Excitement and a degree of not knowing what to expect are characteristics of a real-blonde - adventure. It’s a safe bet that those in search of the ultimate experience will find all this and more in the land down under. The growing number of long-haul travellers looking for somewhere new for their fortnight’s holiday combined with shorter journey times and tumbling costs have put Australia well within the catchment area. In short, Australia is no longer the trip of a lifetime where all experiences must be crammed into a one-off expedition lasting several weeks. Coverage of the Sydney Olympic Games opened the eyes of many more potential visitors to the delights of Australia, especially young people. According to Australian Tourist Commission (ATC) manager India, Nidhi Sharma, “Affordability, ease of travel and safety are key elements in Australia’s high ranking as a holiday destination.” According to an ATC report on South Asia, the most visited places in Australia are Blue Mountains (26%) theme parks on the Gold Coast (22%), Great Barrier Reef (16%), with Phillip Island and Great Ocean Road becoming more popular. Repeat visitors accounted for 39%. Only 15% were on packaged tours. Forty-eight percent of Indians use hotels, 11% stay at motels and 4% use resorts. Indian visitors to Australia, on an average, spend on shopping and on food and accommodation. Travelling through Australia offers a wealth of experiences butwith such a vast area to cover it can be a little daunting trying to decide where to go. Ideas for two week, two centers holidays could include New South Wates and Queensland Victoria and Tasmania, and Western Australia or Northern Territory with each other or with South Australia. In Sydney visitors could be encouraged to familarise themselves by taking an explorer Bus with 46 stops featuring Sydney Opera House, the Rocks, Chinatown, Kings Cross and Darling harbour. Other Explorer Buses travel through Double Bay, Vaucluse, Watsons Bay, Bondi Beach and Paddington. Brisbane and the Gold Coast are both accessible by air, rail and road.

Travel to Mt Cootha and wander through Southbank Parklands on the fringe of the city with free activities the year round including live bands, street theatre and a swimming pool, a great place for families and children. At Moreton Island dolphins frequent the waters. Further is the Gold Coast, a region well known for its climate, beaches, shopping and nightlife. The squeaky-clean white beaches seem to stretch forever, letting you indulge in any water sport you can think of. Visitors can experience thrills and spills at any one of the many theme parks. Dine at Fisherman’s Wharf, which offers fresh seafood. Travel to Lamington National Park, the Gold Coast Hinterland, and join a guided walk focusing on the unique Australian birds in the area. For a faster pace try a bungee jump over the water, or simply relax at one of the many beaches and then spend the afternoon at pacific Fair, a shopping complex with over 270 department and speciality stores. Jupiter’s Casino is the place to unwind and lighten wallets.

ACCOMMODATION:
This is a major plus point for families as there is plenty of self-catering accommodation with family or adjoining rooms, plus a wide choice of alternative accommodation including farmhouses and bed and breakfast. Leading consortium Flag Choice Hotels has many resorts and apartment complexes among its 435 properties (about 24,000 rooms) in Australia. Many hotels retain their Flag branding but an increasing number are adopting internationally recognised Choice brands including Comfort, Quality and Clarion. A Flag Heritage brand concentrates on historic hotels. The Flag Hotel Pass comes in six categories and is also sold by most tour operators. Up to two children under 12 sharing their parents’ room are accommodated free of charge.

The largest managed chain, Accor Asia Pacific with about 100 properties, is strongest in the midrange and economy brands appealing to families, especially Novotel, Mercure and Ibis. Bass Hotels and Resorts bought Southern Pacific Hotels in April 2000 and is the second largest managed chain. Holiday Inn is its main family brand with Inter-Continental, Parkroyal and Centra also being operational. Other major groups operating in Australia include Hyatt, Hilton, Starwood (brands include Sheraton, Westin and Four Points). Le Meridiem and Regent. Stamford Hotels and Resorts is the largest luxury chain in Australia with 10 properties. Resorts operators include P&O Australian Resorts with seven, including five island resorts plus Silky OaKs Lodge on the Queensland mainland and Cradle Mountain Lodge in Tasmainia.

GETTING AROUND:
Self-drive is the obvious choice for families wishing to explore a limited area, and operators have a wide choice of pre-planned self-drive tours from the major gateways as an alternative to simply booking car rental and accommodation vouchers. Domestic air passes should be recommended for longer distance travel, with children aged 2-11 typically paying 67 per cent of the adult fare and infants not occupying a seat paying 10 per cent. Qantas offers the Boomerang Pass and Ansett the G’Day Pass, and a minimum of two sectors must be bought before arrival in Australia. With Qantas, single zone adult fares cost from £95 and multi-zone tickets from £120. Rail travel is a viable alternative for families, especially on tourist trains such as The Ghan, which operates, to Alice Springs from Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.

GETTING THERE:
Qantas is the dominant player with daily connections via Singapore to Sydney from Mumbai.
Sri Lankan, Air India, Thai, SIA, MAS, Cathay and United Airlines also offer connections from Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, Trivandrum, Kolkata and Tiruchirapally to major cities in Australia.

CLIMATE:
Generally pleasant without extremes in temperature. Broadly, there are two climatic zones - The Tropics, north of the Tropic of Capricorn, covering 40% of Australia and the Temperate Zone. The temperate regions have four seasons while the Tropics have two -summer (wet) and winter (dry).

BEST TIME TO VISIT:
In November and April the Top End can be wet and humid and the Centre can be very hot. An excellent time to visit the area is in the spring and the autumn months. Everywhere else depends on season (opposite to those of the Northern Hemisphere). although Australia is never too cold. The height of summer can get extremely hot and may be too hot for some.

TIPPING:
Not the general custom although in better class restaurants it is customary to tip waiters up to 10% of the bill for good service. Service charges are not added to accounts by hotels or restaurants.

SOME OBSERVATIONS...
Thala Beach Lodge, Port Douglas and Kewarra Beach Resort, Cairns general manager Michael Heaver said he was surprised with the number of bookings he received on the internet. “These are discerning travellers, many of them honeymooners, willing to pay rack rates.”