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Australia/NZ/S Pac. Backpack´n Kangaroo jack´n down-under...What is Vegemite?

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Old 04-11-2006, 12:38 PM   #1
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I'm a student going to AU this summer from some time in june to some time in july just for the fun of it. I want to see as much of the east coat as possible and I'll be there for a month or a little longer. Any advice on cheap airfare and cheap travel once I'm there would be great. Also any places that are fun to party or must see. Thanksjavascript:emoticon('')
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Old 04-12-2006, 02:54 AM   #2
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well, what do you like? beachs? bush?

Most capital cities have awesome nightlife.

A jug of beer will set you back about $11-13 AUD.

Accomadation would be around $25 a night for semi-decent dorm style.

A meal at McDonalds costs $5.95 AUD.

What more do you need to know?
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Old 04-12-2006, 02:56 AM   #3
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whoops. Check out http://www.virginblue.com.au and http://www.jetstar.com.au and http://www.qantas.com.au for cheap airfares between cities.

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Old 04-12-2006, 03:00 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally posted by Bluegem@Apr 12 2006, 01:56 AM
whoops. Check out http://www.virginblue.com.au and http://www.jetstar.com.au and http://www.qantas.com.au for cheap airfares between cities.
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Thanks for the info on travel from city to city. As far as what I like I am a surfer and a camper so both are cool. The best would be camping where I can surf. Also does anyone have any experience with taking a board. Is it better to just rent one if I plan to move around alot?
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Old 04-12-2006, 03:17 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally posted by unkempt@Apr 12 2006, 02:00 PM
Thanks for the info on travel from city to city. As far as what I like I am a surfer and a camper so both are cool. The best would be camping where I can surf.
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Old 04-12-2006, 05:27 PM   #6
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It depends how attached you are to your board...

I'd say you're better off renting one. If you're traveling by plane, you'll have to pay oversize baggage fees to get your stick around, and if you're doing the entire east coast, you should know that there aren't any surf beaches north of Noosa, which is just north of the Gold Coast.

I saw plenty of people doing the eastern route that had boards with them, and basically, they were dead weight from the middle of Queensland on up. That said, the north-to-south run is very popular, and you can pick up a new board at pretty reasonable prices on the way down. At least that way, you only have a board with you in the places you can surf, and you can sell it on the way out.
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Old 04-13-2006, 05:11 AM   #7
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you sound like you would like the south coast (of new south wales), theres heaps of campgrounds near the beach and its really laid back. theres also lots of kangaroos too if you wanna see them
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Old 04-13-2006, 10:55 AM   #8
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Oh, also, there are many "surf camps" geared toward beginners - I learned to surf midway down the coast of NSW via one of these... however, they do have camps targeted toward more experienced surfers, and they take you from NSW up to Queensland (or the other way) with their vehicles, providing food, campgrounds/cabins, and all the surfing you could possibly want.

I met a few people who did this and they not only got to surf just about every good point between Geroa and Noosa, but because they spent a good amount of time in each spot, they were able to catch the right breaks at the right time of day to have a nicely rounded out experience. Granted, this takes you away from building an itinerary yourself and soaking up the spots you love, but you can use it as a way to pick out the perfect beaches and decide which ones you want to hit up on your way back down.
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Old 04-13-2006, 12:55 PM   #9
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Agian thanks for all the help. I was considering trying to go light and just taking a carry on style bag like the Rick Steves convertibe carry-on. does anyone have a rough idea how much this pack weighs fully loaded with your average stuff? I checked the Air NZ site and they say you can only bring a carry on that weighs 15lbs. That seems a little light to me, but I wasn't sure. Also what do you guys think of just taking a carry on for a six week trip? I have decided to stop over in AUckland for a week now so I like the idea of not having to deal with checked luggage. On the other hand my sister is coming with me now and she will probably check her bag which means I will be sitting around waiting in baggage claim anyway. Anways let me know what you guys think.
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Old 04-13-2006, 12:59 PM   #10
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Oh yeah. The other thing I am wondering about is Getting a cell phone there so I can contact friends there and maybe call back home to brag. I heard that there is some way you can buy a phone that is unlocked and take it with you and buy a prepaid sim card once you are there. Any experience with this? Any better way to go? Thanks
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Old 04-13-2006, 02:12 PM   #11
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I usually travel with a carry-on-sized pack... there are weight restrictions, but they just about NEVER enforce them. It's more about the size. Make sure your pack is no more than 51 liniear inches (height + weight + depth) and you're OK on most flights.

As far as mobile phones go, yes, you can just have your own phone unlocked and take it with you. The thing is, it has to be a GSM phone that operates tri-band (quad-band is good, too). If you have Cingular ot T-Mobile, you already have a GSM phone.

There are many different SIM card options. I went with the first one I saw at the airport, which was Vodafone's "$50 caps" option.. for AU$50, I got a looooad of calling time, text messages, etc. which was great for calling and texting all over Australia. If you already have friends there, find out what network they're on and get a SIM card with them - most of them have better rates for calling within that network (much like the "In" thing with Verizon in the states). I believe Virgin Mobile has the best deal on that, but I didn't know anyone who was with them.
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Old 04-13-2006, 02:27 PM   #12
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As far as mobile phones go, yes, you can just have your own phone unlocked and take it with you. The thing is, it has to be a GSM phone that operates tri-band (quad-band is good, too). If you have Cingular ot T-Mobile, you already have a GSM phone.

I have Cingular so I will take my phone with me. Do I just take it to cingular to have it unlocked or what? Do you think it would be easier to buy a charger over there or should I get an adapter for the one I have?
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Old 04-13-2006, 02:44 PM   #13
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Just call Cingular.. if you've been with them for at least 3 months, they should go over the unlocking process on the phone with you.

As far as chargers go, simply get a plug adapter. Your phone's cable has a built-in voltage transformer, so a plug adapter will work for your phone, digital camera, iPod, etc.
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Old 04-13-2006, 05:13 PM   #14
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Cool. thanks for everything.
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Old 04-13-2006, 07:47 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally posted by unkempt@Apr 13 2006, 11:59 AM
Oh yeah. The other thing I am wondering about is Getting a cell phone there so I can contact friends there and maybe call back home to brag. I heard that there is some way you can buy a phone that is unlocked and take it with you and buy a prepaid sim card once you are there. Any experience with this? Any better way to go? Thanks
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