Am Loolah

Well, after nearly 3 years in NZ we finally left these shores for a short break in Oz. We thought we'd do the theme parks on the Gold Coast whilst my husband's nieces were over from the UK. I'd never been to Oz before.

I confess it wasn't my idea of a holiday (think more Bora Bora or Fiji for me) but it was about showing the kids a good time.

AUSTRALIA

It was hot, only 30-32 but felt waaay hotter. And didn't get cool in the evenings which was pleasant.
Spiders/lizards/bats/cockroaches all enormous.
We found ourselves on a 4 lane motorway - first time in 3 years!
It seemed better value for money having done the touristy things here and there, I guess to do with per head of people through the gates.
It seemed much more progressive but also agressive.
The Australians were not nearly as happy and friendly as the Kiwi's IMHO.
People say Auckland has a large Asian community, Surfer's Paradise is 10 times that.

NEW ZEALAND

More temperate climate - not the extremes that Oz was experiencing which was either drought or flood.
More laid back - which granted doesn't suit everyone.
You can't beat the scenary and the beaches!
$830 for 6 kids to go on 4 things over an hour and a half in Rotorua, compared to I think in the region of $130AUD for 6 kids and 2 adults all day in a theme park.

I loved arriving in to Akl airport to the "Welcome Home" mantra at Passport control.

My Hubby would like to move there now we have been, but he's outvoted 5 to 1 so it's not happening! I enjoyed the experience, but if I was to go again I'd rather do more sight seeing and city exploration - obviously not with 6 kids in tow!

Oh, and talk about bonus, bought something in Auckland the day before tax free and picked up at the airport in the morning even though we were only gone for 4 days!

dave77

Great thread! I would love to holiday in Oz but would not like to live there! NZ is definitely the place to be

dannigirl

WHHHHAAAAATTTT

Hokey-pokey

Sounds like me. I think you'd enjoy the Sunshine Coast in Oz a bit more. No theme parks ( which I hate 'cept for Seaworld ). Less hectic than the Gold Coast and the people are very mellow. Give it a go next time.

alanmacc

did the same thing in January there, went over for a week to Gold coast and did the theme parks.
In OZ defence (i know shoot me down) it does have an Ikea which was my OH first stop when we left Brizzie airport.
But as you said it was hot and humid which never really seemed to go away even in the middle of the night.
We too a trip up to Hinterland (O'Reilleys Rainforest) for my OH 40th birthday as a wee treat and came across a brown bellied snake which we were told is highly dangerous and can easily kill, one great thing about NZ no snakes !!!

Shopping was probably better, more choice and probably a little cheaper too.

But all in all we were glad to come home to Chch, but def worth it for a holiday.
Superman escape ......... man thats fast !!

Am Loolah

Ahhh, we flew straight in to Gold Coast ASirport, not that Ikea would have been on my list! We didn't shop as we didn't have time.

Yes, I was checking everywhere for snakes that would be a huge no no for me!

Superman Escape was the one ride that was closed on the day we went - thank goodness. I queued for 50 minutes with the family for the Scooby Doo ride. Got on it and thought yep, little ghost train for the youngest - all good. Then we stopped, reversed and there laid out infront of us was a bloody great roller coaster track. My 7 year old daughter now has permenant scarring from my fingernails in her palm and I got off shaking in tears. I'm soooo hard.

Am Loolah

Tell me about ... price list here.

alanmacc

*cough cough* way better value for money in Gold Coast, even if it does not have Bungee

alanmacc

I was so wanting to go n the scooby doo ride but my daughter is only 4 so it was a no can do, every time we went past it the was a massive line so I assumed it must be a decent coaster

Kiwiprincess

I loved the scooby doo ride!! Ok it scared me a little and when I argued about how scary it was a friend did point out that I have no street cred whatsoever if I expect to scare people with my tales of a scary ride called "Scooby Doo".

hjmilligan

Great thread,will be taking kids to gold coast in july and like you our first holiday since coming here 2 and half years ago. Anybody know what weather will be like as i aint got a clue?
Thanks

Helen

DeadVim

Christ mate, you'd choose Essex over Oz?

I'm originally from Chatham but served time in Chelmsford by the way

AndyR

We had originally planned to emigrate to Oz and had applied for our PR visa there in Oct 2008 before going traveling there in May 2009. We spent 7 months traveling around Oz in a campervan seeing loads of the country but personally I didn't like it.

We came through NZ on the way to Oz, but that 2 week holiday here made such an impression that it was always in the back of my mind.

To be honest one of the biggest things which put us of Oz, was that the ozzies were just not that friendly. Once they found out we were british the pom bashing starting, which wore thin very quickly. Then when they found out we didn't drink beer, oh god, I might have well had 2 heads the way they looked at me.

The heat was nice for a while but after a bit it just got unbearable. Sure we didn't have aircon but we don't here and are managing fine.

All in all though the appeal of NZ just won through. Personally I have found Kiwi's to be some of the friendlist people I have ever met and that was a huge factor in us coming here. The weather is also much nicer here, none of the constant pouring sweat!

Oh, and there was only so many times I could put up with finding spiders in the camper, have cockroaches run up my leg, and the fact that you can't sit down on the grass ANYWHERE in Oz without being covered in ants in seconds!

alanmacc

Hi
A good possibility that it will rain, but dont let that put you off, it rained for the first two days we were there in Jan and we still did the theme parks.
Temps likely to be in the mid to high 20's

crap coffee

yeah...