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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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| Get yourself over to Australia with one of these great deals |
The lovely people at Cathay Pacific are treating us all to some special flight offers to get to the fabulous land of Australia this year 2010 AND next year 2011. Hmm, don’t rule out booking 2 trips is my thinking!
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| Outstanding business class service for less on Etihad Airways to Sydney and Melbourne |
My lovely friends at Bridge & Wickers have just announced a Bank holiday weekend 3-day business class sale on Etihad airlines with business class flights to Australia for only £2399. This is a very very good price! Business class tickets to Australia usually start around the £3k mark so quite a few hundred pounds saved off that with this offer. Not to mention Etihad has an outstanding business class service, and you can choose between Sydney and Melbourne as your Aussie destination.
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| Want to leave footprints like this? Run Uluru! |
Firstly, I have to point out this is not a plea for sponsorship! Much as I do go out for a ‘run’ (jog!) once or twice a week, a marathon runner I am not 
Even Mr Loves Australia who happily sprints off for a 12km run like it’s a stroll in the park hasn’t competed in a Marathon.
BUT if you’re a long distance runner, and are happiest with a 26-mile stretch in front of you, then this has my vote! Here’s more about the Outback Marathon which is taking place this weekend (31st July)…
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| Splashing in the HUGE pool at the Sea Temple in Palm Cove |
We stayed in some amazing accommodation while visiting Tropical North Queensland last month. Obviously I do a fair bit (OK tons!) of research before we go, but I also got a lot of help from the fabulous team at Bridge and Wickers. I like booking my holidays to Australia with Bridge and Wickers as it’s pretty much a no-brainer as they have high standards like me As you can imagine I am a reasonably (alright, very!) demanding client so anyone with the patience to deal with me must be good.
Actually I do have to add that Bridge & Wickers have in fact just won the ultimate ‘Ozcar‘ from Tourism Australia as the best travel company so you don’t just have to take my word for it!
So here’s where we stayed and a mini review of each place:
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| Small person in a big rainforest |
When you think Rainforest then you might immediately conjure up an image that’s more ‘jungle’ than what’s sometimes the case. Now of course parts of the Rainforest in Australia are in the Tropics in Queensland, and it can definitely get quite hot and steamy in there, but you still don’t need to be an intrepid explorer to enjoy them.
Here’s my mini guide to how you can ‘rein in’ the rainforest – and when I say ‘easy’ ways to explore the rainforest I mean ’so easy you can take your baby and small children with you easy’…
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| Lovely beachfront pool at Castaways |
Am currently residing in Mission Beach, Queensland and loving it. Am a HUGE fan of Mission beach and this is our third visit here on our many travels Down Under. Mission Beach is actually a number of beaches all in a row (making up around 14kms of the sandy stuff) about 2 hours drive south of Cairns. We are in ‘North Mission’ (as opposed to Wongaling or South Mission).
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| Small person at helm of Sailaway – Low Isles cruise, Great Barrier Reef |
Answer: Port Douglas
An old joke the Douglas (dug-less) one, and probably more funny if you’ve had a nice glass of wine (which I’d had when I wrote that).
I want to do a ‘while I am here’ post about lovely Port Douglas in Tropical North Queensland.
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| Only one month to go… |
So we’re booked! One month today we’ll be winging our way to the lovely land of Down Under for our next ‘research trip’.
Now for an old hand like me, planning a holiday to Australia is not all that daunting — BUT do not think that means it’s any less complicated
If, after watching Jenson Button win the Grand Prix in Albert Park in Melbourne at the weekend, you are fancying a visit to the capital of Victoria, I’ve just spotted some amazing hotel deals at very low prices.
I’ve updated the ‘Planning Your Trip’ part of the site with my links for flights, round the world stops, holiday ideas, internal flight info and accommodation suggestions.
I’ve also found some cheap flights for Easter and Christmas 2010.
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| Catch a cab to the Pinnacles? |
Now this is a Taxi ride I want.
Brilliant competition from TravelBag that has 11 chances to win a different leg of a journey across Western Australia.
11 couples will each travel a different section of the taxi tour across this vast Aussie state with what sounds like the chance for quite a few adventures along the way…
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| Heart Reef in the Whitsundays |
As my one concession to it being Valentines Day thought I would have a romantic 5 minutes and share places in Australia that I love, are special and hey – one of them is even heart-shaped!
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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…
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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?):
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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”.
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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
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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| Enjoy the delights of Sydney for less – if you’re quick… |
Got an email from TravelZoo Australia today (sign-up if you want to keep an eye on good hotel, flight and travel deals Down Under!) with a 72-hour sale from Hotels.com for Sydney.
It means there are some bargains to be had, with hotel rooms in the lovely harbour city from just AUD$44 (under £25) a night!
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| The 4-star Mercure Hotel in Brisbane is just one of the hotels offering great deals at the moment |
If you can leave it to the ‘last minute’ to book your accommodation for Australia then, like the UK, you can also access LastMinute.com and see what hotels (and trips) they have available for you, as well as some great deals to be had on Wotif.com
But here are some other great bargains I heard about today from TravelZoo Australia…
Just a quick note to let you know: if you’re thinking of heading to Australia this summer, you can for only £469 return!
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