TonyP wrote:
Of course it is
Ignorance is wonderful. Aye?
(a bit like sarcasm)
Not a "bit" like sarcasm. Exactly like sarcasm!!
Retired CPO wrote:
It's a rock sticking up out of the desert!! Half of Utah is like that!!! And a lot more magnificent!!!
But it's a Big rock hanging upside down on our planet.
planepics
Loc: St. Louis burbs, but originally Chicago burbs
Neat :) Australia/NZ are on my bucket list, but I probably can't afford to do both at once unless it would make a zillion percent more sense to do them together. Unfortunately, I won't be able to do either of them on a standard tour for my birthday because none I've found run in June, where it's Winter there. Actually, I JUST looked. Go Ahead Tours/EF have tours in June for about $7k plus optional extension Never used them, but almost did a year or two ago. I wonder how hard it would be to just go by myself and do stuff. I'd probably have to plan for months, but it might be cheaper.
planepics wrote:
Neat :) Australia/NZ are on my bucket list, but I probably can't afford to do both at once unless it would make a zillion percent more sense to do them together. Unfortunately, I won't be able to do either of them on a standard tour for my birthday because none I've found run in June, where it's Winter there. Actually, I JUST looked. Go Ahead Tours/EF have tours in June for about $7k plus optional extension Never used them, but almost did a year or two ago. I wonder how hard it would be to just go by myself and do stuff. I'd probably have to plan for months, but it might be cheaper.
Neat :) Australia/NZ are on my bucket list, but I... (
show quote)
Would depend on how much time you have of course, but think of the distances to travel once you get 'downunder'. Australia is big, east coast to west coast, is almost the same distance as the USA, so plan your Oz itinerary carefully so you see what you want to see. NZ is really just a group of 2 bigish islands (and 1 small but very pretty one) in comparison. 26 million Aussies and about 5 million NZers.
So you can land in the North Island, Auckland, and spend as many days as you want, or as few, on, say a bus trip, traveling south and seeing the highlights. Look at tour itineraries and work out where you want to go then rather than doing an organised tour, you could just get on and off local type buses and pay as you go. You will always get a hotel or motel booking during our winter, somewhere pretty convenient (unless there is an event or a big name pop group touring, or a big rugby game on in the same city
).
planepics
Loc: St. Louis burbs, but originally Chicago burbs
TonyP wrote:
Would depend on how much time you have of course, but think of the distances to travel once you get 'downunder'. Australia is big, east coast to west coast, is almost the same distance as the USA, so plan your Oz itinerary carefully so you see what you want to see. NZ is really just a group of 2 bigish islands (and 1 small but very pretty one) in comparison. 26 million Aussies and about 5 million NZers.
So you can land in the North Island, Auckland, and spend as many days as you want, or as few, on, say a bus trip, traveling south and seeing the highlights. Look at tour itineraries and work out where you want to go then rather than doing an organised tour, you could just get on and off local type buses and pay as you go. You will always get a hotel or motel booking during our winter, somewhere pretty convenient (unless there is an event or a big name pop group touring, or a big rugby game on in the same city
).
Would depend on how much time you have of course, ... (
show quote)
I watched a video about traveling alone vs on a tour...alone, room prices are always going to be more because you have to pay for a double room by yourself, you eat alone, and get funny looks about why you don't have any friends or family with you, but you go where you want when you want. Sometimes (most?) tours get lower prices at different sites because they have a bunch of people traveling togetherI went to a presentation at a now-defunct photography club, This teacher and her husband spent 9 months planning a 3-week solo trip to India..quite a bit of work. An ETA visa will allow up to a 90-day stay in one visit and is good for a year...I wouldn't go more than once in a year!! I'm also thinking of going somewhere my tours were cancelled for whatever reason (COVID for 2 of them )
"I watched a video about traveling alone vs on a tour...alone, room prices are always going to be more because you have to pay for a double room by yourself, you eat alone, and get funny looks about why you don't have any friends or family with you, but you go where you want when you want. Sometimes (most?) tours get lower prices at different sites because they have a bunch of people traveling togetherI went to a presentation at a now-defunct photography club, This teacher and her husband spent 9 months planning a 3-week solo trip to India..quite a bit of work."
Traveling around NZ (and Australia) is nothing like India. I traveled around NZ, usually alone back in my business days and was never aware of funny looks when eating alone. During winter you will find 'door prices' are the same or less for a single room here.
I often found the same when visiting the US. Never seemed to get funny looks eating alone and often got better accom prices as well.
But over to you, not trying to sell you anything.
It is always hard to travel to difficult places and tours are often a good way to get in touch with places
that might not even be thought of. My family lived in Sydney twice and we did rent a car and travel west,
eventually touring along the Great Ocean Road, which is spectacular, and took a quick ferry to Kangaroo
Island, seeing the fairy penguin colony, an Australian seal beach, and Remarkable Rocks in the SW part of
the island. We did have great luck visiting Uluru and the Red Center by engaging WayOutback, a camping trip
organization that still exists and arranges really great camping experiences, including road trips, hikes, and cabins. So I would recommend a month's visit, with side trips planned. A long trip to be sure, but there is a lot to see.
Have a great trip, mate!
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