Perhaps I should say exchanges because I have 3 in what is known as "back to back".

Brisbane, Australia (in the city)
North of Brisbane about 1 1/2 hours
Bay of the Islands New Zealand

I have been doing some tour work here in DC as I try to dump what is left of my law practice and go into semi retirement. I will still practice law when I return if anyone wants me anymore after over 2 months away. I am doing some tour work in DC, but it hasn't led to anything out of DC (the eventual goal). I am holding off buying the ticket but the time is coming soon when I will have to do so. The itinerary may look like this

Sydney-Brisbane-drive to Whitsunday Islands for the Great Barrier Reef--back to North of Brisbane house--Brisbane to Auckland for a couple of nights before starting the NZ home exchange. Depending on which airline I end up using, I could stop in Fiji on the way there (Quantas) or Honolulu on the way home (United Air Lines). I have been to HI twice so, if I end up stopping there, it will just be to crash, shower and sleep off some of the jet lag. I will not do it if it costs anything extra as this is going to be an expensive airline ticket.

I am going to wait until May 1st as the target date to purchase my ticket. This has involved a lot of work as 3 separate sets of home exchangers are involved. I have done two back to back in the past, but never 3 like this. Normally, I just do one at a time because multiple exchanges involve so much planning.

And, as you can see on the rest of Europe board, I just returned from Salzburg, Austria, where I had a 13 day home exchange with the absolute worst weather I have ever had on a trip! It rained or snowed (one day enough to mean I canceled the drive planned for the day to see a friend) every day but two. It was also freezing cold. Hopefully I am going to have better luck down under.

When I get back, I am sure it will be a long time before I go anywhere else. Famous last words. . . .

Sounds like a 'super' trip!

Enjoy the planning.

Well, I have my airline ticket for this one now. I am flying Quantas (code share with American) as Quantas was the only airline that could handle my itinerary for a price I could pay. The itinerary is DC-Fiji (change in LA) (3 nights)-Sydney (5 nights)-Brisbane (about 5 weeks home exchanges in Brisbane and Noosa)-Auckland (home exchange located Bay of the Islands)-DC. I will be gone slightly over 2 months.

Believe it or not Fiji actually reduced the price of the airline ticket $300 (and believe me I needed any reductions I could get).

I am going to need hotels in Fiji and Sydney and probably one by the Whitsunday Islands for access to the Great Barrier Reef. Additionally, I will probably spend 1-2 nights in Auckland at the end of the trip and probably a night or so out to see Rotorura while in NZ. Otherwise I will be in my home exchange homes every night to keep the price of this down.

I was told before of an internal airline in Australia that has discount flights and would love it if someone would tell me that again. I am debating driving from Noosa to the Whitsunday Islands just to see some of the coast, but back and forth might be a bit much. I am also thinking about one of those live aboard boats to stay for a night or two to snorkle (not dive!) the GBR. I am open to all suggestions.

Thanks in advance for all your help.

Jetstar (allied with Qantas) and Virgin Blue are our two 'no frills' airlines.

No free food or drinks and no seat allocation.

Elly

Last time we flew Jetstar we had seat allocation
and my husband thinks he had seat allocation on Virgin Blue.
My sister has just flown Tiger Airlines - yet to hear how it went - but it was the cheapest airline.

Your exchange sound great. I think this is so cool. I'm getting ready for semi-retirement also and your idea is a great way to ease into the change.

We visited Australia in 2006. I didn't find Virgin Blue that much cheaper but it was out best option for flying from Sydney to Perth.

For hotels, what are you looking for? Cost, location, ambiance? For low cost, a lot of people look at The Russell. I think it popular due to the low cost and location. There are also some nice boutique hotels. Check our notes for other countries which has some notes on Australia. We stayed at The Blackett which was okay but not as special as I thought it might be.

Another useful tool for accomodations in Australia is the website Wotif. You can find last minute deals on hotels, rentals and B&Bs.

For Auckland, I stayed at The Great Ponsonby B&B. It was several years ago but I had a friend stay there in the last few years and she really liked it.

Thanks for the suggestions. I am looking for clean and cheap in the hotel department. Since I am never in the room except to sleep, I don't need antiques in the room, etc. A bed with a good mattress, a shower with pressure, a toilet that flushes and quiet at night is all I want.

OK, my Australia and New Zealand trip is about to begin. Let me tell you what happened last Friday.

Regular readers know I love to home exchange and have been all over Europe, the US and Canada staying in other folks' homes. I am known on several websites for giving advice about home exchanges.

Last Friday I got contacted by CNN. The are doing a feature on home exchange as a way to save money on holidays now that the economy has tanked. They interviewed me on the phone about home exchange in general and then asked if I would consent to be featured as the home exchanger in the piece. They are going to meet my Australian exchangers with a camera crew at the airport. Then they are filming me leaving. When I get to Brisbane--after stopping in Fiji and Sydney--they will meet me with a camera crew (I will just be flying from Sydney and hopefully will look a bit better than my Australian exchangers who would have just flown in via South Korea on a mega hour flight).

So, I am about to get my 5 seconds of fame as a result of years of exchanging and giving advice about it.

I have no idea when the feature will air. Probably most of what I am in will end up being cut. LOL.

Expect a very long trip report when I come back. I have a home exchange north of Brisbane and then one in Brisbane. Then I go to New Zealand where I have one near the Bay of the Islands national park. One of my New Zealand home exchangers' relatives is offering me the use of her house as well. I think it is in Auckland. Since it will be winter, I will not be going to the South Island.

I decided against a trek to the Great Barrier Reef and decided to go to Fiji and Sydney instead on the way out. I will save the GBR for another trip.

Things are very interesting around here. If I find out when the piece will air, I will post the information on Slowtrav.

Have a good summer all of you!

What a wonderful trip!!! And very cool on the CNN thing!

I had the opportunity to work in Australia for two months(on a foreign exchange with my company)20 years ago. It was my first big trip (I was only 25), and I loved it! Australia and NZ are both on my list of places to go again, but it may have to wait until retirement, as I want to go for at least a month!

Enjoy your trip!

Anne

Outstanding. You are going to be interviewed by CNN! Keep us posted on both the trip and the interview.

BTW, you will love the Bay of Islands. We visited there several years ago and loved it. Where are you going to be in the Bay of Islands? We stayed in KeriKeri and really liked it. I think we later moved to Paihia. We never got to
Russell although I've heard it is great.

I think the town in the Bay of the Islands is Wangerei (spelling?). Wherever I end up, I have not been before. Since it is all new to me, I will have a great time wherever it is. Going for a long trip like this does mean you have time to relax when it gets a bit too much. I have been known to simply read a book on odd days--especially if I get a spot of bad weather. You cannot go like gangbusters all the time, as you get too exhausted.

I am doing some work with tour groups now in Washington, DC, as I segway into retirement from my law practice and all the stress that entails. I am hoping that the swap ends with some tour company hiring me to do work with American groups down under during the American winter time.

We had lunch in Whangerei on the way to Kerikeri. It looked like a nice town. Lunch was good although I don't remember the restaurant name. It was on the harbor and we had a table waterside so it was nice.

Good luck on your retirement. The tour work sounds like a nice opportunity.