Just signed up for the above tour and wondering who else is going. Would be nice to know a couple of people before we go.

Kas

Hi,
I'm doing the aussie explorer leavin Jan 31st as well.
I'm a 22yr old female from Ontario Canada traveling alone. I'm so excited!
Where are you from?

Shelly

my name is erin and i am from ontario canada. i have all but booked the tour. i just got some prices this afternoon from my travel agent and trying to decide if i should book the air with contiki or on my own. any thoughts?

anyway i haven't been on a contiki tour before or to australia and am very excited. looks like fun and a good escape from winter in canada.

Hey Erin & Shelly

I booked Contiki and air seperately but didn't really check if contiki could do both. May be better to go via contiki as that way at least the times etc match up.

I haven't been on a contiki tour before so it should be an experience! lol. Travelling on my own too from London England. I am 27 by the way.

How's canada? Never been but may be visiting bits of it as part of a follow-up tour.

K
(Kookyspacecadet@hotmail.com)

HELLO EVERYONE.

MY NAME IS ANNA FROM MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO. I'LL ALSO BE JOINING YOU ON THIS TOUR. I'M SO EXCITED!! THIS WILL BE MY SECOND CONTIKI TOUR. MY FIRST TOUR WAS IN NEW ZEALAND THIS PAST SEPTEMBER, AND I HAD A BLAST!!! WHOEVER HERE IS A FIRST TIME CONTIKIER....LET ME SAY....YOUR GOING TO HAVE A GOOD TIME!
I GOT TO KNOW A LOT OF AUSSIE'S ON MY LAST TRIP SO I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THE END OF THIS TOUR AS MUCH AS THE BEGGING BECAUSE I'LL GET TO SEE MOST OF MY OLD FRIENDS(IN SYDNEY).

Karini - canada is very beautiful but i am glad to be leaving it for australia during february. the weather can get harsh, with lots of snow and cold winds. i haven't seen all of canada but i went to college in the niagara region and must say from what i have seen it is my favourite. there are the niagara falls of course but as well some beautiful wineries. and it about an hour from toronto which of course is an great metropolitan city with lots to do.

Heya all

Thanks for the info re Canada ... I am SO looking forward to Niagra falls, it looks spectacular whenever I have seen it on tv. My old boss / mate used to be from Canada and she has been singing the canadian praises! lol

Can't wait for Australia though. Was brought up on neighbours and Home and away so would love to see the country that brought us all such great exports! Apparently there is a neighbours theme night at the end of each month so am SO tempted to head down there (I am SO not doing my reputation any good here! lol)

Weather in Aus is supposed to be fab in Feb.

Anna, how was NZ? Fav bit? Did you see Kaikoura?

Hey,

New Zealand was amazing. My favourite part was most of the south island. Inperticular I really loved Milford Sound. The drive in and out of the area was truely breathtaking.

Now I get to lookforward to OZ town!!!(except the air travel part....that's going to be a real *****). I'm going to be most excited about this trip because i'm not coming back home!! I'll also be sighing up for SWAP canada...so that means I'll have a working visa...and when the trip ends in Sydney..I'll actually be staying for at least a year.
I have so much things to do!!!And I havent done anything to prepare for all this....
I look forward to meeting you all!!!

Anna that sounds really fab. I was considering work travelling at some point so may have to quiz you about that. You will have a blast. It should be fab ... Aus is gonna be the best. Can you believe that it about 2 months (ok 8 weeks!) till we go! yea.

I am looking forward to meeting you all too. Will be getting to Darwin a day or 2 before so got some pretour accomodation before. Should be interesting. Am getting a bit nervous as I now realise that Darwin is the Crocodile Dundee central! lol
K

Hey Karini,

I'm counting down the days. So exciting!!
I should also be ariving two days before the tour starts. What a long flight its going to be...I'm not looking forward to that.
I should be arriving in darwin on the 29th around 11pm. I was really hoping to go straight to the beach for some much needed suntaning. However the looks of a bed will be a much more welcoming thought after a 1000 hours of flying. I assume your also staying at the Frontier hotel?? I havent recieved my contiki package yet. So I'm not sure if that's the meeting place for everyone. Hey perhaps we'll be room mates??!! You never know.
After a long time of consideration, I've decided not to go ahead with that move to Sydney. It would just be to much going on at once....so I'll have to postpond it...when I'll be a lot more organized then I am now.
But I'm still planing on staying in Australia after the tour for about an extra 10 days. There are still tons of things to be seen that's not part of the tour.

HEY KARINI,

DID YOU ALSO DO THE GRAND EXPLOERE IN NEW ZEALAND FROM CHRISTCHURCH TO AUCKLAND?????

IF SO WHO WAS YOUR TOUR MANAGER AND DRIVER??

Hey Anna

I think I am getting there about 4 in the morning, gonna be shattered! So exciting, think I am staying at the Frontier too ... rings a bell! Haven't got the contiki pack yet either. Travel agent said something had arrived there but am trying to arrange time to go and collect!

We should meet up pretour for a drink or something. Check out the beaches would be great.

I am in Sydney after too ... I hear there is a neighbours party at the end of every month in Sydney ... I really want to go there. If you;re around and up for it, it would be great to have company! We'll see.

I think that you are right to save the sydney move. Take this chance to do a bit more research and have a break before you do the big move.

I haven't done the NZ thing yet ... doing it after Australia. What was your highlight? Did you visit Kairoura ... it's the one place I REALLY want to see! I want to whale watch.

Karini

just realised I have repeated questions, Anna, sorry. Been a LONG day at work! lol

That's the weirdest thing. I thought I saw your name on a past date for the NZ tour. Thats why I asked. Anyway if you do go..I hope you get Sophie as your tour guide and Danny as your driver. Those two were the best.
I understand about long days at work. I hate working. Unfortunately I'm going to have to quit my job in order to come on this tour. But that's ok...I dont like my currant job anyway. In the mean time I have to save save save. This tour plus flight has taken a giant bite out of my savings!!!!!
But it's all going to be worth it.
You and I need to make sure we pack the right things. In NZ I thought I packed just enough stuff....and when all was done...I realized I had too much stuff. I had loads of things I didn't wear. Even though this tour will be 24 days....I'm better off bringing less clothes and washing them where ever were at a place with a washer.
Cheers!!

-Anna

Never been on a Contiki ... v odd! lol.

I am quiting my job too ... just got 2 weeks left to work and then I can shop for stuff.
What do you do?

Clothing wise, I assume jeans and Ts should be ok for the most part. O yeah, you know the luggage thing. What type of case are you supposed to bring I hear apparently metal frames are out! So basically a rucksack with no metal ... not a trolly case. So confused! lol

Better to overpack I guess (she says before she gets fed up of lagging around a huge case!)

This trip is completely going to be the most expensive thing ever what with tours and flights and accomodation but I guess the trade off is that you are left with a lifetime of good experiences! lol