Cousin Orville
Inventor of Air Cooling
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2000
Australia Trip Report 2015
- Thread starter Cousin Orville
- Start date
Cousin Orville
Inventor of Air Cooling
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2000
Day 5 - Uluru to Sydney
We woke up early enough to see catch the sunrise, but it probably wasn’t as dramatic as it normally would be due to the overcast sky. Still, it was nice to get out and have a mini hike up to the lookout point.
Breakfast was not particularly memorable. It’s a few days later now as I type this. Reflecting back, the best hotel breakfast buffet was in Sydney. The others were all ok, but nothing exceptional. Freycinet (Tasmania) had the best view by far. We just arrived in Hobart this evening FYI.
After breakfast we gathered up all the luggage and headed out to Kata Tjuta. So Uluru is obviously what draws travels to the middle of nowhere, but it’s not the only attraction. Kata Tjuta is similar - its basically a big rock formation sticking out of the ground. However, its made of multiple rocks whereas Uluru is literally one gigantic solid rock. Kata Tjuta is considerably wider and taller and more dynamic with it’s multiple peaks. I met someone on my pre nights that preferred Kata Tjuta over Uluru, and that seems to be a common opinion. I still prefer Uluru with it’s symmetry, but they’re both pretty incredible. Apparently the rock formations go down several kilometers underground and are some of the oldest geological formations anywhere. Hard to imagine.
We hiked through Kata Tjuta for about an hour before heading back to the airport. Speaking of hiking, Australia has definitely been a more active trip compared to the Asian ABDs (China and SE Asia). We had multiple hikes, zip lining, kayaking, snorkeling, and surfing. Not that it’s better or worse than the China or SE Asia. It’s just more active. We’ve loved it so far, and it’s been a nice change from our previous ABD’s together. It’s definitely pushed our comfort zones and that’s a good thing. There were a lot of firsts for the both of us.
I’ve heard of guests doing optional camel rides (for a fee) in the past in Uluru on this day, but we did not have that option. My guess is the timing made it impossible. It would have to be very early, as we left the hotel at 9:00am (with breakfast and bag pull before that). Not a big deal (for us), but something to note for others taking this trip.
Our trip to Uluru in the "Red Centre” was a brief one, but well worth it. Uluru is said to be the most remote place on Earth - farthest away from any large city. I don’t know if that’s true, but it certainly feels true. It is so dramatically different and far removed from Sydney or Cairns. That’s another great thing about this trip. The variety in what you see from tropical north Queensland, to the desert, to Sydney, to Tasmania. They are all vastly different from each other. Again, being in Hobart now, I’ve really felt like I’ve seen quite a bit of Australia. There’s more I’d like to see such as Melbourne and maybe western Australia, and I hope to one day return and see stars above Uluru
. But this was definitely a very well rounded trip.
We flew to Sydney in the early afternoon and drove to Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair for our first glimpse of the Opera House. Gavin and I had visited this spot before, but not in the evening. It was very dramatic and a perfect way to start our stay in Sydney.
We checked into the Sheraton and everyone was relieved we were back in civilization compared to our hotel in Uluru The Sheraton is definitely the nicest hotel of the trip. The restaurant buffet was also very good. Most everyone dressed up slightly for the dinner. The restaurant, Feast, was having a Christmas in July theme so Christmas decorations were everywhere. Another nice thing about this trip is the availability of very good Australian/Tasmanian wines by the glass here and really everywhere on the trip. It really makes me want to visit a winery in Australia around Sydney or Melbourne. We do get to visit a winery in Tasmania, but more about that later - (it was a lot of fun).
We woke up early enough to see catch the sunrise, but it probably wasn’t as dramatic as it normally would be due to the overcast sky. Still, it was nice to get out and have a mini hike up to the lookout point.
Breakfast was not particularly memorable. It’s a few days later now as I type this. Reflecting back, the best hotel breakfast buffet was in Sydney. The others were all ok, but nothing exceptional. Freycinet (Tasmania) had the best view by far. We just arrived in Hobart this evening FYI.
After breakfast we gathered up all the luggage and headed out to Kata Tjuta. So Uluru is obviously what draws travels to the middle of nowhere, but it’s not the only attraction. Kata Tjuta is similar - its basically a big rock formation sticking out of the ground. However, its made of multiple rocks whereas Uluru is literally one gigantic solid rock. Kata Tjuta is considerably wider and taller and more dynamic with it’s multiple peaks. I met someone on my pre nights that preferred Kata Tjuta over Uluru, and that seems to be a common opinion. I still prefer Uluru with it’s symmetry, but they’re both pretty incredible. Apparently the rock formations go down several kilometers underground and are some of the oldest geological formations anywhere. Hard to imagine.
We hiked through Kata Tjuta for about an hour before heading back to the airport. Speaking of hiking, Australia has definitely been a more active trip compared to the Asian ABDs (China and SE Asia). We had multiple hikes, zip lining, kayaking, snorkeling, and surfing. Not that it’s better or worse than the China or SE Asia. It’s just more active. We’ve loved it so far, and it’s been a nice change from our previous ABD’s together. It’s definitely pushed our comfort zones and that’s a good thing. There were a lot of firsts for the both of us.
I’ve heard of guests doing optional camel rides (for a fee) in the past in Uluru on this day, but we did not have that option. My guess is the timing made it impossible. It would have to be very early, as we left the hotel at 9:00am (with breakfast and bag pull before that). Not a big deal (for us), but something to note for others taking this trip.
Our trip to Uluru in the "Red Centre” was a brief one, but well worth it. Uluru is said to be the most remote place on Earth - farthest away from any large city. I don’t know if that’s true, but it certainly feels true. It is so dramatically different and far removed from Sydney or Cairns. That’s another great thing about this trip. The variety in what you see from tropical north Queensland, to the desert, to Sydney, to Tasmania. They are all vastly different from each other. Again, being in Hobart now, I’ve really felt like I’ve seen quite a bit of Australia. There’s more I’d like to see such as Melbourne and maybe western Australia, and I hope to one day return and see stars above Uluru
. But this was definitely a very well rounded trip.We flew to Sydney in the early afternoon and drove to Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair for our first glimpse of the Opera House. Gavin and I had visited this spot before, but not in the evening. It was very dramatic and a perfect way to start our stay in Sydney.
We checked into the Sheraton and everyone was relieved we were back in civilization compared to our hotel in Uluru
The Sheraton is definitely the nicest hotel of the trip. The restaurant buffet was also very good. Most everyone dressed up slightly for the dinner. The restaurant, Feast, was having a Christmas in July theme so Christmas decorations were everywhere. Another nice thing about this trip is the availability of very good Australian/Tasmanian wines by the glass here and really everywhere on the trip. It really makes me want to visit a winery in Australia around Sydney or Melbourne. We do get to visit a winery in Tasmania, but more about that later - (it was a lot of fun).
Last edited:
Cousin Orville
Inventor of Air Cooling
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2000
Day 5 - Uluru to Sydney
*WDW*Groupie*
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2006
Your picture from Mrs. Macquarie's chair is stunning. Did you use an aperture setting with a tripod?
Cousin Orville
Inventor of Air Cooling
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2000
I rested the camera on a rock ledge and set the timer. It was a long exposure. Had to rotate the image to get it straight
Cousin Orville
Inventor of Air Cooling
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2000
Day 6 - Sydney
This morning was scheduled for a bicycle ride through The Rocks. As Gavin and I stayed at the Hyatt and went all around the Rocks and Sydney Harbour bridge nearby, we elected to skip it and shop downtown near the hotel. 1 or 2 other families did the same.
We went to two shopping areas. The first was a block away from he hotel and is the major pedestrian shopping mall. We went to the Katmandu store which sells outdoor clothes/gear. Awesome stuff. We picked up a heavier jacket and gloves for our trip down to Tasmania. I was prepared for the cold weather in Sydney, but not anything colder. Thankfully they were having a major 50% off winter sale so we got some excellent deals. The next shopping area was the Queen Victoria Building which is a beautiful historical building. The shopping wasn’t interesting to us. It was a bit more fashion/higher end. But it was a cool building to visit.
Next we headed over to Circular Quay to meet with the others. We arrived 1/2 early so we got and ice cream and waited by the pier overlooking the Opera House. How time flies. Not too long ago we were staying right around this area.
At some point around here, Suzanne and Amber were renamed Suzamber - which is a perfect fit as they make up such a great team. They took us a ferry ride on Sydney Harbour where lunch was provided. Following that was a tour of the Opera House. The guide was great and it was cool to see both sides of the Opera House. We had been in the opera side before when we saw La Traviata. The other half of what you see (the 2 big sails or waves on the outside) is the orchestra hall which is even larger inside. We even lucked out as the symphony was practicing and played us a 10 minute piece of music. Perfect timing.
At that point (around 5pm) we had the evening to ourselves. I gave Gavin a few options for dinner and he chose a Greek restaurant. We were on a Greece DCL cruise last year and I guess that made an impression on him. So we went to Medusa not too far from the hotel. It was really good. Just as good as I remember any place in Greece. We had fresh calamari. Gavin had lamb, and I had swordfish and scallops. Great food. From there we went back to the hotel to relax. All in all a pretty easy going day.
This morning was scheduled for a bicycle ride through The Rocks. As Gavin and I stayed at the Hyatt and went all around the Rocks and Sydney Harbour bridge nearby, we elected to skip it and shop downtown near the hotel. 1 or 2 other families did the same.
We went to two shopping areas. The first was a block away from he hotel and is the major pedestrian shopping mall. We went to the Katmandu store which sells outdoor clothes/gear. Awesome stuff. We picked up a heavier jacket and gloves for our trip down to Tasmania. I was prepared for the cold weather in Sydney, but not anything colder. Thankfully they were having a major 50% off winter sale so we got some excellent deals. The next shopping area was the Queen Victoria Building which is a beautiful historical building. The shopping wasn’t interesting to us. It was a bit more fashion/higher end. But it was a cool building to visit.
Next we headed over to Circular Quay to meet with the others. We arrived 1/2 early so we got and ice cream and waited by the pier overlooking the Opera House. How time flies. Not too long ago we were staying right around this area.
At some point around here, Suzanne and Amber were renamed Suzamber - which is a perfect fit as they make up such a great team. They took us a ferry ride on Sydney Harbour where lunch was provided. Following that was a tour of the Opera House. The guide was great and it was cool to see both sides of the Opera House. We had been in the opera side before when we saw La Traviata. The other half of what you see (the 2 big sails or waves on the outside) is the orchestra hall which is even larger inside. We even lucked out as the symphony was practicing and played us a 10 minute piece of music. Perfect timing.
At that point (around 5pm) we had the evening to ourselves. I gave Gavin a few options for dinner and he chose a Greek restaurant. We were on a Greece DCL cruise last year and I guess that made an impression on him. So we went to Medusa not too far from the hotel. It was really good. Just as good as I remember any place in Greece. We had fresh calamari. Gavin had lamb, and I had swordfish and scallops. Great food. From there we went back to the hotel to relax. All in all a pretty easy going day.
Cousin Orville
Inventor of Air Cooling
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2000
Day 6 - Sydney
The Queen Victorian Building - now a high end shopping mall
We met up with he rest of our group at Circular Quay.
We sailed out into Sydney Harbour with awesome views. We went almost as far out as Manly Beach and back towards Darling Harbour. There was a nice buffet lunch served on board
Here we’re crossing under Sydney Harbour Bridge sailing towards Darling Harbour.
Next up: the Sydney Opera House tour!
These steps are very familiar. We walked up these several days ago on our way to the performance.
In back of the performance hall they have a spectacular waiting area overlooking the harbour.
Gavin with Suzamber - awesome guides!
The Queen Victorian Building - now a high end shopping mall
We met up with he rest of our group at Circular Quay.
We sailed out into Sydney Harbour with awesome views. We went almost as far out as Manly Beach and back towards Darling Harbour. There was a nice buffet lunch served on board
Here we’re crossing under Sydney Harbour Bridge sailing towards Darling Harbour.
Next up: the Sydney Opera House tour!
These steps are very familiar. We walked up these several days ago on our way to the performance.
In back of the performance hall they have a spectacular waiting area overlooking the harbour.
Gavin with Suzamber - awesome guides!
Cousin Orville
Inventor of Air Cooling
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2000
We're sitting in Sydney airport waiting for our flight home reflecting back. It was an amazing trip. All my ABD trips have been incredible (France, China, SE Asia, Backstage Magic), but I have to say I think this one was my favorite. China and SE Asia had better hotels and perhaps better restaurants. They all have their iconic landmarks - Great Wall, Terra Cotta Warriors, Angkor Wat, Great Barrier Reef and Uluru. However, there's something about the people of Australia and their culture that made his trip so awesome. Before I left, I was wondering if it would be worth it to travel so far and arrive at a destination not entirely different from home. While it's not exotic SE Asia, it is a world apart from America. There's such a unique way of life that's set upon a landscape that for the most part is totally different from back home. It's absolutely worth visiting.
More days to come soon....
More days to come soon....
Cousin Orville
Inventor of Air Cooling
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2000
Day 7 - Sydney
This morning we headed out to Bondi Beach for surf lessons. This was an awesome activity. Neither Gavin or I did particularly well with the surfing, but it was still lots of fun. I was able to stand up for once for about 5 seconds. It was fun while it lasted!
After surfing we ate at the Bondi RSL Club. We had fish and chips, and they were super good. Probably my favorite lunch of the tour. After lunch we drove back to Sydney and had the rest of day to ourselves.
I booked Gavin and me on a Twilight Bridge Climb. It ended up being timed perfectly. Our meeting time was 3:05 and sunset was at 5:15. It takes about an hour to get suited up and onto the bridge. Then it takes about an hour going up and an hour going back. We ended up seeing the sunset right at the top of the bridge. It was an incredible experience, and I highly recommend it. It wasn’t near as rigorous as I thought it might be. Gavin did very well with it and ended up leading the way. It’s a must do while in Sydney.
By the time we took all our gear off and shopped a little it was at least 6:30 before we left. Tomorrow morning would be extremely early, so we wanted to find something easy and not too far. I ended up taking WDWGroupie’s recommendation on Ventura in the Rocks. We took Uber over there (even though we could have walked it in 10-15 min.) It was excellent pizza. We must have worked up an appetite because we finished one pizza and then ordered and finished a second. All with good wine of course. We took a taxi back to the Sheraton and basically got to bed ASAP. Tomorrow would be EARLY!
This morning we headed out to Bondi Beach for surf lessons. This was an awesome activity. Neither Gavin or I did particularly well with the surfing, but it was still lots of fun. I was able to stand up for once for about 5 seconds. It was fun while it lasted!
After surfing we ate at the Bondi RSL Club. We had fish and chips, and they were super good. Probably my favorite lunch of the tour. After lunch we drove back to Sydney and had the rest of day to ourselves.
I booked Gavin and me on a Twilight Bridge Climb. It ended up being timed perfectly. Our meeting time was 3:05 and sunset was at 5:15. It takes about an hour to get suited up and onto the bridge. Then it takes about an hour going up and an hour going back. We ended up seeing the sunset right at the top of the bridge. It was an incredible experience, and I highly recommend it. It wasn’t near as rigorous as I thought it might be. Gavin did very well with it and ended up leading the way. It’s a must do while in Sydney.
By the time we took all our gear off and shopped a little it was at least 6:30 before we left. Tomorrow morning would be extremely early, so we wanted to find something easy and not too far. I ended up taking WDWGroupie’s recommendation on Ventura in the Rocks. We took Uber over there (even though we could have walked it in 10-15 min.) It was excellent pizza. We must have worked up an appetite because we finished one pizza and then ordered and finished a second. All with good wine of course. We took a taxi back to the Sheraton and basically got to bed ASAP. Tomorrow would be EARLY!
Cousin Orville
Inventor of Air Cooling
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2000
Day 7 - Sydney
Bondi Beach!
The Bondi Surf Life Saving Club - apparently Clubs worldwide have volunteers that act as life guards for beaches. They said it was one of the largest volunteer organizations in the world. I had never heard of it before. We had a chance to go inside to hear more about their story and the surfing culture of Bondi.
Inside the club
Bondi Beach!
The Bondi Surf Life Saving Club - apparently Clubs worldwide have volunteers that act as life guards for beaches. They said it was one of the largest volunteer organizations in the world. I had never heard of it before. We had a chance to go inside to hear more about their story and the surfing culture of Bondi.
Inside the club
CaliforniaGirl09
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2009
Wow, high praise! It's on our very long list
Safe travels!Thanks for the great report, Kevin. We are going to Australia and New Zealand next August. Not doing ABD, but our itinerary includes many of the activities you have done. So, it is nice to get a bit of a sneak preview. Again, thanks for taking the time to share your experience.
*WDW*Groupie*
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2006
I'm glad you enjoyed the pizza at Ventura. We tried to go back when we were in Sydney with ABD but it had closed for a few weeks for renovations.
The pictures of the bridge climb at sunset are stunning. Looks like you had mostly sunny weather on your trip (except for the clouds in Uluru)!
I am reliving my amazing memories of the trip with my daughter through your trip report. Thank you so much for sharing with us.
The pictures of the bridge climb at sunset are stunning. Looks like you had mostly sunny weather on your trip (except for the clouds in Uluru)!
I am reliving my amazing memories of the trip with my daughter through your trip report. Thank you so much for sharing with us.
Thanks for your great trip report(I loved the China one too and can't wait to go in 2017). I also can't wait to do this ABD in December. I've booked the Bridge Climb for Xmas day. I'm kind of happy it worked out that way. Did ABD provide transportation to the Bridge Climb or did you have to get there on your own? I was told they would, but just wanted to confirm so that I know whether I need to get there myself.
Cousin Orville
Inventor of Air Cooling
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2000
Wow, high praise! It's on our very long list
Thanks! We made it home safely. I understand about that long list!
Great to hear. I would love to see New Zealand. There was one family on our tour that did a "post trip" to New Zealand for a week. Tasmania was incredible, but they could just as well change to New Zealand. The flight time would end up being about the same I think... more on that later. And even if they kept it to 4 days in NZ like Tassie, guests could easily add post days. Seems like a easy change that might make the ABD more popular.
Cousin Orville
Inventor of Air Cooling
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2000
Thanks for both the suggestions of Ventura and Fish on the Rocks. They were outstanding! Yeah the weather was very good with the exception of the clouds in Uluru. I'll just have to go back and try again
And thanks for your report about doing the opera and bridge climb with your daughter. I had mixed thoughts about it prior to going. That helped convince me, and they were both well worth doing.Now you have me questioning my decision to do China in 2017. Maybe I should do Australia first.
Sayhello
You can't lose either way. They're both great trips! I'm sure I could form a strong argument for either one.
There were many on our group that did the bridge climb the 2nd day in Sydney. Probably more did than didn't. We finished up surfing and were back at the hotel between 1:30-2:00 where we dropped off our bathing suits and changed for the climb. ABD did not provide transportation to the BridgeClimb. I'm not sure how they would, because everyone had separate climb times. We just took a taxi from the hotel - very easy. I preferred the taxi, but you could also walk it in 20 minutes. It's pretty easy to find. Just GoogleMap "BridgeClimb". You want to get there at least 15 minutes early. There's a good gift shop and there are pictures scattered about of famous actors, musicians, royalty, etc making the climb.
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