Hey all! Im off to OZ this December! Need advice!

[OzAurora]

and go to the Sunshine Coast , particulaly Mooloolaba, rather than the Gold Coast.

I am biased, but the Sunshine Coast (where I have lived for the past 18 years) is the best place in Australia and Mooloolaba is the best part of the sunny coast

 

[beli]

I am biased, but Adelaide is the worst place in Australia.

Notice NOONE is defending Adelaide.

Learn from this lesson, grasshopper. Dont go there just. dont. do. it.

 

[dougal55]

Woah!

I didnt expect this many replies! Really much appreciated!

Ok first things first......

Cass: thanks for the advice about the hat....certainly will bear that in mind though I already have one wide brimmed hat with the corks that was given to me as a gift but I would look a bit daft wearing it as its too touristy! You see it has Australia printed on it! I wanna wear something a bit more plain than that...

I have chosen going in December cos Im going to a major event in Melbourne which is being held in January for deaf people named Deaflympics. Im born deaf you see and in case you ask, no Im not taking part! LOL! So Id definitely prefer going in April when its cooler but Im stuck with going in December! Blame the organisers, not me!

Another thing.....I quite agree with you said, Cass, about Tasmania. Im leaning towards spending the New Year there now!

Oz Aurora, Id dearly love to go to Queensland myself but to squeeze that as part of my trip in 4 weeks, no Im afraid I cant but certainly will go there next time I go! A few of my friends are going in that direction cos they have 2 months away rather than my 4 weeks which is ample time for them to explore the wonders of Queensland. Im definitely not going to miss Great Ocean Road as I heard so much about it but I cant drive so will hitch a ride with a friend of mine on our way to Adelaide....

As for going to Canberra....well, I happen to have a friend who lives there and even she recommended I stay for one one day at the least as theres nothing much here but she is also due to visit London in November staying in my flat as well so if you like, its a return of favour.

Right who's next? Ah bammo! Hi there! Hmmm, lol! Ramsay Street! My sis went there as part of her trip of 9 months in Oz as she's bit of fan of Neighbours but me? Im afraid I cant stand the programme at all! ugh! I would only go there if someone is pushy enough to go with them for company..... As a brit, then you must know that, as a Scotsman, Im a bit apprehensive about the heat that I will encounter in Oz but with plenty of suncream (at least 30+ SPF as I have fair skin) and protection (mustnt forget the sunglasses too!), I should be ok and I have been to both Greece and Italy at the height of summer once but Australia? I have no idea!

hey beli, hmmm I love a bit of Jamaican food here in London so your recommendation of one restaurant in Melbourne got me salivating now! LOL! Do you remember the name of the restaurant? I hope to have that mud cake....if I find it, I will let you know what I think! I have heard of Blue Mountains so will go there but Taronga? hmmm, I will put that in my diary in case I decide to go there....

hey bonoman2002! lol....At first glance I thought you were the man Im looking for till the last bit of your post! And yeah I so wish I could come at the same time as U2's gigs as that would be a huge bonus! But nope not this year nor next year (last time I heard U2 are rumoured to play Australia in Dec 2005)

Salome.....Darling Harbour aquarium rocks your socks, huh? Hmm will put that in my diary and ask my Aussie mates if its worth a peek! thanks!

Imogen.... will be extra careful about sunburn while Im there....thanks for the warning! Hopefully I wont turn into a human beetroot! LOL!

Wanderer....Akubra Foundation hat? whassat?

Last thing....to Beli, just what is wrong with Adelaide? Lack of atmosphere, lack of nightlife or lack of interesting places to visit? As far as I can see, there is none at this time. Can anyone here defend Adelaide?

Ok thanks so much for all your tips and do keep them coming if theres something amiss here!

dougal

 

[A_Wanderer]

The Akubra Federation - the ultimate hat, you get it and then you mould it out into your shape, its great fun.

http://www.hatsdirect.com/cgi/products.cgi?view=57&returncat=Fedora+Hats&returnpage=0

 

[ShellBeThere]

LOL, When I take the bus to uni I sometimes pass the Neighbours tour bus

yeah, which reminds me that my town does this thiing a couple times a year...a ;house' tour. no shitting. of 'normal' people's houses. driving around the other day there were these weirdo fucking signs, 11 this way...24. up there.
none of them made any sense or really distracted me in any way, but they were spooky. subtlely. cause the idea with this ;house tour; thing is that suburban people should spend a real lot of time with potttery barn catalogs..no, that's too masses, with...with people looking to design the 'perfect'; mailbox. perfect. to collect their mail in. and you know how much junkmail we all get these days, especially in an election year!
I have no idea if they include gardens on the tours, but my sense is that we're after the perfect doorknob. ha!

and the signs invite me to come and oooh. ahhh..
however didyou get inspired to make this for you to enjoy privately?!
i am green...

but not pukey right now, cuz I have not been eating or hungry or anything...just buzzing along..
drink lots of coffee in oz, i'd say. gardens might be sad.

 

[UltraVelvet]

Hi folks, just saw this so thought I'd put my 2c in ... Dougal, Beli's dead right about Adelaide, I'm sorry!

It's lovely, kind of, but no atmos when there is no large event on. I go over yearly for Womadelaide and attempted to show some English mates around the place when Bowie toured in Feb this year, and apart from a fab seafood restaurant it's pretty dead. I do like the museum, the Botanic gardens are nice, and there is one - repeat ONE - good pub, called The Territorian, next to the entertainment centre. Adelaide has a kind of 'old maiden auntie trying to hang out with the kidz' feel to it somehow, LOL! Honestly, one morning and you're done, unless you have lots of mates to party with.

I agree with the QLD crowd, it rocks up there. In Brisbane, you want to head to the suburb called Fortitude Valley for the best pub & club scene.

For new year, Sydney has the largest street parties & fireworks, but Melbourne has the most to do, and better variety of places to see. Hope you enjoy the Olympics, should be a blast.

Sydney aquarium isn't much, true. There is now a Melbourne one, supposedly better, but I've not bothered to go. Best aquarium I've seen is in Auckland NZ - Kelly Tarlton's. Now THAT"S an aquarium! Anyone been there?

Jamiacan restaurant on Lygon st ... I was there Friday, didn't see one ... *checks citysearch* er, can't find one, but nearly every business down there is a restaurant of some sort, you can't really go wrong. Mostly Italian, few Indian & noodle palaces too. It's a good recommendation, anyway. Lots to do around there - movies, small play venues, good city walks, Readings Bookshop ...

When in Melbourne, be sure to get someone to take you up to Mount Dandenong, it's great up there - lots of great restaurants & cafes, cute shops & William Rickets Sanctuary is wonderful, lots of wildlife & rainforesty setting, WR was a sculptor, here's the site --> http://www.parkweb.vic.gov.au/1park_display.cfm?park=216

ShellBeThere - house tours?!?! OMG that is a trippy idea, LOL! Hilarious.

Ok, I've rambled enough. Summary = Melbourne good, Adelaide bad. Much sympathy for getting dragged to the festering pit of boredom & politics called Canberra. Have a great time over here!

Cheers ~Ultra

 

[dougal55]

hmmm UltraVelvet....

Thanks for posting your tips....

Well, Id love to drop out of visiting Adelaide but cant do as Im visiting pals there...however, Ive decided to cut short my stay there from a week to 4 days in order to spend more time in Melbourne... so, UltraVelvet Im still going there no matter what happens!

oh yeah I think my friend and I will have loads of Aussie friends to party with while we're in Adelaide and, without being judgemental about cities that I havent visited yet, I hope we are in for a good time there as well as Melbourne. Though in Melbourne itself, there will be a huge crowd of my pals who'll be there too so that might make Melbourne the odds-on favourite to "the place to PARTYYYYYYYYYYYYY" at the moment but we'll see when I get there first!

Anyway William Rickets Sanctuary sounds cool so I will ask my mates in Melbourne to try and put that in our "to-do" list and what a long list it is so far! IMHO, I dont think we will have time at all to do all of them in just 4 weeks but Im sure there will be some great memories by the time I leave for UK.

To summarise = Im still going to Adelaide and will certainly call in Melbourne as well as Canberra and Sydney and certainly not forgetting Tassie. No Brisbane or QLD Im afraid but you never know I might just have the time to visit for a couple of days who knows?

dougal

 

[cass]

#1. I already have one wide brimmed hat with the corks ....... I wanna wear something a bit more plain than that...

#2. about Tasmania. Im leaning towards spending the New Year there now!

#3.Can anyone here defend Adelaide?

#1.good idea dearheart, best to blend in ( we don't realy wear those things...unless the flies are really REALLY bad. Did you ever watch The Goodies? In one episode featuring Oz, Bill Oddie wore a cork hat...that still had the bottles attached.

#2. I was joking about the south west, that is the wilderness area...unless you really enjoy nature and solitude. For NYE I think maye stay be in a Tasmania city or town amongst wine( or James Boag beer) women (and men) and song ( and dance). Have fun wherever you end up.

#3. I haven't been there. My bro-in-law lives there. He has to though because that is where his airforce base is. He lives in a place called One Tree Hill
I have heard sevearl commentators say the Adelaide Cricket Oval is the best place in Oz to watch cricket. I have friends who moved here from Victor Harbour...it can't be all bad, although I wonder why they moved? And churches, they call it the city of churches. if you like early Aussie architecture you may be impressed.

and WILLIAM RICKETTS SANCTUARY!!!
I was originally going to mention that. I told ishkash about it last time someone asked for tourist advice about Oz.. I haven't travelled much, but I have been there and LOVED IT!!! I was lucky enought to meet William ( Billy) that day. it was not long before he died. My youngest son was about one and had snowy white hair them. William delighted in him. It's a fond memory of mine. he signed some cards for them to keep..."from the holy mountain of the vision within" I'd love to go there again. I LOVED the Dandenong Mountains.

Best wishes at the Olypmics and on your whole adventure.

PS: Melbourne is known as the city that has 4 seasons in one day, so all of our predictions about hot hot heat may be wrong. A lot of us are praying for rain, big rain.
Lorne, on the Great Ocean Road is where my hub spent his childhood holidays with his grandparents. Fond memories. I haven't seen that area, but I'd like to one day.
I'm always saying to hub , one day can we get a camper van set up and drive round Oz. he gives me that"you're mad woman! " look.
well I think it's a good idea.

I predict you are going to have an absolute ball.

 

[dougal55]

#1.good idea dearheart, best to blend in ( we don't realy wear those things...unless the flies are really REALLY bad. Did you ever watch The Goodies? In one episode featuring Oz, Bill Oddie wore a cork hat...that still had the bottles attached.

LOL, I vaguely remember the Goodies! I can imagine that scene in my head! I dont think I have seen that bit.... Thats true about the flies and, in the cities, they are not a nuisance right? Whereas they are bothersome outside the cities and in the Outback? What do you think?

#2. I was joking about the south west, that is the wilderness area...unless you really enjoy nature and solitude. For NYE I think maye stay be in a Tasmania city or town amongst wine( or James Boag beer) women (and men) and song ( and dance). Have fun wherever you end up.

Its most likely in either Hobart the biggest town in Tassie or in my friend's friend's place in Margate where it has a swimming pool, Jacuzzi, Tennis Court and a beautiful view from the house. No prizes for guessing where Im going! Actually NYE coincides with, according to my pal, the Sydney-Hobart yacht race so bound to be loads of people there!

#3. I haven't been there. My bro-in-law lives there. He has to though because that is where his airforce base is. He lives in a place called One Tree Hill
I have heard sevearl commentators say the Adelaide Cricket Oval is the best place in Oz to watch cricket. I have friends who moved here from Victor Harbour...it can't be all bad, although I wonder why they moved? And churches, they call it the city of churches. if you like early Aussie architecture you may be impressed.

Wow, your bro lives in One Tree Hill! cool! whereabouts is that in Adelaide? Ah cricket......sorry, I cant stand cricket at all....I hate the thought of sitting and watching men play on the field all day long! Ugh! The only way I would go if some of my pals are going too but will spend the time chatting to them rather than watch the cricket! LOL! For some, its an exciting sport perhaps but I have so much more excitement in watching soccer (or as Brits call it, footie). Churches? hmm interesting....I will look out for them as I do like a bit of architecture myself tho im no expert.

and WILLIAM RICKETTS SANCTUARY!!!
I was originally going to mention that. I told ishkash about it last time someone asked for tourist advice about Oz.. I haven't travelled much, but I have been there and LOVED IT!!! I was lucky enought to meet William ( Billy) that day. it was not long before he died. My youngest son was about one and had snowy white hair them. William delighted in him. It's a fond memory of mine. he signed some cards for them to keep..."from the holy mountain of the vision within" I'd love to go there again. I LOVED the Dandenong Mountains.

aww thats so sweet of Billy to chat to your son! thats a shame he died recently, how old was he? Hey did you take your son to Puffing Billy? I found out about that place thru a friend who lives there. If you did, did you and your son like it? Im curious about it as I may go there for a laugh with a few friends.

dougal

 

[cass]

ah yes lad, choose the jacuzz....i.
And a spot of tennis in the morning, sounds delightful. It sounds like a perfect plan.
Flies? it does depend on the weather and location. I don't think they'll be a bother to you. You'll have to much to do and be moving too fast for them to bother you I think.
William Ricketts lived to a great old age. My son was about one when they met and he will be 16 soon.My boys were Thomas the Tank Engine fans, but we never got to go on Puffing Billy. I've been to Melbourne twice and each time it was unfortunately a flying visit, just time to visit family and old hub's old friends, one of whom luckily for me, lived near the William Ricketts Sanctuary. ( I had a phrase I learned from William embroidered on the jacket i wore to my first U2 concert ZooTV "pmara kutata" spirit of place)

I haven't been to many live cricket matches( I did see the West Indies play once) but yeah, I tend to talk through the game too. My dad is a total cricket fan so I kind of learned to appreciate it via osmosis ( and perving at Imran Khan at the height of his career..shallow I know..)

Anyway I predict you are going to have fun fun fun. I'm excited ...and I'm not even going anywhere.