[beowulf]

Hey guys. I started another thread for this. Thank you in advance for answering. As I said. My fiance' and I a going to be getting married in Perth sometime next year. Haven't decided on a date yet. We are planning on doing a Perth Wedding, with Koala's. We are planning it though a Australian wedding planner. So my questions to you guys.

When is a good time of year to get married. We would prefer it not to be extrememly hot. Hopefully 70-80's. What time of year would produce those temperatures?

And what can you suggest we see? We are not into the typical touristy type things. We want to meet and see Australia. See how her poeple live and talk to real Australians. Not to a bunch of other americans on holiday.

The reason I say that is because my sister just spent six months in Sydney. And she said the best times she had was when she got away from the typical Tourist attractions and actually got to meet and hang out with poeple. And really got to see Australia and meet her poeple.

We were thinking about spending 3-5 days in Perth then moving on. But from there we really dont know where to go. I know we would like to see the Great Barrier Reef and probably end our trip in Sydney. But I expect that is goign to be alot traveling. Cause looking at Australia. It doesn't look like you can just Drive Across her, or from The GBR to Sydney. So expect we will probably have to fly to each of those locations. Which kindof sucks because that will take a day each trip to travel. However if driving from Perth to Sydney isn't that bad. Maybe a day or so of driving. That is something I might want to do. I am not sure. Looking for suggestions. Of what you guys think we should do. Stay on the west coast or try to travel between all three places. Like I say to much to see so little time. I wish we had more time to spend. But two weeks is all we get here in the state a year for holiday.

Thank you all for spending time on this.

Mike

 

[sydneyzetec]

Alrighty here we go... (Matt cracks his knuckles)

www.qantas.com.au is our national carrier. Checked their website and they have some great deals (helped mainly by their main competitor being a cheap carrier) and they serve food, offer frequent flyer points and are pretty good. 2nd oldest airline in the world and the safest too. And that's not just Aussie pride, it's actually true. Never lost a passenger or had a major accident. They're a member of oneworld alliance, so you can fly here with Qantas or equally with American Airlines from the USA to earn points all the way.

www.virginblue.com.au is our main national cheap carrier, they fly all over Australia. They are cheaper and don't provide meals and have a little less room in the seats.

They fly Perth to Brisbane after your wedding for about $268 at today's price, but next year might be different. Assume up to $300 Aussie (remember to roughly take half of that to get US dollars, so it's about $150 USD maybe a little more). I recommend Qantas all the way simply because you'll get slightly better service, food on every flight especially the Perth-Brisbane one which is 3.5 hours flying time. Virgin does $259 AUD but for $10 more you get food and better seats and flyer points - worth it. I'll quote all prices here in Aussie dollars so just cut everything in half roughly and add 10% to that to make things I guess more easy.

Australia is as big as the USA's main landmass excluding Alaska, so driving across Australia is like driving across the USA. 3 days safely and most of it is boring - desert. Especially as you are used to driving on the other side of the road!! I recommend flying to Brisbane instead of driving. Especially Brisbane, it'd be a 3 to 4 day drive. From here you can visit Brisbane which is far less touristy and then travel up to the Barrier reef. I recommend the Whitsundays instead of Cairns. Cairns is VERY hot all year round and quite steamy. The Whitsunday islands are nicer and slightly less touristy. Fly directly from Brisbane to Proserpine or the Whitsunday Coast (same thing). You can sail a boat yourself or hire a motor yacht for a few days and have as much fun and privacy navigating the islands as you like with great maps, white sandy beaches and crystal clear blue water like you've only dreamed of. September is the best time to be nice and warm yet still arrive before the monsoon-style season arrives in summer, more chance of storms then.

http://www.queenslandholidays.com.au/whitsundays/
http://www.fantasea.com.au/ (for day trips to the reef/diving and snorkelling BEAUTIFUL!!!!)

So yeah, wedding in spring is the most popular and beautiful time here in Oz. September is great, or even up to early October, but probably mid-september which is our spring (sept/oct/nov).

From the Whitsunday Islands you can sail around, stay in some really nice hotels or pick a quiet island with family style fun and hotels. Secluded beaches for romantic stuff and quiet lagoons for mooring and doing what honeymooners do... umm... moving right along... hang around there then fly from Proserpine airport to Brisbane for $200 with qantas or $195 with Virgin. At these prices again I recommend qantas for it's points and food/comfort. Worth it.

Then you can check out Brisbane, a funky little city, many say it's just a big country town compared to the business of Melbourne and Sydney and I reckon they're pretty correct. Lots of nice Aussie stuff to see and do there.

After that, hire a car (not sure who hires out a Focus but I recommend hiring a Ford Falcon myself, they're really great cars! A big, comfortable and safe rear wheel drive 4L 6 cylinder car, won our car of the year last year and isn't too bad at all!!!) and drive down to Sydney, stopping here and there for places along the way. I know a couple of great places to stop if you want to take 2-3 days for the coast trip along the way, or you may also take the inland road to see some of Aussie's countryside. I prefer the coast road but as you'll discover for some reason many aussies prefer one or the other between Bris and Sydney. That's 1000km roughly and can be done in a day (13 hours or so) but best efforts ar 2-3 days to see heaps. MAybe having stayed on the coast you'd prefer the inland road which is the same distance and just as fun really, just true-blue Aussie scenery country style.

Then just chill out in Sydney, come meet yours truly ( I really am very handsome myself) and tour around Sydney a bit, you can spend as long as you want here and not get bored. Travel up to the Blue Mountains west of Sydney (2 hours drive) for some great, well, stunning scenery and beautiful day trips/bushwalks. Lots of fun in summer. Obviously you have to do the day in the city, with the bridge and the Opera House and all that Jazz. Take a fery and tour the harbour. It's gorgeous. We're so lucky to live here.

After that the world is your oyster. 2 weeks gives you a few days in Perth, about 5 days sailing and 2 days to travel to sydney allowing about 4 days here in sydney. WHATEVER you please!!!!!! It's up to you. I'm more than happy to help y'all out here in Sydney and even direct a day tour up to the mountains in the Focus... mighty little ZX3.

I say congrats for your wedding, good luck with the plans and keep posting here if u need more help!!!!!!!!! I'll send you contacts for all my fave places to stay and things to do in each city (live in Sydney, have been to ALL the places I've tlaked about luckily. I'm kinda spoilt.

Anyway
All the best!!!!
Cheers,
Matt

 

[sydneyzetec]

well bugger me that was longer than i thought it would be [read] he he he

 

[beowulf]

WOW!!! That is awsome! You just planned our entire vacation. That sounds wonderful. We are going to do that I think. We do want to see as much as we can. Australia is sooo large there is just so much to see. And I would love to hook up while we are in Sydney and take you up on your offer. That sounds great.

You wrote out just what were thinking, we just didn't know what would be good places to stop at. We didn't want to spend our entire two weeks in one place, otherwise we would feel like we cheated ourselves in not seeing more of Australia. THe only real must do things we had planned are to 1. Get married obviously, and 2. See Steve Irwins Zoo. Other than that we really didn't know what to do.

Thank you so much! I cant wait, we deffinatly have to hook up while we are there. At minimum get togather a you local pub and share a few beers.

Whats the temps like in August? The only reason I ask is Mary has school and we want to plan around her school schedule. So there are really only times of the year that leaves open to us. Our Summer time. June, July, or August and Christmas Vacation. December/January. I guess Christmas Vacation to us. Would be your summer time right? Probably pretty hot, and tropical. Dont like that. Are your winters pretty bad? I mean like freezing tempuratures all the time. Snow on the ground and what not. Or are they fairly nice?

And the last questions. Comming from the United States where we drive on the left side. To rent a car, am I going to have to get some sort of liscense to drive in Australia? Or do you think they will just let me drive? Hmmm if they are going to let me drive, then I have to drive one of those Big Aussie V-8's that actually can handle a curvy road I keep hearing about. Hmmm whats Holden's web site? 8>)

Awsome agian thank you very much. You have been so much help. I cant wait to come to Australia, and to meet you.

Thanks
Mike

 

[sydneyzetec]

Well, as for the beers at the local. You don't have to ask me twice!!!

Temps in August are nothing on the USA. It NEVER snows ANYWHERE in Australia except for the mountains and even then only VERY rarely. We have ski slopes in the Australian Alps way down closer to Canberra/Melbourne (but not near Sydney) which have snow through most of winter but Brisbane is still awesome, not too cold at all. By US standards it's ver very close to LA weather year round. Mild winters, warm to hot summers. Summer is definitely quite hot in northern Queensland which Brisbane is in, along with the Islands etc. Recommend definitely July or preferably August if you can. August is our last month of winter so no promises, but generally it's warmer towards the end of winter, our seasons really aren't that much different. Sydney can be a little colder generally, closer to 10 degrees centigrade so definitely above freezing but cold enough to make it coat and scarf weather at times.

Generally our best weather and temps are in September to October ( I say generally coz as u know nothing is definite!!!) so the closer to that time, the better. You'd also find prices much cheaper mid-year in our winter when people don't travel because as you were right in saying, our summer holiday/vacation is December/January/February. Gets hot here, up above 100Fin both Brisbane and Sydney. Christams time/summer is more expensive, a lot more so and is harder to book flights and rooms etc.

As for driving, i assume you'd have no trouble. You should check with your local motor registry or licence office or whatever you have in the US, whoever issues your licences. Ask them anf they should know. The following link should give you tips for driving in my local state, New South Wales (Sydney is the capital) but I havn't had time to look at it myself. I don't see it being a problem.
http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/rulesregulations/internationalinterstate/index.html

Finally, as for wanting to hire a Holden... don't bother coming all the way here to drive a Corvette in a 4 door body that handles worse and isn't as fast. Holdens are shit!!! There's no such thing a Holden that can handles curves!!! They're just overpowered under-fast straight line ******* cars. NO chassis. Nothing nice. Just a V8. Well, being a Ford man I have to say that. Holden makes the new Pontiac GTO coupe you guys get as you may know, but the Falcon is the direct competitor of the Holden Commodore 4 door sedan and it has better cars currently!!!! Won our car of the year awards. Besides it's a Ford. Nuff said!!! If you like the idea of a stock 390hp 5.4L DOHC V8 beast that will kill 0-60 mph in under 6 seconds, then it's the car you want t obe driving!!! Not easy to hire, but I'm sure I could hook something up for you. Otherwise, I'd work something out... he he he. Hire the Falcon or walk. There's no choice!!! But seriously, you're more than welcome to drive a Holden, nothign bothers me!! Just glad to see you interested in our cars!!! We have begun to shock the world and are exporting cars to the states, beating GM at their own game and Ford Australia isn't far behind showing a thing or two to Ford US...


Hope it all helps some more!! Love answering your questions. Keep em coming!!! Cheers, Matt

 

[sydneyzetec]

Found this great distance calculator too for you guys...

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/rulesregulations/internationalinterstate/distancecalc.html

and Steve Irwin's zoo he he he funny stuff...

http://www.crocodilehunter.com/australia_zoo/welcome/index.html

Enjoy mate!!!

Matt

 

[beowulf]

Yeah I have been interested in Ausie cars ever since I first saw Mad Max, and the Road Warrior. I believe that car was a Falcon right? And a true Car guy wouldn't go to another country with out checking out the Automobiles there. I would be a seen. It seems that Aussies love for their cars rivals the US and their love the car. Yeah I think the US manufacturers are finally starting to catch on that the US market is asking for same types of vehicles that are across the seas. IE STI and EVO, and even the Focus in some respect. Doesn't sound like you are Holden guy eh mate? LOL Actually Chevy in my eyes here is pretty much the same thing. They make alright trucks but their Car lineup just blows huge chunks of Ca-ka. But then agian I really am not that big of a Ford guy either. Which might suprise you. The Focus really suprised me. It wasn't a typical US-Ford.

Awsome I think August is going to be our vacation time them. To bad will have to be in early august. Since Mary starts school in Mid August. We were really wanting to get married in October, but she cant take two weeks off of school. Which is good since it wont be tourist season there. Can you tell we dont like typical "tourist" although we will probably most like be the typical "tourist" while we are there. We will go in disguise in fake Aussie accents. LOL

Yeah we have to see Steve Irwins Zoo. Mary and I are huge animal lovers and watch his show all the time. (Atleast we better be with Six animals. 3 Dogs, 2 cats, and 1 bird. Doesn't seem fair for the bird does it?) I dont know if he is as popular there as he is here. But I assume probably more so there than here. So yeah we have to see his Zoo and maybe a glimpse of him if we can.

Agian thank you very much. PM me if you like. I will send you my email if I can figure out how to PM a person. That we can talk more direct. We are so excited. We wish we could leave tommorro.

Thanks
Mike