Questions and suggestions about Australia

[DreamTime]

Okay all you "Aussies,"

I have been requested by my daughter to ask you a few questions so that she can be better prepared when she comes out there In January. She is going to be there until about April or May.

First, she wants to know if there is some kind of public transportation in Sydney - you know, like buses? She is planning on going to see the Opera house and she is also signing up for Surf Camp. She just doesn't know how she is going to get around.

She also wants to know what are some of the spots she should check out while "down unda."  She would like your suggestions. One of the places she would like to go see, is the Irwin Zoo.

AstroJewels, she also wants to know if you tend to have a lot of poisonous bugs and such coming into your house on a daily basis. :lol: She's already looked up and found out that Australia is home to the world's most poisonous snakes and bugs.

She already has her ticket and she is counting down the days until she leaves - actually I think she is more excited about counting down the days until she can quit her job.

Anyway, I would appreciate anything you can tell me and I will pass it on to her.

[AndrewX]

First, she wants to know if there is some kind of public transportation in Sydney - you know, like buses? She is planning on going to see the Opera house and she is also signing up for Surf Camp. She just doesn't know how she is going to get around.

Look here for available routes and services:

http://www.sydneybuses.info/

http://www.discoversydney.com.au/sydney/transport.html

http://www.cityrail.nsw.gov.au/

http://www.sleeper.apana.org.au/railway/slr/

Make sure you tell her to invest in the latest version of Sydways or 'UBD Sydney' street directory... I prefer the layout of the Sydways.   She'll need it to use most everyday see's there and it's cheap... about 25-30 bucks a copy... and they do have a CONDENSED version which will fit into a very small ladys bag for conveinience. 

Personally when in Sydney I prefer to travel by rail as there are far less hassles with traffic congestion of cars as there are with Bus travel. 

Apart from the the Opera house I like the area they call the Rocks as it has some great food places and is on the beach more or less.  My favorite beach is Bondi beach for swimming and there re numerous great pubs and takeaway food places all along the main stretch of it and a Bus dumps you right at its doorstep... great place to meet people too.  If she can do her Surfcamp there, I suggest she does as the beach and surrounding area as well as the people there are very good.  KingsCross in the day has many great takeaway and sit down cheap food places, at night it's packed with nightclubs of all sorts.  Many of the harbour-side areas that have train terminus's are also good as there are many large Ferry facilities there for day trippers...and many have great access to the city by foot.  Grand central station I think it's called is a happening place. 

Just outside the city you have the Blue Mountain Ranges that are packed with tours and things to do.  Tourist information centers will have many brochures about this, especailly tourist centers in and around the ranges. 

2hour drive north along the Pacific Hwy running parallel with the Ocean is Tamworth.  I beleive they're country festival is on at the time she'llbe there.  If she like her music a little harder, ByronBay hosts the International Blues Festival in April.  I'm there most years and the women count is heavenly as they come in from all over the globe.  

All the way up and down the Ocean coast at that time of the year there is a plethera of things to do that are all advertised in the local and major rags of Sydney... she just nee to keep an eye out.  Plus the Sydney Tourist Information Bureau is a wealth of information about coutnless events of in and around Sydney all year around.  I'd say that would be the best place for her to look for all sorts of events and entertainment.  If she has a chat to the poeple there and tells them what she likes they will let her in on everything she needs to know. 

Tell her not to worry about deadly creatures as they're more scared of us than we of them. 

:big grin:

[AndrewX]

Here's some sites she should have a look at DT: 

http://www.seesydneycard.com/pages_menuitems/home.html 

http://www.activitytours.com.au/?gclid=C...YAod1HlrMA 

http://www.totaltravel.com.au/travel/nsw...agod9Ep8RQ

The magical Byron Bay Blues Festival in its very warm subTropical nights.

[DreamTime]

Wow...thanks Andrew for all that info. I am copying your posts and emailing it to her right now. She is really getting excited and she wants to see as much of Australia as she is able. She also talked about seeing Tasmania and New Zealand, but I guess that is only if she has the money for it.  :lol: 

[Astrojewels]

Hi DT,
Andrew X is correct, when in Sydney take public transport, we lived there for a year and never had a car, the public transport is reliable, constant and cheap. The zoo is in Queensland, and while up there the list is endless for places, gold coast, sunshine coast, the islands, and my favorite is rainbow beach.
When in Sydney she does not even need an itinerary, it is a city that has so many things to do, and many of them are free. Sorry to say but the opera house is boring, but she could walk over the bridge, could not do that when I was there, the ferry’s are great on the harbor.
You want me to be honest about the creatures, well it seems that Andrew does not mind them and most men do not, but I have to tell you there are plenty, but no they are not crawling everywhere or creeping around waiting to bite you. On that note, she should do her own little research of the spiders we have, and whilst here she should not leave clothes on the ground etc, don’t be paranoid but she should be aware of them, in the cities she should not see snakes or the other ghastly crawlies. Same as when she goes in the ocean, she must know where the safe places are to swim, you have the jelly fish but the currents can be severe.
She will be ok, I seen this great show it was called Australia reveled, it was narrated by Russell crow, and I am sure it was made for the US, because he talked in miles, gallons and yards, and it really showed some great things on oz, maybe you can get it on DVD.
Lastly if she wants to see kangaroos, don’t go to the zoo, they are all on valium, tell her to ring me if she is in Vic, and I will show her them in the wild.
I guarantee she will love it here, and she will not want to come home, there are more places to see than she has time for. She will tell you all the things that we do, it is a great place and Aussies love American gals, she will have to fight off the men and not the creatures!