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| If there is anything you want to know about Australia-related travel and stuff just ask me. This goes direct to my email |
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| The Harbour Bridge and Opera House in Sydney |
Read a really good guide to Sydney over the weekend in the Sunday Times.
Clearly written by a local ‘Sydneysider’ it had some great tips for:
Well worth a read if you’re heading to the lovely harbour city any time soon…
Great deal on offer for flights to Australia with Royal Brunei from £499 return.
It’s a rare day that I don’t get a question about flying to Australia at Christmas. It seems you are all obsessed with being Down Under for the festive season!
I’ve written about this LOTS so I will try not to repeat myself too much! BUT here’s my advice, and what’s out there to book NOW!!!
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| One of my favourite photos of one of my favourite places in Oz – pelicans on Belongil Beach, Byron Bay, NSW |
I am a huge fan of Kirstie and Phil and their location/relocation on-screen shenanigans, so am doubly excited that this week sees the lovely Phil hot footing around Australia helping people to buy a house Down Under. Phil Spencer Down Under is on this Friday (22nd January) Channel 4 at 8pm.
There was an article in the Sunday Times at the weekend written by Phil where he listed some his ‘ideal’ places to live in Australia.
So where does Phil like (and do I agree?):
Spotted this deal from a couple of travel co’s today… sale is only on for 6 days so thought better write about quickly!
Cathay Pacific are offering flights to some of their Australian city destinations for under £600 in May and June 2010.
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| Skiing the Snowy Mountains [image from visitnsw.com] |
Now I realise that the first image you’re likely to conjure up of Australia does not include snowy peaked mountains, and at this time of year it will be very unlikely you’ll find any snow at all in Australia, it’s true. That said, it is possible to build a snowman in Australia…
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| The Australian school holidays can mean busy beaches and expensive accommodation… |
It’s that time of year again — holiday planning time! With the (freezing where I am!) cold weather upon us, and a year of resolutions to uphold (mine always include travel), January is well known as peak holiday planning time.
Something to consider when planning a trip Down Under is the school holidays in Australia, as like anywhere this will add to road, rail and air traffic, and of course to the price of places to stay.
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| 2010 bargain flights to Australia now available… |
Now don’t get too excited — there are not the deals around that we saw in 2009. BUT there are some good fares for sale, so if you’re planning a trip Down Under this year it’s worth taking a look…
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| Sydney’s bridge climb is open on Christmas Day |
I had a great question sent to me about what there is (and isn’t) ‘to do’ over the Christmas holidays in Australia.
Got me thinking (and googling) what you can and can’t do over Christmas if you’re visiting Australia. The question I was asked specifically related to Sydney, so here’s what I found out for there first…
Travelzoo (home to many a holiday, flight and hotel bargain!) featured a £479 return flight to Sydney this week with STA Travel. And its not just for under 26s either before you ask…
I have to say I am amazed at how many enquiries I’ve had recently (questions almost daily on Ask Lucy!) about flights to Australia in December 2010. I can never think that far ahead (I still haven’t even thought about what I am doing for Christmas 2009!), but it seems there are plenty of you who do plan your Christmases 14 months in advance, so I will share my booking tips…
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| Qantas announce two commemorative flights from London to Sydney |
Severe £££ warning — look away now if you don’t have a spare £20k+ (!) for a ticket.
Qantas have announced two commemorative flights that follow original flight paths that the London to Sydney routes took 75 years ago. The flights have the same stopovers and will also use the same historic planes.
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| Tourism Australia have launched a virtual gap year app on Facebook |
Thought this looked a little bit interesting if you’re planning (or at least dreaming about!) a gap year, working holiday, or any holiday to Australia.
Tourism Australia has launched a Facebook page featuring an app that allows you to create a “virtual gap year”.
There’s still lots of you out there who want to travel to Australia for Christmas — so here’s an update…
You will be very unlikely to get a return in early January for a cheap price, but that said you can still grab a sub £1000 flight in the peak dates before Christmas 2009 if you book soon…
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| Your chance to win a trip to Melbourne |
For this first competition, if you have friends and relatives in Western Australia you can enter.
The second competition, however, is open to all (UK residents) — a 10-day trip to Melbourne and Victoria could be yours
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| All the advice you’ll need for emigrating to Australia |
The lovely people at Australia & New Zealand Magazine (whaddya mean you don’t get it? Here’s more info!) have organised a live event near Birmingham this weekend with all the contacts you’ll need for a New Life Down Under.
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| Some good deals on flights released this week for the ‘low season’ dates of mid-April to June 2010. |
There’s been some good deals on flights released this week for the ‘low season’ dates of mid-April (after Easter, which is 4th April next year) to June 2010.
You have to book most this month (September) or during October, but if you know when you want to travel it could make sense to book up some of these deals now.
Travelzoo have triumphed again with an amazing sale on hotel rooms. This time it’s Melbourne only, but the rates are super cheap — so if you’re off to the Victorian capital anytime before the end of October 2009, then take a look at these bargains:
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| Unfortunately the free eye mask doesn’t send your toddler instantly to sleep on long haul flights! |
Along with flights to Australia at Christmas, the other questions I get asked a LOT are about travelling long-haul to Australia, and “how to manage the trip (usually meaning ‘how do we survive the flight?’) with babies, toddlers and small people”.
Here are some of the more recent questions, and my answers…
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| Mini in the outback – Mark Bramley |
I read a really great article this week written by Gavin Green who drove a mini across the red centre of Australia from Sydney to Perth in honour of his father, who had made the same trip (and for the first time in a mini in 1966).
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