Posted By: RobT
Australia 2014 long report - 04/04/2014 07:00 PM
Trip arrangements - I tried to book a Trafalgar Tour of Australia through my usual travel agency (AffordableTours.com) , but they could not confirm the only tour that I wanted, did not have a quote for the internal air fares, and really could not handle a stop in Tahiti to my satisfaction. So I ended up booking through Pacific Holidays. They did an outstanding job with the Tahiti part and a pretty good job on the Australia part. I have been to Australia before, so I did not need a lot of help for that. The only big surprise was having to pay a $128 US baggage charge for two bags by Virgin Australia. They said our ticket was for only carryon bags. I was not happy about that.
We left Tahiti on Mar 19 and crossed the international dateline going to Australia on Mar 20 - We had a 5:00 am pickup for a 8:10 am flight to Auckland and from there to Brisbane and finally to Cairns. Crossed international date line. When we got to the check in counter in Auckland we were told that we would have to recheck our bags completely because that was how our trip was booked. We had time in Auckland, but after checking our bags, we were sent back at the security entrance because our carryon roller bags were over 7 kilos (15.4 lbs). So we had to go back to the counter, move everything heavy into my carry-on and I carried a small bag with some of my stuff. There was no extra cost. It seemed a random check, but who knows. We kept our carry-ons light after that as the 7-kilo carryon limit applied throughout Australia as well, but were never checked again. We finally made it to The Hotel Cairns at 9:15 pm. Long day.
Mar 21 - The Hotel Cairns had a nice buffet breakfast, and the staff at the desk were really helpful with suggestions and making reservations. We had an 8:05 am pickup for our pre-booked Quicksilver fast boat out to a large barge at the barrier reef. After they pick everyone up in Cairns, it was a scenic 1-hour drive to Port Douglas. The boat left at 10. It was a smooth hour ride to the barge. It was raining on the mainland, but we had only a brief shower at the reef. The barge had an underwater viewing area, semi-submersibles to view the reef, scuba and snorkeling from their platform. I would recommend this trip if you want to see the reef and have sea sickness issues. We got back in time for the staff to book us a aborigine dinner show at the Tjapukai. The buffet was okay and the show was very good.
Mar 22 - We had a 8:30 am pick up for what I thought was a trip to Kuranda. It included a morning stop at Tjapukai and a buffet lunch as well. Some of the staff at Tjapukai even remembered us from the night before. There was a little duplication, but all in all a good show. More rain, so there was not boomerang demonstration. Also, the fear of mudslides closed the train to Kuranda, so we took the sky rail both ways. The last sky rail left Kuranda at 3:45, so we did not have a lot of time in Kuranda. But I got to do one of the highlights of the trip when I got to hold a Koala and get my picture taken with it. The State of Queensland is the only place in Australia that lets you hold a Koala. I also bought a new Australian bush hat as the one I bought in Annapolis was getting worn out.
The hotel clerk suggested the Ochre Restaurant. Still raining so we took a cab. Unfortunately, it had a private function but there were lots of restaurants in the area so we ended up eating at a Japanese restaurant. The rain stopped so we walked back to the hotel.
Mar 23 - Sunday. Nothing planned and cloudy. We walked to the pier and visited the Zoo Mania. This time my wife got to hold the Koala for a picture. We also listen to a reptile talk and watched the snake curl around the hair of the girl giving the talk. She said he was being bad. We left for lunch and came back at 3:00 to watch her feed the very large crocodile. We walked around town, but being Sunday, shops were either closed or closed early. No rain, so we walked to the Ochre Restaurant and had an excellent meal. Second best meal on the trip.
Mar 24 - We had a 9:00 am pick up for the flight to Sydney on Virgin Australia. I mention the $128 baggage charge earlier. The plane coming in was late. We had to circle Sydney for a hour due a the airport being closed by a major storm. Our bags came quickly, but our driver had to wait for two other parties. Their bags took over an hour to be delivered. It was a really heavy storm. We did not get to our hotel, Rendezvous by the Rocks until 7:00 pm. I really like the location of the hotel, the breakfast was very good, and the staff was extremely helpful. For dinner, we walked down to the overseas pier and ate at the Cruise restaurant. The food was good, but not a lot to eat. The dessert were expensive so we stopped at Guylian Chocolate shop on the corner of George and Argyle Streets. We stopped there all three nights, so they got to know us.
Mar 25 - We had a short walk to the Four Seasons Hotel for a 7:30 pick up for a City tour, luncheon harbor cruise and aquarium tour. The tour guide was excellent, but he even mention that yesterday was one of the worst storms he had ever seen in Sydney. I would have skipped the aquarium as we had seen enough animals already. Nice day until the tour ended and then the rains started again. So we took a short cab ride back to the hotel. Dinner at the pier again but at the Peter Doyle restaurant. The food was very good, and we got to see a 2 minute fireworks show in the harbor. The views of the Sydney Opera House are fabulous from the pier if a cruise ship is not in port.
Mar 26 - We had the concierge book us a 10 am Opera House tour. It was a short walk from the hotel. We got there just before the rain started. However, they told us both main venue were active that morning, and suggested a 1:30 tour. So we wandered around the Circular Quay area, had lunch, did some souvenir shopping and came back. The tour was excellent. On our way back to the hotel we discovered the Nurses Walk where we ate at a Italian restaurant for our final night in Australia.
Mar 27 - We had a 4:30 am pick up for our flight to Auckland, then LAX via Papeete. It was a long trip so we planned a overnight stop at the same Holiday Inn Express. I used the gym, sat by the pool (finally sun) and my wife napped in the room. We flew back to BWI the next day.
We left Tahiti on Mar 19 and crossed the international dateline going to Australia on Mar 20 - We had a 5:00 am pickup for a 8:10 am flight to Auckland and from there to Brisbane and finally to Cairns. Crossed international date line. When we got to the check in counter in Auckland we were told that we would have to recheck our bags completely because that was how our trip was booked. We had time in Auckland, but after checking our bags, we were sent back at the security entrance because our carryon roller bags were over 7 kilos (15.4 lbs). So we had to go back to the counter, move everything heavy into my carry-on and I carried a small bag with some of my stuff. There was no extra cost. It seemed a random check, but who knows. We kept our carry-ons light after that as the 7-kilo carryon limit applied throughout Australia as well, but were never checked again. We finally made it to The Hotel Cairns at 9:15 pm. Long day.
Mar 21 - The Hotel Cairns had a nice buffet breakfast, and the staff at the desk were really helpful with suggestions and making reservations. We had an 8:05 am pickup for our pre-booked Quicksilver fast boat out to a large barge at the barrier reef. After they pick everyone up in Cairns, it was a scenic 1-hour drive to Port Douglas. The boat left at 10. It was a smooth hour ride to the barge. It was raining on the mainland, but we had only a brief shower at the reef. The barge had an underwater viewing area, semi-submersibles to view the reef, scuba and snorkeling from their platform. I would recommend this trip if you want to see the reef and have sea sickness issues. We got back in time for the staff to book us a aborigine dinner show at the Tjapukai. The buffet was okay and the show was very good.
Mar 22 - We had a 8:30 am pick up for what I thought was a trip to Kuranda. It included a morning stop at Tjapukai and a buffet lunch as well. Some of the staff at Tjapukai even remembered us from the night before. There was a little duplication, but all in all a good show. More rain, so there was not boomerang demonstration. Also, the fear of mudslides closed the train to Kuranda, so we took the sky rail both ways. The last sky rail left Kuranda at 3:45, so we did not have a lot of time in Kuranda. But I got to do one of the highlights of the trip when I got to hold a Koala and get my picture taken with it. The State of Queensland is the only place in Australia that lets you hold a Koala. I also bought a new Australian bush hat as the one I bought in Annapolis was getting worn out.
The hotel clerk suggested the Ochre Restaurant. Still raining so we took a cab. Unfortunately, it had a private function but there were lots of restaurants in the area so we ended up eating at a Japanese restaurant. The rain stopped so we walked back to the hotel.
Mar 23 - Sunday. Nothing planned and cloudy. We walked to the pier and visited the Zoo Mania. This time my wife got to hold the Koala for a picture. We also listen to a reptile talk and watched the snake curl around the hair of the girl giving the talk. She said he was being bad. We left for lunch and came back at 3:00 to watch her feed the very large crocodile. We walked around town, but being Sunday, shops were either closed or closed early. No rain, so we walked to the Ochre Restaurant and had an excellent meal. Second best meal on the trip.
Mar 24 - We had a 9:00 am pick up for the flight to Sydney on Virgin Australia. I mention the $128 baggage charge earlier. The plane coming in was late. We had to circle Sydney for a hour due a the airport being closed by a major storm. Our bags came quickly, but our driver had to wait for two other parties. Their bags took over an hour to be delivered. It was a really heavy storm. We did not get to our hotel, Rendezvous by the Rocks until 7:00 pm. I really like the location of the hotel, the breakfast was very good, and the staff was extremely helpful. For dinner, we walked down to the overseas pier and ate at the Cruise restaurant. The food was good, but not a lot to eat. The dessert were expensive so we stopped at Guylian Chocolate shop on the corner of George and Argyle Streets. We stopped there all three nights, so they got to know us.
Mar 25 - We had a short walk to the Four Seasons Hotel for a 7:30 pick up for a City tour, luncheon harbor cruise and aquarium tour. The tour guide was excellent, but he even mention that yesterday was one of the worst storms he had ever seen in Sydney. I would have skipped the aquarium as we had seen enough animals already. Nice day until the tour ended and then the rains started again. So we took a short cab ride back to the hotel. Dinner at the pier again but at the Peter Doyle restaurant. The food was very good, and we got to see a 2 minute fireworks show in the harbor. The views of the Sydney Opera House are fabulous from the pier if a cruise ship is not in port.
Mar 26 - We had the concierge book us a 10 am Opera House tour. It was a short walk from the hotel. We got there just before the rain started. However, they told us both main venue were active that morning, and suggested a 1:30 tour. So we wandered around the Circular Quay area, had lunch, did some souvenir shopping and came back. The tour was excellent. On our way back to the hotel we discovered the Nurses Walk where we ate at a Italian restaurant for our final night in Australia.
Mar 27 - We had a 4:30 am pick up for our flight to Auckland, then LAX via Papeete. It was a long trip so we planned a overnight stop at the same Holiday Inn Express. I used the gym, sat by the pool (finally sun) and my wife napped in the room. We flew back to BWI the next day.