Sometimes I get jealous of the Aussie bloggers and the expat bloggers. Well, because I'm guessing that MAYBE it's easier to come up with Australian-related post ideas when you're actually IN Australia.
I feel for the most part I'm stuck writing about a past holiday and episodes of McLeod's Daughters.
The ironic thing is when I'm actually IN Australia, I won't be able to post everyday. In some places, the Internet is too expensive. And I'm not going to visit an Internet cafe every morning.
Anyway,
I was thinking. Why not take a break from writing about our PAST trip and write about the future one instead.
So, here it is.
We're arriving in February on the 3rd and leaving March 6.
We're going to spend the first few days in Sydney. Then we're going to drive somewhere in the Snowy Mountains. I saw some farmstay place where you can sleep outside. We might do that. Then we can totally play McLeod's Daughters.
We're going to drive Canberra--go to the museums and zoo.
At some point, we're going to fly to Tasmania to visit my Livejournal friend. We'll do that either before Snowy Mountains or after.
Then we're going to spend a week in Manly and two weeks in Sydney.
I know some people will think we're wasting our time spending so much time in Sydney and not hopping around Australia. But I love Sydney so much.
Plus, with the whole fuel issues.....I feel better not flying and driving around too much.
We haven't planned yet what we're going to do in Sydney.
I sort of just like hanging out. Picnics in Hyde Park. Playgrounds. Daily trips to the aquarium and Wildlife World. The Zoo. Bonding with the cousins and new/old friends. Maybe we'll all risk our lives at Luna Park again.
We never did a harbor tour. I was cheap and said the ferry is good enough. But maybe this time we'll try it. I've seen pictures of people swimming in the harbor (brother-in-law and a Facebook friend). I really want to do that.
Tim is scuba certified now, so he wants to go diving. I think that'll be great for him. He'll probably find something around Sydney.
I don't know what crazy and daring things I'll do. Maybe the bridge climb again? Or maybe I'll do the Sydney Tower climb. Probably not. I'm not as attracted to the tower.
Oh!! I know what I really wanted to do. I just remembered. I wanted to do a huge walk--maybe from the north of the bridge all the way to Double Bay. That would be exciting.
As for the next holiday AFTER that--probably in 2010 or later, I have two ideas.
Either
a) Great Barrier Reef and Uluru.
or
b) take the Indian Pacific train from Sydney to Perth and stop at Adelaide. (or take a plane--depending on how much time we have).
I would love to spend some time in Western Australia. Jack of course wants to go to South Australia because that's where his McLeod's Daughters are.
Okay, honestly I'm not super excited to go to GBR and Uluru. I think in some ways it's more of an obligation. I'll have to sort all that out. Am I going because I want to go, or am I going because I feel we should go?
It's also up to Tim--if he wants to go. I'm open to the idea. I'm probably more interested in Uluru than GBR. I'm not big into coral and fish. Tim might want to go though since he's now a REAL scuba diver person. I mean it would be a bit embarrassing if he went to a scuba support group and told the other members he's been to Australia three times and has never done the Great Barrier Reef.
I feel for the most part I'm stuck writing about a past holiday and episodes of McLeod's Daughters.
The ironic thing is when I'm actually IN Australia, I won't be able to post everyday. In some places, the Internet is too expensive. And I'm not going to visit an Internet cafe every morning.
Anyway,
I was thinking. Why not take a break from writing about our PAST trip and write about the future one instead.
So, here it is.
We're arriving in February on the 3rd and leaving March 6.
We're going to spend the first few days in Sydney. Then we're going to drive somewhere in the Snowy Mountains. I saw some farmstay place where you can sleep outside. We might do that. Then we can totally play McLeod's Daughters.
We're going to drive Canberra--go to the museums and zoo.
At some point, we're going to fly to Tasmania to visit my Livejournal friend. We'll do that either before Snowy Mountains or after.
Then we're going to spend a week in Manly and two weeks in Sydney.
I know some people will think we're wasting our time spending so much time in Sydney and not hopping around Australia. But I love Sydney so much.
Plus, with the whole fuel issues.....I feel better not flying and driving around too much.
We haven't planned yet what we're going to do in Sydney.
I sort of just like hanging out. Picnics in Hyde Park. Playgrounds. Daily trips to the aquarium and Wildlife World. The Zoo. Bonding with the cousins and new/old friends. Maybe we'll all risk our lives at Luna Park again.
We never did a harbor tour. I was cheap and said the ferry is good enough. But maybe this time we'll try it. I've seen pictures of people swimming in the harbor (brother-in-law and a Facebook friend). I really want to do that.
Tim is scuba certified now, so he wants to go diving. I think that'll be great for him. He'll probably find something around Sydney.
I don't know what crazy and daring things I'll do. Maybe the bridge climb again? Or maybe I'll do the Sydney Tower climb. Probably not. I'm not as attracted to the tower.
Oh!! I know what I really wanted to do. I just remembered. I wanted to do a huge walk--maybe from the north of the bridge all the way to Double Bay. That would be exciting.
As for the next holiday AFTER that--probably in 2010 or later, I have two ideas.
Either
a) Great Barrier Reef and Uluru.
or
b) take the Indian Pacific train from Sydney to Perth and stop at Adelaide. (or take a plane--depending on how much time we have).
I would love to spend some time in Western Australia. Jack of course wants to go to South Australia because that's where his McLeod's Daughters are.
Okay, honestly I'm not super excited to go to GBR and Uluru. I think in some ways it's more of an obligation. I'll have to sort all that out. Am I going because I want to go, or am I going because I feel we should go?
It's also up to Tim--if he wants to go. I'm open to the idea. I'm probably more interested in Uluru than GBR. I'm not big into coral and fish. Tim might want to go though since he's now a REAL scuba diver person. I mean it would be a bit embarrassing if he went to a scuba support group and told the other members he's been to Australia three times and has never done the Great Barrier Reef.
What would our world be like if we
knew for sure there
was life after death, and
we could easily talk to our
dearly-departed on the Internet?
The Dead are Online a novel by Dina Roberts
What a shame you won't be making it to Perth this time around. I guess you know that if you came to Perth you'd want to live in Australia even more. :)
ReplyDeleteSounds like you have some good plans brewing there. I had a look at the farmstay website, I SO want to do one of those horse riding tours! It's been about 9 years since I've been on a horse and I miss it something terrible (hubby and I used to ride every other week).
ReplyDeleterodney,
ReplyDeleteThat's why I need to live in Australia--there are SO many places I want to see.
The problem is there are also so many places where I want to spend a long time.
I wish I could say "Well, we've seen Sydney, now let's spend a month in Perth." But I'm so damn attached to Sydney.
What I need to do is clone myself.
Mim,
ReplyDeleteYou should come with us!!
I haven't been on a horse in SO long--I think the last time was when I was 16 or 17.
Yikes.
Honestly, I think I'll be scared. I'm a chicken. Didn't they just come out saying the most dangerous animal in Australia is the horse?
But see if I tell people I'm going horsebackriding, they'll just say "Lovely! Have fun."
I say I'm swimming with sharks and they give me a really weird look.
I was probably safer with the sharks.
Oh when you come we should meet up or something
ReplyDeleteGreat plan!
ReplyDeleteA lot of people talk about stuff they want to see overseas, and while that would be great, there is so much of my own country that I still want to see that I'm just don't really care about forking out a fortune to go to another country. lol
We are planning a camping trip along the great ocean road in vic next year. Should be good.
Hello! Gina in Sydney here....we corresponded very briefly when you had a Livejournal, and my friends page there redirected me here, hope you don't mind!
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to say I'm so glad you're coming to Australia again - seems to me it's like some sort of spiritual home for you, and I hope you have an awesome time while you're here. I imagine you have plenty of Australian friends, but if you do need to ask any travel advice, etc - just yell out on your blog and I'll help if I can :)
Supermindy,
ReplyDeleteOf course we will get together. We'll have to do something all together....you, me, Laura and some crazy people we find off the street.
Bettina,
ReplyDeleteBefore the Australia thing came about, my husband wanted to go to Hawaii.
I looked into it and said I don't want to take Jack on a plane ride when he's that young. It's too expensive. He won't appreciate it. What's the point?
I had my husband convinced so we talked about going somewhere closer.
The caribbean? Bahamas?
Well, if we're going to go there....why not just Florida or California?
Then it was Well, Texas itself is a beautiful place. We should explore our own state. Let's go to the coast.
Okay.
Well, do we really need to go to the coast. We could just go to the lake house--thirty minutes away and it's FREE.
Then I thought. Why go to the lake house. We have a beautiful backyard and pool. Let's just stay here.
There's this part of me that wants to travel everywhere and then another part of me that wants to just stay put.
I do have that Australian thing pulling me in though. So, that has kind of changed everything. But the long plane travels with a child went much better than I thought it would.
I have the same feelings about Australia too though. A part of me feels we need to go to every single state and visit every city...every famous little site. But another part of me thinks we can have a very rich and rewarding experience by staying in one state. Yes, we miss out on seeing things. But unless you're an immortal zombie, you're going to have to miss something.
That's why I believe in reincarnation. It's gives me the hope that I CAN eventually see it all ; )
Gina,
ReplyDeleteI do mind that you're here and I already have enough Australian friends. See, I have a quota and it's already been fulfilled.
JUST KIDDING.
I remember you, I think??? Were you Gee Says????? We talked about politics and didn't you work with indigenous kids?
Maybe we can get together when we're in Sydney. I think it would be fun to meet up with people.
I'll definitely yell out if I need help. I'll probably be yelling out the car window. "Gina!!! Where are you? How do we get across the bridge????"
You do have a good memory - yep, that's me.... I'm freqently found talking about politics, and although I actually work in sport, I remember we "talked" on a day when a group of indigenous kids had come to visit some of our indigenous players - something which actually happens quite a bit.
ReplyDeleteIt would be great to meet up while you're here - I'll think of some "off the beaten track, not really touristy very Australian" sights to show you....
Have you had a look at this
ReplyDeleteIt's a ghost tour with a stack of history thrown in for good measure ;)
Perth is completely different again, like a comfy shoe you've just discovered you'd lost ;)
I've been thinking about your visit here. I don't think we can do Coles Bay as it would take up your entire trip pretty much. I thought we could just do some day trips from here. There are some great caves and a Tassie Devil wildlife park at Mole Creek that would be a good thing to do. Tasmazia is a fun place too (although when I took my bil and niece there recently they thought it was lame). And of course just a hang around Launceston type of day..not that there is much to see but Cataract Gorge is nice and the shopping area is quite quaint. We have a little museum here.
ReplyDeleteGina,
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize until recently that you guys say sport instead of sports like we do. I love all these little differences. I love off the beaten track type stuff. One of the best nights we had in Sydney was when my new friend invited us to their dinner club place. We had so much fun. I like doing things that a typical tourist wouldn't do.
Jayne, I haven't read the whole website yet. I just saw "Bubonic Plague" and immediately knew "This is it! This is the crazy thing I was looking for!"
I think I might have told my Perth story on here. Well, not actually my story, but the story of a Swedish woman I met in Sydney. I told her about my attraction to Australia. She said on her first trip to Australia, she got off the plane in Perth, didn't even leave the airport and called her mom to tell her that one day she was going to live there.
She later met an Australian man, got married, and moved to Australia.
What IS it about Australia??????????
It reminds me of Stephen King's the Stand. Maybe Mother Abigail is coming into our dreams and saying "Go to Australia. Go to Australia."
Tracey,
ReplyDeleteWe're going to be there for only 2 full days.
I'm fine with ANYTHING.
Day trips. Hanging around Launceston.
I think it will be fun just hanging around in your house....letting the kids play.
If I had a choice between doing touristy stuff and doing typical-what-Tracey-does-on-the-weekend, I'd pick the latter.
Well, unless you typically get totally drunk and have orgies. I'm not sure I'm ready for that.
Seriously though. I'd love to see your favorite restaurants, your favorite shops....where Tara likes to play.
And if YOU have a favorite touristy place, I'd love to see it.
Okay. I do hate sports though (sorry Gina if you're reading this comment) So....maybe we can skip any of that. Unless it's one of those things where you eat lots of good food, chat, and don't really watch the Sports.
haahaaa..well I hate sports too!! :-) And the only sports on that time of year is cricket and that is just way too boring!
ReplyDeleteOk so one outing outside of Launceston then if it is two full days..I'd pick the caves and the Wildlife park. I think both would appeal and they're near each other. It's a nice drive too.
xxx
ohhh and don't worry you're safe. Nor orgies to be had around here!! lol
ReplyDeleteIt's funny though. I mean we 'know' each other really well on so many levels but not at all on others. I worry about our dysfunctional family and how we carry on and that you'll be shocked by that. But you've read/listened to enough of me to know the story of it all I guess.
Tracey,
ReplyDeleteTotally cool. I LOVE wildlife parks. So, does Jack. We're all into Aussie animals.
I haven't been in a cave in so long...except the fake one at our zoo and at Disney World.
I'm super excited to be in one again!!!!
I laughed so much at your other comment.
When I read it, I misread it as I'm worried about YOUR dysfunctional family. I was thinking WHAT????....HOW RUDE!!!!
Here I was thinking....I mean I know my family is dysfunctional, but did you have to announce it on my blog?
I was trying so hard to fake the whole we're-normal thing.
Hey, I think both of OUR incredibly insane families will get on beautifully.
I mean better both of us have crazy families. It would be uncomfortable if one of us had a crazy family and the other had a normal family.
It's totally fine to hate sport.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, I hate most sports except for the one I actually work in (lucky, that!). I could never be one of those people who was obsessed with sport to the exclusion of all else, so while the sporting club I work for is a huge passion of mine, I also have plenty of other interests!
I promise I won't drag you to any sporting fixtures when we do meet up here in Sydney!
Gina, my friend is living in New Zealand right now. He's TOTALLY obsessed with sports. Or at least he used to be.
ReplyDeleteI should send him to you if he comes to Sydney ; )
What is your sporting club like?
Oh...I just typed a long answer to the question of what my workplace is like, and it disappeared somewhere into the ether. Obviously I pressed a wrong button somewhere!
ReplyDeleteSo, my sporting club is a very high profile team which competes in an elite national competition.
It's heaps of fun, and lots of hard work. Nothing like a normal workplace, in that there is such an emotional investment in the club. The highs are really high, the lows are very low, and there isn't too much in between. For instance, the mood early next week will be determined by how the team performs on the weekend.
Including athletes, there are about 100 people who work here, and it's often described as "a family". Which is kind of how it often feels - a big, extended family - cliched though that may sound.
All in all, it's awesome, and I can't really imagine ever going back to a traditional Monday-Friday 9-5 kind of job.
Dina- All this talk of you being here is so exciting-- we will definitely have to have a date with Mindy, you'll love her.
ReplyDeleteAs for your drunken orgies in Tasmania-- well I was trying to think of something really funny to say after that-- but it was kind of funny all on its own, right?
Guess what?? My mom will be here next weekend!!!! Cannot wait for you to get here!
And is it me or some of these word verifications starting to look like they're not really letters anymore and they're just messing with us?
Gina,
ReplyDeleteYou are so lucky to have a job you love that much. I think it's wonderful when people work with people they consider family.
Hope the team does well this weekend.
Laura,
I am SO glad someone else noticed what is going on with the word verification thing. I sometimes have to do it two or three times. What is the deal??????
Yeah, we just can't help it. Australia rocks!!! If it's any consolation, I've NEVER been to Sydney!!! So you're already one step ahead of me there and I'm IN Australia. :) It IS a very BIG country to see all of in 1 or 2 trips isn't it. Perhaps you should MOVE here. ;)
ReplyDeleteLightening,
ReplyDeleteYou're totally right!
I need to move there!!!!!
If I get to go to the GBR that'll be cool. But if I don't then I can always say "that's SO touristy" I went to a little known place to scuba (insert name)and it was (insert adjective)!" or something to that effect.
ReplyDeleteanyway, the verification thing is messing with my mind...
It all sounds great. The Snowy Mountain area looks so wonderful!!
ReplyDeleteDid you go to Manly last time? That's where the woman in the Emu book stayed isn't it? Did I say that last year when you went? haha
Its nice to see someone take such a loving interest in my country.
ReplyDeleteYou should definitely make your way over to Western Australia, there are so many things to do on the west coast, but also inland, I currently live in the north east goldfields region of WA about 960km from Perth, there is so much history and beauty about the place, we get forgotten out here a lot but it is very beautiful (in a different way)the mining museums are great and there are a lot of historic heritage trails which you can do. The only set back is that there are not many guided tours, you need to drive them yourself. If you ever want to do a self drive trip I suggest doing the "Outback Way" it starts in the town I currently reside in, Laverton and you go through Alice, Uluru and come out in Winton, Queensland... It is about 1500km so not for the feignt hearted :)