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Just wondering if anyone has been to either one? I am going to be in Sydney and Auckland and was looking for suggestions.

What do you want to know?
As far as Australia, BN's own Creeky lives there. I'm not exactly sure where, but I bet she'd be glad to give advice.

As far as New Zealand, when are you thinking about going and what type of things do you want to do? My brother owns property over there (no idea where, exactly), and I'd be glad to pick his brain. He is currently in Norway and won't be back til the 24th, so I can't get an immediate answer. I hope that didn't sound snobby.... we're from a humble family, I promise. Let's just say he married well.

I have been to both .... spent 40+ years in Australia and have travelled most of New Zealand.

I live 2 hours from Sydney - so can probably answer most of your questions - so fire away - either on here or PM!

Thanks, any help is appreciated. I'm more into the outdoors kind of thing. I'm attempting to climb Mt. Rainier on the 4th, so anything outdoors is cool. I'm going to be in Sydney for about a week and a half working, so I'll have the weekends. I plan on taking a week's vacation in New Zealand. So any ideas or hints on do's and don't is greatly appreciated. Thanks

Hello. Try the Gold Coast, north of Sydney and South of Brisbane, just over the border into Queensland. Lots of good beaches, snorkeling, and barrier islands to explore--very "Buffetty!" Have a great trip.

cleveland steamer wrote:Just wondering if anyone has been to either one? I am going to be in Sydney and Auckland and was looking for suggestions.

nice handle...sicko

murPH wrote:Hello. Try the Gold Coast, north of Sydney and South of Brisbane, just over the border into Queensland. Lots of good beaches, snorkeling, and barrier islands to explore--very "Buffetty!" Have a great trip.

I was there in May and have been a few times - and it is a nice place - however, no barrier reef islands on the Gold Coast and it is VERY touristy.

Cairns or Airlie Beach - Airlie Beach (whitsunday islands) is the location of the very first Hogs Breath in Australia - and I have PH contacts there that have a sailing business if you end up there.

Hi Creeky, Don't know if you remember us, but you helped us get Australian Parrothead Club t-shirts a few years back. (We love them!)
I was in Brisbane three years ago. I guess the barrier islands I visited were a little further north, (Fraser Island?) on the Sunshine Coast...beautiful though, and definitely worth the trip!

When you are in Brisbane, stop by and see my ex-wife and take her out to the reef and help her swim with the sharks!

Seriously, there is so much to do and see in Australia that you will find that you don't have enough time to do it all. There's the rainforest up toward Cairns that has zip lines through it and lots of fun places to explore.

I've spent some quality time in the Auckland airport on my way back from Australia. I've been known to visit the land down under a few times.

I'd like to recomed a book for the flight over. Blue Latitudes : Boldly Going Where Captain Cook Has Gone Before :I attach a review from Amazon.com. In the book he visits a lot of non touristy places. Good luck!

'During a round-the-world trip, I travelled to Australia, New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Tahiti, Bora Bora and Easter Island. I came across lots of places visited by Captain Cook or otherwise connected with him, as well as plenty of monuments with snippets of information about his journeys. I was interested to learn more, but at the same time wanted to avoid academic histories. This book was recommended by my guidebook, and it was perfect. Tony Horwitz combines a chronicle of Cook's journeys in the Pacific with his own experiences of modern-day travel in some of the same regions. It's light-hearted and entertaining, as well as being interesting and informative. It's travel literature, not a literary classic, but it's perfect if you're after an easy-going but comprehensive description of Cook's journeys. Definitely recommended.'