Aussie Millions --> San Fran -> NZ -> Australia Trip Help

[Philuva]

I won a sat to play in the Aussie Millions in Melbourne on January 15th and would love some suggestions for things to do on my trip with my wife.

We already booked our main flights so here is the timing of the trip:
12/28 Charlottesville to San Fran
1/1 San Fran to Auckland (arrive in Auckland on 1/3 morning)
1/13 Dunedin to Auckland (spend the night in Auckland)
1/14 Auckland to Melbourne (play in the Aussie Millions on 1/15 and then after I win...)
1/22 Melbourne to Sydney
2/2 Sydney to Charlottesville


San Fran : We have friends that live in the Mission District and are going to be staying with them. We have plans on the 31st (Tea Leaf Green concert at the Independent), but if any of the San Fran guys, Beetz, Hakee, Diablo, etc. are around for drinks on 28 to 30, let me know and we can meet up. I have been to San Fran once, but if anyone has suggestions for cool stuff over this time period let me know.

New Zealand: We plan to rent a car or mini camper and drive from Auckland to Denemin. We basically have 10 full days for this trip. My wife and I are into, good local food, wine, and hiking (any outdoor activity pretty much). I am into the hardcore adventure stuff like bungee and high speed boats, my wife is a little less adventurous but would still like to go whale and dolphin watching. If anyone has suggestions for tentative itinerary, or suggestions on places to stay. I imagine this is a busy tourist time of year, so do we need to book hotels in advance or can we just wing it? Also, anyone with experience with the mini-campers? And then suggestions for the night we spend in Auckland before we leave? We are also huge Lord of the Rings fans fwiw.

Australia Unfortunately Party P*k** screws you and includes an 8 night stay in Melbourne in the package, regardless if you get knocked out on the first day or not. So suggestions on things do in and around Melbourne for an extended visit would be great. Do we need a rental car? Also, things to do for my wife while I am playing would be great.
Right now we have a flight booked to Sydney on 1/22 and leave to head home on 2/2. We would like to spend sometime in Sydney, but then also going to areas near there, that might involve more flights (Great Barrier Reef, etc.). My wife and I love snorkeling. I have been scuba diving once and might be interested in doing that as well. Suggestions on trips to take from Sydney and the best way to get there would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Phil

[daryn]

[ QUOTE ]
Unfortunately Party P*k** screws you and includes an 8 night stay in Melbourne in the package, regardless if you get knocked out on the first day or not.

[/ QUOTE ]

wow. sounds like they really screwed you! man, you got screwed. what a screwjob.

[Philuva]

[ QUOTE ]
wow. sounds like they really screwed you! man, you got screwed. what a screwjob.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, I think they do screw you because the 8 nights hotel comes out of the prize pool. It is not something they are throwing on top of the sat prize. You don't have the option to take the cash either instead of the 8 nights hotel. Plus, the rate that the 8 nights works out too is higher than I would expect Party to be able to negotiate with the hotel, so I think they are making money off the sat winners' hotel stay. So yes, I think it is a screwjob.

[bad beetz]

I'm down, givem me PM heads up before you come out.

Last time I think we played some AJ's 15/30! Yeah baby!

Oh, and I owe you big for getting me into that club in NY, that was an experience I'm glad I've locked up.

[Ulysses]

Phil,

OK!

Congrats,
El Diablo

[OtisTheMarsupial]

Melbourne has a pretty cool China Town. You can get some good eats, and other things, there.
Shopping at the Cosmopolitan.
Walk along the Yarra River and check out the bridge.
Since it's Summer there now, I think there is Jazz in the Park, something like that. Check it out.

Melbourne is the most urban/Euopean/NY-ish/cosmopolitan city in Australia and it's damn cool. The only thing they don't have there is Mexican food [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

Have fun.

[Barrett's Last Privateer]

Philuva,

Hope you get some good responses from Aus/NZ OOTers, but may I offer you a few suggestions:

NZ - The north part of the South Island of NZ is about the most beautiful place I have ever been. The scenery on the NW corner of the South Island is just awesome. I can also highly recommend the wineries you'll find in the region (I'm thinking Blenheim may be the local city) - Lots of great cool climate whites (Sav Blanc etc). Some of the more famous labels (at least in this part of the world) such as Cloudy Bay, Oyster Bay and Montana may be bordering on the too commercial, but the wine is great, and should be pretty good value with a USD exchange rate.

The other great thing I did in NZ, and it would have been in Jan or Feb, was sea kayaking on Milford Sound (near bottom of south island). I was staying in Queenstown and flew to Milford Sound (takes all day to drive but the flight is like 20 minutes because of the mountains, and flying over them was cool). I had a perfect day for it, clear skies, clear water etc. - it was a great expereince. Being in kayaks rather than the tourist boats gave us more freedom to get close to the animals (sharks, seals birds etc), and at one stage we had dolphins swimming past us and bumping into the kayaks - simply awesome.

Queenstown's obviously a good spot for bungee too.

In Victoria (where Melbourne is), one word - golf. The Mornington Pensinsula, about 90 mins south east of Melb has some of the best courses in Australia, and some really affordable ones too. Cape Shank and The Dunes are two I'd recommend. The Australian Open was just played at Moonah Links - I haven't played there for years but it wasn't too expensive when I did, it's a b*tch of the wind is blowing.

Also some really nice Pinot's from the Mornington Pensinula, Stonier and especially Paringa Estate should be on the list.

Other option from Melbourne is the Great Ocean Road (south west) - beautiful scenic drive, probably want to allow a couple of days to not be rushed.

In Melbourne drink Mountain Goat beer. The brewery is in Richmond but it's on tap in lots of places. It's yummy. You won't need a car unless you're leaving Melbourne, the trams and trains are fine. Richmond and Chapel St/South Yarra are potential shopping venues for your wife. I agree that China Town in Melbourne is great.

In Sydney I hear the Harobour Bridge climb is really good (though I haven't done it), I'd recommend a ferry from Circular Quay to Manly on a nice day, you'll get great views of the city in both directions, and can enjoy a few refreshing ales in Manly, which has a really different feel to the middle of the city.

Sonewhere in Australia drink James Squire Golden Ale. It is a great beer.

From Sydney the Hunter Valley is an obvious choice for the wine buff, too many good ones to name.

I don't really know QLD all that well, I spent a week in Cairns once and did bungee and snorkelling, but I don't think this is the best time of the year for it, there are some really poisonous jelly fish in QLD over the southern summer.

Hope some of this is useful and you have a great trip.

BLP

[Ray Zee]

remember they drive on the other side of the road.
north is. n.z. mostly pretty but not as much to see. stop at the nat. parks.
in auckland stay in mission bay if you can.
in n.z. most small towns the motels all fill or close up real early so get your place for the nite early in the day.
south is. is beautiful on the north side of it. down around dunedin its nice but not much. but lots of wildlife if you are into that. see the rare yellow eyewd penguins. and albtrosees. there are other penguin areas where the little blues come up the beach in the evening. thats the stuff you do in n.z.
queenstown area has the motor crap you like. jet boats on bungee jumping. if you do that go to skippers. its a wayys out but the spot.
see milford sound when its not raining. wanaka, hike some day hikes on the milford track, or the greenstone.
drive arthures pass out of christchuch to the west side. swim with the dolphins noth of christchurch.

aust.
drive the great ocean road. next drive melbourne to sidney over thru threadbo. two great trips.
stuff is longs way apart there. so most drives take alot of time as you dont drive 70 like in the u.s.

[haakee]

I have a flight back from the East Coast on the 28th, not sure how late I'm getting in that evening, but I will definitely be around on the 29th and 30th. PM me and we'll figure out a get-together plan.

[slamdunkpro]

If you want to do the “whirlwind tour” consider a Qantas Airpass. I think you have to purchase these before you leave the states. There are several tour packages that you can get that are great bargains, but again you have to buy them before you leave the US.

When we were in Sydney we stayed in the Shangri-La Hotel, located in the Rocks – great view and great service. Plus you can walk down to the Circular Quay where all the ferries, trains and busses leave from. If you stay in Sydney, stay in the Rocks district. Again I believe you can get some great hotel deals but you have to book them here. Skip the fancy restaurants and hit the little “hotels” (bars) great cheap food. Suck down a few Crown Lagers.

As far as the Great Barrier Reef goes, it’s a long way from Sydney – you really need to go to Cairns or Port Douglas if you want to go to the GBR. Cairns is about as far from Sydney as LA is from Seattle, So it’s going to take you a full day up and a full day back and the reef can only be reached by a looong boat ride so it would eat up about 3-4 days of your 9.

If you really want to go up north to FNQ I suggest a flight into Carnes and a short drive to Port Douglas. You can go to the Daintree rainforest and the beach.

In Sydney don’t miss the zoo and the aquarium, both just short ferry rides from the Quay