Australia Sights - Suggestions?

[M]

I'm going to Sydney and Melbourne next month with 11 other people. Age range of the group is 19 - early 30s. Do any of you world travelers have suggestions about what to see/do/etc.? We will be there for 16 days.

Thanks!

[Tulsa_Fireman]

Eat vegemite.

And I hear Melbourne's Chinatown is awesome.

[SoonerInKCMO]

Don't hug a koala - they'll dig into your back with their sharp-*** claws and poop eucalyptus all over you.

[Viking Kitten]

1) Poll the group to find out how many know that koalas aren't actually bears.

2) See if water actually drains clockwise in the southern hemisphere.

3) That big bridge and operahouse that I guess is supposed to look like boats or something... go see that.

4) Walk up to some guy on the street and say "G'Day, Mate!" then run away

5) Find an Outback Steakhouse and eat like an authentic Aussie.

6) Bring me one of those cute hats that curls up on the side and has a string underneath the chin.

[Tulsa_Fireman]

7) Don't get stabbed in the chest by a stingray.

[SoonerInKCMO]

8) Have sex with an Aussie guy.

[Tulsa_Fireman]

9) Buy some batteries, then shout out real loud in the store...

"GET ENAHJOIZAH! OI!"

[SoonerInKCMO]

NM.

[Viking Kitten]

10) If you see a great white shark, swim away really fast.

[Tulsa_Fireman]

10) Whip out a big knife and chase off some New York street punks with it.

[frankensooner]

11) find out if the women glow and men plunder?

[M]

You guys are funny! Keep 'em coming! :P

[Mjcpr]

Two chicks at the same time.

[mdklatt]

I'm going to Sydney and Melbourne next month with 11 other people. Age range of the group is 19 - early 30s. Do any of you world travelers have suggestions about what to see/do/etc.? We will be there for 16 days.

Thanks!

Sydney Aquarium is a must-see, Maritime Museum (if you're into that kind of thing), Crown Casino, Featherdale Wildlife Park, Harbour Bridge Climb (if you're into that kind of thing and feel like paying an arm and a leg, otherwise just walk along it), Opera House, take a ferry over to Manly, take in a rugby game, go sailing on the harbour, make a day trip to Canberra (3-hour drive), make a day trip to go bushwalking in the Blue Mountains

Melbourne isn't as much of a tourist city to me, but I'd rather live there than Sydney. But see the Victoria Market, the Melbourne Mall downtown--in fact, tons of shopping downtown. The shopping in Melbourne is supposed to be better than in Sydney. The main downtown entertainment district is on the south side of the river. There are a ton of restaurants and the casino. The two tallest buildings have observation platforms. See an Australian Rules Football game--you won't know what the hell is going on but you'll have a good time trying to figure it out.

You're going to get hosed on the exchange rate.

[Tulsa_Fireman]

11) You better run, you better take cover.

[Viking Kitten]

12) Can't you hear, can't you hear the thunder?

[frankensooner]

13) Look up Robert Scorpio.

[soonermix]

have a boxing match with a kangaroo

[soonerboomer93]

Two chicks at the same time.

australian women love american males...

[frankensooner]

14) Throw some shrimp on the barbie.

[M]

Two chicks at the same time.


australian women love american males...

You guys realize I am a chick, right?? :confused: ;)

[Mjcpr]

Yeah, I do, I don't know what the hell he's talking about.

:D

[soonerboomer93]

and why the **** you going there in the winter?

[Tulsa_Fireman]

Malibu Stacy has better temperature control and cast iron grills.

[frankensooner]

15) Look for Carmen San Diego.

[Tulsa_Fireman]

16) Ask where all de white wimmen at.

[M]

and why the **** you going there in the winter?

I am going there for World Youth Day (http://www.wyd2008.org). The pope scheduled it.

[soonerboomer93]

You guys realize I am a chick, right?? :confused: ;)

yeah, i'm hoping the aussie women love american women...







and you'll film it ;)

[soonerboomer93]

Make sure to buy a Knife while you're there

[Tulsa_Fireman]

The pope scheduled it.

Sweeeeet.

17) Get drunk for Jesus. Catholic style!

[soonerboomer93]

oh, supposedly they have most excellent sex shows in sydney

make sure to take the youths with ya

[M]

Well I am taking a camera that takes video. Gotta get all those memories on film! ;)

[frankensooner]

18) Use your Sharps rifle to shoot the aboriginal people.

[M]

Sweeeeet.

17) Get drunk for Jesus. Catholic style!

Yes. 'Tis why we have confession! :D

[Tulsa_Fireman]

18) KILL WHITEY

[mdklatt]

I am going there for World Youth Day (http://www.wyd2008.org). The pope scheduled it.


Don't tell any of the locals that. They've been bitching about that in Sydney for months because it's going to cause mass chaos on the roads and trains.

[soonerboomer93]

19) AVOID ROADS AND TRAINS

[KC//CRIMSON]

20) Walk around quoting Crocodile Dundee...

[Tulsa_Fireman]

Don't tell any of the locals that.

21) Instead, tell the locals you're there to kick *** and chew bubble gum, and you're all out of bubble gum.

[mdklatt]

Some other hints:

Hungry Jack's = Burger King

Westpac ATMs don't charge any fees for Bank of America account holders.

English/Australian bacon is disgusting.

You will die of thirst in a sit-down restaurant unless your bring in your water.

Lots of places charge you a fee to pay with credit card, but not debit card.

Make sure you ask for a "nappy" if you want a napkin. ;)

[soonermix]

play boomerang golf... its like frisbee golf but with less walking

[Tulsa_Fireman]

22) Ask for a "poofter" if you want to start a California thread on an Australian message board.

[mdklatt]

Hold on to your wallet if you fly Jetstar. Den of thieves! :mad:

[Boarder]

Go to Vienna. Or better yet, visit Salzburg, the birthplace of Mozart.

[M]

Some other hints:

Hungry Jack's = Burger King

Westpac ATMs don't charge any fees for Bank of America account holders.

English/Australian bacon is disgusting.

You will die of thirst in a sit-down restaurant unless your bring in your water.

Lots of places charge you a fee to pay with credit card, but not debit card.

Make sure you ask for a "nappy" if you want a napkin. ;)

Are you not able to order anything to drink?

[sooner_born_1960]

Pssst. I think she means the other Australia.

[Boarder]

Check out some alpine skiing.

[mdklatt]

Are you not able to order anything to drink?

Yes, but the service sucks. Actually, that's not quite right. The service is a lot different than what we're used to. You'll see your server when your order your food, when you get your food, and when you get the check (be sure to ask for the check or they'll let you sit there all night). Of course, you don't generally don't tip in restaurants, either. A lot of restaurants are closed at night except for one or two nights a week, and many of them allow BYOB. Oh yeah--all the shopping places close at like 5:30 except for Thursday nights, so be prepared.

[mdklatt]

Oh yeah...best part about the Crown Casino is the do-it-yourself breathalyzer in the parking garage.

These results are for informational purposes only and are not legal proof of sobriety

Heh.

[mdklatt]

Capsicum, Rice Bubbles, and sultanas are all okay to eat.

[mdklatt]

If you get in a smash-up, a panel bender will do you right up.

[mdklatt]

Getting pi**ed doesn't mean what you think it means.

[M]

Thanks for all the tips. Were you in Australia for business, mdk?

[Tulsa_Fireman]

Thanks for all the tips. Were you in Australia for business, mdk?

As a poopsmith.

[mdklatt]

Thanks for all the tips. Were you in Australia for business, mdk?

Nope, vacation. Two weeks in April, just after "high season" was over. We were in Melbourne for a few days, Cairns (Great Barrier Reef) for a couple of days, and then Sydney for a week. Could have spend three weeks in Sydney and not done everything I wanted to do. If you really want to have a good time, you need to hook up with the family we stayed with in Sydney. They're pretty Catholic, so maybe you'll see them hanging around the Pope.

[M]

Nope, vacation. Two weeks in April, just after "high season" was over. We were in Melbourne for a few days, Cairns (Great Barrier Reef) for a couple of days, and then Sydney for a week. Could have spend three weeks in Sydney and not done everything I wanted to do. If you really want to have a good time, you need to hook up with the family we stayed with in Sydney. They're pretty Catholic, so maybe you'll see them hanging around the Pope.

Very cool! Yeah, I wish I had more time there, but I'm thrilled to even be going in the first place. :D

[mdklatt]

Very cool! Yeah, I wish I had more time there, but I'm thrilled to even be going in the first place.

Yeah, I'm jealous and I was just there! The weirdest thing for me at first was the sun being to the north. Make sure you look right-left-right when crossing the streets, not left-right-left. The Circle Tram will take you around central Melbourne for free, but it can get really crowded. We stayed out in the 'burbs in Sydney, so I don't know much about the transit situation there except to avoid the trains at rush hour. The tourist information centers in Melbourne (Federation Square) and Sydney (The Rocks, west of the Opera House near the Harbour Bridge) have lots of good information.

Are you flying Qantas? Great service, but the flight to Melbourne was unbearably cramped. We were on a newer plane leaving Sydney, and it wasn't as bad. LAX is a hellhole of an airport, at least for international flights.

[M]

Yes, we're flying Qantas and leaving from LAX!

[mdklatt]

Yes, we're flying Qantas and leaving from LAX!

To quote Jerry Seinfeld, good luck with all that.

If you're flying to Sydney you should be leaving out the of regular terminal, next to the AA gates. If you're on a Melbourne flight you're going to be bussed from the Sydney gate to the other end of the terminal where you'll wait in line to get your passport checked and then take another bus out to a 747 parking lot in BFE, dodging all manner of planes as you weave across the taxiways in the dark. When you arrive back in the US you'll have to schlep your luggage through customs, and then fight your way through the check-in area so that you can go through security again with all the hoi polloi. It's like a third-world airport or something. We had a two-hour connection for our flight to DFW and barely made it.

On the other hand, if you're flying to Melbourne from Sydney or vice versa, you don't need to take off your shoes and they probably won't even check your ID. I guess they figure that if you made it into the country you're okay.

[Tulsa_Fireman]

It's like a third-world airport or something.

Because they legalized gay marriage.

DUH.

[Turd_Ferguson]

When a local starts talking to you, ask them if there from New Zealand.

[Tulsa_Fireman]

You talk funny. Speak english, please.

[mdklatt]

You talk funny. Speak english, please.

I thought about asking that a few times. I can deal with Australian accents. I can deal with Indian, Chinese, etc. accents. I cannot deal with an Australian accent on top of an Indian, Chinese, etc. accent.

[Harry Beanbag]

australian women love american males...


Yes. Yes they do. :D

[Harry Beanbag]

Oh yeah...best part about the Crown Casino is the do-it-yourself breathalyzer in the parking garage.

These results are for informational purposes only and are not legal proof of sobriety

Heh.


Yeah, they had those things in a couple of bars we drank at. Which begs the question, why would you be worried about drinking water? We were in Melbourne for 5 days and drank nothing but beer. :texan:

[mdklatt]

Which begs the question, why would you be worried about drinking water?

I don't really like beer or alcoholic drinks in general, but I did drink more in Sydney in one week than I probably have the rest of my life combined. I was offered a lot of American beer (?!), but I did try some local stuff that wasn't too bad. I tried a "blonde" one and a dark one. I don't remember the name, but it wasn't Fosters or VB.

I understand why they have some of our crap there (McDonald's, Subway, Krispy Kreme, Judge Judy), but I have no idea why they countenance American beer.

[Harry Beanbag]

I don't really like beer or alcoholic drinks in general, but I did drink more in Sydney in one week than I probably have the rest of my life combined. I was offered a lot of American beer (?!), but I did try some local stuff that wasn't too bad. I tried a "blonde" one and a dark one. I don't remember the name, but it wasn't Fosters or VB.

I understand why they have some of our crap there (McDonald's, Subway, Krispy Kreme, Judge Judy), but I have no idea why they countenance American beer.


I don't really remember seeing much American beer there. We weren't really looking though. We mostly drank VB and Carlton or something like that. I think they just really identify with the U.S. more than any other country, and I tend to agree with them. Some local guy paid one of my buddies $30 for a pack of "Yankee" Marlboro Reds.

As an aside, we were out and about one night and stumbled, literally :), into a bar full of older people. Once we realized we were in an old foagies pub we decided to have one round then leave. Somebody asked if we were American servicemen, after that we didn't spend a dime the rest of the night in that place. It was a really unique and interesting experience to actually be appreciated as Americans, it's not like that in too many places on this planet.

[mdklatt]

ISomebody asked if we were American servicemen, after that we didn't spend a dime the rest of the night in that place.

One of the things I learned from watching Carrier on PBS is that being an American sailor in Australia is a good thing to be.

[OUbones]

Two chicks at the same time.


You guys realize I am a chick, right?? :confused: ;)

What's the problem, even better! :D

[Harry Beanbag]

One of the things I learned from watching Carrier on PBS is that being an American sailor in Australia is a good thing to be.


Actually, it's better. :) Especially after being away from the States for 5 months by that time, having spent 3 of those months in the Persian Gulf, in the summer.