Australia may be a rugged and untamed land but there is nothing rugged about Sydney. The very modern and bustling city is very much alive. This city is located in the south west corner of Australia right near the coast. It is the largest and oldest city in Australia and that attracts more tourists than any other city in the country.
Sydney's Harbour is by the far one of the most beautiful harbours in the world. Millions of tourists a year flock to Sydney to enjoy the magnificent views from the bay. You can enjoy ferries, dinner cruises, and speedboats or even take a hands-on sailboat adventure around the bay. There are many ways to enjoy the harbour, even from above at the AMP Tower. Here you can see the entire city while eating dinner. The restaurant slowly rotates giving you a panoramic view of the city without ever moving.
The Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House are globally recognised and the top tourist attractions that Sydney has to offer. The bridge is not only one of the most distinguished bridges in the world but also offers you the chance to climb it. Groups leave every day to climb the unique arches and enjoy Sydney from an entirely new perspective. These tours are very safe and have been running for years. Tours are also available through the Opera House that gives you a backstage look of this amazing international symbol. The Opera House is not big enough to have a grand opera perform there unfortunately, however there are still many things to enjoy including the concert hall, opera and drama theatre and a recital hall. A fifth theatre was also built in 1998. The Opera House also has many restaurants, bars and even can host a special reunion or party. This truly is a special place to visit and perhaps you will have time to enjoy a performance.
Sydney offers many unique experiences including visiting Observatory Hill. This small hill is the home to one of the oldest telescopes in the world built back in 1858. Here you can see a completely different sky if you live north of the Equator. The Big Dipper constellation cannot be seen from Australia, however they have just as popular constellations. The Southern Cross is easy to recognize and only can be seen "down-under." The observatory has added some modern features including a computer system that will point the age-old telescope to any star. Reservations are essential, as the observatory cannot handle hundreds of people at a time. They will take you on a tour of their facility as well as give you a chance to look through the telescope at different celestial objects.
Sydney also has some of the best beaches you can find. If you plan to soak in some rays at the famous Bondi Beach, make sure you know that the climate in the southern hemisphere is the opposite of the northern hemisphere. Australia's summer is in January and July and August is the coldest time of the year. Of course, their summers are much longer; you should expect about 8 months of sunshine.
What makes Sydney great along with its unique attractions is that everyone speaks English. This may sound obvious but travelling to a strange country where everything is new takes some getting use to. If you cannot understand anyone, it makes it even harder. Their version of English is different from Americans and different from those in England. It may take some getting use to but Australians may use the same words but they have different meanings than we are use to in the States.
If you need help or have a question, you will find that Australians are quite warm and more than happy to help. I found that asking for help resulted in hours of conversations as we shared cultural differences and similarities. This is great vacation family destination where the sun always shines and the hospitality never ends.
Often recognised for its politics, in September and October Canberra comes alive during Floriade. For 30 days in September and October, Canberra hosts Australia’s biggest flower festival. Incredible colours light up the nation’s capital green parks and gardens. Floriade has shops, exhibitions and live concerts to entertain the whole family.
With an expected 400,000 local, interstate and international visitors, Floriade gets bigger and better every year. Visitors learn more about gardening; enjoy films, galleries, markets and Canberra attractions. For 30 days the garden beds of Commonwealth Park are colour, fragrant works of art. Follow the Floriade Trail and soak up beautiful Canberra in the spring.
Floriade is the result of a long lengthy creative process; 18 months of planning and gardening every year. Each year tulips, irises, daffodils, violas, chrysanthemums and daises blossom Canberra.
Floriade NightFest a five night festival of entertainment, films, markets, food, wine and music is popular among locals. Floriade is light up to illuminate the beautiful flowers of Canberra. Wander through local art and craft at the night markets or see Canberra light up from above on Floriade’s fairest wheel.
There is much to see and do beyond Floriade, from hot air balloon rides to the historic Australian War Memorial. Take a walk through our political history at Old Parliament House or visit the Australian Alps and National parks only a short drive outside of Canberra. If you are after something to entertain the kids, Questacon is must. Kids will love learning about science while having tones of fun!
The Red Centre is one of Australia’s most naturally beautiful places. A sacred space for Aboriginal people, the Red Centre is a endless horizon of vibrant red sand.
Many tourists don’t realize but there is much green vegetation and lush waterholes across the Red Centre. Making it one of Australia’s most magical, silent and relaxing holidays.
If you’re travelling through the Australia’s centre; Alice Springs is a must. Located just 200 kilometres south outside of Australia’s geographic centre, making the Red Centre Australia’s heart. While in Alice Spring enjoy a bush walk, four-wheel drive or camel trek across the dunes of Simpson Desert. Explore our Indigenous history through rock art, arte facts and ceremonial art.
Uluru will amaze you! Locate in the deep centre of Australia; Uluru is a 348 metre rock formation. Watch the sunset over the iconic rock or learn about its spiritual culture. Witness Uluru’s greatness by motorcycle, on a camel or helicopter. Just 40 kilometres from Uluru is Kata Tjuta: steep dune formations from over 500 million years ago.
Explore breathtaking views across the Watarrka National Park and Kings Canyon. Kings Canyon is a magical place; the large rock walls provide shelter for lush green plants. Swim in tropical pool and see rare plant life.
Looking for some action? Jump into a four-wheel drive and drive through towering sandstone cliffs and Franke River located in Finke Gorge Nation Park.
The Red Centre is a breath taking experience that cannot be missed!
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Ever wanted to get bumped upped to first class? Well, according to flight attendants it’s as easy as being a well-dressed, single man in his 30s.
A recent survey by Skyscanner of 700 flight attendants from around the world confirmed the stereotype.
70 per cent of cabin crew said that they were more likely to upgrade a travelling passenger if they were on their own.
So, what if you don’t meet the stereotype? Here are a few tips to help you get bumped up to first class:
If you’re sick or injured on your next flight, well that is not such a bad thing. Two thirds of flight crew said those with a broken bone were more inclined to be upgrade to a better seat.
Frequent flyers are more likely to receive a first class upgrade.
Those least likely to be bumped up to first class are teenage girls, those travelling with a group and passengers wearing revealing clothes.
First class seems to be very enticing for those surveyed, with three quarters admitting they would lie to increase their likelihood of an upgrade. 14 per cent of those surveyed would pretend to be on their honeymoon, 6 per cent would pretend to be ill or injured and 7 per cent would leave their partner so they seem as if they were travelling alone.
Brisbane Airport Chiefs are expected to announce today that they will build a new parallel runway within this decade.
After pressures from the Brisbane public, the Brisbane Airport Corporation Board has finally decided to fund a $1.3 billion new runway project. The Brisbane Airport Corporation Board has been negotiations with who will be liable for funding the project.
The new upgrade to Brisbane Airport is expected to be completed by 2020, set by the Brisbane Airport Corporation Board.
An addition 3.3km strip of tar is essential in solving the long delays, frustrating hold ups of Brisbane Airport. Well-deserved Brisbane Airport has been declared as the worst-performing of Australia’s major hubs for on-time arrivals.
Costing airlines at least $75 million in extra fuel, last year there were 26,992 late flying in and out of Brisbane Airport. These delays resulted in 7750 hours spent in holding on the tar mat.
The Brisbane Airport Corporation Board reportedly wanted airlines to assist in funding the $1.3 billion project. Airlines refused as it was unfair to expect customers to pay for infrastructure that would not be ready in years.
Virgin and The Brisbane Airport Corporation Board remained in a stand-off and it was not unit June that a confidential deals was signed.
Refusing to back down QANTAS has said that it will only pay charges once their aircrafts can actually use the runway.
After much pressure the Brisbane Airport Corporation Board has set a 2020 completion date on the new Brisbane Runway.
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Crashing a plane is a pilot’s nightmare. Planes regularly fly close to each other in Australian skies. These close calls are due to a combination of pilot and traffic control error.
According to the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) on average, every three days two planes breach regulated ‘separation’ distances. ATSB commissioner Martin Dolan softened these claims, “In about 90 per cent of those cases there was little or no risk of collision.” Also saying that six times a year on aveage there is a case where the ATSB would consider the breach as an ‘elevated safety risk.”
Once over Adelaide in September two Qantas passenger planes can within 3km of each other. The pilots were force to take action to create more airspace between the two. One of the Qantas planes’ warning systems was defective when it had given approval to change altitude.
Australian regulations state that aircrafts should maintain a distance of 300m above or below others or 9.3km crosswise or if radar coverage is down 15 minutes of flying time is required.
Virgin Boeing 737 travelling from Perth airport to Brisbane airport came too close to Qantas Boeing 737 on route to Melbourne airport from Port Headland.
A second incident where a Tiger Airways Airbus A320 was travelling from Perth to Singapore came too close to Etihad Airways Airbus A340 on route from Sydney to Abu Dhabi.
According to the to the ATSB commissioner in both of these cases the air traffic controllers were somewhat inexperienced. He also said that traffic controllers aren’t to blame for cause all cases; Pilots sometimes don’t uphold procedures or fly at undirected levels.
Even though these occurrences are regular, according to the ATSB commissioner in Australia has one of the smallest separation incidence rates.
