Australia (Besides Melbourne And Sydney) Master Thread

[Dan]

Weds-Fri in CNS/HTI?

[Moishebatchy]

Weds-Fri in CNS/HTI?

Is that realistically enough time? Taking into account that on Friday, I will need to get to MEL with enough time to get myself situated for Shabbos...

[Dan]

Is that realistically enough time? Taking into account that on Friday, I will need to get to MEL with enough time to get myself situated for Shabbos...

Just need a day to go out to the reef or rent a boat to cruise the whitsundays.  Don't need much time to checkin to the PH MEL and walk to the shul around the corner for meals.

[shmebeble]

Just need a day to go out to the reef or rent a boat to cruise the whitsundays.  Don't need much time to checkin to the PH MEL and walk to the shul around the corner for meals.

How much is the boat rental? and do you have a link?

[Dan]

How much is the boat rental? and do you have a link?

We did a private full day Barrier Reef and Whitsundays trip and it was $400 (without shopping around too much). Bet some of the tour operators at Airlie Beach have it much cheaper and considering the strond USD, its a great time to go

[Moishebatchy]

Just need a day to go out to the reef or rent a boat to cruise the whitsundays.

Sounds like a plan. Which airport am I aiming for, exactly? Still waiting to get my Lonely Planet guide, sorry for my ignorance.

We did a private full day Barrier Reef and Whitsundays trip and it was $400 (without shopping around too much). Bet some of the tour operators at Airlie Beach have it much cheaper and considering the strond USD, its a great time to go

Care to elaborate a bit? This sounds mighty interesting...

[Dan]

Sounds like a plan. Which airport am I aiming for, exactly? Still waiting to get my Lonely Planet guide, sorry for my ignorance.

Care to elaborate a bit? This sounds mighty interesting...

PPP or HTI.

Lots of boat operators from Airlie Beach, just have to find and negotiate.  And decide if you're OK with outer reef+Whitsundays or if you want to go to the primary reef a couple hours away.

CNS will probably be cheaper to find rides to the reef than PPP/HTI.

[Moishebatchy]

PPP or HTI.

Currently have TLV...SYD-MEL booked. Wonder if AA will let me change it to TLV...SYD-HTI-MEL instead (and then I throw away HTI-MEL), so I don't get hit with O/D change fees.

Lots of boat operators from Airlie Beach, just have to find and negotiate.  And decide if you're OK with outer reef+Whitsundays or if you want to go to the primary reef a couple hours away.

Yes, I imagine outer reef is fine. Don't have the necessary time or money to insist on perfection.

CNS will probably be cheaper to find rides to the reef than PPP/HTI.

Wait, so why am I looking at PPP/HTI, then?

[Dan]

Wait, so why am I looking at PPP/HTI, then?

PPP/HTI is famous for the Whitsundays, plus you can say you touched the outer reef.
CNS is farther and is just for reaching primary reef, no whitsunday islands to gawk at.

[Moishebatchy]

PPP/HTI is famous for the Whitsundays, plus you can say you touched the outer reef.
CNS is farther and is just for reaching primary reef, no whitsunday islands to gawk at.

Sold. Whitsunday gawking is a priority, after seeing those pics.

So... PPP or HTI?

[Dan]

Sold. Whitsunday gawking is a priority, after seeing those pics.

So... PPP or HTI?

6 of one, half dozen of the other.  Very limited flights to either, so good luck with that.

[Moishebatchy]

Very limited flights to either, so good luck with that.

And lemme guess... no SPG or other half-decent hotel, either... right?

[AJK]

Correct.

ETA: Was referring to there not being SPG hotels.

[Dan]

And lemme guess... no SPG or other half-decent hotel, either... right?

Several full-decent hotels.

[htg123]

Several full-decent hotels.

Any american hotel chains?

[moish]

Sounds like a plan. Which airport am I aiming for, exactly? Still waiting to get my Lonely Planet guide, sorry for my ignorance.

Care to elaborate a bit? This sounds mighty interesting...

i have some books here if you need

[Moishebatchy]

i have some books here if you need

[moish]

my pleasure

[Moishebatchy]

So after discussing the matter with moish, when finally meeting him in person for the first time ever (and for the record, he's not nearly as scary in real life as he is on DDF ), I'm contemplating just arriving and staying in MEL for the first weekend, doing the GOR on Sunday and Monday, heading somewhere GBR-related from Tuesday morning to Friday morning, SYD from Friday to Sunday, and then bouncing Sunday morning at 10 AM.

What do you guys think of that? And if it's a good idea, where GBR-related should I go? Objectives would be diving at the GBR, and seeing nice scenery in the area (Whitsundays?)

[moish]

(and for the record, he's not nearly as scary in real life as he is on DDF ),

me? scary? say what?