Sydney... Some advice please....

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

It's Mother's day and so I asked my wife today where she wants to go next summer. She said, "Fiji and Australia"

I think we will do 3 weeks. Probably in July. We will probably stay in the WorldMark Fiji for a week. Given it's winter in July down under, what would you recommend?

We could do Cairns. I think it might be too cold to spend much time in Syndey. Do you have any recommendations?

Thanks!

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

It's Mother's day and so I asked my wife today where she wants to go next summer. She said, "Fiji and Australia"

I think we will do 3 weeks. Probably in July. We will probably stay in the WorldMark Fiji for a week. Given it's winter in July down under, what would you recommend?

We could do Cairns. I think it might be too cold to spend much time in Syndey. Do you have any recommendations?

Thanks!

You mean all I have to do is ask????
What a wonderful trip! I always look longingly at those sightings of Fiji

[Sydney Contributor - Bronze Find all posts View Profile Close Sydney]

You will love Worldmark in Fiji! The onsite restaurant was very good and prices were much better than the nearby Sheraton and other hotels.

July is a very popular time to be in Cairns. Sorry, we haven't made it to Cairns yet so I can't give you any advice there. I will pm Chubby to see if he is around since he has been.

The Whitsunday Islands in Northern Queensland are beautiful. Have always wanted to go there.

It's cold in Sydney in July but really not that cold when compared to Winter in Europe or many North American states. You could get by with a warm coat or sweater.

Depends what you want to see and do. What kind of holiday do you want? Does your wife like sightseeing, chilling out, adventure, etc?

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

I've been to Sydney a few times and I absolutely love the city. I think my family would love it, too.

What my wife really loves is nature. We go to national parks all the time and my boys always go through the junior ranger program.

My last trip down under, I rented a car, scared myself to death driving on the left side of the road and drove into the Blue Mountains. That was fabulous.

I want to scuba dive. But, I think that will only be my oldest son and me and my wife has retired from diving.

Whenever I've been to Australia, it's always been on business. So, I'd like to do some exploring. It seems the temps in Sydney in July are low 60's as the highs. 40's at night. That's doable.

[Sydney Contributor - Bronze Find all posts View Profile Close Sydney]

If your wife hasn't been to the Blue Mountains, she will love it. We are only about an hour away from the Blue Mountains. So please contact me when you're here and I will gladly take you around.
Are you thinking of coming this July or July 2009. I was just going to say that by July 2009, we will be in our newly built home so could have you over to stay or even for a meal while you're in Sydney!

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

If your wife hasn't been to the Blue Mountains, she will love it. We are only about an hour away from the Blue Mountains. So please contact me when you're here and I will gladly take you around.
Are you thinking of coming this July or July 2009. I was just going to say that by July 2009, we will be in our newly built home so could have you over to stay or even for a meal while you're in Sydney!

Yes, July 2009. Cool. We will definitely stop by.

[Sydney Contributor - Bronze Find all posts View Profile Close Sydney]

You mean all I have to do is ask????
What a wonderful trip! I always look longingly at those sightings of Fiji

Hehe - I'm going to try that with Hawaii and see what he says.

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

Hehe - I'm going to try that with Hawaii and see what he says.

Have you been to Hawaii? It's so close to Australia relative to the rest of the US.

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

Okay, we are getting closer on this trip.

We are thinking a week in Fiji, a week in Sydney and a week in Cairns.

The only open questions are:

1) Should we consider going the New Zealand for a week? I don't want to be out of the country for 4 weeks, though. Or, shorten our Australian trip?

2) Should be do less than a week in Syndey and drive up the coast? Or is it better to a week in each location?

3) Which order should we do the trip?

Any advice?

[vintner Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close vintner]

That is a heck of a trip under consideration. Wonderful to be able to explore to that extent.

I know my opinion doesn't matter on this, but as a wine person, I would visit New Zealand. At least, you could bring back a case for your good friend, Don

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

That is a heck of a trip under consideration. Wonderful to be able to explore to that extent.

I know my opinion doesn't matter on this, but as a wine person, I would visit New Zealand. At least, you could bring back a case for your good friend, Don

We have relatives in New Caledonia and New Zealand. My mother is from Tahiti and my wife is from Hawaii. I think that's why we like island destinations.

Personally, I think we should do New Zealand, Tahiti and New Caledonia on another trip. But, I need to get the options to review with my wife first.

[Sydney Contributor - Bronze Find all posts View Profile Close Sydney]

A few hrs north of Sydney is the wine making region called the Hunter Valley. There's even a Worldmark there at Pokolbin. You could spend a nt there if you enjoy wine.

As for adding NZ as well, there's lots to take in in NZ. At that time of yr, you could go to the snow in NZ. You'd have to decide to do the Nth or Sth island. We've been twice, had a couple of wks in the South one yr then had a wk in the North a couple of yrs ago. We hired a camper van and toured at leisure. Went to Mt Ruapehu, Lake Taupo & Rotorua.

In Sydney, if you had your week planned out, you could be busy but otherwise, there's not that much to see to fill in a whole week unless you do day trips or an overnighter somewhere within driving distance like the Hunter Valley or Blue Mountains. It's lovely up there especially if you stay overnight. Will you do the Bridgeclimb, where you can climb the Harbour Bridge? That'd be a fun thing to do in Sydney (expensive though) or a free tour of the Opera House.

I also read that there's not much to do in Cairns for a whole, week but then that depends whether you like to do nothing and relax most of the time or be busy seaing things.

[Sydney Contributor - Bronze Find all posts View Profile Close Sydney]

Have you been to Hawaii? It's so close to Australia relative to the rest of the US.

No, but we have a friend who booked a week there for us next July. We're hoping to be able to go. If we do, we'll be there from 3rd to 10th July and are hoping to get another week.
Let me know the dates you'll be here when you find out. Would hate to miss you. Although if we miss each other, maybe we can do a house swap!

[Lilliana Member Find all posts View Profile Close Lilliana]

I was in Australia many many years ago. It really is beautiful, but I would reserve doing NZ for another time like Sydney says there's lots to do and see in NZ. A week won't be enough.

As a scuba diver a week may be nice in Cairns, the great barrier reef is stupendeous, but I agree a week maybe alot there. You could go to the Daintree National Park about 80 miles north of Cairns, but since your wife enjoys nature she may like this. This website looked interesting Cairns Attractions: Things to see in Cairns and things to do in North Queensland, Australia. I didn't get to see the Daintree rainforest. I was on a tour. I would like to return to see this and also go clear across to the other side of Australia to Perth. Oh another place that you may want to take your wife though not close by is Melbourne, then there there are the smallest penguins in the world - the fairy penguins and they come out from the water every night on Phillip island and walk to their rookeries. Some nights there could be hundreds of these penguins, we were lucky we saw alot, the night before the group saw only a few. That is a sight I will never forget, it was amazing. The park has viewing stations, bleachers for spectators to see and not get in the penguins path. here's a good one of them coming out of the water:
PENGUIN PHOTOGRAPH, PENGUIN PHOTO, PICTURES OF PENGUIN

[Sydney Contributor - Bronze Find all posts View Profile Close Sydney]

Hey Boca, looks like you're in luck with airfares. There'll be another airline vying for the US-AU route. Maybe you'll be able to get cheap tickets after all.

The price war will continue I hope.