i think 2000 each for 7 months is not welll enough in a country like australia. But it all depends on your choice what you want to explore in australia. if you want only explore Sydney then its enough buy only for sightseeing no shooping..

Mine specification was a term originally used to describe the modifications made to light vehicles to improve their safety standards, for use at mine sites. Today the term mine spec is also being used to describe vehicles that are used on construction sites, building sites, or by any company with a requirement, for equipping vehicles with extra safety features..

[quote]I am looking at a holiday for 2 weeks in French Polynesia. It's a toss up on Bora Bora ,Tahiti or Moorea. I only know what the tourist brochures tell me but would like hear it from someone who has been to either of these islands[/quote] While I've never been there yet, I've been looking into traveling to FP for several months now as it is where my fiance and I plan to go for our honeymoon. Based on everything I've read on just about every forum from experienced travelers who have been to FP many times, the answer is Bora Bora, hands down. The lagoon makes for amazingly clear water with very little of the "ick" that washes ashore other places. The opportunities for snorkeling and scuba diving, viewing beautiful fish and other sea life are abundant and breathtaking. If you want to swim with the dolphins, then I believe Moorea would be a better choice.

Byron Bay and Noosa at first point when its cranking. You pretty much surf right along the path and point. Some of the best photography on surfing has come from these points..

Dont do it. I mean, yes, you could do it, but they are pretty strict on rules here. Those jobs are harder to find as well. Plus, you would have no rights if they decided not to pay you one day. Why not just get the Work holiday visa like everyone else?.

WA is definitely worth visiting sooner than later. At the moment it is still very remote, so I suggest you enjoy it while you can. The place has so much diversity from the coral reefs, to the outback, to Broome. It also has great history. As well, there is a lot of money here in Perth. Lots of millionaires and lots of mining jobs, so it is only a matter of time before it gets built up. Thats what happens when you pour money into a region....

I know it's an old thread, but the question is pretty valid. After having been to both in 2011, I would recommend Perth. It is less expensive and everyone goes to Sydney. Be different. I also think sydney people are the type who think that the world revolves around Sydney. Like it is the only city that matters. Perth is so much more down to earth. And there is so much to see in WA..

Tasmania only became a place I wanted to visit lately due to other people raving about how amazing it was. Particularly, I was at a hotel, and an Irishman also staying there had just been to Tasmania for three weeks on a tour that did a circle of the island. He said it was the best place he'd been south of the Equator... course I wonder if he'd been to Bali..

I vote for Noosa, as well. Great place to learn surfing. My husband has been there, he can confirm that info..

Which is your favorite island in the South Pacific? Bali, Bora Bora, Tahiti, those are all too easy! Where are the secret gems you've been lucky enough to travel to?.

I would like to know more about the nightlife in Australia, maybe Sydney as well? :-).

Glad there are some replies to this as I'm going to Australia in the new year and am debating whether to try and make it to Melbourne before heading back to Sydney for my flight out!.

This is a helpful post! I love learning about new locations in depth like that! What is the social scene like in Brisbane? Lots of music? Art? Theatre? All of the above? Has it got a conservative or liberal vibe?.

thinking about venturing to Fraser Island on my way up the coast, whats the best way to do it? and how long will i need to see everything? I've also heard stories about Dingos, are they really bad?.

Im heading up to Darwin in a few months and was just wondering if anyone had any suggestions of what to see/do? im there ffor 2-3 weeks and i have a car. Apparently wangi falls is a must see?? Also, im quite into my action sports so is there any fun new sports i can attempt?.

I think you need to give yourself plenty of time to explore NZ if you go... a week would be really difficult.. you could have fun on one of the islands for a week, but both would be a stretch. And you don't want to just pass by the North Isle just because the South Isle has so many big name attractions, (Queenstown, the Southern Alps, Fiordland etc)... Auckland and further north is full of really cool jungle and amazing beaches and world class diving. And you can "duneboard" up at Cape Reinga, the tippy top. If you like a foodie city, Auckland should be a delight for you. So much diversity! A ton of Japanese influence, Turkish, Indian.. and of course plenty of delish meat pies! As was mentioned earlier, I would recommend delving into the Great Barrier Reef for a bit while you're in Oz... Hamilton Island, (in the Whitsundays) is quite the little gem and perfect jumping off point to explore the reef.

May I please know about the top 5 diving sites in Australia. It would he helpful if someone provides me the details...

These boys are at it again in the fourth and last instalment of their reports on Festival Territory. Watch them chat to vikings and pirates, run through the sands of the dry Todd River and crew a battle boat bristling with mortars and high-pressure water cannons. youtube.com/watch?v=nPmfv3bIEr4.

Hi I am currently writing an article on accessible tourism for people with a disability. It will be published on the divine website. I am seeking comments to include in the article from people with a disability on the importance of accessible tourism. How important is accessible tourism in your life? Have you had any really good or bad experiences due to accessibility issues while on holiday? What improvements would you like to see to make accessible tourism better? If you would like to make a comment leave one here, send me a private message, or email me. I need a name I can attribute comments to. You can use a pseudonym if you like. (Please dont use Richard Cranium or Lois Common Denominator) If you want to reply please keep in mind I would like use your comments as quotes. You can check my credentials on the divine website by emailing the editor.

The guy is alive. He was able to swim to another boat. It's amazing how different the comments are on the Yahoo site and then the Cairns Blog. :shock: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/american-tourist-left-great-reef-tour-boat-company-170022854.html http://www.cairnsblog.net/2011/06/abandoned-reef-tourist-shunted-and.html I would still love to visit Australia one day. But I'll be sure to keep an eye on the time, the boat, and my fellow tourists during any snorkeling or scuba diving trips. 8).

Taupo bungy is great-- it's where I did my first bungy jump! 47m over the Waikato River. Or the Auckland Harbor Bridge has a jump that is 40m. At both you can do the water dip option, which is very refreshing/scary! I also recommend doing the "SkyJump" off the Auckland Skytower. If you road trip to the northern tip of the island it's super lush and jungly which is cool, and the 100 mile beach up there, right by Cape Reinga has MASSIVE sand dunes you can "duneboard" down. Sounds iffy, but it's actually amazingly fast, (you rent super slick boogie boards to go down on). You can go Zorbing in Rotorua...not adrenaline inducing, but extremely fun/weird all the same. Hope this helps! HAVE FUN!.

Cool ~ nice sharing.

I have a long list of fond memories from my six months in NZ but if I had to choose my favorite, favorite FAVORITE spot it would be the top of the Otago peninsula. The Royal Albatross Colony is amazing and we got to take an Argo out into the hills and down to remote beaches to see Little Blue penguins and fur seals. The scenery was just magical. Tears well up in my eyes when I think about how serene and beautiful it was. :( Close second, also for very mystical, otherworldly qualities would be Piha beach just outside of Auckland, tucked in the Waitakeres..

England = Australia Ireland = New Zealand The choice is yours!.

Lion Red for out at the pub (lighter bodied-- the Kiwi Budweiser pretty much) Speights with a tasty meat pie for dinner (fuller, hoppier, delicious-er) Tui anytime! (Pretty much just my favorite beer of all time, perfectly refreshing yet complex yet light yet amber... this is the beer that saved me from becoming a wino :) Those were my favorites!.

so.. im going to new zealand next month, I've been looking at Kiwi Experience and it looks pretty good but a lot of mixed review :S is it worth going on?? and also I'm 22, am I going to be the oldest one on the bus??.

Hey guys Im heading to NZ soon and Id like to work with disabled people for a while but I havent found much info on the net .. Id also be interested in working at a children's adventure camp and hostels. Can anybody recommend a great hostel where I can work because Ive come across lots of opportunities. It would have to be in exchange for accommodation .. food too if possible ! Any info would be appreciated. Thanks ! Justine.

The only one that can give you an accurate answer here is the proper authorities in New Zealand. My guess[/i:5c5a80d5f3] is that since you've disregarded the law in the past, and haven't bothered to be there legally that you'll have proven yourself dishonest. On the upside, deportation is usually at the government's expense, so there's your free ticket home. It appears, however that you're posting not from New Zealand, but from the Philippines, so why put UK as your location? Something smells fishy..

David... I'm not sure why you are digging up this dead-end post, nearly a year on... I've removed your sig from the above comment (as that's the only purpose I can think of) and am locking the topic..

You have shared very nice pictures here, thanks for posting!!.

I've been watching the news reports and reading about the situation. So sad. :( We lived in the North Island for a few months about a year ago but never got a chance to visit the South Island. I really feel for the people affected by the quakes..

Hi there, whenever pple think of fishing they go to the coast but what about the marvelous fishing in the Outback of Australia? What about all those beautiful rivers and dams full of fish? So many of the rivers have had lots of water in them for the last 2 years now, the fishing is great. You could head inland and stay at a place like "Kilcowera Station" and use it as a base for fishing in the nearby Bulloo, Paroo and Wilson rivers. You can also catch delicious yabbies very easily in the dams and waterholes. Cheers Zenonie.

We stayed at Amunuca Resort on Tokoriki Island in the Mamanuca Group. The snorkeling was awesome. Definitely get off the main island. If you have the money, take a chopper to save time or just a ferry boat like South Sea Cruises..

We were on the big island for 10 nights and almost always ate breakfast and dinner in the vacation rental and packed a simple lunch. I don't think prices at the supermarket were crazy high, but it was more expensive than at home in Miami. Our neighbor unloading a basket of bananas on us really helped though. :) Here's what we spent at the safeway supermarket for two people for 10 nights. SAFEWAY STORE00015QPSKAILUA-KONAHI $48.41 SAFEWAY STORE00015QPSKAILUA-KONAHI $44.61 SAFEWAY STORE00015QPSKAILUA-KONAHI $56.54 total = $148 We also bought some snacks at Target and Walmart..

[quote]I have heard that New Zealand can be a terrible place to visit but on the other hand i have been told it is great can i get some suggestions on wether it is a nice place or not thanks.[/quote] We had a great time for the most part. We were there from January to June. I missed having unlimited internet, but the Vodafone mobile 3g broadband worked well enough. I'd recommend renting a car for ultimate freedom. We bought a used car for $2,700 nzd and sold it for $2100. So it cost us about $5 usd per day. Not a bad rental. :) I did get tired of driving on the really twisty roads during our sightseeing excursions all over the North Island. But I definitely want to go back and see the South Island some day on our way up to Oz..

So we're back from our trip. If you can only pick one - go for Fiji. We ended up going to Fiji twice - before and after New Zealand. Then we did the big island of Hawaii on a budget. The car was $109 for 10 days, the studio rental was $560 for 10 nights and we went snorkeling (free) almost every day. The car was a little Hyundai so we only spent a few hundred on gas going all over the island..

Thanks lauracav! I just realized... another freedom aspect of Naked is I can figure out what I want to do, and maybe meet travel companions in my four months there and then decide rather than have to book now before I even enter the country (the Magic special ends less than a week). The cold shouldn't be too much of a problem for me; I'm Canadian :D but very handy piece of advice for packing, thank you..

Nice pics :) We just got back from NZ earlier this year. But only the North Island. I'm hoping to go back again in the next few years to check out the South Island..

I agree that Fiji is probably cheaper and it is probably more commercial and set up for tourists than the Cook Islands. Although, if you want something that will allow you to feel totally away from Western civilisation, the the Cook Islands is the place to go!.

Just thought I would update this thread after the trip. The Vodafone 3G mobile broadband internet worked just fine in the tiny neighborhood of Motuoapa located about 45-60 minutes away from the town of Taupo. Mangakino - We never got around to visiting it. Motuoapa was a better balance of quiet seclusion, price and proximity to Lake Taupo and the towns of Turangi and Taupo. Taupo - Really nice city with friendly people and very safe feeling. The Woolworth's supermarket was our favorite compared to Pak N' Save (low end). Turangi - Closest supermarket/town to our rental house in Motuoapa. We preferred driving the 45 minutes to Taupo for shopping and dining. Car - We bought a 1994 Toyota Carina ED sedan for $2,700 NZD and sold it for $2,200 NZD. So it ended up being like a $5 USD a day rental car for us..

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