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#11
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planning a month is Oz
Hiram writes:
Rudy, Thanks for the tips. I will enquire about car insurance this end, never really thought about doing that. I will check with my VISA card supplied and see what deals they have. Not sure they sell fly swatters here either to be honest, this is a cold country. As far as driving goes, Perth-Brisbane is almost as long a trip as you could do in Australia, short of going all the way round. You can go across the Nullarbor, via Adelaide, and then either via Melbourne or Broken Hill. The other way is up the Western Australian coastline and then through the Pilbara and Kimberley. You could only really go that way in the dry season [March-October], because most of the roads up north are impassable due to rains caused by cyclones, and it also starts to get insanely hot. It's the kind of thing you might do as a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Either way you are talking about extreme remoteness. Driving across the Nullarbor on the Princes Highway is OK, but go off-road to, say, Forrest or Giles weather stations and you are talking total self-sufficiency. At certain times of the year, the Gibb River Road [northern WA] probably only sees one car a week. The other issue is cost. It's 7-8000 km. Even at daily rates, you will be paying a great deal more for the experience of driving than you would just to fly. If you are driving a rental vehicle, they often have prohibitions on going 'off-road', by which they mean gravel. You might be best to restrict your driving to the east coast, where the distance between attractions is not so extreme. That's not to say the Super Pit at Kalgoorlie isn't worth your attention, but it's the best part of a day's drive from Perth. Some guys might drive that long for the brothels, but flying is cheaper and safer. Atom Egoyan Melbourne, Australia |
#12
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planning a month is Oz
Atom Egoyan wrote:
Either way you are talking about extreme remoteness. Yeah some of that does worry me a bit. I'm fairly practicable, but I think I could easily get out of my depth. I'm gradually easing towards taking the train, I still fancy the road trip, but like you say, its going to cost more. It is helpful to get your advice - it gives me food for thought. |
#13
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planning a month is Oz
Hiram writes:
Atom Egoyan wrote: Either way you are talking about extreme remoteness. Yeah some of that does worry me a bit. I'm fairly practicable, but I think I could easily get out of my depth. I'm gradually easing towards taking the train, I still fancy the road trip, but like you say, its going to cost more. It is helpful to get your advice - it gives me food for thought. I've done the Nullarbor in a car, visiting various caves and doing botanical surveys. Camping out in the open for the 'big sky' experience is still something that resonates with me thirty years after the event. Travelling across by train will at least give you that '**** it's a big country' feeling, providing you want to spend three days of your holiday doing that. Another way would be to spend those three days flying out of Perth using a regional airline to get to the Kimberley or Pilbara, then continuing on to Darwin. From Darwin, it's easy to get to Alice Springs, then hop a flight to Uluru/Ayers Rock, another place that will leave a lasting impression. The big six things most people want to see in Australia: Ayers Rock/Uluru [and the Olgas] Great Barrier Reef Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge Great Ocean Road [Victoria] Kakadu Bungle Bungles [Kimberley, Western Australia] Other things that leave a strong impression for those that visit them: Blue Mountains Flinders Ranges Kalgoorlie Super Pit Giles Weather Station [and the exerience of getting there] Grampians [Victoria] Mount Kosciuszko Sovereign Hill and Ballarat Gold Museum [Victoria] Cape Tribulation and World Heritage Queensland rainforests Cape York Peninsula Warumbungles [inland NSW] Broken Hill [mullock heaps, underground mine tours and the Mundi Mundi Plain] Wild Dog Ranges [NSW] My interests tnd towards the natural and unspoiled, but the cities also have plenty to offer. Atom Egoyan |
#14
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planning a month is Oz
I'm definitely into the camping out under a big sky thing. I've been to
the high desert of Nevada and I just loved it. Camping was one of my early thoughts once I'd decided to go to Oz for a holiday. Coming from a small over crowded island, space is something I really look forward too. And, I've just spend the best part of four hours in traffic. I don't mind 3 days on a train. I have all the time I need, apart from the restrictions of my travel visa - I may be slightly short of funds for a really long stay. I have A$10000 to spend for the whole trip, that will be the limiting factor on how long I stay. I do like the idea of using internal flights. I can't make my mind up yet which way to do it. But it is nice to have some choices. Probably the only place I need to visit is Coffs Harbours as I have a mate there. I quite fancy going to Coober Pedy. And, yep, got to go to Alice Springs. I'm with you 100% on the great countryside, I'm not really that into cities - once you've seen one you've seem them all imho. One thing I'm not sure about is what flight arrangements I will use to get to Oz. I want something open ended, I want my budget to be the limiting factor not when I said I'd return. I was looking at round the world tickets earlier, but from what you've said, I may not do it that way, and just get a flight into Perth and one out of Brisbane and sort the rest out as I need. |
#15
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planning a month is Oz
I'm definitely into the camping out under a big sky thing. Camping was one of my early thoughts once I'd decided to go to Oz for a holiday. Don't lie on the ground in Snake season. Is it ever NOT Snake season in the outback ? I do like the idea of using internal flights. I can't make my mind up yet which way to do it. But it is nice to have some choices. These guys had the best fares when we were there http://www.jetstar.com/au/en/index.aspx Book ahead for best rates and avoid weekends if you can. Coffs Harbour.. as I have a mate there. BEWARE the MacDonalds parking lot ! We parked our rental car there and the wife of a bloke that works in the smash repair shop next door backed into our parked car while driving her brood to school...(They were LATE) Thats how I know about VISA SIGNATURE CARD rental car insurance |
#16
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planning a month is Oz
"Rudy" wrote in message ... I'm definitely into the camping out under a big sky thing. Camping was one of my early thoughts once I'd decided to go to Oz for a holiday. Don't lie on the ground in Snake season. Is it ever NOT Snake season in the outback ? Wouldn't be too worried about snakes - they almost invariably are timid and get out of the way. I'd be more concerned about redback spiders in the outdoor dunnies (toilets). I do like the idea of using internal flights. I can't make my mind up yet which way to do it. But it is nice to have some choices. These guys had the best fares when we were there http://www.jetstar.com/au/en/index.aspx Book ahead for best rates and avoid weekends if you can. Except they are renowned for crap service - they won't do anything for you if you're one minute late for your flight, or look after you when they stuff up. (along with Tiger who are possibly worse). Virgin Blue have a better reputation. Coffs Harbour.. as I have a mate there. BEWARE the MacDonalds parking lot ! We parked our rental car there and the wife of a bloke that works in the smash repair shop next door backed into our parked car while driving her brood to school...(They were LATE) Thats how I know about VISA SIGNATURE CARD rental car insurance You got off lightly - would have been worse on 17 June at nearby Port Macquarie See news.ninemsn.com.au/.../shots-fired-in-nsw-restaurant-siege Regards David Bennetts Australia |
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