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Tips on Oz and NZ plan?

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  • 19-01-2010 12:11pm
    #1
    celestial
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,602 ✭✭✭


    Hey guys,

    I'm heading to Oz and NZ on March 12 for 3 weeks with a mate (two blokes, late twenties) and Just looking for comments on our plan and tips for all the places we plan to hit.

    So here's the plan:

    -March 13 arrive in Sydney, spend 2 nights there hanging out with mates

    -March 15 fly to Byron Bay and spend 3 nights there.

    -March 18 fly to the Whitsundays area and spend 4 nights there

    -March 22 fly back to Sydney, and then directly on to Queenstown, NZ. Spend a week there.

    -March 29 fly back to Sydney and spend 6 nights there

    -April 4 fly back to Ireland


    Any thoughts/comments very welcome! Does it make sense to fly from Whitsundays to Syd and then on to Syd - or is it possible (and a better idea) to fly direct from Whitsundays to NZ?


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    #2
    woolymammoth
    Registered Users Posts: 1,772 ✭✭✭woolymammoth


    celestial wrote: »
    So here's the plan:

    -March 13 arrive in Sydney, spend 2 nights there hanging out with mates

    -March 15 fly to Byron Bay and spend 3 nights there.

    -March 18 fly to the Whitsundays area and spend 4 nights there

    -March 22 fly back to Sydney, and then directly on to Queenstown, NZ. Spend a week there.

    -March 29 fly back to Sydney and spend 6 nights there

    -April 4 fly back to Ireland

    if it were me.. and going on what you've said,
    • March 13 arrive in Sydney, spend 3+ nights there hanging out with mates
    • March 15 fly to Byron Bay and spend 3+ nights there.
    • March 18 fly to the Whitsundays area and spend 4 nights there
    • March 22 fly directly on to <some town>, NZ. Spend rest of trip making way up to auckland.
    • April 4 fly back to Ireland
    Why would you keep going in and out of Sydney? You're only over for a short time.

    I rest my case!


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    #3
    celestial
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,602 ✭✭✭celestial


    woolymammoth wrote: »
    if it were me.. and going on what you've said,
    • March 13 arrive in Sydney, spend 3+ nights there hanging out with mates
    • March 15 fly to Byron Bay and spend 3+ nights there.
    • March 18 fly to the Whitsundays area and spend 4 nights there
    • March 22 fly directly on to <some town>, NZ. Spend rest of trip making way up to auckland.
    • April 4 fly back to Ireland
    Why would you keep going in and out of Sydney? You're only over for a short time.

    I rest my case!

    Defo take your point on flying direct from Whitsundays to NZ. The reason for spending the time in Sydney on the way back is that I have close friends living in Sydney and want to spend time hanging out with them. That and the fact that we'll only be there for a night or two on arrival and there is loads to do in Sydney and the surrounding area too!


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    #4
    woolymammoth
    Registered Users Posts: 1,772 ✭✭✭woolymammoth


    celestial wrote: »
    Defo take your point on flying direct from Whitsundays to NZ. The reason for spending the time in Sydney on the way back is that I have close friends living in Sydney

    Hey sure I don't even know if you can fly direct from the Whitsundays to NZ. :p The real point I'd make for it would be to plan the trip so you're flowing in one direction instead of flying over and back, up & down, costing yourself more on airfare plus the fact that all the flying time would eat into your holiday!


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    #5
    celestial
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,602 ✭✭✭celestial


    Anyone else reckon we'd be doing too much flying??


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    #6
    Mahatma coat
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 6,869 ✭✭✭Mahatma coat


    you should get a better choice of flights out of Brisbane International to NZ as its a hub for a few airlines (Provided the Airport is still there ;):D:D)


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    #7
    Delorian
    Registered Users Posts: 198 ✭✭Delorian


    I made the mistake of thinking I could do NZ in 2 1/2 weeks. The result: I saw bits and pieces, realised I loved the place, went home and moved back here.

    I reckon you should skip New Zealand. I don't think there's any point going to a place if you're run off your feet trying to see stuff. Maximise your time in Oz, relax, enjoy yourself, and come back and see this wonderful country some other time when you have at least 6 weeks.

    NZ is a lot bigger than you'd expect. That's not just cos of size, the roads aren't great, they're windy and slow, and you'll want to stop off and take detours a lot to see amazing stuff. 3 weeks will do one island comfortably, 4 or 5 will do both in a rush, 6 or more to be comfortable.


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    #8
    celestial
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,602 ✭✭✭celestial


    Delorian wrote: »
    I made the mistake of thinking I could do NZ in 2 1/2 weeks. The result: I saw bits and pieces, realised I loved the place, went home and moved back here.

    I reckon you should skip New Zealand. I don't think there's any point going to a place if you're run off your feet trying to see stuff. Maximise your time in Oz, relax, enjoy yourself, and come back and see this wonderful country some other time when you have at least 6 weeks.

    NZ is a lot bigger than you'd expect. That's not just cos of size, the roads aren't great, they're windy and slow, and you'll want to stop off and take detours a lot to see amazing stuff. 3 weeks will do one island comfortably, 4 or 5 will do both in a rush, 6 or more to be comfortable.

    Cheers. Just to clarify though, our plan would be to stay in Queenstown and surrounding area for the week we are there, it wouldn't be realistic to do much more than that. Do you still think we should skip it? I am in two minds myself but would like to get to see the two countries (curious to see how they compare in any case!).


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    #9
    Delorian
    Registered Users Posts: 198 ✭✭Delorian


    Hmm, it's a tough one. I haven't been to Queenstown yet but really, really want to go for the Sounds and the hiking. If you're up for it, the 4 day Keplar (I think it's called) or Milford Treks are supposed to be amazing, so I guess that would be a wonderful side-trip for Oz, where you don't usually do any hiking or see the kind of landscape you'd see down on the south island. Hold on till I get some links...

    http://www.backpack-newzealand.com/articles/topic115.php
    http://www.ballofdirt.com/entries/11109/212975.html
    http://www.milfordtrack.net/
    http://www.backpack-newzealand.com/articles/topic111.php

    You could certainly do one of these in a week and spend the rest of the time looking at and jumping off of things, as ppl do in Queenstown. There's not a lot to Queenstown town itself, approx. 15,000 ppl I think. Apart from the two above areas you have lots of extreme sports and activities and Lake Wanaka & other mountain towns for beauty. I think it'll be too early for you to ski. You could fly into Queenstown and out of Christchurch or visa versa and take in one of the above trips. That would be nice for a week.

    If you're not into hiking though (by into I also mean willing to give it a shot), then I dunno if it's worth your while coming all the way across when you could be having a more relaxing and exploratory trip in Oz. You can do most of the extreme sports in Oz, though they are more expensive.


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