park. Is that a good location?