Tripof a lifetime to Australia

Australia | Feb 11 - Mar 1, 2024

My family of three stayed five nights at this highrise hotel south of the river. Mercure is a reliable brand - the rooms were impeccable; the hotel coffee bar made breakfast simple adn easy. The location is handy to many great restaurants and the arts district. Just across the river you can catch several free CBD trams to get around the downtown.

Our family of three stayed three nights at the Adabco. It's less of a "boutique" hotel than a small conference centre created out of a former boys boarding school. The rooms are on the small side and the decor a wee bit tired, though quite clean. On the other hand, each floor has a full kitchen and eating area, while the ground floor has several large meeting rooms. The staff was amazing, esp around early and late arrivals/departures. Location is just outside the main downtown area, but still withing walking distance of the Central Market food court, the Botanic Gardens, and shopping / dining.

Our family of three stayed for five nights. We were upgraded to one of their apartment units, which really helped for our longer stay (and young adult daughter's privacy!). Somewhat modest, but well equipped and perfect for our needs - bonus was a small apartment complex pool, which helped on the hot humid summer days. Location was a couple of blocks from the waterfront boardwalk, just outside the main downtown area, and about a 15-minute walk to the harbour. Although we didn't take it, the bus route to the beaches north of the city runs right past it. Also a short walk to convenience stores and cafes. One bonus was the authentic Balinese restaurant on site, which produced a memorable rijstafel for us. Staff was lovely and accommodating.

We joined a group of ten to explore the perimeter of the CBD. As we made our way from the port to the Botanic Gardens, the sports complexes, the inner suburbs, and the State Library, among other sites, our enthusiastic guide stopped to give us bits of Australian and Melbourne history. We had two snack stops along the way. The tour went at a good pace for the varying abilities of the group and the intense heat of the February summer day. The bikes were n excellent condition and easy to ride. Our guide made sure we were all safe as we navigated traffic. A great way to explore beyond what you could reach on foot in the same amount of time.

We joined a small coach tour with Oceania Tours for a long but rewarding day. Trying to cover the Great Ocean Road in one day is going to be a whirlwind no matter what, as well as a race to get ahead of the many full size coaches all going to the same stops at the same time. Luckily we had a nimble van driven by our amazing guide who was not only able to stay a step ahead, but also take us off the beaten path to where the larger coaches can't reach. We first wound past incredible views of the "surf" beaches, stopping to catch a glimpse of koalas in their tree habitats. We had lunch in Apollo Bay, with a short visit to put our toes in the ocean. We finished with a somewhat crowded stop at the Twelve Apostles rock formation and a short exploration of neighbouring formations, all the while getting lots of great stories about the unfortunate folks who had washed up on these inhospitable shores centuries ago. In between was my favourite part - a visit to the ancient rainforest of the Otway Ranges, one of the last original sites of untouched wilderness in Australia. We got a final bonus stop to view a huge flock of white cockatoos. Our guide was very knowledgeable about each area's natural and cultural history. She was very accommodating of the group's varying walking abilities. She also supplied an enjoyable Aussie soundtrack for the trip, which helped make the long drive back fun. Would recommend!

Why not kill two birds with one stone? You can join this Walk Melbourne Tours backstreet crawl to discover the many alleyways of Melbourne and have some great food at the same time! Our guide was a long time Melbourne resident eager to let us in on the secret spaces of her city. We learned about the origin of alleys and how they were planned as integral part of the original city - and have since morphed into nooks with lots of tiny but respectable cafes, boutiques, and lots of fascinating street art. We found a hidden art deco gem, a few converted industrial spaces, and stayed protected from the harsh afternoon sun. Our food adventure took us around the globe and through several small but satisfying courses, including of course Melbourne's famous coffee. Our group was small enough we bonded quite well and even hung out for drinks at the end. Even for those coming from big cities, it would have been tricky find our way through the maze of alleys on our own and to suss out the best places to stop. Very much worth doing!

Our family of three started the tour from our hotel. Our bus driver was very punctual picking us up at 6.15 ahead of getting folks at the bus station. The 90 minute ride to the ferry docks was filled with lots of useful info about the countryside we were travelling through. The ferry itself was modern, with lots of comfortable seating, toilets, and even a bar to keep everyone happy for the 45-minute crossing. Once we got to Kangaroo Island, we lucked out and were the only ones on this small group trip, so we were able to get a bit of a private tour. Our mini-coach made several stops to do short walks both inland and at the sea shore, our guide pointing out wildlife along the way and talking about how the wildfires of 2020 had affected this island. Lunch was a fun picnic in a secluded riverside BBQ area. The highlight of the day was definitely the seal sanctuary, where a certified ranger brought us down to the beach where we could see the seals relatively close up, lounging in their natural habitat. On the way to our hotel, after visiting eucalyptus and honey farms, we stopped at a gin distillery (at our request), where we got to see a koala right above our heads. Our accommodation at the Mercure at American River was amazing - a very comfortable room in a serene and beautiful setting right on the water, where we could watch the sunrise and many birds, as well as go on short walks in the surrounding area. Dinner there was very good as well. Day Two we stopped at some more beautiful beaches, explored the incredible Remarkable Rocks formation, and saw the sea lion colony below the cliffs, plus enjoyed another picnic lunch. The dinner time ferry ride and long bus trip home got us back well after dark, but we ended up sleeping on the bus anyway after two long days of sunny sightseeing. Taking two days and a small coach to see the island was a great way to get around and see almost everything. Definitely recommend.

The tour started in the remote port area of Adelaide. Our kayaking guides made sure we were well sunscreened and hydrated before taking us out in double boats. We paddled around a calm area of the port, exploring mangroves and a couple of old shipwrecks lying the shallow water. We saw many birds, but it wasn't until we were almost back to shore that we spotted out dolphins - a whole little family coming through, right past us. It was a long wait, but worth the effort! This trip is suitable for people of all ages and abilities, even if you have never kayaked before.

We had been expecting a ride on the famous Kuranda Scenic Railway, but the tracks had been washed out during a December cyclone, so the company had to readjust the tour. Instead, we were taken from our hotel by coach to a "Rainforestaion" about half way up the mountain, followed by another coach ride after lunch to the village of Kuranda at the top, then a gondola ride back down. We weren't expecting much (in fact we worried the whole thing was a Disney-fied version of Australia) , but the Rainforestation turned out to be a fun morning. We got to see several wild animals up close in the refuge section, including a cassowary, several friendly wallabies, koalas, snakes, Tasmanian devils, and two massive crocodiles - we were lucky to witness croc feeding time and learn a very healthy fear of these prehistoric beasts. We also got to learn about Aboriginal traditions, watch spear throwing and dancing demonstrations, and try our hand at boomerang throwing. We also learned about the rainforest in during a ride in an amphibious army "duck" vehicle. Lunch was a nice though unremarkable buffet. Kuranda village includes a main street and "village" of various artisan vendors, which we didn't spend much time in. There is also the original hippie Kuranda village, with lots of little kiosks built into the hillside at all angles, which was more fun to explore. We decided to spend our time taking a short hike though the forest before catching the gondola back to the bottom. The trail was well marked and easy to follow. For the gondola ride there is an app to download and listen to - we managed to mis-load it, so didn't get the full experience, though the view is spectacular no matter what. We did get off at the two stops on the way down to see and hear the incredible waterfalls. Once at the bottom we got a coach ride back to our hotel.

Two of our group scuba dives, the other one doesn't so we needed a trip that could accommodate everyone. Reef Magic turned out to be great for all of us. Their comfortable boat took us out to their private pontoon on the reef. At the reef, there was an area roped off for snorkelling. There was lots of equipment for everyone, so although many folks rushed to grab suits and snorkels, you could also take your time and not worry about missing out. They encouraged everyone to try it, even the non swimmers, whom they offered life jackets and pool floaties to help with buoyancy. They even supplied special suits to protect folks form jelly fish stings, common in February. For scuba newbies there was a Discover Scuba option, which was also a very safe way to get folks in the deeper water. For those not getting into the water there was a glass observation deck and even a "semi-submersible" little boat ride my daughter went on after scuba diving. My two scuba dives were well led; my husband's snorkel safari was also fun. While the dives weren't the most adventurous, they were a good length and we saw lots of amazing sea life. The staff included marine biologists who gave demonstrations and did a fun and informational fish feeding. Lunch was a very good buffet, again with lots of food for all. The staff on the boat were excellent at taking care of us and our safety and managing the needs of a huge crowd of folks. The only thing that sort of ruined our day were the really rude group of tourists who made us move our gear bags and then later stole our seats. Overall a great way to access the reef in a safe and enjoyable way.

The regular Billy Tea Safari tour was edited somewhat owing to several roads having been washed out during a cyclone in December. Nevertheless, we explored quite a bit and got a full sense of the rainforest and its inhabitants. Our guide was a local who was passionate and very knowledgeable about nature. On the long drive from our hotel in Cairns to the edge of the Daintree we learned a lot about the flora and fauna, as well as the impact of the cyclone on the area, its industries and residents. Among the various stops, we got a fabulous view from near the top of the mountain (after a vertigo-inducing set of switchbacks getting up there), a river boat crossing where we attempted spot crocs, a short walk along a riverside boardwalk to see ancient ferns and gushing waterfalls (and spiders!), and a chance meeting with a wild cassowary. We enjoyed delicious lunch at the Heritage Inn, where we also had a cool dip in a crocodile-free water hole. Later in the afternoon we got homemade ice cream at a small plantation that grows its own tropical fruit. The drive home featured lots of great Aussie rock tunes.