Last Minute Tips

[justinn]

So I am finally taking my trip and will be going on a 23 day trip around Australia.

I will be visiting Sydney Area, Hobart Area, Melbourne Area, Perth Area, Darwin Area, Alice Springs, Uluru, Carins and Brisbane.

I have everything booked but am looking for some last minute tips if anyone has one for a person from Orlando, Florida.

PS thank you for the great exchange rate.

Thanks,

Justin

 

[Mattg]

Sounds like a good trip.

When you say everything is booked, I presume that means flights, hotels, tours etc.?

What kind of tips are you after exactly?

 

[Denali]

Tips? Vegemite is to be spread VERY sparingly, don't slap it on like peanut butter.

 

[Steady]

So I am finally taking my trip and will be going on a 23 day trip around Australia.

I will be visiting Sydney Area, Hobart Area, Melbourne Area, Perth Area, Darwin Area, Alice Springs, Uluru, Carins and Brisbane.

I have everything booked but am looking for some last minute tips if anyone has one for a person from Orlando, Florida.

PS thank you for the great exchange rate.

Thanks,

Justin

When you say last minute, are you travelling in the next few days?

If you have an evening or lunch free in any of your Aussie stops, and want to meet up with some local AFFers - post in the meetings thread on the off chance some are free.

There is some info on visiting Hobart HERE

 

[RooFlyer]

Don't let seagulls steal your chips (fries)
We usually put emphasis on the first syllable. Its BRIS-bne, never Bris-BANE
Be careful crossing the road! Cars will be coming at you from a weird direction.
Swim between the flags at the beaches (where life savers are on duty)
Have you booked Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb yet?
Take a cab from Sydney airport, not the airport train. Its not set up for luggage.
If you must tip, do it only for actual very good service. Servers etc are paid much better than in USA; tipping is truly optional.

Lucky bu**er with the exchange rate

Do you have lounge access? There is a forum here where you can see who is in what lounge and may be able to guest you and +1 in.

 

[Buzzard]

Add Adelaide to your plans and visit some of the best wineries...... in the world!
There is some cough too so choose carefully.

 

[RooFlyer]

How about some good white and red wine tips, Buzz? Don't be too parochial .

 

[medhead]

Take a cab from Sydney airport, not the airport train. Its not set up for luggage.

My tip is the opposite, the airport train is set up enough for luggage that it isn't worth the extra expense of a taxi, provided there is only one person.

 

[RooFlyer]

My tip is the opposite, the airport train is set up enough for luggage that it isn't worth the extra expense of a taxi, provided there is only one person.

I believe there is two, and yes, maybe when the train is reasonably empty and ones bags aren't too heavy, bags can be managed. However as its a commuter line, when the train entry area is full of people standing, bags enough for over a month's travelling would be more difficult to manage. Plus you have to deal with the walk to the train after an international flight, down lifts or escalators, and walking from the final train station to the hotel. I'm still tipping to grab a cab, especially as it'll only cost about 0.7 or what it would for you and me

 

[medhead]

I did consider the exchange rate factor, but that applies evenly to the train fare as well.

But two people = taxi

I wouldn't imagine lifts to be a great problem just slow. Finding space on the train is easy if one moves to either end of the platform, even in peak hour. I do see the middle carriages packed, those around the airport platform escalators. But the end carriage vesibules always have space. Walking at the other end, yes it is a bit hot at the moment.

If taking the train best to avoid alighting* at museum and St James stations in the city, if you have significant luggage.

I believe there is two, and yes, maybe when the train is reasonably empty and ones bags aren't too heavy, bags can be managed. However as its a commuter line, when the train entry area is full of people standing, bags enough for over a month's travelling would be more difficult to manage. Plus you have to deal with the walk to the train after an international flight, down lifts or escalators, and walking from the final train station to the hotel. I'm still tipping to grab a cab, especially as it'll only cost about 0.7 or what it would for you and me

* spelling?

 

[chelzmalee]

Get out of the tourist areas for cheaper, tasty eats (a block or two from Darling Harbour, Sydney, will make a difference price wise).

We're chilled out folk, so "thankyou" will often be responded to with a less formal "no worries" or "all good mate" when you're further from the city. It's not rude, it's who we are - especially when you're out on the street.

For decent coffee DON'T GO TO STARBUCKS. We have them, but don't bother. Try the small "hole in the wall" places. Melbourne is FULL of them.

 

[Canny man]

Get out of the tourist areas for cheaper, tasty eats (a block or two from Darling Harbour, Sydney, will make a difference price wise).

We're chilled out folk, so "thankyou" will often be responded to with a less formal "no worries" or "all good mate" when you're further from the city. It's not rude, it's who we are - especially when you're out on the street.

For decent coffee DON'T GO TO STARBUCKS. We have them, but don't bother. Try the small "hole in the wall" places. Melbourne is FULL of them.

Coffee tip 2 - Try a flat white rather than the usual capuccino or latte

 

[get me outta here]

You will find Aussie coffee a lot stronger that the American p_ss weak (that's an Australian idiom) stuff. If you're not used to caffeine, have the first flat white earlier in the day. Starbucks have them in the US if you want to try the US version.

And, I remember another thread not so long ago about an American coming here. Maybe good stuff in that too.

Coffee tip 2 - Try a flat white rather than the usual capuccino or latte

 

[RooFlyer]

This may be invaluable. But yes, we do speak English (AKA 'Strine').

 

[Moindardt]

Food is actually real food, not processed, so don't drown it in sauces.
Have a nice rib eye, medium or medium-rare, with a mushroom sauce on the side and see what a real steak tastes like.
If it has to be cooked to 10hrs, it started out like rubber, so give it a miss.
Cheese is not orange, it is yellow. That's what it's like naturally without all the plastic added.
You didn't say when but if it's still warm, add Gold Coast to your trip. Beaches are so much better than down south, and the water is actually warm and nice to swim in.
Visit a zoo and cuddle a Koala and maybe pat a kangaroo. Do not try to pat a roo at Ayers Rock.
Make sure you have a tourniquet on you at all times. It's Australia, practically everything can kill you. (Just joking. Well sort of.. Actually not really)
Pretty much everywhere serves good food, wine and coffee, except most tourist places and Starbucks. Even McDonald's has barista's so enjoy real coffee.
As has already been pointed out, do NOT tip unless you have real good service/food.
Try Bundaberg Rum & Coke. Also try Lemon lime and bitters (only freshly made)

 

[get me outta here]

A Koala is not a bear, just a plain 'koala'.

 

[RooFlyer]

Please, no-one mention the drop bears, let them find that out for themselves.


Dang, how do you delete these things?

 

[Quickstatus]

The most important tip for foreigners. We don't take ourselves seriously. You shouldn't either. We are quite irreverent and are sometimes not afraid to dish it out AKA "sledging". Sledging typically occurs in male only company although women can be great sledgers too.

So when you think you are being insulted, maybe it's sledging and you should retort in a similar manner.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sledging_(cricket)
http://top20cricketsledges.blogspot.com.au/?m=1

Oh don't worry too much if you run over a kangaroo or wombat. Just make sure it's dead. A wombat may however demolish your car. Even though the kangaroo is a national icon most consider them a feral pest.

 

[Moindardt]

A Koala is not a bear, just a plain 'koala'.

Who said it was a koala bear?

 

[get me outta here]

Nobody here. Americans tend to though.

Who said it was a koala bear?