IO: my avatar means a whole damn lot, and i want you to ask me about it

[dan_smee]

the only correction i'll make is that Canada is our hat, we are not their pants.

i much prefer snakes and spiders -- especially if they eat the Sisters Minogue -- to gun-toting Republicans.

in a moment of honesty, while this has been an insanely difficult year for me, work has gone very, very well, and i'm finally able to take a "dream vacation." Australia really was at the very top of a long list, and there's a gay scuba diving group in DC that's doing a "liveaboard" trip for a week on the GBR in November of 2010. i gave notice where i work that i would like to take that entire month off, and the plan will be to arrive in Cairns, scuba all week, and then i'll have three weeks to go around and see what i can see. i have a cousin-of-a-friend in Perth who's offered me housing if/when i pass through, but i'm also quite aware that the country is massive. i

the plan is for Memphis to join me for a good 2 weeks, if not more, and we're just starting to get a plan in action. we're at the beginning of the beginning, and i would love any and all opinions on places to go, things to see, etc.

i actually got emotional when i put my down payment in the mail for the scuba trip. it sort of "forces" me to commit to going, and i really and truly have wanted to go to Australia since i've been a small child. it was all those weird animals that drew me in as a child, and i don't just mean the members of Midnight Oil.

so i'm super excited. it's 15 months away, and it really is a dream come true.



(of course, watch something happen and i'll eat my words, but i swear, i have every intention of going)

Fact:

I have lived here for each of my 23 years:

Spider sigtings - Numerous (deadly spider sightings 2 from memory)
Snake sightings - less than 10 (seen 1 deadly snake in person, and it was flat as a pancake on the road)
Shark sightings - 1 (it was in a tank at the Sydney Aquarium)

It is a stereotype that we have that many deadly things, one we dont always refute, cos its kinda cool. The things you DO need to look out for is drop-bears and bunyips.

 

[Angela Harlem]

a week on the reef? oh, god. you won't want to leave. seriously. a week?! i'm so envious. i've spent a mere day on that gorgeous reef and it has to be a glimpse of what heaven is like. the water is bath warm. we went with a company called aristocat, instead of the quiksilver mob, who are like the plague up there. if you're diving i assume you're going to a deeper part than i was, but my only advice is invest in a great underwater camera!

i know you've most likely spent many hours already reading about far north qld already, but i can personally recommend a few really choice spots. you must take a trip to the daintree. it might be easiest to hire a car (there's a hundred really cheap car hire places, especially around port douglas - which i'll get to in a minute!), buy a map and just drive. there's a place called mossman gorge which is so perfectly pristine. the water is so clear and clean that you could drink it.
Mossman Gorge, Daintree National Park - EPA

you must do kuranda. Kuranda - Village in the Rainforest there's a bus up and down, or the scenic rail. port douglas is, again, beautiful, and is a great location to base yourself at. it's right on 4 mile beach and has a marina where a lot of gbr trips depart from. it's not far from cairns, and the daintree etc is all above you at an easy drive. there's a multitude of hotels, resorts, backpackers, motels and pubs where you can find any type of accommodation. the food is varied and local. there's a hundred cafes, restaurants, bistros and pubs all in a conveniently adorable main street which is 2 streets away from the beach. car hire is on every corner, as well as means to book daytrips and things to various activities and places. i highly recommend doing a crocodile tour. it's insane fun, and you get in these fair dinkum tinnies and cruise around in the mangroves looking for crocodiles. i cannot imagine what overseas tourists think of them, lol.

cairns itself is a means to an end, in my view. it's just another city. you must go more north to find the good stuff. i'd even avoid staying there as you will need to add an hour of travel to each day just to get around.

the weather is beautiful in november and you'll get to see a few cracking tropical storms.

have you considered, or are you interested in, the northern territory/ularu? if you do go to WA to see your sister's friend's cousin there is a lot to see up the top. there's the kimberley region especially. the biggest problem with heading out that way is the geographical restraints which equal time and money. maybe just watch the movie, priscilla, queen of the desert i've heard many great things about perth, but get tania or beli to give you genuine info.

what plans have you made so far, apart from your dive trip?

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

it was all those weird animals that drew me in as a child, and i don't just mean the members of Midnight Oil.

you haven't lived really until you've held a koala. seriously!

 

[dan_smee]

^ or had your photo taken next to it with your pasty white behind flesh juxtaposed with the white patch on the koalas behind...

Did I share too much?

 

[Irvine511]

what plans have you made so far, apart from your dive trip?

none. the trip planning will begin with this thread. thank you so much.

 

[coolian2]

The things you DO need to look out for is drop-bears and bunyips.

holy shit yes.

 

[dan_smee]

The only way you can protect yourself from drop-bears is to smear vegemite behind your ears. There is, however, no known repellent for the Bunyip.

 

[Irvine511]

i'm wise to you folks ...

A drop bear (or dropbear) is a non-existent[1] Australian marsupial. Drop bears are commonly said to be unusually large, vicious, carnivorous koalas that inhabit treetops and attack their prey by dropping onto their heads from above.[2] They are an example of local lore intended to frighten and confuse outsiders and amuse locals, similar to the jackalope, hoop snake, wild haggis or snipe.

 

[dan_smee]

welcome to the aussie sense of humour!

Fine, drop-bears may be fictional, but Bunyips, there's anpother story

 

[coolian2]

wikipedia has made the internet far less fun.

 

[The Sad Punk]

Hoop snakes aren't real?!

 

[dan_smee]

^ I KNOW! netiher is the wild haggis...

 

[coolian2]

the snipe is really real, isn't it?

 

[redhotswami]

I had a white Budgie named Scully. I loved those crazy birds. That must be gorgeous to just see them flying around.

 

[Irvine511]

again, these jelly fish. the box ones. the irukandji.

do explain.

 

[dan_smee]

they kill people. Wouldnt worry though, they arent too prevelant these days

 

[coolian2]

I had a white Budgie named Scully. I loved those crazy birds. That must be gorgeous to just see them flying around.

it's very nice. you even see some in new zealand, usually pets that escaped and somehow managed to breed.

again, these jelly fish. the box ones. the irukandji.

do explain.

don't pet.

 

[Irvine511]

they kill people. Wouldnt worry though, they arent too prevelant these days

but they're just jelly fish!

 

[dan_smee]

when I say that I mean attacks arent as prevelant. They have good monitoring systems at most commerical beaches to alert you when they are around as they tend to come in swarms.

Blue-bottles are fun though. my uncle had one wrap itself around his ... business... and they keep stinging until you remove then.

 

[Irvine511]

so is it true that New Zealand is Australia's very own Canada?

 

[dan_smee]

general rule in oz with jellies is, dont touch, most will at least sting you.

 

[coolian2]

so is it true that New Zealand is Australia's very own Canada?

but we don't actually have to touch them, so it's all good.

 

[dan_smee]

so is it true that New Zealand is Australia's very own Canada?

Nope. Tasmania is our Canada. NZ is more like our Mexico

 

[Irvine511]

but we don't actually have to touch them, so it's all good.

just like box jellyfish, then.

 

[Irvine511]

Nope. Tasmania is our Canada. NZ is more like our Mexico

now this did make me LOL.

 

[dan_smee]

found this funny - wikipedia page on stingray injuries links people to "snake bite', 'skin lesion' and 'steve irwin'

Stingray injury - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[coolian2]

Nope. Tasmania is our Canada. NZ is more like our Mexico

holy shit, really?

just like box jellyfish, then.

now you're onto it.

 

[Irvine511]

don't touch Kiwis or else they'll sting your private parts, got it then.

so ... Sydney or Melbourne?

 

[dan_smee]

holy shit, really?



now you're onto it.

ive seen em trying to cross the Tasman, swimming with bedside tables over their heads

 

[dan_smee]

don't touch Kiwis or else they'll sting your private parts, got it then.

so ... Sydney or Melbourne?

The big connundrum.

Melbourne is better than Sydney for functional purposes.

Sydney is better for touristy things.

NSW is better than Victoria.

If you can only go to one, I would go to Sydney (better weather too, close to Newcastle (80-90 mins drive))