A few questions about Australia trips....

16 Apr 2009 Explorer1109958 said

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• 16 Apr 2009 oooteresa said

  

  Hey. I’m thinking about going on the same tour in December and good use an answer to some of those questions as well. I did go on a European Contiki for 12 days and I can tell you about the “cough.” For me it was a full blown cold (not quite flu) w/ a day or two of fever and I’m generally a very healthy person. I got sick on about day 3 but luckily most other people didn’t get the cough or cold until later. It’s basically just a reaction to the jet lag, temperature change (Europe in Dec was cold, rainy, and snowy), lack of sleep (early mornings and late nights), and long daily bus rides. Sounds miserable, right? Buuut you’ll be having way too much fun to care about it. <!--graemlin::)--> Drink lots of water, take vitamins, and bring cold medicines from home that you’re comfortable with…just in case!
  
  And unless you don’t plan on packing much else I’m going to say “no go” on the pillow.

  Hey. I'm thinking about going on the same tour in December and good use an answer to some of those questions as well. I did go on a European Contiki for 12 days and I can tell you about the "cough." For me it was a full blown cold (not quite flu) w/ a day or two of fever and I'm generally a very healthy person. I got sick on about day 3 but luckily most other people didn't get the cough or cold until later. It's basically just a reaction to the jet lag, temperature change (Europe in Dec was cold, rainy, and snowy), lack of sleep (early mornings and late nights), and long daily bus rides. Sounds miserable, right? Buuut you'll be having way too much fun to care about it. <img src="http://connect.contiki.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif" alt="Smiler" width="15" height="15"><!--graemlin::)--> Drink lots of water, take vitamins, and bring cold medicines from home that you're comfortable with...just in case!<BR><BR>And unless you don't plan on packing much else I'm going to say "no go" on the pillow. or Cancel
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• 18 Apr 2009 Ed G said

  

  1. Do the hotels provide room safes to keep valuables?
  No, none of them do. I’ve heard some problems on other contiki tours with mass breakins and such. I try to not have any valuables behind.
  
  
  2. How often will we have the availibility to wash clothes?
  A LOT! I wish I brought a 1/3 less cloths than I did (and I hardly brought any) I’d say almost every hotel has one, with the exception of Fraser Island. So if you go on the Whitsunday sailing option then you might go 5 days without having the ability. Also, keep in mind you’ll almost certainly be wearing a bathing suit every day until dinner time, so that limits the amount you’ll need.
  
  
  3. Will laundry detergent be available for sale or is it better to bring my own?
  I think they did in some places, but it was ridiculously expensive. They sell little gel packets of laundry detergent at supermarkets/walmart for $1 and you get 2 loads out of it. I’d buy them
  
  
  4. Anyone ever have problems with bed bugs?
  never have, but they can exist in any hotel from what I understand.
  
  
  5. When people refer to the contiki cough, is this kinda like having the flu?
  Like a cold, feeling of being run down. I got a cold immediately following both contiki tours, but after I arrived home (and felt it had more to do with the airplane).
  
  
  6. I love my pillow and was thinking about bringing it on the trip, but Im afraid it will take up too much space. Any suggestions on this?
  I think it’ll take up to much space, you’ll want to travel light, you are always lugging around your luggage.
  
  
  
  7. As for going out at night….what is the typical attire? Are the places more “club” like or more bar/lounge?
  I thought we all cleaned up nice each night. There was an even split between clubs and bar/lounge. I hate clubs, so after the second or third night some of us went to differnt bars instead. when you aren’t in a resort you go to the bars in town and there are lots of options.
  
  
  8. Do girls bring purses? What do you use to carry your daily stuff with…like camera, money, ipod, etc.?
  I’m a guy and not very aware of what the girls did, but I have an iPhone so always carried that with me. I have a big DSLR camera and a small pocket sized camera so I would bring the small one to the bars in my pocket, and left the big one in the hotel. That’s at night. Everybody has day-bags during the day, like a school bag or big purse.

  1. Do the hotels provide room safes to keep valuables?<BR>No, none of them do. I've heard some problems on other contiki tours with mass breakins and such. I try to not have any valuables behind. <BR><BR><BR>2. How often will we have the availibility to wash clothes?<BR>A LOT! I wish I brought a 1/3 less cloths than I did (and I hardly brought any) I'd say almost every hotel has one, with the exception of Fraser Island. So if you go on the Whitsunday sailing option then you might go 5 days without having the ability. Also, keep in mind you'll almost certainly be wearing a bathing suit every day until dinner time, so that limits the amount you'll need.<BR><BR><BR>3. Will laundry detergent be available for sale or is it better to bring my own?<BR>I think they did in some places, but it was ridiculously expensive. They sell little gel packets of laundry detergent at supermarkets/walmart for $1 and you get 2 loads out of it. I'd buy them<BR><BR><BR>4. Anyone ever have problems with bed bugs?<BR>never have, but they can exist in any hotel from what I understand.<BR><BR><BR>5. When people refer to the contiki cough, is this kinda like having the flu?<BR>Like a cold, feeling of being run down. I got a cold immediately following both contiki tours, but after I arrived home (and felt it had more to do with the airplane).<BR><BR><BR>6. I love my pillow and was thinking about bringing it on the trip, but Im afraid it will take up too much space. Any suggestions on this?<BR>I think it'll take up to much space, you'll want to travel light, you are always lugging around your luggage.<BR><BR><BR><BR>7. As for going out at night....what is the typical attire? Are the places more "club" like or more bar/lounge?<BR>I thought we all cleaned up nice each night. There was an even split between clubs and bar/lounge. I hate clubs, so after the second or third night some of us went to differnt bars instead. when you aren't in a resort you go to the bars in town and there are lots of options.<BR><BR><BR>8. Do girls bring purses? What do you use to carry your daily stuff with...like camera, money, ipod, etc.?<BR>I'm a guy and not very aware of what the girls did, but I have an iPhone so always carried that with me. I have a big DSLR camera and a small pocket sized camera so I would bring the small one to the bars in my pocket, and left the big one in the hotel. That's at night. Everybody has day-bags during the day, like a school bag or big purse. or Cancel
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• 20 Apr 2009 Explorer1109958 said

  

  Hi guys, thanks for answering the questions! But now it leads me to a couple more…
  
  1. If there are no safes in the room and you spend most of the day in a bathing suit, do you bring ALL your money and passport with you ALL THE TIME?
  
  2. What is the preferred way to bring money? Travelers checks, cash, etc. I think I read someplace that its best to use American cash (but I would hate to have to bring several thousand dollars in cash with me to every place. Any advice?

  Hi guys, thanks for answering the questions! But now it leads me to a couple more...<BR><BR>1. If there are no safes in the room and you spend most of the day in a bathing suit, do you bring ALL your money and passport with you ALL THE TIME?<BR><BR>2. What is the preferred way to bring money? Travelers checks, cash, etc. I think I read someplace that its best to use American cash (but I would hate to have to bring several thousand dollars in cash with me to every place. Any advice? or Cancel
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• 20 Apr 2009 Ed G said

  

  Hi guys, thanks for answering the questions! But now it leads me to a couple more…
  
  1. If there are no safes in the room and you spend most of the day in a bathing suit, do you bring ALL your money and passport with you ALL THE TIME?
  
  I kept it all in my daybag, and either left it on the bus, or there were always someone from the tour around not swimming that would watch it.
  
  
  
  2. What is the preferred way to bring money? Travelers checks, cash, etc. I think I read someplace that its best to use American cash (but I would hate to have to bring several thousand dollars in cash with me to every place. Any advice?
  
  I always use my bank card to withdraw money when traveling, but bring about $300 USD (because I’m from the US, as long as your from a country with common currency same thing applies). I keep the USD as an emergency fund for immediately after landing if there is a problem with my bankcard so I can exchange it shortterm for a taxi, etc. I probably carried way too much money with me most times (mainly so I won’t get hit with international withdraw surcharges), but haven’t had any problems so far so until then I just do what’s convenient.
  
  Oh, I also charge whatever I can on my credit card when ever possible.

  Hi guys, thanks for answering the questions! But now it leads me to a couple more...<BR><BR>1. If there are no safes in the room and you spend most of the day in a bathing suit, do you bring ALL your money and passport with you ALL THE TIME?<BR><BR>I kept it all in my daybag, and either left it on the bus, or there were always someone from the tour around not swimming that would watch it.<BR><BR><BR><BR>2. What is the preferred way to bring money? Travelers checks, cash, etc. I think I read someplace that its best to use American cash (but I would hate to have to bring several thousand dollars in cash with me to every place. Any advice?<BR><BR>I always use my bank card to withdraw money when traveling, but bring about $300 USD (because I'm from the US, as long as your from a country with common currency same thing applies). I keep the USD as an emergency fund for immediately after landing if there is a problem with my bankcard so I can exchange it shortterm for a taxi, etc. I probably carried way too much money with me most times (mainly so I won't get hit with international withdraw surcharges), but haven't had any problems so far so until then I just do what's convenient.<BR><BR>Oh, I also charge whatever I can on my credit card when ever possible. or Cancel
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• 23 May 2009 Deggy said

  

  Hey,
  
  Prefered way to bring money = all of the above. No, you cannot use American dollars in Australia, they will laugh at you. There are plenty of banks and exchnage point for travellers cheques, cash, etc. You will not have a problem – it is the same as America in that regard.
  
  No safes? Ask the hostel/hotel if they will hold your bags. If not don’t be too worries its a very safe place. The only worries you’ll have in terms of theft are the people who are on your tour.

  Hey,<BR><BR>Prefered way to bring money = all of the above. No, you cannot use American dollars in Australia, they will laugh at you. There are plenty of banks and exchnage point for travellers cheques, cash, etc. You will not have a problem - it is the same as America in that regard.<BR><BR>No safes? Ask the hostel/hotel if they will hold your bags. If not don't be too worries its a very safe place. The only worries you'll have in terms of theft are the people who are on your tour. or Cancel
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• 24 May 2009 explorer87 said

  

  I went on a 25 day tour of Australia and partied every night without fail. I avoided the contiki cough by drinking orange juice every morning and using beroca. Beroca is a tablet that disolves in water (tropical flavour) it is a hangover cure but is also also full of vitamins and minerals and should boost your immune system to fight off the contiki cough

  I went on a 25 day tour of Australia and partied every night without fail. I avoided the contiki cough by drinking orange juice every morning and using beroca. Beroca is a tablet that disolves in water (tropical flavour) it is a hangover cure but is also also full of vitamins and minerals and should boost your immune system to fight off the contiki cough or Cancel
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• 6 Jul 2009 Supernatural_fan said

  

  hi i’m an assie my self and if i were you i wiuld not bring usd because shop keepers and hotels will not take usD You would have to go into a bank to exchange the cash into AUs dollars and they charge $20 each time your best choice is a bank card

  hi i'm an assie my self and if i were you i wiuld not bring usd because shop keepers and hotels will not take usD You would have to go into a bank to exchange the cash into AUs dollars and they charge $20 each time your best choice is a bank card or Cancel
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