Melbourne next week- all advice welcome

so many qs

Hi, I'm going to Australia for July and August and starting out in Melbourne next week. I'm looking for any and all recomendations about what to do next. My rough plan would be to take a 10 day trip with Adventure Tours or Adventure Travel to Alice Springs via Adelaide and Uluru. This is 1475 aus dollars including accommodation and meals so if anyone has feedback on either of these companies I'd be grateful. I can't find too many reviews online. Is it tough going on these trips? I'm in my mid twenties and healthy but wouldn't consider myself an athlete. Is the price worth it? Are they well run? Are there better options?

My next step would be to fly to Sydney and continue to work up the East coast- the only problem is Virgin Blue don't fly from Alice Springs and Tiger Airways only seem to fly to Melbourne- any ideas on how what to do?
Thanks in advance for any help.

Oh and could anyone advise on how long to spend in Melbourne? And what clothes to bring for the weather?

universe777

I can only really speak of Melbourne. Bring clothes for cold weather, plus it has been raining here most days for the last few weeks.

There must be more airlines going Sydney to Melbourne?? I travelled Tiger a while back, they were rotten, delayed by a few hours, it's common for them if you've ever watched their tv show in Ireland?

I wouldn't spend longer than a weekend in Melbourne to be honest, any normal person would get bored of it. I live here..

so many qs

Thanks universe777. It's great to hear from someone who is there.I'm actually looking for flights from Alice Springs back to Sydney because that's where the Melbourne to Alice Springs tour ends. Not really sure how to get back to Sydney. Do you think I need a winter coat or do you think I'd be better off with layers? I'm thinking of when I move on up the coast and carrying all my winter gear. Thanks

Tigerandahalf

Ok you are starting out in Melbourne. It's a lovely city but it's winter here now so it limits you in what you can do..it's not as much fun walking around when it's cold. As for things to do well, your best bet is probably to go into the information office opposite flinders st station, in federation square and they will give you ideas. Other than that, just give a walk around the main streets. You could get a tram down to the beach in St Kilda but again it is winter.
Flying in and out of Uluru/Alice springs is not cheap. If you are only here for a couple of months and presumably you want to get a bit of warm weather, I'd recommend getting a flight to Cairns instead and doing a tour down the east coast to Brisbane. You'll have lovely weather...temp in the 20s.
I did a tour with Adventure Tours and found them very good.

so many qs

Thanks tigerandahalf. I booked the tour with AT, hopefully it will be good. I'm only in Melbourne for 5 days and after the tour will head to Syndey and then up the East coast. Thanks!

Doc

There are loads of things to do in Melbourne but if I was to suggest something to do for a good day in Melbourne depending on where you are staying it would be first to make your way to Flinders Street Station (it’s a big old fashioned train station on the South edge of the CBD) and from there cross the road to Degraves St and find a nice café on it or Centre Pl to have breakfast.
After that you could walk down to federation square (Across the road from Flinders St Station) and see if there is anything happening there or watch the street performers that normally perform there.

You could then walk across the river to the South Bank where you have a lot of options as to what to do; you could go in and look around the National Gallery of Victoria, go up the Eureka tower (tallest building in Australia) and take in the view from the observation deck, walk along the Southbank prom.

Also just outside the National Gallery is the first stop of the free tourist bus that takes you all around Melbourne. After you have seen enough of the southbank you might want to visit the queen Victoria market where you could have some lunch and do some cheap shopping (It is one of the stops on the free bus).

In the evening there are loads of great restaurants to go to top of my lists of places you should try would be Shanghi dumplings in the Chinatown area of Melbourne. The service is crap as they want to rush you in and out as fast as possible as it is always packed but the food is amazing! There are loads off cool bars in that area too including the croft institute which is right at the end of a dog legged alleyway nearby (seriously all the best places in Melbourne are hidden down scary looking alleyways or side streets but once you get into them they are really cool and the croft institute is a perfect example of this). There’s loads of things to do here and all that I’ve talked about is just in the CBD Melbourne’s inner suburbs are also really cool but I think I’ve gone on for long enough.

Enjoy!

brendansmith

Steer clear of the mayonaise

Stinicker

universe777 wrote: »

I can only really speak of Melbourne. Bring clothes for cold weather, plus it has been raining here most days for the last few weeks.

There must be more airlines going Sydney to Melbourne?? I travelled Tiger a while back, they were rotten, delayed by a few hours, it's common for them if you've ever watched their tv show in Ireland?

I wouldn't spend longer than a weekend in Melbourne to be honest, any normal person would get bored of it. I live here..

Superb advice, just a pity I did not see it myself, landed in Perth today half expecting a "sure their winter is better than our summer" NOT, While not cold it is chilly and distinctly wintry about 14 to 15c here in Perth in the evening and down to 2 or 0c tonight, 4 of us ejits took no winter clothes and I had a light jumper only and my advice is to bring light jumpers and a hoody or two, plus everyone here in Perth has descended into the Winter black jacket type syndrome as we do at home, scarfs and hats I have seen also. As I have learned today Australia is not all scorching deserts and snakes, they get winter weather too.

Still it was such a welcome relief from the stifiling open air humidity factory that is overpriced "celtic tiger type" Singapore. The average bottle of beer in Singapore is around €9 and it is so expensive. The new sands casino hotel is a dream though (even though I could not afford the SGD$600/night it is worth a peek at the same time.

As for the Airlines I'm on a RTW ticket with Qantas all the way except LA-London and Aer Lingus for the heathrow run. I can honestly say they are an airline as an airline should be run, they are ozzy and give great service, roomy planes, (6kgs overweight and not a word), great service on board with aussie staff and my flight from Singapore to Perth today was a dream between the wonders of Singapore airport and Qantas it was great, there is no airline in europe who'd come close. Singapore Airport is unreal and Terminal three (although I departed through T1) is like something I cannot even describe, added to decentralised security at the gate (T1) and it was my most strees free airport experieince ever.

universe777

If you think beer is expensive in Singapore try this bar, it's in a laneway (runs parallel to Swanston Street, near Gaylord Indian restaurant) in Chinatown, Melbourne.
It consists of 2 shipping containers, 1 for the bar, the other for the toilets. People sit in the open air. It's basically an empty lot where a building used to be, they put railings around it and dumped 2 containers and heaps of wooden pallets to sit on.
It's extortionately expensive a lot of beer is $12+ a bottle.

http://www.tomatom.com/2006/08/a-bar-in-a-shipping-container/

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=section+8+bar+melbourne&fb=1&gl=au&hq=section+8+bar&hnear=Melbourne+VIC&cid=0,0,17230372408407816914&ei=avoxTIjeNc_JcarWwLAD&sa=X&oi=local_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CBUQnwIwAA

Pisco Sour

I did a trip from Adelaide to Alice Springs with Adventure Tours Australia last year. Cant recommend it enough. I had a brilliant time and you meet so many people of a similar age. DO IT!

so many qs

Doc, that's great advice, thanks very much for taking the time.

Stinicker, it is hard to imagine Oz being cold, I hope I have enough warm clothes! Also flying through Singapore with Qantas so good to hear it's smooth going.

04072511 I'm excited now about the tour, always great to hear good reports!

Thanks everyone for your help!

so many qs

Oh and I posted this on another forum but if anyone has any packing suggestions... With the variety of weather I'm not finding it easy! No suggestion too obvious!

Here's what I have so far: walking shoes, flipflops, hat, sunscreen, towel, toiletries, torch, insect repellent, camera, flight tickets and passport obviously, I'm going to hire a sleeping bag, combat type trousers, leggings for under trousers, tracksuit bottoms as pyjamas, swim gear, travel hairdryer, phone charger. As I'll be travelling about, I'm going to need a variety of clothes-but what? Would fleeces and layers be enough for Melbourne and AS? What clothes do I need for going out at night? (Oh and I'm a girl!)

Stinicker

so many qs wrote: »

Oh and I posted this on another forum but if anyone has any packing suggestions... With the variety of weather I'm not finding it easy! No suggestion too obvious!

Here's what I have so far: walking shoes, flipflops, hat, sunscreen, towel, toiletries, torch, insect repellent, camera, flight tickets and passport obviously, I'm going to hire a sleeping bag, combat type trousers, leggings for under trousers, tracksuit bottoms as pyjamas, swim gear, travel hairdryer, phone charger. As I'll be travelling about, I'm going to need a variety of clothes-but what? Would fleeces and layers be enough for Melbourne and AS? What clothes do I need for going out at night? (Oh and I'm a girl!)

so many qs wrote: »

Doc, that's great advice, thanks very much for taking the time.

Stinicker, it is hard to imagine Oz being cold, I hope I have enough warm clothes! Also flying through Singapore with Qantas so good to hear it's smooth going.

04072511 I'm excited now about the tour, always great to hear good reports!

Thanks everyone for your help!

Oz is not cold cold, just a little chilly after 5pm here in perth and a t-shirt is not really enough then, a few light jumpers and a jacket would be grand and a rain mac as here in Perth there is a massive storm approaching on thursday apparently and an old aussie guy today told us it is the coldest it has been in 20 years. (which isn't irish type cold at all).

Today was lovely at about 17* C and was very comfortable for us Irish not too hot or chilly. In Melbourne it is much colder than here and right now (6.30pm) it is 13*c (Chillyish for a light jumper) here in Perth and in Melbourne it is 5*c so there is a big enough difference in temps, Alice springs is 6*c (according to Google) (Just Google "Weather in wherever") so while you don't need polar type clothing you have to wrap up at the same time.

I also brought a travel iron I got in Argos for €12 which is handy for ironing shirts as they get all wrinkly in the suitcase (male here). My hotel now is very well kitted out with all that stuff and wifi but in Hostels I can't imagine the same being available as I will be downgrading to a hostel in two days for the first time in my life :eek:

We also have the Three Broadband stick on billpay which works the same in Oz as at home with no extra cost so long as it is billpay and you have been a customer for the last 3 months. I am uploading my photos to megaupload incase any scumbag would rob my camera, or netbook where I have them stored and also have a large USB stick (16GB) which I carry with me so that I will not have any disaster of having them lost.

Another thing we brought is baby ass wipes and they are so handy for taking that dirty feeling away while on the plane (and waiting in Heathrow where the A/C must have been broken at the Qantas gate) before we got to the hotel to sleep. One thing I didn't bring but am going to try and get is noise cancelling earphones which takes away the drone of the jet and lets you listen to whatever easier.

My sleeping pills (Zopitan 3.75mg) never worked and the 12 hours were a case of nodding off for a hour or two and waking again so there was no real rest delivered by sleeping on the plane. Although my next two flight are Perth to Melbourne next week and then onto Sydney and the "big one" is Sydney to LA on the A380 for nearly 14hours !! One thing we may do in either Sydney or Melbourne is go skiing in Perisher Blue as it is about half way between both cities and then take the rental up the east coast as far as either Brisbane or Cairns.... Road Trip!!!

Have Fun is Oz in unbeleiveably cool and the people are so nice and friendly, it is not as cheap as people make it out to be unless you are totally slumming it. I can't see much difference in prices and if anything I'd say Oz is more expensive than reccessionary Ireland.

so many qs

Thanks so much for all the replies and advice. I'm back now, can't believe it's all over. Had an amazing, amazing, amazing time! So easy to travel on your own there. Did tour with Adventure tours for 10 days and after that went Greyhound up the east coast. Was never stuck or on my own. Thanks guys. x

lg123

Doc wrote: »

There are loads of things to do in Melbourne but if I was to suggest something to do for a good day in Melbourne depending on where you are staying it would be first to make your way to Flinders Street Station (it’s a big old fashioned train station on the South edge of the CBD) and from there cross the road to Degraves St and find a nice café on it or Centre Pl to have breakfast.
After that you could walk down to federation square (Across the road from Flinders St Station) and see if there is anything happening there or watch the street performers that normally perform there.

You could then walk across the river to the South Bank where you have a lot of options as to what to do; you could go in and look around the National Gallery of Victoria, go up the Eureka tower (tallest building in Australia) and take in the view from the observation deck, walk along the Southbank prom.

Also just outside the National Gallery is the first stop of the free tourist bus that takes you all around Melbourne. After you have seen enough of the southbank you might want to visit the queen Victoria market where you could have some lunch and do some cheap shopping (It is one of the stops on the free bus).

In the evening there are loads of great restaurants to go to top of my lists of places you should try would be Shanghi dumplings in the Chinatown area of Melbourne. The service is crap as they want to rush you in and out as fast as possible as it is always packed but the food is amazing! There are loads off cool bars in that area too including the croft institute which is right at the end of a dog legged alleyway nearby (seriously all the best places in Melbourne are hidden down scary looking alleyways or side streets but once you get into them they are really cool and the croft institute is a perfect example of this). There’s loads of things to do here and all that I’ve talked about is just in the CBD Melbourne’s inner suburbs are also really cool but I think I’ve gone on for long enough.

Enjoy!

you forgot to mention peeejaaay's

Zambia

so many qs wrote: »

Thanks so much for all the replies and advice. I'm back now, can't believe it's all over. Had an amazing, amazing, amazing time! So easy to travel on your own there. Did tour with Adventure tours for 10 days and after that went Greyhound up the east coast. Was never stuck or on my own. Thanks guys. x

Cheers you are the first person I recall giving us feedback on returning.

Tif

so many qs wrote: »

Thanks tigerandahalf. I booked the tour with AT, hopefully it will be good. I'm only in Melbourne for 5 days and after the tour will head to Syndey and then up the East coast. Thanks!

Hi so many qs. Can I ask when you went on the 10 day tour with AT did you find you still spent a lot of money or was everything mainly taken care of for you and money was spent on souvenirs and alcohol???? I am trying to figure out whether to book one of these tours as they say accommodation and food is provided but afraid of spending a lot of money on tour to find out I prob would have done it cheaper if I went to all these places myself. Sorry for the cheek in asking about money but I'm trying to work out a budget. I kind of want to see everything but may not afford it all if I book tours.

Dano

Can you just buy Greyhound tickets at bus stations or do you have to get a pass for x amount of kms? I'm going from cairns to brisbane soon and wondering whats the best way to travel. (not driving)

Cheers

so many qs

Tif wrote: »

Hi so many qs. Can I ask when you went on the 10 day tour with AT did you find you still spent a lot of money or was everything mainly taken care of for you and money was spent on souvenirs and alcohol???? I am trying to figure out whether to book one of these tours as they say accommodation and food is provided but afraid of spending a lot of money on tour to find out I prob would have done it cheaper if I went to all these places myself. Sorry for the cheek in asking about money but I'm trying to work out a budget. I kind of want to see everything but may not afford it all if I book tours.

No worries. My tour was from Melbourne to Alice Springs and in the outback I honestly spent very, very little. A tour in other parts of Aus would be very different.

The first few days along the Great Ocean Road we had to buy our own lunch and of course when you get into towns you're more likely to spend. But once we left Adelaide I hardly spent a penny for that week. We were up so early in the morning that our drinking was just a few beers in the accomodation or a jug in a local pub. No real sessions until the last night, just chilled out stuff. In the outback we stopped at lots of roadhouses and snacks are a bit dearer there so I tended to hit a Woolworths or Coles before have a little stach for the bus journeys. You need a lot of water to keep you going but in our accomodation there was always drinking water taps where you could fill up your bottles.

I loved my time on the tour. A lot of that was down to the cool group I was with. Food and accomadation was basic but for me it was something completely different. Personally, I wouldn't have had the motivation to seek out the cool spots in the outback or even known how to find them by myself. BUT I did the east coast by greyhound and Peter Pan and it was so easy so I don't think you need a tour for there at all.


Enjoy!

so many qs

Dano wrote: »

Can you just buy Greyhound tickets at bus stations or do you have to get a pass for x amount of kms? I'm going from cairns to brisbane soon and wondering whats the best way to travel. (not driving)

Cheers

I just bought a mini traveller pass through Peter Pan. I didn't bother with kms so I don't know about them. I booked everything from Sydney up through Peter Pan and they printed out my whole bus itinery. This suited me but if you have more time or want to be more flexible you can book or change your buses yourself online once you buy a pass.

Tif

so many qs wrote: »

No worries. My tour was from Melbourne to Alice Springs and in the outback I honestly spent very, very little. A tour in other parts of Aus would be very different.

The first few days along the Great Ocean Road we had to buy our own lunch and of course when you get into towns you're more likely to spend. But once we left Adelaide I hardly spent a penny for that week. We were up so early in the morning that our drinking was just a few beers in the accomodation or a jug in a local pub. No real sessions until the last night, just chilled out stuff. In the outback we stopped at lots of roadhouses and snacks are a bit dearer there so I tended to hit a Woolworths or Coles before have a little stach for the bus journeys. You need a lot of water to keep you going but in our accomodation there was always drinking water taps where you could fill up your bottles.

I loved my time on the tour. A lot of that was down to the cool group I was with. Food and accomadation was basic but for me it was something completely different. Personally, I wouldn't have had the motivation to seek out the cool spots in the outback or even known how to find them by myself. BUT I did the east coast by greyhound and Peter Pan and it was so easy so I don't think you need a tour for there at all.


Enjoy!

Thank you so much for replying to my message 'so many qs'. It is a huge help hearing from other people that have been. Money is a big thing now for me at the moment and I'm trying to figure out how much I will need to see as many things as I can in the 2 months I'll be in Australia and the 1 month in NZ. Could I be so bold to ask how much money you roughly spent for your time there???