AUSTRALIA - an introduction for tourists

Heehee - and I knew that - but I love to please.

You see, I am a pushover, really...

Tell me, Our Dear Cunning Coney, has the tourist trade here picked up since the thread was revived? What kind of exchange does one get on a greenback in Oztralia these days?

Less than 'twas, I am happy to say. The exchange rate, I mean.

Not sure - 70 - 80 Oz cents to the US$ I think...

how come nobody told us about this or this?

You'd need a lot of bulls to get rich by this method, peuo.

Damn wasps - damn bull....er......stuff....

Cape York
I was reading about Queensland, and came across Cape York-- I heard that in the northern tip of Cape York there's a lot more risk for things like dengue fever ... is this true? Is it ok to go to Cape York and would the avg person even ever go there? I have a whole list of places I want to see in Australia (not just the cities of course!) -- I probably need a year rather than a couple of months.

Anyway thx:)

Saw a special United Airlines promo to Australia; like 15 days including airfare and hotel for about US$1,600 to visit Sydney, Melbourne, and one or two other places - including a car.

Re: Cape York


I know nothing of where dengue fever is - being from the far south - but here are some web sites I found:

http://www.health.gov.au/arbovirus/pdf/fsdengue.pdf

http://www.defence.gov.au/dpe/dhs/infocentre/publications/journals/NoIDs/adfhealth_sep03/ADFHealth_4_2_66-71.html

http://www.mdtravelhealth.com/destinations/oceania/australia.html

(That was fun - I kept seeing my best friend from school's grandfather's name as authoring research stuff re dengue and other tropical diseases - from the early twentieth century! 1906 and stuff - he died at 106 about 30 years ago)


Yes - as with any country, really seeing Oz would take years - but you only have as long as you have.

thanks
Hey thanks dlowan. Really kind of you to do research, you guys are cool thanks.

Here's another question - besides Uluru, anybody have any other ideas of where to visit that's in the interior of Australia, not near the coast? I just want to make sure I'm not missing anything.

I appreciate it. I've got 5 months to keep reading about Australia so I know what the heck I'm doing. It's amazing (and annoying) how little they teach us about individual countries that far from here.

Er - there are many many places. The interior is huge.

here are some photos of areas which may lead your interest:

http://www.sievers.nl/visitaustralia/

Brief lonely planet outline:

http://www.lonelyplanet.


com/theme/deserts/deserts_outback.htm

http://www.ozoutback.com.au/links.htm



Flinders Ranges in South Australia are wonderful:

http://www.flindersoutback.com/

other outback stuff from SA

http://www.cityreference.com/australia/outback-south-australia/


Western Australia Outback - google results:


http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=outback+western+australia&btnG=Search&meta=

Northern Territory google results:

http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=Northern+Territory+outback&btnG=Search&meta=


Queensland ditto:

http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=queensland+outback&btnG=Search&meta=

you can do the same as a start for New South Wales and Victoria.

Tasmania's wilderness areas are unbelievably beautiful, by the way - I wouldn't stick to the mainland.

Hi everyone

First posting for me, motivated largely by the apparent lack of other-than Melbourne and Sydney experts! I currently live in New York, permanently based in Canberra, grew up in Perth and have spent time in tassie, so.... to add to Margo's descriptives:

Canberra: Purpose built as the nation's capital when the fight between Melbourne and Sydney couldn't be settled. VERY planned and orderly, small. Good restaurants, excellent for outdoor type activities, very good universities and colleges. On the down side, it's the sort of place that takes a while to "get" so on first blush comes across as" Can-boring"!

Hobart: So much to see and do!!! This is a GREAT city and Tassie is an amazing island, especially if you're into arts, nature, sailing, fishing or alternative music scenes.

Perth is getting more and more accessible as no frills airlines start servicing it. Excellent alternative to sydney if you love the beach, easy living, good wine and food and friendly people - but it sure is isolated. Also heaps cheaper than Sydney and Melbourne.

Cheers!

G'day west coaster, and welcome to A2K.

We're always pleased to get the wider view!

To margo and all the others, Just returned from a ten day transatlantic cruise. As some of you already know, we're having a Europe Gathering in May; dates still not determined. However, while on the cruise, I met Lindsay Hamilton, a fantastic person and professional singer. She has consented to meet with our group in London, and want all of you to come and join in the fun. Walter, Gautam, kitchenpete, McTag, Steve, Fiona, dys and Diane are all planning to come, and we'd like this one to be the a2k Gathering of Gatherings. So make your plans now, and join us in London, and more than likely at Walter's home town in Germany. c.i.

Lol - LOVE to!

Unfortunately, I am gonna hafta pay my long-suffering partner back over a couple of months for the money he has spent on getting us to Alice Springs and Uluru next week - ie I am waaaaaaaay tooo poor!!!!


Waaaaaaaah!

c.i.
listening and bookmarking. I'll likely be in Europe at some time next year, but when....
probably later than May...how sad!

jeesh! All we hear are excuse after excuse.....from you Aussies.

We Aussies have much further (and longer) to travel, and at much greater expense than the rest of you, and our dollar (also known as the South Pacific Peso) doesn't buy much at all (although is improving against the US dollar, but not the Euro!)

A 24-hour (minimum) flight at a cost of $2000 (average) squished up in cattle class is not something we undertake easily - and then there's the cost of being there - travel to Europe (and USA) is just hideously expensive.

You tell 'im, margo!

Been hot enough for you in sunny Sydney, margo?