G’day Mate. Is a vacation to Australia and NewZealand on the top of the list for you in the future? Iam sure it is and if not, perhaps you just need to learna bit more as it should be.The Land Down Under is a land of contrasts and vari-ety. You can choose from lush green tropical rain-forests to dry barren deserts. Small outback townsserviced by the Flying Doctors Service to hip and hap-pening world class cities like Sydney and Melbourne.Get out to see the wild and exotic land animals uniqueto Australia, or snorkel and dive the wonders of theGreat Barrier Reef. There is something for everyone ofall interests and budgets.

My Personal Travels

My 1st visit to Australia in 2000 was jam packed. I visited Sydney and Melbourne and the surrounding areas, then headed to Ayers Rock, the Olgas and the Red Center and then went to Cairns, explored the area and took a 3 day Great Barrier Reef Cruise.

I was in Australia again in Septembe 07 - for business, of course! This trip I spent time on the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast and in the city of Brisbane. After that, I traveled south to Hunter Valley (wine country)to take part in our Annual Conference for Aussie Specialists. It was a great opportunity for me to meet the suppliers and tour operators that operate locally within Australia & New Zealand and the whole South Pacific area, so I can better serve my clients.

In August 2008, I was back in Australia for my 3rd visit- this time exploring Southern Australia- Kangaroo Island, Adelaide, the Ghan Train and Coober Pedy.

Great Travel Ideas

Down Under has something for everyone. You can take advantage of prepackaged travel pac modules which operate almost every day and offer flexibility of itinerary, duration and price.You can tour together with a locally escorted motor-coach tour following an itinerary and guided by professional tour escorts. Or perhaps you may choose to“Go As You Please “ where you may rent a car for a self drive holiday, or a motor home plus a bit of travel by rail and bus with a hotel passes. For the young and young at heart set off on an adventure holiday and get off the beaten path. A cruise &Sail Experience is a great option- large cruise ships,small eco cruises or your own sailing holidays. For snowbirds, long stays are really popular where you can spend between 1-3 months in Australia or New Zealand for incredibly inexpensive rates with an insurance package which is amazingly affordable!These are just a few of the options you can choose from to explore this diverse part of the world.

Destinations

With so much to see and do, it can be hard to choose. You may opt to concentrate on one area of the South Pacific and get to know it in depth or you may chose to see more locations with less tim eat each. Visit Australia, New Zealand and perhaps stop at an island both ways to break up the journey –there are many tropical, exotic choices - Hawaii,Tahiti, Fiji, the Cook Islands or even Asia. An Aussie Air Pass in Australia is a great idea to visit different regions of the country- or a South Pacific Air Pass for the islands.In Australia some of the most popular areas to visit are: Sydney, Melbourne, Cairns & the Great Barrier Reef; Adelaide & Kangaroo Island; Alice Springs &Ayers Rock and also Tasmania. In New Zealand you can visit both the North and South Island. Some of the major areas are Auckland, Rotorua with the glowworm caves, Christchurch and the Tranz Alpine Train, Queenstown and cruising Milford Sound. Explore for a few weeks or many months the options are endless and sure to leave you longing to return for more