It has been some time since I had the pleasure of visiting Noosa, Australia. Back then I found that it was a trendy town located just 90 minutes north of Brisbane on the Sunshine Coast.

The town has a laidback vibe and as such you will find it a great place to relax. The climate is sub-tropical and is very pleasant.

No matter where you choose to stay at Noosa you will be close to wildlife. You may even see some koalas in the trees near your accommodation. Nearby you can enjoy Noosa National Park. It is one of the most visited in Queensland and has many walking trails the through the bush and along the coast. Here you will get to enjoy some breathtaking views.

The great thing about the National Park is that it is in easy reach of Noosa. One minute you could be shopping in elegant boutiques, the next you are out hiking in the park.

Hastings Street is the place to be seen. It has restaruants, bistros, nightclubs and beachfront apartments. All the beautiful people hangout here.

If you enjoy your food then Noosa is for you. There is nothing better than great food and holiday relaxation to escape the stresses of day-to-day life. Noosa gourmet food is world renown so eat up and enjoy.

If you are thinking of just what activities you can enjoy in and around Noosa how does surfing, sailing, jet-skiing, water-skiing and some diving and snorkelling sound to you? All that and more awaits you. You can take you own boat or hire one and cruise the river, or go and explore the reef systems just beyond Noosa Heads.

This is just a snippet of what to expect if you visit Noosa, Australia. Visit www.australia.com to learn more or discover many other great Australian destinations. Maybe I will see you there one day.

Manly is a sea side suburb of Sydney. It is one of my favourite places to visit in Sydney. I went there many times when I was playing on the pro beach volleyball tour in Australia. The beach is beautiful and is close to nearby shops and attractions.

Bondi beach is one of the best known Sydney beaches, I think Manly has it all over Bondi.

Manly is easily accessed from the downtown area of Sydney. One of the best ways to get to Manly is by a 30 minute ferry ride or 15 minute JetCat ride from Circular Quay.

The ride across the beautiful Sydney Harbour is worth it alone. You will have fantastic views of the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge and the city skyline.

Once you arrive at Manly you can walk for about 10 minutes from the wharf via The Corso through to the beach. The Corso is a shop-lined pedestrian area. Once you get to the beach at Manly you will be greeted by golden sands and a tree lined promenade.

If you want to hang around the wharf area before going to the beach you can visit Oceanworld which is just 200m from the wharf. At Oceanworld you can see many Australian sea creatures. You can even dive with grey nurse sharks and giant stingrays.

If you are planning a visit to Sydney I suggest you take time to visit Manly.

Australia is the place I call home. I love it. Many people I meet who are from other countries say they want to visit.

Are you thinking of coming to Australia? Do you have any questions you want answered by a local?

Now is a great time to visit. We are in spring at the moment and the weather is very pleasant.

Some of the places people normally want to visit include the Great Barrier Reef, Bondi Beach in Sydney, Melbourne, Cairns, Uluru and many places in between.

I love going to the beaches here in Australia. We have some of the best. You do have to be careful if you are not a good swimmer and should always find a patrolled beach. You look for the red and yellow flags and swim there if you want the added security of being supervised and can call on help if you are in trouble.

Right now in Canberra there is the Floriade flowere festival. It is really beautiful to visit but it end in early October.

Just some basic facts are that we drive on the left hand side of the road here. The population is around 22 million with Sydney being the largest and perhaps the best known city. Canberra is the national capital and is located 3 hours drive south west from Sydney.

So if you want to know more now is your chance to ask away. Leave your questions in the comments area below.

The official travel and tourism site is australia.com

Recently on the airwaves here in Canberra there has been quite a bit of discussion about the Canberra Airport. Due to the large number of public servants now working out there the traffic situation has become a major concern. Also finding a taxi from the airport into the city is said to have a negative impact on business in Canberra.

Something else that was raised by callers was the fact that the Canberra Airport itself is not running smoothly. The terminal is too small and the flights at times were being canceled. The Qantas regional manager was interviewed on air to give a perspective from the airlines. He said according to statistics things are not really that bad.

The Qantas representative also pointed out that the airport will be opening new facilities in around 3 years. Before that time Qantas will spend around $10 million to upgrade facilities at Canberra Airport.

After hearing all this I come back to the headline for this post. If you are coming to Canberra is it worth flying or are you better off driving your car or getting a hire car? I think a Qantas pilot’s wife gave the answer to this. She called in to say her husband finds it better to drive rather than fly from Canberra to Sydney to take the controls of an international flight.

I tend to agree. For the past couple of years whenever I fly out of Sydney International Airport I choose to grab a rental car and drive up the freeway to Sydney. It is about a 3 hour drive and is quite stress free. Compare this to flying and there is little difference. By the time you travel to the airport, wait for check in, board and then fly it all adds up.

I vote for the driving option.

In early February we saw one cent airfares for Virgin Blue flights from Sydney to Port Macquarie. They came as the airline launched a new route to Port Macquarie.

Tiger Airways have not gone quite so low, however they are offering bargain priced flights from $9.95. Hurry as they went on sale at 6.00pm on Tuesday 12 February and the sale ends on 13 February. Flights go from Melbourne to Adelaide, Alice Springs, Canberra, Darwin, Hobart, Gold Coast and several more destinations. The flights are departing from 14 February until October 25, 2008 and include taxes.

Coming up next is a sale of 5000 one way fares on Jet Star for one cent. The fares are to be offered on six routes – Sydney to Gold Coast, Sydney to Melbourne, Melbourne to Hobart, Melbourne to Launceston, Melbourne to Newcastle and Brisbane to Newcastle.

The fares go on sale next week and will be announced via the Jetstar email newsletter. Head over to the site and signup if you are interested in the fares.

It looks like a great time to by looking for a cheap flight in Australia.

Recently announced budget cuts for the National Capital Authority in Australia has put in doubt some of the events managed by that organisation. The main one on the chopping block is the Australia Day concert held on the lawns of Parliament House.

It has been a popular event over recent years with crowds of around 30 000. It was also broadcast live around Australia and provided good exposure for the nations capital of Canberra.

A tourist attraction in Canberra that also is likely to be hit by the budget cuts is Blundell’s Cottage. This is a historic homestead that is popular amongst locals and tourists. I remember first going there on a school excursion. I even had wedding photos around the farmhouse.

With the expected cuts to funding it is likely the farmhouse will only be open to the public one day a week. This will be a shame as it is a worthwhile tourist stop when visiting Canberra.

There I was enjoying a good nights sleep in my spacious Novotel Darling Harbour room when I was rudely awakened by a blaring fire alarm. I looked over at the clock and read the numbers, 2.31 am.

What was going on? My daughter was feeling a bit anxious about all of this. “Daddy, Daddy what is happening?” she cried. The next minute we heard an announcement saying “Evacuate the building”. My wife and I hurriedly dressed ourselves and our daughter and headed for the fire exit. As we went out the door into the hallway we could smell burning plastic.

Was this a real emergency? We made our way down to the street and found a fire truck and a large crowd of already evacuated hotel guests. I looked up at the building and could not see smoke or flames. As we looked around at the guests we could see some people really got out in a hurry. There were a few people just in their underwear.

Some time passed and the word came to return to the building. As we got back into bed around 3.30 am there was an announcement saying it was a false alarm caused by some steam on a sensor. I still don’t know what the smell was.

That was my experience of the Novotel Darling Harbour’s evacuation. Apart from that I have to say I really enjoyed my stay at this Sydney Hotel. Our room was spacious and well decorated. The bed was comfortable and the room also included a good sized lounge that converted to a bed for my daughter.

The Darling Harbour Novotel is located on the Pyrmont side of the city and has great views of the city skyline. It has ample parking and provides easy access to the public transport. You can also easily walk to the city. I highly recommend a stay at the Darling Harbour Novotel. Next time I will take my tennis racquet as there was a court just near our room.

My family and I have just returned from a weekend in Sydney, Australia. This is one city that I always miss after ending a visit. The main reason I love Sydney is the harbour. It is one of the most beautiful sights in the world. I also love the beaches. Bondi and Manly are world class.

On the weekend we spent two nights in Sydney staying at the Capital Square Hotel located next door to the Capital Theatre. Unlike our last visit which was the worst ever stay in a hotel, we enjoyed our stay. The price was $107 per night which I found through a search on the hotels combined website. This price was a lot lower than other Sydney hotels I have stayed at in the past which were around the same price range previously. The hotel room was well maintained and comfortable. It was also roomy.

As we were located close to Chinatown we used that as our base to venture out for our night time meals. One night we tried an authentic Chinese Xinjiang restaurant, on Saturday a Korean BBQ restaurant located at 35-37 Goulburn St. Sydney. Both meals were very enjoyable. When returning to the hotel we passed a very popular Japanese restaurant on the corner of Pitt and Campbell Streets. We have been there in the past and enjoyed the food. This time around there was a huge crowd just waiting to get in.

On Saturday we decided to have a family outing at Luna Park. This entertainment park has been a Sydney landmark for over 70 years. Just the view makes it a worthwhile visit as it is located on the north side of the harbour adjacent to the Harbour Bridge. Admission to the park is free however you need to pay for the rides. We purchased the day pass which was $42 for adults and $32 for our child. There is a good variety of rides and most of them were suitable for our 5 year old. She could not go on one ride because of a height restriction, while another one she decided as too scary. I really enjoyed going around on the Ferris Wheel while enjoying the million dollar harbour views.

Getting to Luna Park was easy. We caught a train from Central Station over to Milson’s Point station. After getting off the train we headed down the hill and into Luna Park. It was a five to ten minute walk from the station. The cost for return tickets for 2 adults and one child was approx $9. In the park there were plenty of choices for satisfying our hunger.

Getting back to my worst ever hotel stay, it was last November staying at the Pensione Hotel on George Street, Sydney. The hotel itself was quite nice. It was a trendy boutique hotel that was nicely decorated. The problem was that they gave us a room on the second floor which looked out at George Street. In case you don’t know this street gets extremely busy at night time. The noise of cars, people and sirens made it near impossible to sleep. Some thick glass windows would be a welcome improvement.

For day 2 of our Sydney weekend getaway check back here in a few days.

If you live in Australia or will be visiting in the near future lastminute.com.au have a great hotel deal for you. As was featured on the Getaway show this website is offering up to 75% off 4 and 5 star hotels.

The catch is that you don’t know exactly what hotel you are going to be staying at until you have made your booking. That is the concept behind the Secret Hotel deals.

For exactly how it works visit this page at lastminute.com.au

I have been over to the website and checked out some of the hotel deals on offer. It seems that the Gold Coast is very popular. The secret 5 star deluxe hotel is booked out until Thursday 26 April at a cost of $365. If you are happy with a 4.5 star 2 bedroom apartment in the heart of Surfers Paradise you can grab one for $170.

In Sydney you can get yourself a 5 star deluxe hotel with a view of Sydney Harbour for $270 or you may want a 5 star Meriton apartment from $99. That sounds like a bargain to me.

Lastminute.com.au are advertising a secret 5 star deal in Melbourne from $130. If you have romance and seduction on your mind you may be interested in a special offer that caters for you starting at $370.

If you like something different you should try the secret hotels offer.

If this is not your cup of tea and you are looking for good hotel deals I suggest you checkout the hotels combined website. This site provides a great free tool that allows you to search through multiple hotel booking systems with just one search. This is a great time saver as you do not have to jump from website to website looking for the lowest hotel price.

If anyone does try the secret hotel deal I would love to hear from you.

If you ever make it down under and find yourself in Sydney here are some attractions you might want to check out.

Sydney Tower – what a way to start your Sydney vacation. The tower offers the best views of Sydney. When you go up the tower you will find yourself at the highest point above Sydney and will surely enjoy the breathtaking views of the city. It is a great way to get a feel for where other attractions are located and the harbour views are sensational. You will find Sydney Tower at 100 Market Street. It is open daily from 9 am to 10.30 pm. Saturday has a later closing time which is at 11.30 pm. Admission prices are $24 for an adult, $14 for children 4-15. Family tickets are also available. You can get a 10 per cent discount if you book online at http://www.sydneyaquarium.com.au/stotickets.asp

If you are looking for that extra special spot to take a photo of Sydney I recommend going to Lady Macquaries Chair. This historically famous chair was fashioned out of the rock face to allow Governor Macquarie’s wife to checkout the panoramic views of the beautiful Sydney Harbour. In modern day Sydney you will get one of the best views of Sydney and you can take a photo with the classic Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge backdrop. You will find the chair in the Domain at the northern tip of the Domain Parklands.

Chinatown – my wife is Chinese, so every time we go to Sydney this is a must visit destination. I also recommend it for the normal tourist. There is a great selection of not only Chinese food but Asian food and also the shopping is fantastic, just ask my wife. There is Paddy’s Market located in the lower section of the Market City shopping centre. Upstairs in Market City there are also many exciting shops. Chinatown is located on Dixon Street in Haymarket. Also from here it is a short walk over to Darling Harbour.

Sydney Aquarium – the aquarium’s website says it is a must see location when visiting Sydney. I would not quite go that far but having been there several times I would put it up there towards the top of the list. If you have kids I would say this is more for you. The aquarium boasts over 11 000 animals and hosts the largest Great Barrier Reef display in the world. When you go in the under water section you will see huge sharks and rays as well as a stunning variety of fish. I remember it was like stepping into a whole new world when I visited the aquarium. Allow close to two hours to look around. The aquarium is located on Aquarium Pier, Darling Harbour. It is open 9 am to 10 pm daily except for Christmas Day and New Years Eve where it closes at 6 pm. Tickets are $27.50 for adults and for children aged 3 to 15 it is $14. The aquarium also offers a 10 per cent discount for tickets purchased online. Visit http://www.sydneyaquarium.com.au/VisitorInfo/VIS060.asp to purchase.

Manly Beach – having been a professional beach volleyball player I have seen plenty of beaches. My all time favourite is Manly Beach. As a tourist I would get over there on the ferry from Circular Quay. It is 7 nautical miles from the city and the ferry takes about 30 minutes. If you are in a hurry your can take the Jetcat which takes only 15 minutes. I cannot think of a more spectacular scenic ferry ride that I have been on anywhere in the world. Once you arrive at Manly Wharf it is a short walk to the Corso. Here you will find shops, food outlets and pubs. If you keep walking east along the Corso you will eventually come to the Manly Beach. The beach has a path that runs the length of the beach and is a great place to walk or jog as there is plenty of shade under the magnificent Norfolk Pines. After spending a day at the beach you can make your way back over to Manly wharf and dine at one of the restaurants.

Opera House and Harbour Bridge – I have saved the best to last. When you mention Sydney these two attractions would have to be up there as the must see attractions. I was listening to the radio the other day and they were talking to Bill Bryson a popular author and in that discussion they mentioned that there are residents of Sydney that have not even seen the Opera House. Don’t be like them. Make sure you get down to the harbour and check out this modern day architectural marvel. You can walk around the harbour foreshores near circular quay and get some great harbour views as you approach the Opera House. From there you also get a fantastic view of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

The Harbour Bridge is this year celebrating 75 years since it was opened. If you can make it to Sydney on March 18 you can join in with the bridge celebrations. The bridge will be closed to traffic from 4.30 am to 11pm. The public is invited to take a stroll across the bridge between 10am and 7.30 pm. If you are interested in taking part in this unique event you will have to register at www.ourbridge.com.au. If you cannot make it on that day you can undertake an even more spectacular bridge walk by going on a bridge climb. For more details visit the website at www.bridgeclimb.com.au.

These are my favourite Sydney attractions. There are plenty more such as Darling Harbour, Toronga Zoo and Bondi beach. No matter what you do Sydney is a great city to visit.

What is your favourite Sydney attraction?