Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Busy planning our summer trip!

We've officially received military orders.... you know what that means, right? ... Summer trip planning has officially commenced!

I am so excited about the places we are going! We are spending a few days in Malaysia - just around Kuala Lumpur, so if you have any recommendations or thoughts on possible day trips, let me know! ...followed by a flight to Brisbane.

The Australia portion of the trip, believe it or not, is the difficult one to plan. The country is just so darn big.... and expensive! Everything worthwhile costs a pretty penny. We are going to spend some time with our friends around Brisbane, but we still have time to see something else. I was of the belief "you can't go to Australia and not see the Great Barrier Reef" ... but as it turns out, trips to see the reef are crazy expensive! And to stay on one of the lovely islands around the reef, it is really, really expensive - what I like to call "French Polynesia overwater bungalow expensive!" And when you are taking a month long trip and what feels like a million flights, you have to save where you can, right?

I haven't given up on seeing the Great Barrier Reef yet, but our alternate plan is to head to Melbourne, drive along the Great Ocean Road and maybe stop in one of the little towns for a night, and finally go to Phillips Island animal parks where you can watch wild penguins come out of the water and up onto the beach to their nests. Aww.

After Australia, we are heading to New Zealand's South Island for some winter fun! The South Island is a ski destination for many, so hopefully we will get some winter sports in, too.


Followed by a wonderful, relaxing week on Rarotonga in the Cook Islands. Skiing in New Zealand one week, laying on the beach in the Cooks the next - awesome! After our trip to French Polynesia, I have been desperately waiting to head back to a tropical South Pacific island. We have rented a 1 bedroom 1 bath "villa" less than a 30 second walk to our own semi-private (no big resorts with screaming children near by!) beach. Don't get me wrong - I love kids. Just not while I'm laying on the beach in the Cook Islands. ;)

This is the beach I will be resting my pretty little head on come June! (the black stuff underwater? It's coral... teeming with life and pretty fishes!)


Almost all of our tickets and hotels/B&Bs (we are big B&B fans) are booked - just waiting to explore our options in Australia some more before booking our flight to New Zealand. I had to assure my credit card that this was indeed not fraud as I booked tickets all over the world yesterday.

If anyone has any input on any of these places, including must see places and must do activities, please don't hesitate to comment below. Help with the Australia portion is especially appreciated!!

Steph

22 comments:

  1. How exciting! You are so lucky to be traveling so much!

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  2. There is a less expensive way to see the Reef. Staying in one of reasonably priced resorts in Cairns or Port Douglas. Then you can do a day trip to the Reef or Green Island. There are several companies. The first time we did an overnight trip with ?? , the second time we did a day trip with Fantasea. Fantasea also does overnight trips and Quicksilver does day trips.

    By staying in Cairns or Port Douglas, you can also do a day trip to Kuranda on the scenic railway and cableway and maybe see the Aboriginal Tjapukai Dance Theatre.

    I think it's well worth it.

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  3. Amber - I know, very lucky! I'm so thankful for the opportunity. It's also choosing how to spend your money - I'm pretty sure I am going to need a job after this trip, hahaha!

    Lauren- thanks! I think so! sooo excited!

    Tinkernell - thank you for the advice! My other Aussie friend suggested Port Douglas as well, but flights to Cairns are very expensive, about $500 RT (for two) back to Brisbane (even on JetStar - we can't fly to New Zealand out of Cairns because it is very expensive and adds in very long travel delays). So, I think Cairns is out, but it depends... I was looking at an Intrepid travel 6 day trip to Fraser Island and Lady Elliot Island, but just learned Intrepid is no longer doing that trip because they found it logistically difficult (uh yeah no kidding!) I'll have to look further into Cairns but the ticket prices make us stop.... prices to Airlie Beach RT for two are only $148. Any suggestions on trips out from there?

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  4. OOPS, that would be TinkerBlue - sorry about that!

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  5. This sounds so amazing! I spent a semester in Christchurch, New Zealand, and made it to Australia and Fiji for a couple weeks too. The Great Ocean Road (the 12 Apostles especially) is not to be missed, though I admit that I didn't make it to the Great Barrier Reef. Brisbane is a fantastic town! As for Melbourne, it's nice, but Sydney is much more interesting. Oh, I'm so envious. You're going to have a wonderful time! I assume you'll be staying around Queenstown in NZ for skiing, but try to make it up to Christchurch if you can with a day trip to Akaroa. It's wonderful there!

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  6. Oh, I forgot. Go to Fraser Island! It's unbelievable ecologically, and I don't think it's horribly far from Brisbane, is it? It was my favorite place in Australia.

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  7. Hey Marissa! I looked into Sydney too, vs Melbourne and it was also a lot more expensive. Hmph. I am really interested in trying to work out a Fraser Island/Lady Elliot Island tour (Lady Elliot is on the GB Reef). We might have to suck it up and pay more.... if we did that, then we wouldn't do Melbourne or the Great Ocean Road. Decisions decisions!

    We are going to Queenstown but we are planning to drive around the South Island.

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  8. After more thought, I think my husband and I may be willing to splurge for the GBR. We'll see!

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  9. We are in the middle of deciding where to go for our vacation in May, the Cook Islands look amazing. I have hotels booked on a few different islands at the moment but cant decide exactly where to go! lol I am so indecisive, I am going to TripAdvisor now to check out the islands you are visiting! :)

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  10. The Morelands - how fun! I love island vacations. There is another island in the Cooks that is supposed to be amazing, but with our trip like it is, we don't have the time or the budget to get to it. It's called Aitutaki. If you haven't been to French Polynesia, I highly recommend it! I don't know what your budget is but Moorea is absolutely gorgeous, and cheaper than Bora Bora.

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  11. BTW I have found that the Cooks is much more economical compared with French Polynesia.

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  12. your trip sounds so exciting! i haven't visited china for years now, hope i can go soon =)

    http://ilovemochi.blogspot.com/

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  13. Thanks for the tips! I am going to go compare some prices now. Woo hoo for vacations!

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  14. How exciting! I love Australia & New Zealand! Though I stayed on the North Island of NZ but it was wonderful! The people are SO friendly! Australia was great too though. I was mainly in Sydney but also went to the Cairnes area & stayed on Fitzroy Island to snorkel the GBR! I am so jealous! Have fun planning!

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  15. Wow you travel a lot! Just gotten to reading through your blogs and they bring me back to memories of China.
    As for Australia - I live in Melb and Philip Island is a treat. Just gotta go there when its darker to see the lil penguins waddling up the beach! Great Ocean Rd is very scenic too :)

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  16. Girl, I am so jealous of your travels! The GBR is on my bucket list, you have to take TONS of pics and share them on here so I can go there vicariously through you. Oh the perks of being a military wife, right? Kidding about that one, sort of ;)

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  17. beautiful!

    -COSMICaroline
    COSMICaroline.blogspot.com

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  18. From Airlie Beach you can do day trips to Whitehaven, Reefworld and Knuckle Reef Pontoon. If you can swing it a plane ride or helicopter ride over the GBR is well worth it.

    We flew to Cairns with Virgin Blue for under $200.00 RT per person. Virgin Blue usually offers the cheaper fares first, then Qantas/Jet Star drop their prices to match, so it might pay to sign up for their emails and keep an eye out for the specials.

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  19. The photo of that white sand beach is breathtaking. You are so lucky to have the opportunity to visit such place. Reminds me of the island me and my bf went to last December.

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