Going Down Under

We've booked our trip to Australia!! I still can't keep from grinning incredulously when I think or say that. We are going to Australia at the end of August for 32 days...yep, 32 days!

For the first time ever, I went to a travel agency for help. That is a big deal for me b/c I normally love the minutiae of travel planning, but Australia and a month of travel was just getting overwhelming. That and I am getting back to working full time and starting to workout again and starting to volunteer at a non-profit. We used Walkabout Australia and I highly recommend it! We got basically the entire trip planned in 3 hours. My heart was racing when we left the office. We really did it!

So our plan is to go, in this order, to Darwin, Cairns, Sydney, and Perth. In Darwin, we are going on a 3 day safari to the Kakadu and Litchfield National Parks. We are actually going to stay in permanent tents! I am already having flashbacks of Girl Scout Camp. The trip includes a wild crocodile cruise, learning about and seeing Aboriginal rock art, and a visit to Twin and Jim Jim Falls.

From there, we fly to Cairns. We are going to do a day trip to Kuranda Rainforest by taking the scenic train from Cairns and then taking what they call a skyrail back (http://www.skyrail.com.au/). It is basically an enclosed ski lift back. We are also going to do an two night trip to the Daintree National Park and actually stay near a beach in the rain forest at Cape Tribulation (http://www.daintreecoast.com/cape-tribulation.html).

And then...it is off on a 7 day live aboard SCUBA diving trip to the Great Barrier Reef. This is real reason for our trip. It is just THE place to go diving...well, we hear. Planned stops are the Code Hole, Coral Sea, and Ribbon Reefs. We will be doing 3-5 dives per day. We are just SO excited about it.

After the live aboard, we have a few nights to recover and get used to dry land again in Cairns before flying to Sydney for 3 nights. Now that I look at all there is to do in Sydney, I am kind of wishing we had more time there. A day trip to Hunter Valley for a wine tour sounds great and then, on the other day, sight see around town - maybe head to the Aquarium - and then go to an opera at the Sydney Opera House. Tripadvisor also highly recommends a bike tour through Bonza Bike Tours which sounds like a fun way to see all of the sights. I have been to Sydney and did the bridge walk - literally walking on top of the Harbour Bridge, but my husband hasn't so that might be an option. So many choices...

And then it is off to Perth. It more accurate to probably say that we are off to the western coast b/c we are immediately heading south to Margaret River wine country. I am really looking forward to the hotel that was booked for us: http://www.mirvachotels.com/quay-west-resort-bunker-bay and also looking forward to a tasting tour that includes: wine, beer, port, chocolate, and cheese. It sounds a bit rough on the stomach, but I figure the tour has that all sorted out. Then we are heading north to Ningaloo Reef in Exmouth (http://www.ningalooreef.net/ningaloo_reef/Ningaloo_Reef.shtml), one of the world's largest fringing coral reefs. We are going to do a 3 day dive safari that includes sleeping on tiny Muiron Island. Then we are heading south to Monkey Mia to probably the most touristy thing on the trip, but I don't care. We are staying there one night so that I can swim with wild dolphins. Apparently, they come right up to shore every day in Monkey Mia. I don't know why, but it is just something I really want to do. I don't want to touch them or pay to swim with them in some pool with them. I want to see them wild. We were supposed to be able to swim with dolphins in Egypt and it didn't happen and I was SO disappointed. Anyways...

Then we are back to Perth for a night before flying back to reality. Wow! It's a lot! I didn't put in websites for everything, but I figure people that are interested can just google.

I am starting to think about packing and I already know it is going to be a tight fit. Oh well, it is a fun thing to worry about :)

Anyone that has any tips or thoughts from their trips to Australia...please let me know.