Commentary – Toothpaste

During the trip, I ran out of toothpaste. No problem. Call down to the hotel desk and ask what they have. A complete “dental kit” was delivered to the room. The kit contained toothpaste, a toothbrush, and floss. Nice.

Commentary – Ayer’s Rock

From the moment the airplane lands, to the moment the airplane leaves, you are under the control of the Ayer’s Rock resort. Nothing is free. Nothing is inexpensive. It has been more expensive here than anywhere else in Australia. Seeing Ayer’s Rock is cool. Make sure you really want to see it before you come. Your money will go much further for much more value in Sydney and Cairns.

On the way out, Internet at the airport is $1 AUD for 6 minutes of usage. It is less expensive to use International data roaming from AT&T than the local service.

Commentary – Sampler Trip

This trip to Australia is a sampler. There were only two weeks to experience Australia. Imagine having only two weeks to experience the United States. It is just not enough time.

A few days at each stop in Australia is all time will allow. During this trip, I saw a great international city, a rainforest, The Great Barrier Reef, and a giant rock in the desert. Not bad for only two weeks.

Commentary – Express Pass

The Express Pass is something new they have started giving to people that sit at the front of the plane. The Express Pass will allow you to move to the front of the queue in customs and immigration. This is a major time saver. Ask for the express pass next time you land internationally.

Commentary – Upgrades

Always ask for the upgrades. No matter what, always ask for an upgrade! Th worst they can say to you is no. If they say yes, you never know what you will get and sometimes you will get something amazing. The best free upgrade of the trip was the Horizon Club in Cairns. Basically, this ended up being free breakfast, dinner, and evening drinks.

Commentary – Australian Money

They do not have pennies! The smallest bill is the $5. There are $1 and $2 coins. The great irony is that the smaller the coin the larger the value. The $2 coin is smaller than the $1 coin and much smaller than the 50c coin. Eventually, you end up with a pocket full of coins and you are always trying to get rid of them. In the US, it is easy to just take your spare change and put it in a jar. In Australia, the spare change matters and you have to take care of it.

Commentary – Wandering Around

I don’t like taking organized tours. When you are part of a tour, you are “handled”. They control the experience and a lot of times prevent the really interesting things from happening. On New Year’s Eve at the Sydney Opera House, I decided to wander around on the balconies. I accidentally wandered right into the cast reception area. There was free champagne and all of the people I had seen on stage earlier. Everyone was nice and we had good conversation. It wasn’t until the show started, they left, and I stayed that someone from security realized I was not a performer. He asked me what I was doing there, explained that I was a “lucky bloke” for getting to be there, and then kindly escorted me back to the main public area. It was fun while it lasted.

Home (January 1, 2011)

It is time to say goodbye to Australia. Now begins the 30+ hour trip home. Time Zones are an interesting thing. The first flight starts 11:30 AM, January 1, 2011, Sydney, Australia, the end flight lands 5:30 PM, January 1, 2011, Orlando, Florida.

Fireworks! (January 1, 2011)

Happy New Year from Sydney! There is a great fireworks show all along the Sydney Harbour. The center of the show is the Harbour Bridge.

A better idea (December 31, 2010)

The Sydney Opera House has a New Year’s Eve Gala and Fireworks Party on the balcony. You do have to buy tickets, but you also do not have to wait 15+ hours. The Gala is a medley of the most famous songs from the opera shows that will be played in 2011. There was an announcer to provide funny commentary. The show was actually quite nice, however the fireworks were the main event.

New Year’s Eve in Sydney (December 31, 2010)

This is the “stake in the ground” for the entire trip. When planning a trip, I usually choose one event that is the must do for the trip. Seeing fireworks in Sydney is the “stake in the ground”. Whenever you see New Year’s Eve events on television, this the first major city in the world that is displayed.

It is a really big deal for everyone in Sydney. They do a good job of providing some free viewing areas in prime locations. Most of the spots around the Harbour are fee only. To get a free spot, you have to start camping out about 15+ hours before the show. This essentially means, you will sit on a concrete slab in the middle of the hot summer day for 15+ hours before watching a fireworks show.

Manly Beach (December 30, 2010)

This was a bonus day in Sydney. I went to the hotel concierge and asked for his opinion of what to do. The first and almost immediate response was “Manly Beach. With a day as beautiful as today is, you have to go to the beach.” He was right. Remember, it is summer in Australia in December.

You have to take about a 45 minute ferry ride to Manly and then walk through a small tourist area until you make it to the beach. It was beautiful. People were enjoying the weather, swimming, and surfing. At one point, I looked over and saw boobs. Apparently it is OK to sunbathe topless on Manly Beach. The ferry ride back gives awesome views of Sydney Harbour from the water.