Any one been to Australia?

[Pumpkinstew]

Hmmm, I've always taken a backpack with me and never had any problems checking it in. Just tie any loose straps up as neat as you can and the airlines seem happy enough.
The newer kind of bacpaks with a side zip which unfold are way easier to pack than the old stuff it in the top design

My top tip is to pack the sleeping bag in the ruck on the way out and then remove it and strap it to the outside. That way you shouldn't ever have trouble cramming everything in and you have a bit of space for souvenirs too

Don't worry too much about packing. Anything you forget you can buy over there and probably cheaper at that.

Take a close look at the wording of your travel insurance. Most of them consider any kind of physical activity (such as trekking, surfing etc) as 'Venture sports' and won't cover you if you get injured.
I ended up purchasing a new policy in Australia which was far more comprehensive and cheaper and getting a refund on the other policy.
Also quite a few are putting disclaimers for travel disruption caused by industrial action, which is increasingly likely these days.

We were in a traffic accident in Canada fairly recently and the difference in the service the Aussies on the bus received from their insurance companies compared to the Brits was unbelievable.

[LeperousDust]

Don't worry about backpacks on airlines really, i've very rarely had trouble, with KLM of all people. If you really want to make sure your bag is checked in normally and dont want to buy a zip away bag, you get hold bags which ar essentially big zipped tuck away containers without zips or pockets designed to fully encase a backpack. NO airline will complain about these. Personally myself i save the room, pull my rain cover over my bag, tie it tight and tie any straps away, then tie the main to shoulder straps together into one big handle. As i said it rarely get rejected

[Glaucus]

I got a fancy rucksack anyway, as it has a detachable day sack, which makes it very easy to carry both. Got this one

Did want the 70+15 one, but it had wheels on it, who wants wheels.

Still can't decide on camera though, it's doing my head in I get put of by the reviews, then find a review I like but all the good ones are £250, but only want to spend £150ish, but then the reviews are brilliant. Probably just being to fussy.

[Pumpkinstew]

So how was your trip?

[Glaucus]

Absolutely ***** amazing.
Australia is such a nice country or at least the west side.
So friendly, clean and crime free, especially anti social behaviour.
Absolutely fell in love with snorkelling.
And backpacking tours are awesome, stunning way to do a Holliday on your own. Meat some great people and have an absolute blast.








However it was insanely expensive £7 a pint £3 for a 600ml bottle of coke, £15+ for burger and chips at a pub.
Public transport in Perth however is amazing and stupidly cheap and large.
Went 80km south of Perth for the wedding on a day ticket which was about £4.

The backpackers tour was Perth to Brooke which is most of the west coast and stopped at the important places.
Was not impressed at all with money Mia and felt sorry for the dolphins and didn't enjoy the experience at all.
Karajini national park was absolutely amazing, wish I was fitter, would love to go back and do the level 6+ gorges, which require abseiling, canning and the like.
Broome was a nice beach town with a party atmosphere and was a great place to get messy after several days in the outback.
Pinnacles was nice to see, but pretty boring.
Coral beach was spectacular, sunset picture.
Ningaloo reef was stunning, so much sea life (close up picture of fish)

At the end I went to rottnest island for a week on my own, dirt cheap accommodation. Again snorkelling was amazing and teaming with sea life. Stick your head under the water and you'll see fish straight away. The ray? Pic and the quokka pic (so qute)

Perth was a lovely place, was amazed how popular small breweries are in Australia and little creatures was a popular one in Freemantle, went there three times in first week. Don't go to Scaraborough it's where all the chavs go. Only stayed their one night and it was pants.
Freemantle is a lovely place and hillarys harbours is posh and nice to go one evening. North ridge won for me amazing multiculturalism and entertainment. Big tv all year round in one little corner park. It's the diverse, young hippie area.

However if I was doing long flights again 20+ hours I would have a stop over. 11hr flight was fine but then another 9-10hr flight afterwards was a killer and on the way back 9hrs in the airport. I would also spend the extra and fly with Quantas. Thai airlines is cheap for a reason, but it should be more than £150 less.

[Pumpkinstew]

Great pictures! And glad you had a good time.
I'm guessing you probably ran into the more adventurous breed of travellers looking to get off the beaten track out west. The backpacker buses on the East coast have a very different clientele.
And now I'm jealous 'cause those are all the bits I didn't see.

Oh, and that looks like a horseshoe ray to me.

[Glaucus]

It was the usual adventure buses things just on the west side, most people seem to go east sided.

This was the trip I did.
http://www.adventuretours.com.au/wes...perth-safari-0

However it was only me and two drivers on the way back and you don't do anything interesting, so we did it in one go about 30hrs driving. If I had the money I would of altered my plans and stayed up in Broome from a few days before flying back.
You should go do west side, it's a great place and vibe, although I want to go do central and east side at some point.

Good time though and recommend it.

Also saw this beast absolutely massive, unfortunately this snorkelling site was cloudy.


Can see its tail here, just(bottom right ish). leaf type shape.


They called it bushed tailed something, but I can't find anything on google. It was at lease human size if not bigger.

[kaiowas]

EDIT - n/m didn't realise it was an old thread...

[Will]

Cool pics! Sounds like you had an amazing time. Would love to go back there, and I really wanna see NZ too!