Alan

On Mon, 17 May 2004 11:23:49 +0200, "Grinberg" <[email protected]>
wrote:

    >Hi,
    >My husband and I are planning to spend about 6 weeks-2 months in
    >Australia/New Zealand, starting mid-October. We are overwhelmed by all
    >there is to see, and are having trouble planning an itinerary.
    >We'll probably fly into Sydney and use that as a starting point. In
    >Australia, we'd also like to visit Melbourne, Alice Springs, the Great
    >Barrier Reef, possibly Perth, possibly Tasmania. Is it reasonable to visit
    >Kakadu park that time of year? Are there other places we shouldn't miss?
    >We are more interested in outdoor activities and nature than in museums and
    >historic sites.
    >We don't know how much time to allot to each place, where we will need
    >rental cars, etc.
    >In New Zealand, we plan to rent a car and travel by car through both
    >islands. This seems the easier part of the trip to plan.
    >Thanks for any help you can give us.
    >Annice
Just on climate and timing.

In October, your best bet is to start at the top and work your way
south.

So, in order, I'd go:
Arrive Darwin - Kakadu - Darwin - Alice Springs (incl Uluru)- Cairns -
Sydney - NZ - Melbourne - Perth or Tassie - home.

The logic is that you should beat the wet in the north, and by the time
you hit NZ it should be starting to warm up.

How long you spend in each place depends on your interests. To work out
times, I'm basing this on fifty days total from entry to exit, including
ten days of A-to-B travel, so forty days of looking or wandering. You
are probably totally different to me, but in that time scale, allowing a
day for travel each time; this is a rough guide based on my interests.
Numbers are days, arriving in Darwin and departing from Perth or
Melbourne:

Kakadu 3, Alice-Uluru 2, Reef 6, Sydney 6, South island 6, North Island
6, Melbourne 3, Perth or Tassie 3 to 5. Add the extra few days where you
like most.

I say Tassie or Perth because fitting both in is a lot of extra travel.

HTH

PS Download "qantim" from the qantas site to help with your itinerary
planning. I've checked, and there are direct flights for all of those
legs.

Cheers, Alan
--

Grinberg

Hi,

My husband and I are planning to spend about 6 weeks-2 months in
Australia/New Zealand, starting mid-October. We are overwhelmed by all
there is to see, and are having trouble planning an itinerary.

We'll probably fly into Sydney and use that as a starting point. In
Australia, we'd also like to visit Melbourne, Alice Springs, the Great
Barrier Reef, possibly Perth, possibly Tasmania. Is it reasonable to visit
Kakadu park that time of year? Are there other places we shouldn't miss?
We are more interested in outdoor activities and nature than in museums and
historic sites.

We don't know how much time to allot to each place, where we will need
rental cars, etc.

In New Zealand, we plan to rent a car and travel by car through both
islands. This seems the easier part of the trip to plan.

Thanks for any help you can give us.

Annice

Ralph R

Annice,

Kakadu and the Top End are typically stinking hot in the build up to
the Wet Season. At that time of year, I'd be tempted to swap Kakadu
for something more southerly. One suggestion is to drive
Melbourne-Adelaide along the beautiful Great Ocean Road, taking 2-4
days. Some nice bushwalks in the Otway Ranges en route. You could also
visit Kangaroo Island, which everyone raves about for its beauty and
its wildlife. When you get to Adelaide you could take the Ghan (the
train) north to ALice and see Uluru and the Red Center from there.
Granted it will be getting hot in the Red Center as well, but maybe
not as oppressive as the far north.

Ralph R, CT, USA

"Grinberg" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
    > Hi,
    >
    > My husband and I are planning to spend about 6 weeks-2 months in
    > Australia/New Zealand, starting mid-October. We are overwhelmed by all
    > there is to see, and are having trouble planning an itinerary.
    >
    > We'll probably fly into Sydney and use that as a starting point. In
    > Australia, we'd also like to visit Melbourne, Alice Springs, the Great
    > Barrier Reef, possibly Perth, possibly Tasmania. Is it reasonable to visit
    > Kakadu park that time of year? Are there other places we shouldn't miss?
    > We are more interested in outdoor activities and nature than in museums and
    > historic sites.
    >
    > We don't know how much time to allot to each place, where we will need
    > rental cars, etc.
    >
    > In New Zealand, we plan to rent a car and travel by car through both
    > islands. This seems the easier part of the trip to plan.
    >
    > Thanks for any help you can give us.
    >
    > Annice

vicki Steven

in article [email protected], Grinberg at [email protected]
wrote on 17/5/04 9:23 PM:

    > Hi,
    >
    > My husband and I are planning to spend about 6 weeks-2 months in
    > Australia/New Zealand, starting mid-October. We are overwhelmed by all
    > there is to see, and are having trouble planning an itinerary.

    > In New Zealand, we plan to rent a car and travel by car through both
    > islands. This seems the easier part of the trip to plan.

Hi Annice

Assuming you'll allow about 2 weeks to NZ you won't have time to try to see
a lot on both islands - I'd strongly urge if you are driving that you do a
circuit of the SI (November is a lovely time in NZ - springtime). If you
really wanted to you could fly from Christchurch to Rotorua to see the
thermal area & Maori culture and take a day tour on to Auckland to fly home
but driving both islands would be hard work. Our roads are narrow and
winding - generally you wouldn't want to drive more than 250-300 Km on
average per day. A lot of the "sights" are simply the scenery but there are
activities that you need to allow time for like glacier hikes, jet boating,
dolphin cruises etc, so you don't want to spend 5 hours a day driving.

Vicki

Airport Transfers Australia

Hi,
I live and work within the Tourism industry in Perth. If you decide this is
a place to visit email me with some of your interests and time frame that
you have allowed and I will be happy to forward some suggestions.

Phillip

"vicki Steven" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:BCCFE002.1F3D6%[email protected]...
    > in article [email protected], Grinberg at [email protected]
    > wrote on 17/5/04 9:23 PM:
    > > Hi,
    > >
    > > My husband and I are planning to spend about 6 weeks-2 months in
    > > Australia/New Zealand, starting mid-October. We are overwhelmed by all
    > > there is to see, and are having trouble planning an itinerary.
    > > In New Zealand, we plan to rent a car and travel by car through both
    > > islands. This seems the easier part of the trip to plan.
    > Hi Annice
    > Assuming you'll allow about 2 weeks to NZ you won't have time to try to
see
    > a lot on both islands - I'd strongly urge if you are driving that you do a
    > circuit of the SI (November is a lovely time in NZ - springtime). If you
    > really wanted to you could fly from Christchurch to Rotorua to see the
    > thermal area & Maori culture and take a day tour on to Auckland to fly
home
    > but driving both islands would be hard work. Our roads are narrow and
    > winding - generally you wouldn't want to drive more than 250-300 Km on
    > average per day. A lot of the "sights" are simply the scenery but there
are
    > activities that you need to allow time for like glacier hikes, jet
boating,
    > dolphin cruises etc, so you don't want to spend 5 hours a day driving.
    > Vicki

Glyndon Drewett

Not sure about that area, however, I live on the Sunshine Coast, and always
happy to show people around the coast here. I work for the Chanellor Park
Tavern, and can be contacted at [email protected] and feel free to send
me an email and then at least I can buy you and your husband some lunch or a
coffee and show you Noosa and Mooloolaba.

Regards,

Glynn.

[email protected]

Hi Annice,

About your NZ itinerary:

I agree with Vicki that you really shouldn't miss Rotorua (North
Island/middle). I think you should spend at least two days there. As
you seem to like outdoor activities, you might also want to walk the
Tongariro crossing (NI/middle). This walk is called NZ's most
spectacular day walk and I found it really was! The other thing not to
miss is the Milford Sound (South Island/west coast - 1 day). And the
third area I'd recommend is the Marlborough Sounds (SI/north). You can
rent a double kayak for the day (really not too difficult; we never
kayaked before) and/or enjoy some wine tastings and/or walk part of
the Queen Charlotte trek (there's a boat shuttle to 4 pick-up/drop-off
points from Picton). Have a look at my website for more info.

Hope you enjoy your trip!
Boukeline
http://www.new-zealand-camper-van-ad...dventures.html

"Grinberg" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
    > Hi,
    >
    > My husband and I are planning to spend about 6 weeks-2 months in
    > Australia/New Zealand, starting mid-October. We are overwhelmed by all
    > there is to see, and are having trouble planning an itinerary.
    >
    > We'll probably fly into Sydney and use that as a starting point. In
    > Australia, we'd also like to visit Melbourne, Alice Springs, the Great
    > Barrier Reef, possibly Perth, possibly Tasmania. Is it reasonable to visit
    > Kakadu park that time of year? Are there other places we shouldn't miss?
    > We are more interested in outdoor activities and nature than in museums and
    > historic sites.
    >
    > We don't know how much time to allot to each place, where we will need
    > rental cars, etc.
    >
    > In New Zealand, we plan to rent a car and travel by car through both
    > islands. This seems the easier part of the trip to plan.
    >
    > Thanks for any help you can give us.
    >
    > Annice