Top End and Queensland: October much better than November?

G'day,

I plan to return to Australia for vacation this (nothern hemisphere)
autumn. I was there in March '99 and covered the sourthern part:
Sydney to Perth plus Alice Springs.

This time I will also go Syndey (or Brisbane) to Perth but take the
nothern route. The choice is between October and November, 3+ weeks.
Not in-between because I have to be home on Oct 28.

I first thought November, because it's less pleasent to be home
(Norway) plus Perth and Sydney will be warmer, but I see from the
climate tables in Lonely planet that bort Darwin and Cairns seem to be
quite a bit wetter than in October. Is there really a significat
diffenece in humidity and chance of rain between, say, Oct 15 and Nov
15?

Are there other factors to consider when choosing October vs.
November? I must be home on Oct 28, so it's either just before or
just after that date. I need to decide fairly soon so I can book a
bonus trip (I have lots of FF point expiring Nov 30).

Oh, and don't tell me 3+ weeks is not enough, of course it isn't but
it's all I have. This is how I usually travel, no more than three
days in the same place.

BTW, does anyone know when the 12th edition of Lonely Planet Australia
will be coming out? The 11th is from Feb 2002 so it's about time for
a new one.

--
Bjorn Munch

There is a new edition coming out in the spring of 2004... saw this on
Amazon the other day. I am waiting for it to come out so that I can buy it
as well.

Sharon

"Bjorn Munch" wrote in message
...
G'day,

I plan to return to Australia for vacation this (nothern hemisphere)
autumn. I was there in March '99 and covered the sourthern part:
Sydney to Perth plus Alice Springs.

This time I will also go Syndey (or Brisbane) to Perth but take the
nothern route. The choice is between October and November, 3+ weeks.
Not in-between because I have to be home on Oct 28.

I first thought November, because it's less pleasent to be home
(Norway) plus Perth and Sydney will be warmer, but I see from the
climate tables in Lonely planet that bort Darwin and Cairns seem to be
quite a bit wetter than in October. Is there really a significat
diffenece in humidity and chance of rain between, say, Oct 15 and Nov
15?

Are there other factors to consider when choosing October vs.
November? I must be home on Oct 28, so it's either just before or
just after that date. I need to decide fairly soon so I can book a
bonus trip (I have lots of FF point expiring Nov 30).

Oh, and don't tell me 3+ weeks is not enough, of course it isn't but
it's all I have. This is how I usually travel, no more than three
days in the same place.

BTW, does anyone know when the 12th edition of Lonely Planet Australia
will be coming out? The 11th is from Feb 2002 so it's about time for
a new one.

--
Bjorn Munch

"Sharon K in Saskatoon" wrote in message
news:GZYIb.895506$6C4.508657@pd7tw1no...
There is a new edition coming out in the spring of 2004... saw this on
Amazon the other day. I am waiting for it to come out so that I can buy
it
as well.


Spring in which hemisphere?

--
Tony Bailey
Mercury Travel Books

Bjorn Munch wrote:

G'day,

I plan to return to Australia for vacation this (nothern hemisphere)
autumn. I was there in March '99 and covered the sourthern part:
Sydney to Perth plus Alice Springs.

This time I will also go Syndey (or Brisbane) to Perth but take the
nothern route. The choice is between October and November, 3+ weeks.
Not in-between because I have to be home on Oct 28.

I first thought November, because it's less pleasent to be home
(Norway) plus Perth and Sydney will be warmer, but I see from the
climate tables in Lonely planet that bort Darwin and Cairns seem to be
quite a bit wetter than in October. Is there really a significat
diffenece in humidity and chance of rain between, say, Oct 15 and Nov
15?

Are there other factors to consider when choosing October vs.
November? I must be home on Oct 28, so it's either just before or
just after that date. I need to decide fairly soon so I can book a
bonus trip (I have lots of FF point expiring Nov 30).

Oh, and don't tell me 3+ weeks is not enough, of course it isn't but
it's all I have. This is how I usually travel, no more than three
days in the same place.

BTW, does anyone know when the 12th edition of Lonely Planet Australia
will be coming out? The 11th is from Feb 2002 so it's about time for
a new one.

Darwin in November is very humid - if you like prickly heat, it's great.
The thunderstorms are spectacular, but you don't want to be flying in
them
Anne
South Australia

--
The privacy.net address is a spam trap.
Please reply to

This time I will also go Syndey (or Brisbane) to Perth but take the
nothern route. The choice is between October and November, 3+ weeks.
Not in-between because I have to be home on Oct 28.

I first thought November, because it's less pleasent to be home
(Norway) plus Perth and Sydney will be warmer, but I see from the
climate tables in Lonely planet that bort Darwin and Cairns seem to be
quite a bit wetter than in October. Is there really a significat
diffenece in humidity and chance of rain between, say, Oct 15 and Nov
15?

Are there other factors to consider when choosing October vs.
November? I must be home on Oct 28, so it's either just before or
just after that date. I need to decide fairly soon so I can book a
bonus trip (I have lots of FF point expiring Nov 30).

Oh, and don't tell me 3+ weeks is not enough, of course it isn't but
it's all I have. This is how I usually travel, no more than three
days in the same place.

Hi Bjorn,

I'd go in October, and the earlier you can get up North the better. Even in
Oct it will start getting hot in the North building up to to the wet season
beginning in Nov/Dec. Once the wet season breaks your options for seeing things
and getting places will be restricted. For example Purnululu National Park
(the must-see Bungle Bungle Ranges in Western Australia) closes on 1 Dec, but
may close earlier if it turns wet. In Kakadu, places like Jim Jim Falls, Twin
Falls and Ubirr are cut off in flood. I suppose there is a reasonable chance
that you could squeak by in Nov, but if you can go in October instead, why not?

Yes, 3 weeks sounds like a tight schedule for what you plan to do. Maybe best
to start from Cairns instead of Sydney or Brisbane and strike out west from
there.

Ralph R in CT, USA

Originally posted by Sharon K In Saskatoon

There is a new edition coming out in the spring of 2004... saw this on

Amazon the other day. I am waiting for it to come out so that I
can buy it

as well.



Sharon



//www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1740594479/ref=sr_aps_books_1_1/202-
6005366-0385453[/url]



just had a look on amazon and it seems you can preorder the book ready
and they will send it on as soon as it is published.


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

[RRobin9804]:

I'd go in October, and the earlier you can get up North the better. Even in
Oct it will start getting hot in the North building up to to the wet season
beginning in Nov/Dec.

I might be able to start in late September.

Yes, 3 weeks sounds like a tight schedule for what you plan to do.
Maybe best to start from Cairns instead of Sydney or Brisbane and
strike out west from there.

Nah, I won't feel I've "done" Australia unless I've also taken the
train from Cairns to Brisbane (I like trains). Besides, I probably
have to fly the last leg to/from OZ with Singapore Airlines, and they
don't fly to Cairns. I will probably skip Sydney though.

I've already concluded I have to forget about seeing the stromatolites
at Shark Bay (takes too long) and I should instead just fly straight
from Perth to Broome. Probaly also have to fly from Alice Springs to
Cairns instead of travelling by land (again, takes too long).

Next, I need to find out which direction to go...

--
Bjorn Munch
(Remove e from first name for correct email address)

I might be able to start in late September.

Nah, I won't feel I've "done" Australia unless I've also taken the
train from Cairns to Brisbane (I like trains). Besides, I probably
have to fly the last leg to/from OZ with Singapore Airlines, and they
don't fly to Cairns. I will probably skip Sydney though.
I've already concluded I have to forget about seeing the stromatolites
at Shark Bay (takes too long) and I should instead just fly straight
from Perth to Broome. Probaly also have to fly from Alice Springs to
Cairns instead of travelling by land (again, takes too long).
Next, I need to find out which direction to go...

Sounds like you have a plan, then: spend a few days in Perth, fly to Broome and
see the Kimberley before it gets too hot, make your way to Darwin, then Alice,
then Cairns, train to Brisbane. The key is to visit the Kimberley and the Top
End (Darwin) earlier, rather than toward the end of your stay. The Cairns area
is not quite as hot/oppressive as Darwin can get.

Incidently, an adventurous route to Darwin from Broome goes via the Gibb River
Rd, an 800 km stretch of dirt road through some very wild country with
impressive scenery, waterfalls and gorges. Several 4WD tour companies do do
the Gibb River Rd (usually coupled with a side trip to the Bungle Bungles)
saving you having to stike out on your own.

Ralph R in CT, USA

On Fri, 02 Jan 2004 20:08:16 +0100, Bjorn Munch wrote:

I've already concluded I have to forget about seeing the stromatolites
at Shark Bay (takes too long) and I should instead just fly straight
from Perth to Broome.

I wouldn't bother to go there specially. The stromatolites aren't much to
look at. They're just nobbly black rocks which bubble occasionally. And
there are other places you can see dolphins. The dugongs are interesting
though.

I was also thoroughly underwhelmed by Broome. It certainly wouldn't be on
my intinerary if I only had about 3 weeks.

Probaly also have to fly from Alice Springs to
Cairns instead of travelling by land (again, takes too long).

Again, I think that's a wise choice. There aren't many places to stop
between Alice and Cairns and it's a long way.

Jason

--
See http://www.scuba-addict.co.uk/ for UK diving reports and the UK
Underwater Visibility Database. View the database or add your own report

[Jason]:
I wouldn't bother to go there specially. The stromatolites aren't much to
look at. They're just nobbly black rocks which bubble occasionally.

The point about the stromatolites isn't how they look, but what they
a a glimpse of how life on Earth was 2-3 billion years ago. But
alas, it would cost too much time (and some money) to get there.

I was also thoroughly underwhelmed by Broome. It certainly wouldn't be on
my intinerary if I only had about 3 weeks.

It's probably a convenient place to fly to from Perth, even if it's not
worth staying there for long.

- Bjorn