Discount Reservations Australia

Kangaroos and Koalas Too

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:36:20 +0000

Don’t you just love fond memories? I know I surely do. You know looking back on those fond and happy times is something that has always brought me incredible joy over the years. One thing that I do not want ever to forget would have to be my travels. Of course there are many trips that I have taken throughout the years of my life, but I want to keep them all in my memory. One trip is especially important to me, and that is my first trip that I ever took to Australia. If I close my eyes, hum a little song, and think back really hard, I can vividly remember in detail that wonderful experience…

I was fairly young, but my parents had friends in Brisbane, Australia that they would visit often. At ten years old they finally decided I was old enough to make the amazing trip along with them. I remember the glee and excitement I felt as I packed up my bags for this journey. Of course I was so giddy that I packed a week early and I had to unpack some of things and then re-pack closer to the actual trip.

The day of our flight to Australia I could barely contain myself. My parents were starting to reconsider their idea of bringing me along. I know I was quite the handful, and they were not used to that because I was generally a pretty laid back kid. I mean this was Australia though, what did they expect from me?

When we arrived in Brisbane I had never quite seen anything like it. It was so beautiful and so different than what I was used to back home. The beauty and the culture just wrapped me up in its arms, and even though I was ten I knew how much I loved Australia right then and there.

Of course, I also got to see some amazing wildlife at the Australia Zoo which is about an hour north of Brisbane. I saw wallabies, kangaroos, and koalas too. It was something that anyone could love not just a kid.

Since that trip I have returned to Australia at least once every year. I still find it to be a magical and wonderful place to visit, and I am so very happy that my parents took me along for that first trip when I was just ten years old.

Talking Kiwi

Fri, 06 Jan 2012 21:14:37 +0000

The Kiwi accent has become more prevalent in Australia and New Zealand over the past 30 years. What is a Kiwi accent? The kiwi accent has frequently been described as the most attractive and prestigious form of English spoken outside the UK. This information was gathered in BBC surveys of citizens who responded from various locations throughout the UK. The survey included 34 different British accents, and invited respondents to rate them according to prestige and social attractiveness.

The American accent came in nine places below Kiwi, while Scottish and Irish accents topped the list of those English accents that are most preferred. Kiwi is very popular in New Zealand, but not so much in Australia. It’s definitely present in Aussi, but just not to the same degree. If you’re not from Great Britain or Australia and its near locations, then it would be very hard for you to know when you were hearing a Kiwi accent. Here is a great video I found that will explain in more detail and let you have a listen:

Australia’s Got Talent

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 06:23:38 +0000

When you think about traveling around the world to a place like Australia a million things fill your mind that you might expect to find, one thing that you would not expect to find on an Australian vacation is “Australia’s Got Talent”. Everyone loves the Australian accent and only a few people can pull off the accent that aren’t true Australians. But what’s better than a fake Australian that has talent? A real Australian that has talent!

American’s got talent is one of the most popular shows that people watch all over the world, it comes to no surprise that people in other countries wanted to join in on the fun. Australia’s Got Talent auditions are similar to our American Idol auditions. People of all different backgrounds all over the nation watch people try out in the hopes of having their dreams come true. This video shows a segment of the 2011 Australia’s Got Talent auditions.

Hot Sauce Recipes!

This video clip tells about Chooka, a 16 year old boy that auditions for Australia’s Got Talent. He made up his audition piece on the spot. This clip has his story for where he is from and how he got his start in music. Watch and see if he makes his dreams come true.

Sharks and Australia

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 20:39:02 +0000

Sharks have always been a topic of fascination for me. Before my first trip to Australia, I’d read up on the Great Barrier Reef and all the different types of shark dangers that lurked in the waters offshore, menacing surfers and bathers alike. I got it in my head that Australia must be the shark attack capital of the world, an since I’m a surfer myself, the idea of heading out into the waters that could be teeming with deadly sharks wasn’t one I was fond of thinking about. After my first trip over, though, I realized that my chances of being attacked by a shark in Australian waters were really not exponentially worse than anywhere else. I had such a good time that summer that the next year, I got some help from movers Los Angeles and actually went to live there for half a year, where the closest I ever came to a shark was about 300 feet once when a bunch of my surf buddies and I encountered a pretty large tiger shark and knew well enough to just leave the water.

For people interested on the chances of becoming a shark snack, check out the infographic below. It should make you feel a little better. Click it for Megashark Size:

Muscle Cars Australia

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 15:51:07 +0000

Alright, you’ve planned your glorious getaway to sunny, immense, and beautiful Australia and you can’t wait to get there and see the sights. Neither can we! And that’s why we’re writing this neat column about Australia’s most famous and well loved muscle cars. When you get there, you will likely see a few of these venerable vehicles on the roadways as you pass by, and we thought it would be smashing to let you know which cars you might want to appreciate extra well down under. If you see this great sailboats of the asphalt riding the gray seas of the roadways, you’ll be able to smartly point out that you know the make and model and amuse your friends and relatives. Recently on a show on the dish network, a couple were touring Australia’s highways in a 1967 Falcon. Really beautiful car with classic lines. Of course, we aren’t only focusing on the classics. Down at the bottom of this infographic you’ll find a couple of Australia’s modern muscle cars as well. Click to expand, and do enjoy your tour.

Australia’s Emissions

Sat, 03 Sep 2011 22:15:53 +0000

Australia is lagging behind in finding ways to reduce the amount of CO2 emissions that is being released into our atmosphere. The high level of emissions that are being released is only adding to the problem. Many nations are becoming very concerned about the emission levels and have significantly reduced their national emission levels. Unlike many nations Australia isn’t reducing their emissions, they are continuing to pollute the environment.

How much do we actually pollute the environment? There are so many things that we do on a daily basis that we don’t think about. Habits are hard to break, but if you see the effects of your actions it’s easier to find a solution to the problems. When I looked at this infographic about the emission levels it was surprising how much the little things add up in CO2 levels. The things that were most surprising were the things that we do on a daily basis like put milk in our cereal, run through a drive-thru and driving to work and back. Those simple tasks that millions of people preform everyday really add up. Help get Australia on the right track to bettering our environment by reducing their CO2 emissions.

Where Youth Wants To Go

Mon, 08 Aug 2011 20:27:04 +0000

More and more young adults are traveling and moving all over the world to experience new things. The question of where youth wants to go was finally answered. These children choose their locations on a number of things. Some of them move in the hopes of gaining a better education while others move just because they think that it would be a fun place to live without doing much actual research. They types of movements and people that are moving is ever changing. Some young people like to have everything planned out down to the last detail when they move to a new place, they are the ones to have security equipment. While others just go with the flow and figure things out along the way, they are likely to be the ones to call direct tv support.

Whichever way you like to do things there is always something new that you can accomplish and discover when you move somewhere new. A survey was taken asking young people if they could choose anywhere in the world to move where would they move? The findings were quite interesting. The locations that young people choose to move to were both rural and urban, rich and poor. In addition to the number of people that want migrate into a new location it also breaks it down to the total amount of gain and loss in both young people, and educated young people. The findings were quite interesting to see what places attract people, and what places attract educated people.

Capital City

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 13:23:45 +0000

Traveling to any new place is an adventure, but the adventure like no other is traveling to Australia’s capital city, Canberra. Canberra was created as a compromise location between Sydney and Melbourne in 1908. It was later established the capital city and the design process ended on March 12, 1913, it is the largest Australian city not located on the coast and the eighth largest city overall. Canberra is located on the south west side of Australia and has a population of over 350,000 people. When referring to someone who lives in the capital city they are called “Canberran”.

If you want to experience history at the heart of Australia this is the place to start. Canberra has many things for everyone to indulge in. The Australian War Memorial was voted the number one attraction by Australia travelers. The memorial is dedicated to the people who gave their lives for Australia. At the memorial you can search for names, look through pictures, film, records, recordings, and other military information.

If you are in search for a beautiful body of water visit Lake Burley Griffin. Lake Burley Griffin is an artificial lake named after the architect, Walter Burley Griffin who designed the city of Canberra. The lake was completed in 1963. The lake stretches over 2.56 square miles and has multiple attractions located on and around its shore. Lake Burley Griffin is known for it’s recreational activities such as swimming, rowing, wind surfing, sailing, fishing, and riding boats. If you don’t want to get your feet wet no need to worry, there are a number of parks and picnic areas circling the lake. You can enjoy the view while taking a break or letting your kids play.

Australia’s National Zoo is located near the center of Canberra. At the zoo you can take private tours, group tours, explore on your own, and even get up close in personal with some of the animals! Have you ever dreamed of laying your hands on the fastest land animal in the world? If you have, Australia’s National Zoo can make your dreams come true. You can schedule a Meet a Cheetah tour and get to interact with theses fast cats.

One of the most thrilling team building exercises in Canberra is Race Around The World. This activity allows you to work together as a team and find your way around the city. You will go to over 100 different locations, each one containing what you need to lead you to the next checkpoint. You will be given tools such as a gps and instructions on what to do next.

The capital city is truly the heart of Australia. There are so many things that you can do that everyone is sure to find something that they enjoy, for family vacations, business trips, and romantic getaways Canberra is the place for you.

Melbourne Golf: Tee It High

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 15:52:42 +0000

And Let It Fly!

Any avid golfer understands that the golfing in Melbourne is more than ideal and classic. It’s true, the perfect grounds and places where the course are constructed could not have conditions any better if it was all man made. Thanks to the just right soil in the Melbourne area, the grass of the courses are easily kept perfect. The bunkers and sands are able to have lip heights that seem unreal to many. The vibrant green of the grass is always showing, and the greens are always rolling fast. Moderate climates are also a huge factor in creating the ideal grass and best putting. So, the question is obviously not if you will play when you visit Melbourne, but where you will be playing. Wherever it is you choose to get your golf fix, you will definitely appreciate the gorgeous layouts and scenery along with the challenges on all of the Melbourne area golf courses.

Sandhurst Club

Not only is the Sandhurst Club home to PGA’s National Learning Centre, but the two golf course are absolutely world-class. Each of the holes on the North Course are devoted to some of Australia’s most amazing golfers. You you notice as you continue your way through the course that there are plaques at each tee that reveal the golfing greats and allow the player to take a wonderful journey through the history of golf in Australia.

Long Island Country Club

The Long Island Country Club is one that has a history and long standing in golf in Melbourne. The club was officially opened in the year 1938, and it has since truly withstood the test of time. Imagine remarkable and firm fairways lined by trees and flawless putting greens, and that is what you get when you visit this true treasure of a golf course. Remarkable!

Settlers Run

The course at the residential and golfing community Settlers Run was designed by the Great White Shark himself, Greg Norman. The golfing facilities are managed by none other than Troon Golf, one of the highest respected names in the golf management industry. When designing the par 72 course, Norman kept the natural features in mind and in play to create such a beautiful and scenic course that completely rivals others in the area.

Sydney With the Family

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 15:02:21 +0000

Often when choosing a place to vacation, my husband and I get pretty overwhelmed. We love that we have the opportunity to get a month off with our children each year, but finding a destination that is fun for us and for the kids can become quite difficult. For our last trip we did a ton of research, and we eventually chose to visit Sydney, Australia. Honestly, we could not have made a better choice. There was so much for the whole family to do, and it ended up being our best vacation ever. In a couple of years, we even hope to go back to Sydney to do it all over again. Here are some ideas of things to do, places to eat and sleep, and much more! I hope that this helps you to determine whether or not Sydney is the perfect fit for your family travels.

What to Do

The list of things to do in Sydney is practically endless. You will find that there is a multitude of free activities for you and your children also. For example, my kids loved Darling Harbour. At Darling Harbour there is a beautiful playground, and there are performers and shows always going on. Juggling and dancing and other things kept my children interested for quite a while. The National Maritime Museum is also gratis, and if you have a little one in love with water and water life, then this is a site for you to visit. Featherdale Wildlife Park was another favorite attraction in Sydney. This was not free, but it was completely worth it. The whole family got the opportunity to hand-feed little wallabies. Too much fun! There is a ton more to do and see as a family, and you can find out more on Sydney’s tourism site.

Where to Eat

While in Sydney, we of course ate at numerous restaurants, but we ended up having two favorites as a family. I mean we all agreed on both, and that is a major feat for us. Pancakes on the Rocks had all kinds of delicious meals to choose from, and the kids absolutely loved their pizza. Needless to say, we quite frequented this place. Doyles at the Wharf was also incredible for its seafood. The kids had a great time playing and the views of the Sydney Harbour were the main attraction.

Where to Stay

There are actually a few hotels in Sydney that are family focused, and that was something that was very important to us. The Sydney Marriott is found in the very heart of all things to do in Sydney, yet they catered to the whole family. So, we had the best of it all. They were so welcoming and accommodating that after a month’s stay it was like leaving friends behind.

We want to here what your families trip was like in Sydney. Use our online form to share the good or the bad!