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The Travel Thread

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Scrote Squad

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I'm planning on doing an Australian/New Zealand trip in early December. I will be in each place for a little over a week. If anyone has been to either place, I'd love suggestions on things to do. Will be flying into/out of Sydney and Auckland most likely, but have no problem hopping around.

cc: @CavsSimmy @KyrieIrving @MatthewDellavedova @AndrewBogut @HughJackman @RussellCrowe
 
I'm planning on doing an Australian/New Zealand trip in early December. I will be in each place for a little over a week. If anyone has been to either place, I'd love suggestions on things to do. Will be flying into/out of Sydney and Auckland most likely, but have no problem hopping around.

cc: @CavsSimmy @KyrieIrving @MatthewDellavedova @AndrewBogut @HughJackman @RussellCrowe

Personally spent some time in Australia myself, hanging out with my girl at the time mostly... Since she mostly took me around everywhere we went, I can't really give many pointers other than to say it's a really cool country and Sydney is an awesome city. I even considered moving there for a time.
 
Not to hijack from you, but I have questions as well. Girlfriend and I are debating between a Europe trip or a beach vacation in the Carribean somewhere for next year. What would you guys choose?
 
Not to hijack from you, but I have questions as well. Girlfriend and I are debating between a Europe trip or a beach vacation in the Carribean somewhere for next year. What would you guys choose?

Europe, without a doubt.. Especially if you're going with your girl.. You don't take sand to the beach homie.. Take her to Europe and she'll likely have a much better time.
 
Not to hijack from you, but I have questions as well. Girlfriend and I are debating between a Europe trip or a beach vacation in the Carribean somewhere for next year. What would you guys choose?

Europe. If you still want beaches, just include Spain in your trip.

ETA: Just for reference, I've been to damn near every island in the Caribbean. Many of them are very nice, but Europe is much cooler and a hell of a lot more varied.
 
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Europe, without a doubt.. Especially if you're going with your girl.. You don't take sand to the beach homie.. Take her to Europe and she'll likely have a much better time.

I don't like sand. It's coarse and rough and irritating and it gets everywhere.
 
Beaches are cool, but Europe is mind blowing. So much to do and experience. You will see things that won't register when you first see them. Plus the food is phenomenal.

As for Austrailia, I'm open ears as well. Probably our 2019 trip.
 
I'm planning on doing an Australian/New Zealand trip in early December. I will be in each place for a little over a week. If anyone has been to either place, I'd love suggestions on things to do. Will be flying into/out of Sydney and Auckland most likely, but have no problem hopping around.

cc: @CavsSimmy @KyrieIrving @MatthewDellavedova @AndrewBogut @HughJackman @RussellCrowe

Firstly, this might be the one and only time I'm ever mentioned in the same sentence as Russell Crowe, Hugh Jackman, Kyrie Irving etc. so for that, I thank you, kind sir :chuckle:

As far as your trip goes, great to hear you're coming down. First point of note: the Internet will tell you it's Summer in December. Don't let it fool you - especially in early December, you'll find yourself needing a jumper at night at the very least. Our warmest months are now in February/March. Not to say that it's not hot, it's just not as hot as it can commonly get.

As far as Sydney goes (I'm in Melbourne myself), you're talking about the central tourist hub of all things Australia. Hit the regulars (Opera House, Harbour Bridge, The Rocks, Darling Harbour etc) and stay in the CBD/downtown and close to Circular Quay. The Sydney Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus is exceptional for any out-of-towner and helps to solve the plethora of one-way streets debacle. Also worth dropping into Manly to the Sea Life Sanctuary and Bondi Beach for a bit of R&R.

I'd definitely suggest taking a flight up to Queensland for a couple of days. Queensland - and in particular, Surfers Paradise/Gold Coast - is kind of like our LA/Californian equivalent. Few theme parks if you're into that (Warner Brothers Movie World, Sea World, Dreamworld, Wet N Wild), beaches, shopping, resort-living etc. Check out and stay on Cavill Avenue - restaurants are aplenty and every hotel overlooks the Pacific Ocean from its balconies - really beautiful.

Queensland is also home to Australia Zoo - the Home of "The Crocodile Hunter - a worthy visit if you want to check out some of the local wildlife, and, of course, the Great Barrier Reef. The Reef isn't what it once was but it's still a natural wonder.

If you have time, head down to Melbourne (2 hour flight from Queensland and 1 hour from Sydney). Melbourne is both the "most livable city in the world" (so they say) and the "sports capital of the world." It's also the home of a ton of migration, multiculturalism, history and idiosyncrasy. Stay at 'Crown Metropol' if you make the trip and you'll be an elevator ride away from the heralded Crown Casino complex that can act as your base of operations. The Melbourne Star along Southbank is pretty awesome at night (largest Ferris wheel in the Southern Hemisphere) but the big seller of Melbourne is its culinary culture. If you're a food-lover, it's not a city you'll want to miss. Being that you'll be here in December, you'll miss out on a game of Australian Rules Football but you can still do a stadium tour of the 100,000 seat venue.

Federation Square and the Shrine of Remembrance are also great stops. Melbourne is known for its art and food so you'll find a ton of places combining the two.

Of course, if you're going to do an Australian adventure, they'll probably tell you you have to go to Uluru/Ayers Rock. Funnily enough, I've never been myself. It's pretty pricey and is basically in the middle of nowhere (all Australian cities are basically on the coast - there's not a lot happening in the middle of the map). In saying that, it is considered our most phenomenal natural landmarks and a visit to Uluru will certainly give you background in Aboriginal culture - most native villages still reside across that land and often warmly welcome tourists to their way of life.

Given your limited time frame, I'd stick with the east coast for now (that is, Queensland, Sydney, Melbourne). Do a bit of research into the above and let me know what interests you most and I'll get you back some more info! Good luck!
 
Not to hijack from you, but I have questions as well. Girlfriend and I are debating between a Europe trip or a beach vacation in the Carribean somewhere for next year. What would you guys choose?

My girlfriend and I did Europe last year. Was phenomenal and jaw-dropping.

If you're tossing up between the two, as @Jack Brickman said, include Spain (Barcelona and San Sebastian) but also include the Greek Islands (Santorini, Mykonos etc) and the Amalfi Coast in Italy (Sorrento, Amalfi, Positano). Just unbelievably beautiful and you'll live like a king.

We did Barcelona, Nice, Paris, London, Athens, Greek Islands, Amalfi Coast, Rome, Milan, Venice and everything in between and it was absolutely unforgettable in every way imaginable.
 
A buddy and I went to Australia for 3+ weeks awhile back. Spent most of it in Sydney -- absolutely loved it. Got propositioned by some woman in King's Cross -- "How much, love"? Also got thrown out of the zoo for tossing twigs at a koala so he'd turn around for a picture. Damn Yanks!

I remember going to some fantastic outdoor steak place built around an oak tree -- it was on the opposite side of the bay from the Opera House, I think. We also went up to Cairns further north on coast -- did some diving on the Reef, white water rafting, etc.. Absolute blast. Anyway, best thing about Australia was the people -- Australians are super friendly to Americans, and there were a fair number of tourist from other nations that we ran into so that was fun as well.

@CavsSimmy What is it with your fellow Auzzies and the obsession with Ayers Rock? We kept running into people who'd tell us that we had to go to "Ayesrock", and it took us a while to figure out exactly what was being said. When we did, we'd ask why it was so special, and it basically came down to "it's a big rock in the middle of the desert that looks a bit red." We'd ask what there was to do out there, and they'd say "well, nothing, but it's really impressive to look at." And it's not like it's an hour drive away or anything.
 
A buddy and I went to Australia for 3+ weeks awhile back. Spent most of it in Sydney -- absolutely loved it. Got propositioned by some woman in King's Cross -- "How much, love"? Also got thrown out of the zoo for tossing twigs at a koala so he'd turn around for a picture. Damn Yanks!

The prostitutes in Budapest were a bit more forward. They just said, "Sex?"
 
@CavsSimmy What is it with your fellow Auzzies and the obsession with Ayers Rock? We kept running into people who'd tell us that we had to go to "Ayesrock", and it took us a while to figure out exactly what was being said. When we did, we'd ask why it was so special, and it basically came down to "it's a big rock in the middle of the desert that looks a bit red." We'd ask what there was to do out there, and they'd say "well, nothing, but it's really impressive to look at." And it's not like it's an hour drive away or anything.

You summed it up perfectly. I think it's probably the most overrated "attraction" in the country and it is exactly as you said, a big rock in the midle of the desert that looks a little red. There's nothing there other than Aboriginal heritage and everything is overpriced. It's supposed to be a "spirital motherland" of sorts, linked generationally with the early Aborigines.

It's considered a "must do" attraction by any tourism website but personally, if you don't find its awe in images it's probably not worth visiting. As you said, there are a ton of other wonderful things to do that don't involve driving half a day to the middle of nowhere.
 
Bumping this thread. I'm traveling to Vegas next week (unfortunate with the incident that occurred last night). Do I need to be notifying my bank (in this case Chase) that I'll be in a different state spending money?
 
If you are doing beaches in Europe you should come to my neck of the woods. We have loads of stones, the world's shortest pier and the kind of urban decay not seen outside of episodes of the wire.

Although seriously everyone tells me the best beaches in Europe are in Croatia at the moment. Mediterranean beaches without the cost and not full of annoying British wankers
 

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