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I'm seriously considering ringing in 2015 in Sydney, so I am looking for all my SI Aussie peeps to fill me in on what I should try to see.

Ohhh......can I come?

Australia is on my Bucket List.

I smell an SI cruise?????????????????????

k9

All I know is that it's where Alexander wanted to move when he was having his terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

New Years 2015 SI g2g in Australia!!! Yippeee!!!

I smell an SI cruise?????????????????????

OoooOOOOoooh! Yes!!!

Oh wow, what a great idea.

One more here! Three in a row!!

I'm not from the area, but I visited Sydney in 2008 and can try to cover the things I did/saw.

- The Sydney Harbor Bridge Climb. Only do this if you're not scared of heights (obviously). You're "chained" to the bridge, so you really can't "fall", but it can be really intimidating if you're not used to heights. You'll LOVE this, though, if you want to see spectacular views, and that you will certainly get here.

- Taronga Zoo. If you like wildlife/animals, and you want to see some pretty rare things that you can't see in North America, this is your place. You can get pretty close to their native animals - it's one of the only places you can get to pet/hug a koala bear. (Awwww. ) And you can stand right over a 'roo. But be careful - they can and WILL lash out if they feel threatened. (Saw one unlucky fellow get kicked in the belly. Owwww.)

- Bondi Beach. Popular the year round but ESPECIALLY this time of the year (our summer is their winter and vice versa). Good for people watching if nothing else but if you want to learn how to surf the waves, you can't get better than this.

- Sydney Tower. They have something similar to the Stratosphere in Las Vegas, if you've been there, called the Sydney Skywalk (again, if you're scared of heights, stay away). A glass bottomed catwalk goes around the tower - again, beautiful but dizzying views.

- The Powerhouse Museum. It's sort of a "science-oriented" museum similar to the Franklin Institute or other interactive, hands-on museums. I LOVED this place in particular because you got to play and learn at the same time. Great for kids.

- Sydney Aquarium. Pretty similar to other aquariums around the world, but this one has a lot of special emphasis on Australian/Oceania sea life.

- Featherdale Wildlife Park. Sort of a safari-type adventure here.

You can tell where some of my interests lie, heh.

The thing is, you will never (and I mean NEVER) have enough time in Australia to see everything you want to - you won't have enough time to see just Sydney ALONE, to be honest. I spent two weeks there and still didn't get to everything on my bucket list.

Some things you should know:

- The drains (and toilets) flush the opposite way. That is, we're used to a clockwork rotation. Theirs go the other way, so don't think you've broken anything.

- You will need a power converter if you plan to plug in cell phones, etc. We run on a 120-V current, theirs runs on 240-V. Easy to find at any Radio Shack and it costs about 15 dollars.

- Take Qantas or Air New Zealand as your airline. Even in economy, they will treat you like royalty.

- I went shopping and cooked my own food (I had a small "apartment", which was a lot cheaper than a regular hotel!). Things are a lot more expensive there than in North America, even things that you would think would be cheap (chicken was OUTRAGEOUS). I had Australian marinated kangaroo (yes, really, and yes, it was good). Lamb is plentiful. Asian food is prominent there and if you like Thai, Chinese, Japanese, Indonesian, you will LOVE the street food you can find there.

- You will need to exchange your currency there. Australia uses dollars (go figure), but they won't take American dollars and they don't look the same (they have colorful bills). When I went, the Australian dollar was very weak and I got GREAT deals for the most part, but that was 5 years ago and things have probably changed by now.

Hope this was somewhat helpful. I can answer more questions if needed.

You will LOVE it there and it's the trip of a lifetime. Definitely, go if you can!

Blah, double post, sorry.

[This message edited by Fireball72 at 6:55 PM, January 1st (Wednesday)]

Ok Moo, What do you want to know?

I was born in Sydney, lived in Canberra, visited Melbourne, and Queensland. Just haven't been to Perth Tassie or Northern Territory.

I may be biased but all of Australia is beautiful, the weather is wonderful and the people gorgeous and charming

Do all of the things Fireball said but also visit Australia Zoo (Steve Irwin) and check out Queensland. The great barrier reef. This was beautiful and one of the 7 natural wonders of the world. Do a reef dive if you can, snorkeling is nearly as good. Queensland is similar in temperature to Florida I have heard. Warm all year. Most Aussies go up there for the theme parks or to retire.

Adelaide, which is where I am from, has some of the best wines known to man or God and some beautiful wild scenery. The seafood is to die for and fresh off the boats. The beaches are white, long and crystal clear. Kangaroo Island is great for seeing wildlife in their natural habitat.

I could go on and on. I love my country and feel so blessed to live here. If you have anymore questions, just ask.

If you're in Sydney, take a drive south along one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world to the Jervis Bay area.

You go past Botany Bay as you leave Sydney. Nine Mile Beach stretches out before you from a vista point along the drive. Beautiful, quaint little towns await. One of those is Huskisson when you reach Jervis Bay. It's a holiday town where Sydneysiders escape the city and very quiet otherwise. Just on the edge of town is the Lady Denman Museum, a cultural treat.

A bit further south is Booderee National Park that has some of the whitest sand beaches in the world and beautiful, beautiful scenery. At the ruins of the lighthouse, I have watched whales and dolphins.

I can send you a link that will give you much more info. It lists this as a drive up there with the Great Ocean Road in the south of the country. You definitely won't have enough time, no matter how long you stay!

To help you SWOT up on the accent: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZH4ZQH_3_pE&sns=em

I'll post a longer response tomorrow.

You mean that folks won't like my Southern US accent or my Boston accent? How about a Brooklyn accent?

Thanks for the tips. Visiting Australia is on my bucket list and I don't intend to try to do it all but experience enough to entice a 2nd trip down the road.

Aussie is huge, beautiful and amazing. Across the ditch in New Zealand we admire and visit often.

If you are down this way, perhaps pop in to New Zealand as well. For neighboring countries they are incredibly different yet both stunningly beautiful.

If you're in Sydney, take a drive south along one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world to the Jervis Bay area.

Concur. Jervis Bay is awesome - Huskisson is a great little town.

In Sydney, the Botanical Gardens are awesome and rarely crowded. Take a stroll from the Harbor bridge along Circular Quay, past the Opera house, then continue through the Botanical Gardens. Great way to spend a day. The Bridge climb was very cool - just be warned you have to pass a breathalyzer before they let you climb. Spend some time shopping down in the Rocks.

Just FYI - Sydney is packed on NYE. Make reservations soon.

I'm not an Aussie (our DS is by birth ) but we lived in the Territory for seven years. I've spent a lot of time in Sydney.

Language is easy - simply abbreviate everything and add an o, a or ie to the end.

I sent there once for a sales meeting in Port Douglas and loved it.

It is a very long trip to get there.

If I remember, it was a 6 hour flight from Tokyo to Cairns. That was after a long layover.

I used to work with a lot of Aussies and they are great blokes!

I don't know what you should see but I think you should take us with you!

Didn't you throw me under the bus, DixieD? Now you are like "take me to Australia".

I've never thrown you anywhere.

TAKE ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

K9

Didn't you throw me under the bus, DixieD? Now you are like "take me to Australia"

.

yes, threw you under the bus

We just didn't want to stalk and harass you then. Times have changed. It's game on now. Game. On.

We only go to g2g's we know you are going to.....and since you go to them all.....you will be seeing a lot of us in the future.