Colombia Vs. Australia

nueva york bombero says on Jun 19, 2009, 19:17:

BTW I got a guide book (Fodor's exploring Australia), but i wanted to hear some real tips from real travelers.........

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barrumundi says on Jun 19, 2009, 22:50:

Hi NYB.

Make sure you come to sunny Queensland when you get to Australia. You need to get away from the big cities to experience the real Australia. There are many nice places to see and to stay. You would be able to get a Working Holiday Visa (if you want to work). There are many backpacker places to stay. I am living in Townsville in North Queensland. The weather here is fantastic at this time of year. Have a look on the internet for these places: Mission Beach, Airlie Beach, Whitsunday Islands, Magnetic Island, The Daintree, Cairns. Good luck!

If you are looking for adventure things like skydiving, bungee jumping, white water rafting etc. it is all in North Queensland

http://poorbuthappy.com/yourthing/post/uploading-photos-for-dummies/

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bickerss says on Jun 19, 2009, 22:57:

great white shark diving in Adelaide and the the Ghan to Darwin via Alice Springs.

http://www.gsr.com.au/our-trains/the-ghan/the-journey.php

Investment Strategy - buying when others are crying!! Offloading when others are gloating!!!

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bickerss says on Jun 19, 2009, 22:58:

or this one - Sydney to Perth.

http://www.gsr.com.au/our-trains/indian-pacific/the-journey.php

Investment Strategy - buying when others are crying!! Offloading when others are gloating!!!

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barrumundi says on Jun 19, 2009, 23:03:

I agree with your statement: "'I keep comparing trips to my travels in Colombia. Nothing seems to top the diversity and warmth of the natives there. '"

I have found this also. I love Colombia and the people but I don't really like big cities. My wife and I have two farms near Pacho in Cundinamarca but when we are in Australia we live in Townsville. My wife says that Aussies are friendly and respectful and helpful but it is not the same as the open, warm hospitality you find in Colombia. We are planning to eventually live full time in Colombia.

Maybe other PBH adventurers can offer you more info from their perspective as a foreign visitor to Australia?

http://poorbuthappy.com/yourthing/post/uploading-photos-for-dummies/

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Beachbros (☼Travelguide writer) says on Jun 19, 2009, 23:54:

bickerss says on Jun 20, 2009, 02:16:

Aboriginal tours

http://www.mungallaaboriginaltours.com.au/

Make sure you eat a Witchetty grub

http://www.icn.ucl.ac.uk/Experimental-Techniques/Cross-cultural-studie...

Investment Strategy - buying when others are crying!! Offloading when others are gloating!!!

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barrumundi says on Jun 20, 2009, 05:05:

https://www2.tourline.com.au/netwizard/bin/dispatch.php?file=info.info...

Skydiving, ballooning, white water rafting, bungee etc

http://poorbuthappy.com/yourthing/post/uploading-photos-for-dummies/

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utopiacowboy says on Jun 20, 2009, 07:00:

Make sure you taste one of Australia's famed products, Vegemite. Not only can you eat it but you can use it for axle grease.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

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nueva york bombero says on Jun 20, 2009, 16:59:

Thank you all!!!
Some great ideas and guidance coming through via PBH!!!!
And here I thought I'd be cursed for bringing up a country other than Colombia!!
I'm going to do as much as possible while down under..........
Keep the ideas flowing people.......
thanks!

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Simon says on Jun 20, 2009, 22:35:

SCREW AUSTRALIA!!!

"Just an honest, decent Colombian trying to do the right thing."--Simon

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bam m says on Jun 20, 2009, 22:36:

hell... lets party !! the world is here....screw the recession.... blow it out baby !!

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manINred says on Jun 20, 2009, 23:54:

I thought this was a footie thread... and Australia would win, if this matchup occurred.

NYB,

Try and rent a car when you are in Australia, at least for a portion of your trip. It is a big place and public transport limits you as to what you can experience. And taxis are quite expensive, unlike in Colombia. I rented a car and drove about, did weekend trips and such, you discover so much, it's fascinating seeing kangaroos at the side of the roads, and driving through little bush towns in the outback and areas around the city. It sounds like a clichee but it's not, it's hard to explain.

It's a huge and beautiful country. I will be going back in a few weeks for a couple of months, and I have stayed there before for as long as 6 months, so if you want any tips/advice from a foreigner's perspective, pm me or ask away!

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barrumundi says on Jun 21, 2009, 00:43:

ManINred is correct. It is a very big country. Many backpacker/adventurers join up in groups of 3 or 4 and buy a cheap car. Older (pre-2000) station wagons are very popular.

You can try sharing a ride websites like this one: http://www.shareyourride.net/travelguide.php?topic=backpacker_cars_in_...

or you can rent a campervan: www.wickedcampers.com.au

www.hippiecamper.com

www.jucy.com.au

or buy a bus pass: www.greyhound.com.au

AND if your plane trip is via New Zealand, why not have a 2 or 3 week stopover to explore New Zealand. There is heaps to do in New Zealand and because it is smaller and more compact you can do more things in a shorter time. The Kiwis are even more friendly than Aussies! (The beer is not as good though!)

http://poorbuthappy.com/yourthing/post/uploading-photos-for-dummies/

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pedro (☼Travelguide writer) says on Jun 21, 2009, 00:43:

barrumundi says on Jun 21, 2009, 00:52:

Example of ride sharing on the website (see comment above Pedro).

ride wanted, Saturday, 27th June 2009
G’day mates,

I’m a German girl and want to travel from Sydney to Brisbane (later Cairns) seeing the east cost and having fun with (a) nice travel mate(s). If you have a car driving the same direction at the end of June (25/6-30/6) and want to share the costs don’t hesitate to call me. 04 8878 0408

Cheers
Elisa

http://poorbuthappy.com/yourthing/post/uploading-photos-for-dummies/

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aussiesam says on Jun 21, 2009, 10:52:

ok mate check out byron bay (cool place), Surfers paradise (good party place, nice girls), Nimbin (if u like pot)

cairns is a good spot...

in SA yeah dive with a great white shark. not much else to do there

in melbourne check out a game of afl football at the MCG

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nueva york bombero says on Jun 21, 2009, 14:44:

I'll probably rent a car, cruise north from Sydney along the Gold Coast and check it all out....
Maybe fly to Adelaide, then north to Ayres rock.....
with a lot in between.....
I'm keeping everyone's tips on a note in my guidebook.
Thanks Mates! (doesnt sound right out of a NYers mouth!)

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aussiesam says on Jun 21, 2009, 17:15:

sounds like a good plan

not much to do in adelaide for tourists..but if ur into clubs/pubs this is it:

Wednesday - Flashdance (at HQ)
Thursday - Marble Bar (preferred) or Duke
Friday - Red Square
Saturday - HQ
Sunday - The Grand

also if u gona go to adelaide..as has been stated earlier u should drive 6 hours (or fly 40 mins) to PT Lincoln and get in cage and see great white sharks

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nueva york bombero says on Jun 22, 2009, 07:18:

Sounds like a plan .....or part of one!
Sam, I take it you are from Adelaide?

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El Piloto says on Jun 22, 2009, 14:41:

That's my dream - live 1/2 the time in Australia and 1/2 the time in Colombia!

Although if you're going to be down under for two months you should cross the Tasman and spend a week or two in New Zealand as well. In my experience the three countries in the world with the greatest diversity of scenery are USA, Colombia and New Zealand.

As a place to live though I'd give the edge to Oz because NZ's biggest city is nowhere near as cosmopolitan as SYD or MEL. I need a huge, diverse cosmopolitan city... Sometimes!

Back to tourism in Oz I have only been to NSW and Victoria so can't comment on Queensland which most tourists seem to love (barrier reef and all that). Hope to get to Adelaide and the outback someday.

Close to SYD I would rent a car and spend a couple days in the Blue Mountains and a couple days in the Hunter Valley (wine country). I did day trips to each and felt like I needed a lot more time to explore. I stayed in the heart of town at first but then moved out to the western suburbs once I rented the car and entered the daytrip phase of my trip. Much easier to get around by car if you're not staying in the CBD...

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El Piloto says on Jun 22, 2009, 14:50:

Hey manINred the Aussies may edge out the Kiwis when it comes to beer but those Kiwis sure can cook. NZ probably has the best food in the world: venison, lamb, green mussel, fish, fresh local vegetables... NZ is a gourmet's paradise (not that there aren't tons of trendy restaurants in SYD/MEL)

Beers not bad there either - Speights from the South Island was darn good. Love me some Victoria Bitter too (my favorite Ozzie beer so far).

NY Bombero if you can spend a couple weeks across the Tasman in NZ you might save heaps of money by renting your car one-way NORTHBOUND. Tons of tourists rent one-way AKL>CHC/ZQN or CHC>ZQN so if you can fly into a city on the South Island and out of AKL (North Island) you may save lots of money on your rental car. Or within the S. Isl. it works too: for me renting oneway ZQN to CHC was cheaper that round trip out of either.

Back to SYD, be sure to eat a meat pie from Harry's Cafe de Wheels in Wollomooloo!

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Darloup (☼Travelguide writer) says on Jun 22, 2009, 16:37:

adrimm (Moderator) (☼Travelguide writer) says on Jun 22, 2009, 20:17:

Darloup (☼Travelguide writer) says on Jun 22, 2009, 20:33:

manINred says on Jun 22, 2009, 21:08:

El Piloto, try Blue Tongue, that's probably my fave, and a nice pint of Cooper's is nice on a warm day too.

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adrimm (Moderator) (☼Travelguide writer) says on Jun 22, 2009, 21:11:

Man Tequila says on Jun 22, 2009, 21:56:

I've been to Oz a coupla times. Like Canada with nicer weather and people, but actually less different from Canada than you might think.

I flew to Adelaide, where I met some nice girls, who could not believe I had bothered to go to Adelaide. Very spread out town. Some okay bars and an okay beach at palindromic Glenelg.

I really like Cairns, and would highly recommend going there. Great fun -- this is where Australians go to party. It is one of several cities which has a "night zoo". They barbeque food, serve lots of beer and wine, and then when it is dark and you are tipsy you go into the zoo just when the animals are at their most active. Lots of fun, and infinitely better than normal day zoos. Go boomnetting, and scuba dive at the Great Barrier reef.

Hostels in Australia are among the best I have seen, more so if you like Swedish girls who seem to flock to Australia --Wake Up in Sydney is great, also consider staying at Bondi Beach for the sun, music, wine and women. I went in Jan-Feb and this saw some great concerts at "Big Day Out", check out www.ticketmaster.com.au for events with the money you save from hostelling...

Aunque no me creas/ si me lo propongo/ lograre olvidarte/ porque a fin de cuentas/ no soy tan cobarde./ Y termino todo una de estas tardes/ no sera dificil buscar algún sitio donde refugiarme/ donde nunca mas vuelvas a encontrarme. (Polo Montañez)

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bickerss says on Jun 22, 2009, 22:24:

Darloup. ''Actually, most of them are. I suppose this has something to do with the fact they are descended from convicts...;-''''')

Thats pretty funny Daroup - just to show you we can take a joke:

A frenchman called Darloup rocks up to Customs in Australia and is asked a number of questions including 'Do you have a criminal record''

Darloup replies - ''Why, is that still required..................'''

Investment Strategy - buying when others are crying!! Offloading when others are gloating!!!

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bickerss says on Jun 22, 2009, 22:25:

And so as not to discriminate, I thought I would post a little French joke as well

Investment Strategy - buying when others are crying!! Offloading when others are gloating!!!

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nueva york bombero says on Jun 23, 2009, 11:40:

I've been told the Irish got nothing on the Aussies as far as drinkin's concerned!!!
They like to party eh??!?!

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barrumundi says on Jun 23, 2009, 15:56:

24 beers in a carton.......24 hours in a day........Coincidence???

I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal labotomy!

I was drinking that much that I couldn't afford to buy it.....so I started making my own. (That was twenty years ago, and I stil make my own beer, but not as much as I used to)

http://poorbuthappy.com/yourthing/post/uploading-photos-for-dummies/

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Man Tequila says on Jun 23, 2009, 19:18:

Irish and Aussies both like a drink and a party. I would say they are similar.

Aunque no me creas/ si me lo propongo/ lograre olvidarte/ porque a fin de cuentas/ no soy tan cobarde./ Y termino todo una de estas tardes/ no sera dificil buscar algún sitio donde refugiarme/ donde nunca mas vuelvas a encontrarme. (Polo Montañez)

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manINred says on Jun 23, 2009, 19:38:

MT you went to big day out? awesome! I just missed it.

In Sydney and its close suburbs there are much better beaches than bondi... try Narabean (sp), some of the beaches there are fantastic, to die for and not crowded at all. Bondi gets a bit crowded for my liking. Bondi hosts a great New year bash though.

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Man Tequila says on Jun 23, 2009, 21:00:

I went to Big Day Out both times I went there -- first by luck, second by planning. There are better beaches than Bondi, but I sometimes like crowds. First time to Sydney I stayed at an enjoyable hostel there. I also liked Palm Beach, Narrabeen and Manly.

Aunque no me creas/ si me lo propongo/ lograre olvidarte/ porque a fin de cuentas/ no soy tan cobarde./ Y termino todo una de estas tardes/ no sera dificil buscar algún sitio donde refugiarme/ donde nunca mas vuelvas a encontrarme. (Polo Montañez)

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