akap16isme

Hi Everyone,

I'm off to Australia this Friday. This is the plan so far.

Leave IAD - MEL 2/13 arrive on 2/15.

My roommate is going for a meeting on the 19th so the 20th we must check out of our hotel in Melbourne (The Park Hyatt paid by work) and begin our more budget travel experience.

We will explore the city from the 15 - 20th and on the 19th while he is in his meeting I will go to Phillip Island to see the penquins

Now I have just found a dynamite airfare from MEL to SYD on the 20th. (not yet booked) In Sydney I will be staying with an old friend. We leave from Sydney back to IAD on the 27th.

My issue is that I was thinking a nice 2 day excursion would be nice. Also so I dont overstay my welcome at my friends n Sydney. Originally I was thinking between Mel and Syd but now I'm thinking nearer to the end of the trip since i found that good Mel-Syd airfare. I was told that 2 days was not long enough to do the great ocean road properly and that its not worth driving from Mel to Syd. Also it would be nice to spend our only weekend in Sydney.

So again my question is: What is worth doing? Is it worth going to Cairns this time of year for a few days? I dont want to spend 200$ on airfare for rain and jellyfish Should we just spend the 7 days in Sydney and take some day trips to the Blue Mountains, etc? Ayers Rock is too hot?

Any feedback from someone who knows Australia would be appreciated!! Also please keep in mind we are budget travellers!

Thanks!
Alex

prspad

There's plenty to do in Sydney for a week... Buy a one week Green Travelpass for
busses, trains and Sydney Ferries, which will take you to most of where you want to go... Bondi Beach, Manley, King's Cross, Darling Harbour, etc., etc.... http://www.sydneybuses.nsw.gov.au/ There are a lot of lower cost accomodations found via the usual search engines. One day excursions outside of Sydney could be to the Hunter Valley or Blue Mountains.

l etoile

We spent a couple of days in the Kangaroo Valley and enjoyed that. If you have a car it's not a bad drive from Sydney and there are some quaint towns and some nice beaches. There are some nice B&Bs down that way that were reasonable.

tom911

I'd allow at least 3 days for the Great Ocean Road. I've done it twice with a tour (Wayward Bus), and once myself by car. If you go as far as Portland (and not continue onto Adelaide), it takes 2 leisurely days to get that far, and you zip back on the inland highway the third day.

There are actually one day tours from Melbourne that I've seen go out, but I'm not sure how far out they go. You'll see plenty of brochures when you're in Melbourne (at least at the backpackers places...might be best to pop into one and check out their brochure rack).

I don't think you're going to find a reasonable airfare to Ayers Rock. I'd consider Brisbane which is usually fairly priced. When I was over in November (11th trip), I flew into the Sunshine Coast Airport at Maroochydore, split my time between Noosa (small town, national park, beaches), Maroochydore (beach resort) and Brisbane (nice expo grounds on the river, and a very walkable city). It's a 90 min bus trip from Noosa down to Brisbane, so you could easily combine cities along the Sunshine Coast, and fly into one and out of another if the fares work out.

I have photos from the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne from my last trip here E mail me if you need some ideas or fine tuning. If you end up staying in Sydney, Katoomba (3,000 ft level) in the Blue Mountains is an easy 2 hour train ride out. I've always enjoyed my stays up there.

jrk1998

I think it depends on what you want - I loved the Great Ocean Road, but a day of driving and looking at scenery was plenty for me.

We went down the east side to Portsea, where we spent the night at my friend's. Took the Queenscliff ferry over the next morning, and shot up the west coast. We stopped at a bunch of places, and got to the Twelve Apostles in time for sunset. Then just shot back to Melbourne.

Re: Melbourne to Sydney - that's an 11 hour drive. IMO not worth the time, given the amount of time you have.

Weekend in Sydney? Ask your friend about the Bondi-Bronte walk... great vistas, and catch brunch at either end. Or catch afternoon drinks at the Cruising Yacht Club in Rushcutters Bay... just remember to bring your passport of US driver's license!

Have a great trip!