Australia

[wyblue]

Looking at going to Australia 2010. My DS would be 10 by then and I was wondering if anyone with children that young have done the Aussie trip and how did the kids hold up? Especially that long, long flight!! Any info appreciated.

 

[2littlestitches]

Hi there......I went with my two boys age 6 and 7. It was such a wonderful trip, and honestly going to be hard to top. I've been looking through the 2009 adventures, and I have to say Australia ranks way way up there in terms of an exciting itinerary!

The flight was the hardest part about the whole trip, but we made it and the travel was worth it for the adventures we had!

I wrote a little about our trip in a previous Australia thread, so you can check there for more info. Good luck!

 

[wyblue]

Thanks for the info. We just returned from the Galapagos and he did really well, but the longest flight was only 5 hours. 30 hours is a big difference. Will check out your trip report asap. Thanks again.

 

[mountainjourno]

I'm Australian (and a former tour guide there) so I might be able to help! (Currently living in Canada though)

Flights are rarely a problem - plenty of movies onboard keep the kids occupied, and if you bring books and a few things he's interested in, he'll be fine.

Our kids are 5 and 6, and have no problems on the flights.

The activities/destinations they are have listed on the ABD look great. I used to be a tour guide in central Australia (Ayers Rock region) and have dived and snorkelled the Great Barrier Reef. You'll have a blast

 

[Bobo912]

I'm considering Australia for our next trip. We would need to go during my kiddo's summer vacation. mountainjourno or anybody else who knows, is it warm enough snorkel at the Great Barrier Reef in June, July or early August? I looked at the averages on weather.com and it looks fairly warm, but even temps in the 70s can feel cold when you're wet.

 

[abdmom]

I'd like to do Australia as well at some time. Adding on to Bobo's question, how is the weather in December or March compared to June/July/August? Which timeframe would you recommend?

Thanks

 

[mountainjourno]

I'd like to do Australia as well at some time. Adding on to Bobo's question, how is the weather in December or March compared to June/July/August? Which timeframe would you recommend?

Thanks

December is stinking hot. This is not a trip I could recommend for that time of year, as all of Central Australia will be around 110F+ and northern Australia (where Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef are) will be in typhoon season (lots of rain storms, and worst case - a cyclone).

Worse - you can't swim off beaches in northern Australia in December because of the box jellyfish (which will kill you very quickly, but painfully). They aren't there at all in June, July or August, so it's very safe to swim then. (Note: you can swim on the Great Barrier Reef and around little islands off shore at any time of the year - it's just the mainland beaches you need to avoid).

March is between good and bad. You don't know what you're getting until it happens.

June/July/August are the ideal times to go for the parts of Australia that ABD go. Cairns is tropical (so it will still be hot, but you'll be able to swim without any worries). Central Australia is beautiful at that time of year - around 80F and dry. Sydney is lovely at any time of the year, including December (and my husband is taking the kids back "home" for December this year).

Hope that helps!

 

[mountainjourno]

I'm considering Australia for our next trip. We would need to go during my kiddo's summer vacation. mountainjourno or anybody else who knows, is it warm enough snorkel at the Great Barrier Reef in June, July or early August? I looked at the averages on weather.com and it looks fairly warm, but even temps in the 70s can feel cold when you're wet.

Definitely hot enough - June, July and August are the best times to go there. You'll love it

 

[Bobo912]

Definitely hot enough - June, July and August are the best times to go there. You'll love it

That's great! Thanks for the info. Any suggestions on how to get the least expensive airfare?

 

[mountainjourno]

That's great! Thanks for the info. Any suggestions on how to get the least expensive airfare?

Here is an article I wrote that might help you out with that question

http://www.holidayinspirations.com....itsunday-Islands/Travelling-to-Australia.html

Also - here are a couple of articles I wrote about some of the destinations you'd be going to with ABD:

http://www.holidayinspirations.com....region/Townsville/The-Great-Barrier-Reef.html

http://www.holidayinspirations.com....AliceSprings/Ayers-Rock/Uluru-Ayers-Rock.html

Hope that helps inspire you to go to Australia! It's a fun place

 

[farscape]

mountain journo,

Really appreciate you sharing your insights regarding Australia and the links to the articles that you wrote.

You are a gifted writer that brings your readers along to experience the places you are describing.

Australia is definitely on my "bucket list". However, I now believe that I will need to plan for a 4 week trip once I am retired as I would like to visit New Zealand and possibly Fiji or Tahiti as well. Because of the distance, it would probably be a once in a lifetime trip that I would not want to rush through.

Thank you so much.

 

[Bobo912]

Here is an article I wrote that might help you out with that question

http://www.holidayinspirations.com....itsunday-Islands/Travelling-to-Australia.html

Also - here are a couple of articles I wrote about some of the destinations you'd be going to with ABD:

http://www.holidayinspirations.com....region/Townsville/The-Great-Barrier-Reef.html

http://www.holidayinspirations.com....AliceSprings/Ayers-Rock/Uluru-Ayers-Rock.html

Hope that helps inspire you to go to Australia! It's a fun place

Thanks so much! I think I'm going to do it!

 

[wyblue]

Thanks mountainjourno!! Booked yesterday, but not going till 2010. We just got back from the Galapagos Islands and need to have some time for saving! My son will be 10 by then also. I really want him to remember this trip...I know I will. It sounds awesome. Read your articles and showed them to my son. He said they were cool!!

 

[mountainjourno]

I'm glad they helped (and thanks for the compliments! )

Have fun anticipating your adventures Down Under!

 

[tfc3rid]

I so want to visit Austrailia... I'm so intimidated by travel that I would imagine for a trip like this I would perfer a tour... Maybe 2010...

 

[abdmom]

tfc,

ABD does so much for you on the trips! Basically everything except wake you up and carry you! Although, I'm sure if you didn't show up in the morning, they would be phoning your room or knocking on the door! It is a very pampered way to travel. I get so spoiled.

 

[beansf]

I don't have that much to add, except that we leave for Australia in 62 days! We have been waiting so long and are absolutely brimming over with excitement. My husband visited in 2001, but this is my first trip Down Under and being able to go is a dream come true.

 

[wyblue]

I don't have that much to add, except that we leave for Australia in 62 days! We have been waiting so long and are absolutely brimming over with excitement. My husband visited in 2001, but this is my first trip Down Under and being able to go is a dream come true.

beansf,
Where are you flying out of? Did you book your own flights or did you let ABD handle it? I hope you have time for a trip report when you get back...I would love to hear about it!!

 

[beansf]

We actually live about 5 minutes from the San Francisco Airport so we are flying out of SFO. I did plenty of research on flights beforehand, and when I found the one I wanted I called ABD with the airline (United) and the flight numbers and let them book it, since I purchased the travel insurance through them.

I do hope to do a trip report when we return. I am taking a travel journal and we are taking two cameras so we can document every moment. It may take me a couple of weeks to get it all together when we return, but I will certainly try my best. I know how great it is to have those to read when you are waiting around for your trip to start. I have enjoyed many great reports here.

 

[Bobo912]

I just booked for Jun '09!!!!!