The Travel Thread

[Green eyed Mick]

Hi guys, not sure if this is the right place, but looking for some Canberra Holiday advice. Funnily enough there was talk about Hervey Bay in here, and it's where I was born and have lived for the past 18 years!

My girlfriend and I are planning a holiday as she wants to go skiing and Canberra works perfectly. It's from the 10th-19th of July (2 Raiders home games for me!), just seeing if anyone has any advice on a good place to stay near the stadium as we'll be working to and from. Also if anyone has been skiing, if there are any good skiing tourist trips or good places to do that. Thanks!

Will you have a car? Have you skied before? How long do you want to spend on the snow?

[EyeSeeGreen]

No car and I've never even seen the snow.

[greeneyed]

They do day bus trips to the snow from Canberra, but it's a long day: http://www.murrays.com.au/CanberraSnowService.aspx

Then there's companies like this that offer longer stays:

http://www.snowtravel.com.au/mains/coachtrips.jsp

http://ozsnowadventures.com.au/australi ... road-trip/

Just google snow trips from Canberra. If you can actually stay in Thredbo, it's great.

http://www.thredbo.com.au/village-life/ ... ting-here/

But it's cheaper to stay in Jindabyne.

[tragic]

Sofitel Resort, Denaru, Fiji

I haven't stayed at the Sofitel, but stayed at the Hilton and it was fantastic. Walked past the Sofitel and personally thought our accommodation looked better.
Cheaper than Vanuatu in my experience. I'd do Fiji again any day, Vanuatu not so much.

[Shadow Boxer]

Sofitel Resort, Denaru, Fiji

I haven't stayed at the Sofitel, but stayed at the Hilton and it was fantastic. Walked past the Sofitel and personally thought our accommodation looked better.
Cheaper than Vanuatu in my experience. I'd do Fiji again any day, Vanuatu not so much.

Yeh they are all good along that strip, I like Sofitel because it still has a bit of the French influence.

Either is better that Thailand where we went last year.

Got 10 days here next month minus the kids. Should be awesome.

http://www.wretreatbali.com/

[Botman]

I've stayed at the lot at Denarau, im a week away from heading back there with the family actually
Horses for courses but we wouldnt go back to the Sofitel, the Westin is the best of the lot IMO.

Edit: not because the Sofitel isnt nice, just we liked the others a lot better and the price is pretty comparable. As SB said, they are all pretty good along the back there

We're at the Westin for 5 nights, and then heading to one of the islands off Denarau for 5 other nights
It really is a great, well priced holiday for a young family

[Shadow Boxer]

I've stayed at the lot at Denarau, im a week away from heading back there with the family actually
Horses for courses but we wouldnt go back to the Sofitel, the Westin is the best of the lot IMO.

Edit: not because the Sofitel isnt nice, just we liked the others a lot better and the price is pretty comparable. As SB said, they are all pretty good along the back there

We're at the Westin for 5 nights, and then heading to one of the islands off Denarau for 5 other nights
It really is a great, well priced holiday for a young family

Yeh agreed, for a family resort holiday Denaru is the go. the fishing is good too if you're interested, Big GT's on lures.

[Manchild]

We have settled on Plantation Island. Cannot wait.

[simo]

Hi guys, not sure if this is the right place, but looking for some Canberra Holiday advice. Funnily enough there was talk about Hervey Bay in here, and it's where I was born and have lived for the past 18 years!

My girlfriend and I are planning a holiday as she wants to go skiing and Canberra works perfectly. It's from the 10th-19th of July (2 Raiders home games for me!), just seeing if anyone has any advice on a good place to stay near the stadium as we'll be working to and from. Also if anyone has been skiing, if there are any good skiing tourist trips or good places to do that. Thanks!

hey mate, as someone who heads down to the snow a lot if have to warn against staying at Canberra if that's what you are after. It's too far away for you to go for a quick trip up the mountain. I'd advise looking into a company such as oz snow adventures. We used to go from Sydney with them (now we just camp on the mountain). They pick you up and take you to your lodgings and take you up the mountain each day.

[Archer]

Heading to Lisbon and Sintra tomorrow for the last few days of our Portuguese holiday, any recommendations?

[-PJ-]

I'm off to Williamtown to see dad for Fathers Day tomorrow.

[gerg]

We went to Miami for a week - not recommended TBH.

Mexico still ranks as much better. I'm really keen on a trip to Fiji when we get back to Oz.

[EJ]

Got back from 3 weeks in South America on the weekend.

A few days in Quito, Ecuador. Two days after Cotopaxi had a mini eruption. Lucky to fly in and then out for Galapagos.

Galapagos was absolutely unreal. I can rave about it for days.

Then spent the next couple of weeks in Peru. Lima, Cusco, 4 day hike of the Inka Trail to Machu Picchu and a few days in the Amazon, not far from Puerto Maldonado.

Best trip ever.

[Manchild]

We went to Miami for a week - not recommended TBH.

Mexico still ranks as much better. I'm really keen on a trip to Fiji when we get back to Oz.

Just got back from Fiji. Great place and better people. We stayed mostly at Plantation Island due to having a little kid. Very good family resort.

[T_R]

Here's an exciting one for me

School holidays here, so flying across to NZ. From Invercargill, we have a light plane chartered to drop us on the beach at Stewart Island, and from there we will hike back to 'civilisation' over the next 4 days.

The first hard hiking for the T_R boys (7 and 9)! They will have to cover about 55km in that time, carrying all their food and camping equipment.

Very chuffed.

[Schifty]

You didn't tell me you were going to be on the next series of Doomsday preppers.

[T_R]

You didn't tell me you were going to be on the next series of Doomsday preppers.

I sincerely hope the zombies finally come some time next week.

I'll be fine; you people are ****.

[papabear]

I've stayed at the lot at Denarau, im a week away from heading back there with the family actually
Horses for courses but we wouldnt go back to the Sofitel, the Westin is the best of the lot IMO.

Edit: not because the Sofitel isnt nice, just we liked the others a lot better and the price is pretty comparable. As SB said, they are all pretty good along the back there

We're at the Westin for 5 nights, and then heading to one of the islands off Denarau for 5 other nights
It really is a great, well priced holiday for a young family

thanks, I liked this post, its always good to read about holiday options for young families..

[papabear]

You didn't tell me you were going to be on the next series of Doomsday preppers.

I read this and lost 2 productive minutes. Thus I feel like bringing others should have to share the pain.

http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-l ... 7533200479

[Manchild]

I've stayed at the lot at Denarau, im a week away from heading back there with the family actually
Horses for courses but we wouldnt go back to the Sofitel, the Westin is the best of the lot IMO.

Edit: not because the Sofitel isnt nice, just we liked the others a lot better and the price is pretty comparable. As SB said, they are all pretty good along the back there

We're at the Westin for 5 nights, and then heading to one of the islands off Denarau for 5 other nights
It really is a great, well priced holiday for a young family

thanks, I liked this post, its always good to read about holiday options for young families..

Plantation Island was great for families. It has been voted in the top 10 best family resorts a number of times. It is located on the Malolo Islands.

They have a kids club and a babysitter is $4 FJD an hour. They were great with our boy and he didn't come back crying or distressed once. Even though the resort was full when we were there, you never actually felt crowded or had your space imposed on.

[Botman]

That's the best part of Fiji
The baby sitting is so cheap and the people are really great with kids so you don't even have to feel bad for abandoning them to go and sink piss and relax

The wife and I were just talking about our holiday options for next year and it's going to be really hard not to take the easy option and go back to Fiji until the kids are 6-7 each

[The Nickman]

Here's an exciting one for me

School holidays here, so flying across to NZ. From Invercargill, we have a light plane chartered to drop us on the beach at Stewart Island, and from there we will hike back to 'civilisation' over the next 4 days.

The first hard hiking for the T_R boys (7 and 9)! They will have to cover about 55km in that time, carrying all their food and camping equipment.

Very chuffed.

[The Nickman]

You're a monster.

[Manchild]

Can see them now at their first day back at school.

"How was your holiday TR jr?"

"Worst holiday ever! Dad made us trek through the **** wilderness living on **** ration packs. ****!"

[Manbush]

Toughest pre season ever.

[The Nickman]

What an absolute **** of a dad

[Schifty]

What an absolute **** of a dad

Teaching the skills of illegal trespassing as well.

[T_R]

Kids were fine. I've destroyed my left knee.

**** me...track was tougher than Kokoda.

[Dr Zaius]

I can't imagine my 7 and 9 year old nephews doing that. There would be a hissy fit after a couple of hours.

[T_R]

If my kids did that, they'd be abandoned to the carnivorous kiwis

[Dr Zaius]

That's what I keep telling my sister,but nobody has eaten them yet

[Shadow Boxer]

If anyone is a fan of long haul flying, airplanes or just the way of the world track down a copy of the new book skyfaring, a journey with a pilot.

It's written by a British airways long haul pilot of 40 years.

It can get a bit long winded but the little gems in there mean I guarantee you will never look at travel or planes quite the same way again

[Manbush]

Just wondering if anyone's had any problems with luggage being damaged in their travels, I never bother getting the insurance but I've just been given a delicate piece of equipment to take back with me worth $5,500, thinking might be safer to carry on with me (it's in a small metal briefcase type container) than chuck in my bag and get insurance added.

[Sid]

I'd advise against trying to take drugs through the airport Manbush

[The Nickman]

I'd advise against trying to take drugs through the airport Manbush

I reckon he should go for it!