Australia 2011, a holiday review
Posted on: November 20, 2011
Hey folks,
I’m on my way back from “the big trip” The much longed for and anticipated holiday to Australia. It has been a fantastic whirlwind 16 days. Anyone reading this and thinking…. Is it really worth going all that way, yes it is.
Before our honeymoon just over 2 years ago, I couldn’t see the fuss. I thought nowhere would be worth a full day on a plane, especially when I can’t even sit through a film without losing focus. Now I’ve been three times, three whole times! That’s more than I’ve been pretty much anywhere, I’ve lived in the uk my whole life but I’ve never even been to Liverpool. But I’ve been to Australia every year for the past 3.
Australia is a huge country, and so diverse. There are so many things to see and do. Combine that with normally great weather, huge empty skies that are pure blue in the day, and full of stars all night; and a small town community attitude wherever you go, you can imagine why Oz has this irrepressible charm that keeps us, and so many others coming back.
Those of us that know us, know that we, especially hubby dearest, put a huge amount of effort, research, time and money into our holidays. This is often to the detriment of our home, social lives and other things we should be looking at using our free tine and disposable income for instead. This means that most our holidays seem like epic journeys, but it is what we live and breathe for, and we’re lucky that we can do this at this point in our lives.
Here are a few edited highlights and recommendations
Melbourne- A cosmopolitan, vibrant city that lights up even more so during early November, when the annual circus that is spring carnival rolls into town. The jewel in the crown is the Melbourne cup. more on that later, including my outfit.
Noosa- Beautiful, trendy beach town, getting a room beachside at Hastings Street is well worth it. As is getting up early to swim off the beautiful main beach.n
Australia Zoo- Getting past the corny tributes, Steve Irwins legacy lives on through his wildlife park. This place is a fantastic array of native and international wildlife. It’s not cheap, but you can make a full day of it. Try and get there for the morning show, which takes place in the “crocoseum” an enormous outdoor arena.
Brisbane- We didn’t get much time to explore the city, but would recommend the Conrad Treasury hotel. Part of the Treasury Casino, the Parlour rooms are in an old Government building, we had room 225, which was a corner room with a balcony. The 25ft high ceilings really made the place.
Byron Bay- Chock full of backpackers and hippies, this place is the most easterly point in Australia, and the sunrises are something else! We decided to stay just a little outside at the beautiful Byron at Byron resort. Byron itself is a little intense, especially on a Saturday night when the teenage travellers live it large, however the little cafes and great Asian restaurants help to create the Zen-like state of calm that one cannot help to slip into when spending a few days in Byron!!
Don’t rent a Holden Epica- they are, as the nice Hertz man who swapped it for me described it, a bucket of snot. Filling it with petrol made it stop. That isn’t good. If you do break down, do so near a rental car dealership. This was my stroke of luck, it was the only one for about 300kms.
Big things!! During our trip we encountered
A big pelican (Noosa)
A giant pineapple (Sunshine Coast)
A huge Prawn (Ballina)
THE big banana (Coffs Harbour)
A massive Scallop (or was it an oyster?)
Australians have a love of building big monuments. This is good thing as the roads are long and at times boring. We took lots of photos (two thumbs up!!)
Hunter Valley-
mmm, wine
Mmm, food
That is all.
However one fun thing we did was go to The Hunter Valley Gardens Christmas Lights. Something will never sit right when I’m wearing shorts during a winter display, however the Sydney fireworks display was pretty brilliant.
Sydney-
Where do I start? What is there to say about a city that literally gleams in the sunlight. I don’t think there is anywhere else so beautiful on the planet. There is so much to see, so much to do, so many places to eat and drink or just sit and reflect.
I know it’s a cliche, but one must do is sit on the concrete benches of the bars under the opera house on an early Friday evening, sipping a cold one and taking it all in. From joggers and commuters milling by to people dressed in their finery heading to the opera, it’s a people watchers dream. And with such an unbelievable backdrop.
So long story short…. Go to Australia, it’s awesome
biggirlstuff 
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