Australian Natural Adventures

GAIL SKOWRON AND RACHEL & MICAH ISSER

AUSTRALIA & FIJI
July 20 to August 12 2007

Day 1 – Friday, July 20: Providence / Los Angeles / Lost In Space
Depart Providence today for Los Angeles on American flight AA4119 to Chicago, where you change planes to AA55 departing at 3.10pm. You arrive in LAX at 5.20pm. As you are flying American you will arrive into Terminal 4; walk around to Terminal 2 (head to your left when you exit; see map), for your 11.15pm Air Pacific (operated by Air New Zealand) flight FJ5811 to Australia via Nadi, Fiji. The first terminal to your left is the Tom Bradley; this has the best range of restaurants and the best book shop, and you may want to detour into here for something to eat. Although you do get fed on your flight after take-off, it will be about an hour in, or possibly more depending on your seats, which to you will be about 3.15am. You’ll be much better off eating at the airport, then just going to sleep. If you put your mask on, and curl up under the blanket, they won’t usually disturb you, but making a “do not disturb” sign to take with you isn’t a bad idea. (*D)

Day 2 – Saturday, July 21: Lost In Space
Lose today due to the International Dateline, but regain it on your return journey.

Day 3 – Sunday, July 22: LIS / Nadi / Sydney
Arrive in Nadi at 5.45am this morning, where you change planes to your Air pacific flight FJ911 departing at 9.45am for Sydney, Australia, arriving at 11.40am. Here you pass through customs and immigration, and are met and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax after your flight until about 6pm, when you taxi to the Convention Centre to set up and attend the opening session. (Do this to become familiar with its location; in the future you can walk or take the bus.) Suggested for today is a cruise on the harbour to see Sydney from the water. While there are tours that utilize the ferries, usually with lunch or morning tea, the cheapest way to do this is to simply buy a return ticket to one of the up-harbor stops, or across to the Taronga Zoo jetty. You’ll see a map of all the places they go at Circular Quay. The ferries have a snack/meal bar, and you can just get an easy lunch or snack there, sit back, and enjoy the ride. The ferry to Manly goes in the other direction, and as it passes the Entrance, where the harbor enters the Pacific, can get interestingly rough at times. Both the Taronga Zoo and Manly ferries pass the Opera House and various other landmarks, a good run as the sun sets behind the bridge and opera house, and the lights are coming on. Sunset is at 5.08pm today if you want to take the last option. (*B)

Days 4 to 6 - Monday, July 23 to Wednesday, July 25: Sydney
Gail attends the conference, while Rachel & Micah explore Sydney. One outing that may intrigue is to ferry across to Manly, and at the Aquarium try something that you can dine out on for years to come - a scuba dive in the shark tank. Or just look at them and about 11,500 other animals at the Sydney Aquarium at Darling Harbour. Depending on the weather, a bus ride down to famous Bondi Beach may be in order; there are places to eat and there are always surfers there trying their luck on the waves. Just a short walk from your hotel are the Botanic Gardens, which has good views of the harbour, an abundant bird life, and a colony of huge but appealing Grey Flying-foxes, whose wingspans are approximately three feet. They are easily seen during the day as they roost hanging from the trees. Many birds, from Black Swans to colorful Rainbow Lorikeets can usually be seen about the Gardens. A pleasant ten minute walk north of the Gardens, along the edge of Farm Cove, brings you to the point known as Mrs Macquarie's Chair (Mr Macquarie was an early Governor). This is probably the best place to get views and photos of the Bridge, Harbour and Opera House in one expanse.

As well as the immediate downtown and the Rocks, you may wish to visit areas such as the inner suburbs of Wooloomooloo and Paddington, which are now home to restaurants, boutique shops, and other less touristy and more local-flavored shopping and dining opportunities. You may wish to take a guided tour of the Opera House (or a show, click here for what's on); tours leave on the half hour from 9.30am until 4.30pm, and the cost is about $9. Your hotel desk can help you visit any of these areas. Public transport is excellent in Sydney, and is the recommended way to get about. Don’t forget to make your booking for tomorrow’s bridge climb today.

Day 7 – Thursday, July 26: Sydney
This morning climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and see Sydney from the air at the top. This afternoon Gail returns to the conference for the ending session.

Day 8 – Friday, July 27: Sydney
Today is free for everyone to enjoy Sydney. Immediately south of the Gardens is a park called The Domain, also a good place for walking, and which houses the Art Gallery, featuring an excellent collection of Australian and overseas art, including Aboriginal Art. A little further south, at the corner of Hyde Park, is the Australian Museum, with possibly Australia’s best collection of Aboriginal artifacts and other pieces. It is also a very good natural history museum, naturally featuring Australian wildlife, geography and geology. On the other side of Hyde Park are the Hyde Park Barracks, home to over 15,000 convicts in Australia’s formative years; it has displays which give a good insight into Australia's early days. Sydney Aquarium at Darling Harbour, near the Conference Centre, is world class. You may also enjoy a 90 minute guided walk around the convict era Rocks Area (and the markets will be on today), or simply pick up a brochure at the Information Centre and do the self-guided walk. Many people think of opals when they think of Australia, and we can recommend a visit to Art of Opal and Altmann & Cherny downtown. Both these stores have a good range of quality opals, and excellent service whatever your chosen price range. Both also have mining and information displays about opals and offer tax-free buying; we’ve included brochure for Art of Opal, and our card for Altmann & Cherny which entitle you to a discount and a free gift. You should take your passport and airline ticket to buy tax-free. While there are quite a few opal places n sydney (and later in Cairns), these two get consistently high marks from our clients. About lunchtime pick up your rental car and drive up to the Blue Mountains. Your route takes you much the same way as the early explorers who sought a way across the mountains to the fertile grazing land beyond. The views from the lookouts, including the Three Sisters, are quite spectacular. Tonight stay at the YHA in Katoomba.

Day 9 – Saturday, July 28: Sydney / Blue Mountains
A full day today abseiling and similar outdoor activities for Gail & Micah, including the 50m Super Jump, starting at 9am. Rachel enjoys a more leisurely day in Katoomba, or goes along to watch the rock climbing. You should let the climbing company know the night before if Rachel decides to go, as they need to provide a lunch. (L – G& M)

Day 10 – Sunday, July 29: Blue Mountains
Visit Jenolan Caves which although well-developed rather than wild, are quite spectacular, and there are many of them. Nettle Cave, newly reopened, has stromatolites, once thought to be fossils or rocks but actually the oldest form of life on Earth. In the Blue Mountains you can enjoy the Australia bush, with its clear air and smell of Eucalyptus.

itinerary for Gail, Rachel & Micah continues >>>>