Australia

[wurzel]

My Missus has been going on at me for years about going to Australia. I've always managed to put her off but I think next year I'm finally going to have to cave in.

I've never liked the idea of 24 hours on a plane to get you somewhere where the culture isn't that different to here. I could be wrong on that of course.

So I guess the way to do it is break up the journey and take a few stopovers. Maybe even a RTW ticket or something.

Anyone ever done this before?

Though I'm hoping she'll become amenable to the idea of a couple of weeks on the Amalfi Coast. Again.

[Mich the Tester]

My Missus has been going on at me for years about going to Australia. I've always managed to put her off but I think next year I'm finally going to have to cave in.

I've never liked the idea of 24 hours on a plane to get you somewhere where the culture isn't that different to here. I could be wrong on that of course.

So I guess the way to do it is break up the journey and take a few stopovers. Maybe even a RTW ticket or something.

Anyone ever done this before?

Though I'm hoping she'll become amenable to the idea of a couple of weeks on the Amalfi Coast. Again.

Yep, stopover in Dubai and soak up some sun for a few days; makes a big difference. Go with Emirates in business class if you can afford it, then you'll get all the comforts on the plane including a bar at the back, plus limo transport to and from airports at all destinations.

(although I've been to Aus and the Amalfi coast, and I'd choose Amalfi any day)

[hyperD]

My Missus has been going on at me for years about going to Australia. I've always managed to put her off but I think next year I'm finally going to have to cave in.

I've never liked the idea of 24 hours on a plane to get you somewhere where the culture isn't that different to here. I could be wrong on that of course.

So I guess the way to do it is break up the journey and take a few stopovers. Maybe even a RTW ticket or something.

Anyone ever done this before?

Though I'm hoping she'll become amenable to the idea of a couple of weeks on the Amalfi Coast. Again.

Goto KL and speak to my mate Frankie! Tell him hyperD sent you.

Oz is great btw. Travel business class to take the edge off. C'mon you're a contractor!

[wurzel]

(although I've been to Aus and the Amalfi coast, and I'd choose Amalfi any day)

you really shouldn't be saying that

[CoolCat]

I used to work down there and travel back and forth every few months. After the first trip a few things became obvious:

1 business class is really worth it for that length of journey
2 it makes sense to stopover for a weekend half way if you can, as the full journey can be shattering (indeed I often used to start in Scotland, flight to London, Flight to half way, flight rest of way, then connecting flight sometimes to New Zealand)..
3 which airline also becomes a much bigger deal, as the difference becomes quite big on that length of journey

Cheap tickets can have many plane changes, I always stuck to 2 x 12 ish hour flights plus connections at each end.

Stopovers I’ve done them all…

You can go round the earth multiple ways, so

1 Los Angles is one half way stop, stay at Santa Monica on the beach etc. Don’t transit here as they make you check your bags into the US and back out again, carrying your bags around when you are that knackered aint great.
2 Japan is actually the half way stop for the quickest route, but also the most expensive, and the airlines wont sell this route by default as the Europe/Japan leg is already maxed out on people just going to and from Japan
3 Malaysia/KL, quite like the place, you need jabs unless you stay in the immediate city centre, air pollution can be quite bad making the hotel air con essential to be able to breath
4 Bangkok, never been impressed, carnt remember you may need jabs
5 Hong Kong, like it, very nice

If you have any fancy for one of these let me know I can offer more detailed advice

My mates doing similar journeys sometimes stopped at Bali or Hawaii instead, but this makes the journey at least 3 flights not 2. And also one of the legs will be longer than the other.

You can always stop different places outward to the return journey.

Best of Luck!

[Clare@InTouch]

You should be able to get a direct flight to Bali these days, the airport was being upgraded when I was there in July with (I think) direct flights being available from November. Well worth spending a few days there, then it's a quick flight across to Australia.

[SpontaneousOrder]

Last time I flew to Melbourne the journeyt started strapped in with the ominous sight of a man with a toolbox tinkering with the door on th eplane which wouldn't close properly, which delayed us a little.

Then the aussie sat next to me, across the aisle, got tulip-faced on free beer, and started kicking off when the crew refused to serve him more (at sleep time - whatever time that was). So that was a long delay in hong-kong while he got arrested.

So instead of 2 hours to stretch our legs we left the plane and walked in a big circle right back to the gate fo rthe next leg to Melbourne as soon a refuelling was complete - which left me just enough time for some explosive bowel decompression in the loo. The bomb squad didnt turn up so then it was right back on the plane 30 minutes later for another 12 hours. Awsome.

I'm not sure I would do it again.

[rurffy]

Holidays are meant to be relaxing not depressing –


! 24Hrs on a flight ?? hmm ild rather go to Africa oh hang on mayb india(where the culture is different) and I get to see new things, take pictures etc. – But Australia is same same - culture is almost similar, they speak English , they say “please and thank you “ ha! ..

So finally, if you still intend going to Australia, are you ready to spend 8k pounds on Business class flight for you and your missus? (ah! I can hear you say : Hell NO!!)



I rest my case!

[BrilloPad]

Are you sure she didn't just want you to go on your own while she stays home with the tennis coach?

[CoolCat]

You should be able to get a direct flight to Bali these days, the airport was being upgraded when I was there in July with (I think) direct flights being available from November. Well worth spending a few days there, then it's a quick flight across to Australia.

Isnt Bali beyond the range of jets from London without a refuel stop? It certainly used to be, maybe one of the newer ones can do it