Planning a LSD trip to Perth, Sydney, Brisbane etc

[martyn]

Hi

Back in the day when we did our LSD we had a week in Brisbane and didn't do nearly everything we wanted to do - so I second all the comments above about taking your time! Also be prepared, Brisbane can have some HOT spells in december, I'm from Durbs and I struggle at times.... Finally if you are likely to need to work in the city then check out the western suburbs like Kenmore (lots of Saffies but very expensive) or up by us in the Northern suburbs which tend to be cheaper and have great public transport links.... I'm in Bracken Ridge, feel free to PM if you have any Q's....

Martyn

[LiezelM]

Hi Garfield!

Glad to know you guys are coming visit

Just one thing on Sydney, Hunter Valley is a bit far from everything you might want to see in Sydney, we would suggest staying closer to the city, not IN the city, but maybe somewhere closer to the Hills area, you can google: Castle Hills Lodge, we saw it yesterday

Or maybe closer to Manly side. So look at staying Northwest, or North East, East of the CBD, but not too far out!! The far places don't always have trains, and getting by with a car and a map can be challenging

Otherwise!! We know you're going to love it! Enjoy!

[Bob]

The Australia Zoo is about an hour's drive north of Brisbane, on the way to the Sunshine Coast.

If you all pile into a car, you'll get there from Brisbane . . . no worries

[WannaB Ozzie]

Hallo People,

How much "spending money" would 2 people need for 14 days, assuming that you stay in 1 region only (Brisbane, perhaps?) Don't know what to do with the three kids, but I'm trying to save money here!

I need to surprise my husband with a LSD, masquerading as a vacation - he refuses to emigrate, because he fears the unknown factors like financial implications, etc! I'm positive that he'll change his mind once he's been to Oz for a "vacation!"

Thanks for your help.

Edited July 9, 2007 by WannaB Ozzie

[Garfield]

Die Ficks

Julle lyk baie uitgesorteer met julle vakansie planne en weet waarheen julle gaan. Ek is nog nie op daardie punt nie. Hoop om te hoor wat mense se oor spesifieke plekke om voor te kyk tussen Melbourne en Sydney.

Mikey

You said you ended up in a completely different place as a result of work. This might also happen to us. We intend to buy a business somewhere. We just love Brisbane, but who knows, we might end up buying a business thats in Adelaide you know. We have narrowed down from 6 places to 3 or 4 now. Good idea. Gosh Aus is a big place.

Antoinette

"Our travel agent booked us into hotels in the centre of city and then you will definitely get a warped idea of what the place is like. The city centres are BUSY places"

This WORRIES me terribly. Its difficult to do online bookings in Dec/Jan, but we are looking at the possibility. The best would be for the travel agents to do all the bookings, maybe we should go see him and sit down with him.

It worries me that lots of people complain about the humid weather in Brisbane. Will have to go there and experience it for myself. Lots of our friends ended up in Adelaide.'

Martyn

So a week in Brisbane would not be enough. Ok, but it will give us a good feel for the place hopefully. Queensland Girl mentioned some areas that we will definately visit. She used to stay in the same area where we stay now. We have desided to extend our stay from 16 days to 19 days. Will have a look at Kenmore. Waht is VERY expensive? Like what could a person expect to pay for a 4 bed house with a pool there. Just interested. Will pm you, have lots to ask. thanks

LiezelM

Thanks for the advise. If Hunter Valley is a bit far from everything we will definately not go there. Our time is prescious. Will google Casle Hills Lodge. Thanks again.

Hi Bob

Nice to hear from you. Thanks for the info. We thought it to be an hours drive from Brisbane. Will not miss the zoo for anything. The kids are just going to love it. Here in KZN we do not have a zoo so you can just imagine.

WannaB Ozzie

Welcome here

Garfield

[Antoinette]

Hi Garfield

Ek sou se Brisbane en Durban se weer en humiditeit is min of meer dieselfde, maar dis maar gebasseer op 'n paar dae se verblyf in elk.

Adelaide en omliggende areas is 'n juweel. Wat my aangetrek het was die klimaat (bietjie meer soos die Wes-Kaap), die grootte (een van die kleiner stede in Australie) en dit is ook een van die meer kultuur-historiese plekke (ouer as meeste ander stede). Ons maak 'n leefstyl keuse. Een van die ander ander pluspunte wat ek later ontdek het was dat daar baie Suid-Afrikaners daar is.

Maar dit gaan maar nog steeds moeilik wees. Adelaide is definitief nie die Kaap nie, maar dit is rustiger as Pretoria.

[Garfield]

Hi Garfield

Ek sou se Brisbane en Durban se weer en humiditeit is min of meer dieselfde, maar dis maar gebasseer op 'n paar dae se verblyf in elk.

Adelaide en omliggende areas is 'n juweel. Wat my aangetrek het was die klimaat (bietjie meer soos die Wes-Kaap), die grootte (een van die kleiner stede in Australie) en dit is ook een van die meer kultuur-historiese plekke (ouer as meeste ander stede). Ons maak 'n leefstyl keuse. Een van die ander ander pluspunte wat ek later ontdek het was dat daar baie Suid-Afrikaners daar is.

Maar dit gaan maar nog steeds moeilik wees. Adelaide is definitief nie die Kaap nie, maar dit is rustiger as Pretoria.

Antoinette

Ek hoor daar is so baie SA in Adelaide. Dit klink na n wonderlike plek, veral om kinders in groot te maak. My dogters is 11 en 13 en ek kyk ook uit vir n plek wat geskik sal wees vir hulle

Groete

Garfield

[Spider]

Hi Garfield

Just a bit from when i visited there in Feb...we loved Brisbane. it was scary initially when we only saw the city and how busy life was there, but then awesome ppl on the forum spent a day with us in their suburbs showing us schools, parks, beaches etc, even their home....and we loved it, its relaxed, quiet, kids everywhere, schools everywhere...

i could be wrong as we weren't there for long, but we managed the humidity there, more than in Durbs, unless we were lucky that week....

Perth is also amazing for kids with parks and stuff everywhere...to me, everywhere we went had its "jewels" that would be perfect for kids and quiet home living and so easy to get around to amenities (including partying)

[Garfield]

Chandi

Brisbane is much bigger than I ever expected, had a look today at google.earth.

Fantastic that you had somebody from the forum to show you around. Any suggestions when we go?

What areas would you recommend?

Thanks

Garfield

[B'Burger]

Hi Garfield

It looks like you are heading down the same path that we did. We were in Sydney, Brisbane and Perth on our LSD trip in April this year and spent 5 nights in each. The problem is quite simply that they are all wonderful and livable cities and we are having trouble (HUGE!) deciding where to settle. People, both those that we knew and those that we met, were very friendly and accomodating thus destroying the typical SA rugby fans view of Australians. While the picturesque beauty and economic vibrance of Sydney makes it a huge attraction (to us) - the cost of living detracts. What will be the final determinant is where we will have the best job opportunities. Try and get a grip on that first - we will head back before year end to sort that one out - sans kids and grandma - and that will be costly.

Hope that this helps.

B'burger

PS Don't miss the Aussie Zoo in Queensland - set the whole day aside! Take it easy the next day at Noosa Heads on the Sunshine Coast!

[Garfield]

Hi B Burger

Thanks for your reply.

Yes, its difficult to decide where to settle. We are currently in our own business, so we will definately buy a business there. Lots of options available. Just going to see Sydney as I think its really one of the places to see. Not planning to settle there. Feels like the JHB of South Africa reading about it.

Can imagine that the cost of living must be very high there.

We already promised the kids we will go to the Aus Zoo. Thanks for the tip on Noosa, will google it.

Garfield

[B'Burger]

You will enjoy Sydney I am sure.

Look forward to hearing from you on your return.

Bon voyage

[Lisa T]

Hi Garfield

See you're in Kloof too! We're also going to go over on the business visa and plan to buy a business in Perth. Are you guys not coming to the coffee club on Sunday 22 July??? It would be good to chat??? Did you eventually get your air tickets sorted out?

Cheers

Lisa

[GarNik]

Hi Lisa,

We are off to Perth in December for a LSD - my husband is also applying for a Business Visa. I know that he has done a lot of research already - but we have a lot of unanswered questions - would you mind if we sent you a PM, if there is anything he needs to know specifically.

Regards

Nikki

[Lisa T]

Hi Nikki

Just sent you a PM

Lisa

[Umhlanga]

Hi to all

We are planning a LSD trip for the end of 2007.

We just got the quote from Flight Centre and I must say its very expensive. R86 000 for the 4 of us.

Will it be wise to book the flights throught them and arrange our own accomodation from here? Self catering perhaps?

We plan to go from the 22 Dec - 6 Jan.

The plan is to go to Perth for say 2 nights and then fly to Sydney for another 2 nights. Rent a car and sleep over in Hunter Valley. Then to Coff harbaour for a night.

Then we plan to stay somewhere in Brisbane for 4 nights as to have time to see the areas and schools.

From Brisbane we plan to go to Townsville and then our last 2 nights will be in Cairns.

Any suggestions and ideas please.

Thanks

Garfield

Hi Garfield, looks like we are planning the same trip! I just applied and got my Voyager Credit Card (online and through Nedbank-7days ago)and just booked our trip 15/12/2007-09/01/2008 to OZ. I booked through Voyager SAA(Dbn-Jhb-Perth-Perth-Jhb-Dbn-2 adults and 2 children (3yrsand6yrs))R44150) I think FLIGHT CENTRRE are ripping you off!!!

We have just started to do some research and have not finalized our internal travveling arangements - flights - car hire etc, Pse forward any tips!!!

Regards

[Lisa T]

Hi Umhlanga

You must join us at our next Coffee Club on 18 August! There are a whole bunch of us looking at Perth! Just watch the Coffee Club section for Durban!

Lisa

[Garfield]

Lisa T

"See you're in Kloof too! We're also going to go over on the business visa and plan to buy a business in Perth. Are you guys not coming to the coffee club on Sunday 22 July??? It would be good to chat??? Did you eventually get your air tickets sorted out?"

Yes, also from Kloof. We could not make the coffee club on Sunday. Had other things planned and could not cancel. We got our tickets. What a story. Eventually booked and planned the whole trip by ourselves over the internet and saved a small fortune.

Umhlanga

We are flying on the 26 Dec. Could not get another flight. PLEASE do all your bookings like in immediately. We have been battling for the last week to get accommodation. At last all is arranged.

[Garfield]

Hi to all

Our latest news with regards to planning a LSD trip.

As you all know we got this quote from flight centre for R 84000 or was it R 86000 ?

Anyway. We changed our trip twice deciding to skip Cairns as its too hot and also Perth (very unfortunately) because we only have so much time and plan to move to Brisbane.

We also extended our holiday to 18 days which helped. Then came the BIG shock when flight centre e-mailed me the new trip details. R 128 000. GOSH I nearly had a heart attack. I know Dec is expensive, but come on. The tickets alone was R 55 000 and this was flying via Hong Kong. I told them they can play around with the dates which they said they did. ( 5 days either side)

I felt sick as I know we can never afford it and just wandered what will I say to my children.!!!!!!!!!!

I told my husband we have to find a way and make a plan. We decided to try and do this whole thing by ourselves. We where shocked to see all the tickets on the 22 Dec was already fully booked. Late that night my husband got us tickets flying on the 26 Dec for R 41 500. We could not believe our luck and also this is JHB-Sydney. Flying back from Brisbane the 12 Jan via Perth-JHB

We just saved ourselves R 13 500 on airfare not to mention the time we save going straight in stead of going via HK.

One oops we made was not checking return flight from JHB on the 12 and everything is already fully booked. The only flight we could get leaves an hour after we arrive and that just gave is too little time.

We had to book one night in JHB before returning to Durban the next day.

Then began the big ACCOMMODATION hunt. What a mission, but it al paid off and I can eventually say that everything is booked. Flights, accommodation and a car

27 Dec - 30 Dec Sydney ( 3 nights)

30 Dec - 2 Jan Coffs Harbour ( 3 nights)

2 Jan - 7 Jan Somewhere on the Gold Coast close to Brisbane ( 5 nights)

7 Jan - 10 Jan Australis Pelican on the Sunshine coast ( 4 nights)

10 - 11 Jan In a hotel very close to the airport as we are flying 7 that morning.

I CANNOT wait to go. It was really worth our while doing it all by ourselves.

Garfield

[Umhlanga]

Hi Lisa, Thanks! Nice to hear all the different views. We are just going for a good look and see and feel for the place. We have friends in Brisbane and everybody says that once you have been to Oz you want to live there. We'll see! I was told Jetstar and Virgin Blue is the best for internal fligts??? Got some quotes-very expensive from 20/12 to08/01.(Perth to Melbourne/Sydney/Brisbane and back))

Will try and meet on 18/8

Enjoy!