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Thank you all.

Bunnik tours seem to have a tour that I would really like, but I thought on spending only somewhere around 7 days in Tasmania (and those mainly in 2021). The tour I mean last for 2 weeks.

For the time being I expect myself rather staying in Melbourne and taking some organized tours.

Tours have the advantage that I visit some of the nicest sights and receive the important information without having to look for it. In addition, if necessary, I can sleep on the coach, I am not responsible for missing the right exit and I do not have to drive on the wrong side of the road. (I just could not miss that one ).

Thank you OzKiwiJJ.

The Hanging Rock looks really interesting to me – and I would like to climb it before it goes the same way as Uluru. (Of course I know that that can be seen differently from another point of view.)

I will try to put up a plan to get most out of the few days I will be able to spend in the region – if Covid-19 or other problems do not force me to cancel the trip entirely.

Thank you again.

8 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

... tours to interesting places near Melbourne - Philip Island for the Penguin Parade, the Great Ocean Rd, the Yarra Valley and Healesville wildlife sanctuary.

Thank you OzKiwiJJ.

The suggested tours look interesting to me. I am just not sure if they are meant for one-day tours from Melbourne or if the idea is to stay closer to the sights, as sunset and early morning activities are mentioned on some of the sites I looked at. Would you have more information about that?

Melbourne and/or Tasmania? That is the question.

I could spend at most 10 days in Australia prior to a cruise out of Melbourne.

I would appreciate if you shared some pleasant experience of stays in the region. I cannot imagine driving myself. If you can recommend hotels, please do so.

Thank you.

Thank you all.

I looked the suggestions up and found a few places for which the descriptions inspired me for a visit. I am taking them into consideration for my planning.

Thank you both.

As I do not surf, I am rethinking my trip. I plan to visit Sidney and Melbourne on another occasion, so I am looking for another place to get accustomed to the region. If I have questions about that, I will start another topic.

Thanks again.

Thank you for your reply GradUT.

I usually believe to be interested in everything – until I have experienced them and then think – well, I could have made better use of my time. Often times there are details that make the difference. Okay, swimming with crocodiles will not be one of my activities.🙂

That you would rather not stay in Brisbane, is it due to the climate or because there just is there nothing you consider being worthwhile?

Please excuse me if these questions have already been answered recently. I cannot find the search function anymore.

I intend to begin a cruise in Brisbane next February. I know nothing about the place and there seems to be too much information for me to make any smart decision.

May I ask you what you consider being the best places to visit in 5 days in (and around) Brisbane and which hotel you would take and why?

Thank you

p_mori7:

Thank you for your post.

I noticed that it will take me a while to read everything. 

Thank you Carolyn.

I will consider that drive as one of the many options that will make the final plan. It in any case makes sense to try this, which would be new to me, rather than repeating visits to sights I have already seen.

Thank you all.

Carolyn: I never thought of the Laurentians but that sounds interesting. Would you suggest that I drive myself or would you know of any tours?

Martincath: I thought of driving to Niagara Falls, but having been there, I dismissed the idea of driving back and forth from Montreal. I might however reconsider if going to Toronto. I spent a few hours at the airport in Toronto many years ago – after missing a connection somewhere else. But that hardly counts as a visit to the city. Therefore, that would be a completely new experience.

You both gave me some new ideas and I will study them more carefully.

Ginny: For Montreal, I am sure you are doing the right things. Last time I took the HOHO and stopped somewhere where I got a beautiful view of the foliage. But the view from the tour to the Montmorency Falls was equally good in that respect. So if you get it, fine, if not, never mind. On my first stop in Montreal, I also took a duck tour, but I do not remember it too well. That also was a few years ago.

My plan is to disembark in Quebec City and fly out of Montreal – for next year.

I could fly out as soon as possible but I could also extend my stay in the region for a few days. The question is, whether it is worth the extension. 

Having disembarked in Montreal twice so far and I always spent a few days there and twice I stopped in Quebec City where I took a walking tour and an excursion to the Montmorency Falls and some other places on the way. Last time I also stopped in Trois Rivieres, where I did a walking tour too.

I was wondering if anyone could recommend tours in Quebec City, an interesting trip to Montreal or sights in Montreal.

Thank you!

Thank you for straightening the distances out. I found a map but not the scale to it, which made it impossible to decide on a correct basis.

10 miles would take some 3 hours to walk for someone who is used to it and does not pull or even carry luggage. I even consider 500 meters to be far with luggage.

I reserved a flight into Perth and as suggested will now look for a hotel, letting myself be inspired by some other posts on this sight.

Thank you Bpos and Globaliser.

So, I plan to stay in the Perth region for 5 days. That leads me to 2 more questions:

Would it make sense to transfer to Freemantle 1 or 2 days prior to embarkation or are day trips so easy that transferring would not make sense?

For the location, would it make sense to stay at a hotel close to William St / St. Georges Terrace?

Thank you for your help.

I now found a cruise and that does not help in getting to know Australia. The embarkation will be in Perth and the ship will then head west. I will therefore not see anything of Australia on the cruise.

The previous suggestions did not mention Perth. I imagine that the reason could be, that it is so far from the other places that were suggested. However it could also mean, that it is not a prime sight.

May I ask for suggestions to visit Australia for 5 days including departure in Perth? Should I rather than spend 5 days in Perth of which (let's say) 2 would be wasted or just arrive 2 days later or what other city should I fly into and then transfer from?

Thank you all for your information and thank you, afowler8, for the beautiful pictures.

I believe to have got your messages.

I will see where the cruise will take off first, where I can fly in second and then what I can see in and around these two places (should they be different). Thank you also for reminding me of the long flight(s) to get to Australia and of the heat which are likely to take their toll.

Thank you all for your replies.

I will address the points you made beginning from the top, trying not to repeat myself:

• I do not have any reservation or booking. If the cruise begins in the “wrong”place, I will just lose one day flying from where I am to where I will embark. Hopefully - with your help - I will be able to integrate places where I would like to be into the places I will have to be.
  
• The stay should be in the time period from January to March.
  
• In the past, I visited historic sites and wonders of nature such as waterfalls or taking safaris. There seems to be a preference for old sites but that would notexclude attending a concert or so – if it was worth spending the scarce time, meaning that I could not get an equivalent performance at another time somewhere else.
  
• I realize that flying from one place to another would allow me to spend at most 3 full days at different sites and I know that for distances of 250 miles / 400 kilometers trains can – if available – be an interesting alternative to planes, but hardly for longer distances.
  
• I sought a few sites for the places suggested by GradUT and will have to study the information yet.
  
• In my opinion, in general, driving is fine to get to a place but not to enjoy the journey. I realize that sometimes there is no alternative.
  
• I noticed that Tasmania has not been suggested and assume that that is because I would have to fly there and back.
  
• I usually spend more time in one place the second time I get there, but as I know Australia only from some wildlife and a few travel reports, I would also be interested in its diversity.
  

I would appreciate some additional suggestions and especially what you would suggest to do in the cities for which you recommended several day long stays.

Thank you again for your help.

I consider taking a cruise beginning in Australia. I usually travel alone and with considerable luggage. I figure being able to spend at most 5 days in Australia prior to the cruise and I would like to see and enjoy as many great sights as possible.

Would you have any suggestions about what to see and how to get there?

Would you know of any tour operator who offers rather short interesting tours, that cover different places in Australia and who is highly flexible as to when and where the tours start and end?

Thank you for your help.

Thank you all.

Please excuse me for not specifying, that I effectively meant the Park Plaza Victoria. I was completely focused on having simple trip segments and the distance fromVictoria Station that I did not realize that I should have specified.

The location being important and not reading any negative comments for this hotel and rather positive ones for the other hotels of the group, I decided to book the Park Plaza Victoria hotel. I realize that there is always a matter of luck, however well the research was done.

Thank you for your further inputs about travelling.

Please, let me ask if anyone has any thoughts about the Park Plaza Hotel – other than that it is not cheap?

Thank you Philbeach Traveller and Globaliser.

You definitely add some points to take the train and then a taxi. I believe to keep the options open by staying close to Victoria station. So, I plan to decide once I am in London.

Thank you for offering additional help. I believe to need it.

From the information I received and liking to have it simple, I conclude that I should stay near Victoria Station. If I get a bus that goes directly from Heathrow to Victoria Station and another that takes me directly to the port of Dover and if I stay within walking distance of Victoria Station, I am least likely to forget part of my 3-piece luggage.

My search for hotels was unsuccessful. Probably I will have to consider hotels that are more expensive than what I usually pay for a city hotel.

What would be useful to know:

• What bus, where to get it and if I can pay by credit card or how much to expect to have to pay from Heathrow,
  
• What hotel at most 600 meters walking distance from the bus stop and how to get there,
  
• and the same for the bus to Dover.
  

Thank you all for your contributions.

I will use the upcoming weekend to find what seems to be the best transfer-hotel-transfer package for me.

I intend to transfer from Heathrow to London, spend a few days there for sightseeing and then transfer to Dover for a cruise.

I would appreciate advice about the transfers and a hotel - if possible based on experience.

Thank you.

If we arrive on the ship without making advance plans for sightseeing within Yangon for one or more days, are we likely to find taxis or tuk tuks (with or without guides) available when we dock and do the drivers speak English?

To be honest: I do not know.

English is widely used but I am not sure that everyone speaks it well in the particular field where you would need it.

Sorry and best wishes.