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The Lost Jaunted Sydney Videos

Last week, Jaunted Embed markj went on the VAustralia inaugural and then spent a couple days in Sydney waiting to return stateside.

Much like the rest of the world, Australia is feeling this global recession. Let's face it, most folks see Australia as a far away expensive land, so dream trips to Oz are easily dashed during tough times on the grounds of "it is just too far and too expensive."

However, there is no doubt one of the positive bi-products of this "recession which will lift by the end of the year" is that traveling to Australia has never been more comfortable and less expensive for Americans. Fact: Now that VAustralia is flying from LAX to SYD (and Melbourne later this year), Qantas has found itself in a fare war that have lowered USA - AU flights to an astounding $299 or so each way. These prices may even head lower when Delta starts service on these routes in July, so watch your favorite travel sites.

Still not convinced? The Aussie Dollar is at right around .60 cents to ours, and there are rumors that Aussie officials are kicking around the idea of actually paying for your flight. Ok, enough with the hard sell, just take a look at what we learned in Sydney Australia 2.0

· Jaunted has Twitter followers in Bondi Junction, follow @carlyeinfeld.

· Our new travel Twitter friend, @lilyroseallen does a bang up job posting "Killer Hotel Views".

· Flip Mino HD will change the way you feel about lugging around a video camera on vacation

After the jump, enjoy the entire video reel from Sydney. No dramas, mate.

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Tags: Jaunted in Sydney / Seaplane Tours / Air Tours / Attractions / → All Tags

Seaplanes Over Sydney

We just rode shotgun in a most excellent seaplane tour over Sydney. Before we took off, Pilot Andy let it be known that in his opinion there were few things better than riding in a seaplane, and he was right on. Take off, which you can watch in the above video was smooth and once airborne we put on our headsets and listened to Andy school us on a bit of aviation history as we cruised 1,000 feet above Sydney Harbour.

The quick tour takes you Southeast down the dramatic coastline a bit to Bondi Beach. At Bondi the plane circles back and affords you views of the Northern Beaches and, of course, the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. After you pass Circular Quay you begin a quick decent, smoothly splashing down into Rose Bay.

The tour will run you $225 AU and you can get to Rose Bay easily by taking one of the Sydney ferries at Circular Quay (the green & white ones).

If you want to check out the Inner Harbour view video, it is after the jump. If you want to catch up on all our Jaunted in Sydney videos, you can watch them here.

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Tags: Jaunted in Sydney / Animals / Sydney Botanical Gardens / → All Tags

Do Not Touch The Giant Fox Bats (Um, Ok)

Walking through the Sydney Botanical Gardens after a quick lunch today we heard what sounded like Tucan birds screaming from the trees. With Australia being the land of crazy animals, we figured we weren't hearing your garden variety squawking crow, so we glanced up at the nearest tree and there they were -- tens of giant fox bats, probably over 100 in all.

In perfect Aussie fashion there was a sign under these trees that says:

DO NOT TOUCH THE FLYING FOXES
For many years Grey-headed Flying-foxes have been seasonal visitors to the Royal Botanic Gardens. At night these large bats feed on the flowers and fruits of many native plants and they are important in pollinating flowers and dispersing seeds of these species.

However, as you can see by looking around the Palm Grove, the bats that have set up camp in the Gardens are damaging the trees they roost in. For this reason, the Royal Botanical Gardens has been given a license to use non-harmful methods to discourage the bats from roosting here.

As far as the bat-touching goes, duly noted but we aren't keen to touch some bats. We wouldn't touch a normal bat, let alone a dinosaur flying fox bat. Would you?

Related Stories:
· Jaunted in Sydney [Jaunted]
· Royal Botanical Gardens [Official Site]

Tags: New South Wales Field Trip / Art Galleries / Museums / → All Tags

Cat Skeletons And Funky Art

Our very own Aussie, Amanda Kendle, just returned from a trip to New South Wales, where the summer fun is in full swing.

Since Sydney is the biggest city Down Under, it's no surprise that it's a damn good place to get cultural. Yet after half a dozen visits, our latest trip was the first time we ended up in a couple of museums.

We started out at the Australian Museum up near Hyde Park, which sounded like it should sum up the whole country in one small-ish building. It didn't, as it's instead one of those natural history places full of stuffed animals that we used to love as kids. The exhibits are modern and there are tons of those weird Aussie animals, plus a cute display of typical living room skeletons--including this cat skeleton which impressed us no end.

At the other end of town, in the Rocks area, we checked out the Museum of Contemporary Art in a gorgeous old building recently saved from demolition. There are five floors of galleries including some video installations and a floor of their newest acquisitions. Development plans mean the MCA will get a new wing and huge renos by 2011. Yay for more funky culture, we say.

Related Stories:
· Museum of Contemporary Art [Official Site]
· Australian Museum [Official Site]
· New South Wales Field Trip [Jaunted]
· Sydney Travel coverage [Jaunted]

Tags: New South Wales Field Trip / Australia Travel / Gardens / → All Tags

Hunter Valley Gardens Break Up Vineyard Monotony

Our very own Aussie, Amanda Kendle, just returned from a trip to New South Wales, where the summer fun is in full swing.

The Hunter Valley is famous for having more than 100 wineries to visit, but curiously the most successful tourist attraction there isn't a vineyard: It's a grape-free garden.

Aptly named the Hunter Valley Gardens, this place is owned by the same people who once owned the Nutrimetics skin products empire, so you know they've got money to plant. Located in the middle of all the vineyards, HVG markets itself as "the easy escape." (When we got lost trying to find a path back to the entrance, we found that kind of ironic.)

But we only got lost because the place is so huge and so distracting. From the Chinese garden through to the relive-your-childhood storybook garden, and then up the hill to a chapel where weddings are regularly held, even a nature-hater would find something to like here.

HVG runs regular thematic events like Christmas night lights and Easter specials, so time your visit right for a little something extra. Entry is A$20 ($14), and we suggest stopping by before you visit too many wineries--or you might get even more lost than we did.

Related Stories:
· Hunter Valley Gardens [Official Site]
· Clubbing for Seafood [Jaunted]
· New South Wales Travel coverage [Jaunted]

Tags: New South Wales Field Trip / Food Travel / Restaurants / → All Tags

Clubbing For Seafood

Our very own Aussie, Amanda Kendle, just returned from a trip to New South Wales, where the summer fun is in full swing.

In the Hunter Valley region less than two hours north of Sydney, eating out isn't a matter of finding a great pub meal or a corner cafe. If you're looking for a decent meal, you'll soon find that, as in much of the rest of New South Wales, it's all about the clubs.

These people love to belong somewhere, whether it's a workers' club, bowling club, veterans' club or the upmarket country club. We stepped out one night to the Halekulani Bowling Club in the town of Budgewoi and discovered getting a meal wasn't as simple as you'd think.

Most of these clubs have a bunch of rules and showing your ID, filling out a visitor's form and wearing the right clothes is only the start. But in exchange for your trouble you get cheap (and delicious) seafood, the chance to gamble (these clubs are allowed to have poker machines) and an insight into the Hunter Valley social scene. And of course a very full stomach.

Related Stories:
· Halekulani Bowling Club [Official Site]
· New South Wales Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: disneymike]

Tags: New South Wales Field Trip / Lakes / Cruises / Australia Travel / → All Tags

Lake Macquarie: Big On Size, Big On Mystery

Our very own Aussie, Amanda Kendle, just returned from a trip to New South Wales, where the summer fun is in full swing.

Cruising Sydney Harbour is chicken feed compared to floating around on Lake Macquarie, less than two hours north of Sydney. The largest coastal lake in Australia, Lake Macquarie is more than four times bigger than Sydney's famous harbor and at least as beautiful.

Being so close to the big smoke, yet a whole lot more relaxing, rumor has it that celebrities pop up to the lake for a getaway. Locals can tell you scandals dating back to the King Edward and Wallis Simpson era, but there's no celebrity map tour going just yet.

Getting out on the water for a day is surprisingly cheap, with four-hour lunch cruises going for A$39 ($27). Take your binoculars to see how the rich people sunbathe on their lakeside lawns, in the hope that you might spot an escaping celebrity, too. You can take public transit there (two trains and a bus) or take the F3 highway from Sydney.

Related Stories:
· Lake Macquarie [Official Site]
· Tiny Sydney Harbor [Jaunted]
· New South Wales Travel coverage [Jaunted]

Tags: World's Best Christmas Trees / Christmas / World's-Best-Christmas-Trees / → All Tags

Sydney Celebrates A Down Under Christmas

Everyone knows that Rockefeller Center’s Christmas tree has a trademark on the holiday season, but this week we’re ferreting out spruces and firs that might be even better.

If you’re looking to spend your Christmas somewhere a little warmer this year, there’s always Australia. The city of Sydney is dressed up in elaborate holiday projections with everything from giant presents to a gingerbread house on the side of Town Hall.

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Tags: New Year's Eve / National Parks / Australia Travel / → All Tags

Camping Out In Sydney Harbor

Since Thanksgiving is only days away, we might as well begin to plan our trip for New Year’s Eve, right? If you’re thinking about heading down under to ring in 2009, then you may want to consider one of New South Wales’ national parks.

Starting on December 1, the park service is opening ticket sales for Shark, Clark and Goat Islands within Sydney Harbor National Park. Obviously, these locations are going to offer the premier location for taking in the holiday celebration--especially the fireworks.

Passes will cost you, with each adult ticket going for A$160 ($104). Thankfully, your admission includes a ferry ride out to your island of choice. You’ll sort of be roughing it on the islands, so make sure to bring your own food and (adult?) beverages. Act quickly, as there are fewer than 2,000 tickets available in total across the three islands.

Related Stories:
· NSW National Parks To Release Tickets for This New Year's Eve [e-Travel Blackboard]
· Shark, Clark and Rodd Islands, Sydney Harbor [Official Site]
· National Parks coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo from Shark Island: Julius!]

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Tags: National Parks / Active Travel / → All Tags

National Parks Travel: Party Down Under!

Apparently the National Parks in Australia are the happening place to be when the weekend rolls around. Officials are investigating a "rave" that took place a couple weekends ago in Bongil Bongil National Park in New South Wales.

Partygoers, at least 100 of them, were enjoying loud music until the wee hours of the morning and also left a few souvenirs in their wake. Park rangers have been cleaning up the beer bottles, cans and other party supplies all week.

Not only did the organizers have a good time but they also charged an admission fee--quite the entrepreneurs! If your weekend plans involve a ripper in your local park, just remember to at least pick up after yourself.

Related Stories:
· Partygoers Trash National Park [Courier Sun]
· National Parks coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo of a different mess: terry6082 Books]

Tags: Aquariums / Sharks / Australia Travel / → All Tags

Safely Seeing Sharks in Sydney

We're not recommending that you get really close to a shark, but a new ride at the Sydney Aquarium seems like a good way to try it without feeling too threatened. The Shark Explorer is a glass-bottomed boat which takes you on a journey over the surface of the Aquarium's Great Barrier Reef exhibition, with a perfect view of all the marine life below.

The ride costs an extra A$10 on your entrance cost, and only lasts ten minutes, but it's a lot cheaper than heading up to the Great Barrier Reef yourself. And with ten or so sharks swimming around underneath you, this is a good place to get close up to sharks that are around the same size as your boat. Just don't be tempted to jump in with them: They're probably not as friendly as other Australians.

Related Stories:
· Sydney Aquarium Opens New Reef Ride [Jamble]
· Sydney Aquarium [Official Site]
· Sharks coverage [Jaunted]
· Sydney Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Simont]

Tags: Australia Travel / Lists / → All Tags

100 More Reasons to Love Sydney

We've got a lot of love for Sydney--we even agreed when Condé Nast readers voted it the number one city in the world. The UK Times is showing even more love, with a recent feature on 100 different ways to check out Sydney, with but a few major tourist attractions on the list.

The wide-ranging guide touches on many different aspects of Australian culture: Eating tips involve Italian pizzerias, seafood by the beach and plenty of Chinese and Thai restaurants. To quench your thirst, there are tips like the Bubble Lounge champagne bar (30 different kinds stocked), flashy De Nom with allegedly the most spectacular bathrooms in the city and the Hopetoun Hotel, a bar with a reputation for great live music.

And finally, amidst worthwhile art galleries and some of the usual suspects for sightseeing, the Times also put together a great bunch of shopping suggestions where you can get original clothing from Australian designers, plus some vintage clothing shops. We love the sound of Grandma Takes a Trip, a store full of 1950s to 1980s clothing. Guess it takes longer for fashion to get all the way Down Under.

Related Stories:
· 100 Ways to Discover Sydney [UK Times]
· Grandma Takes a Trip [Official Site]
· Travel Stories in Sydney [Jaunted]
· Number One City: Sydney is Friendly [Jaunted]

[Photo: deepwarren]