In November/December 2002 I enjoyed 9 1/2 weeks traveling through Australia.

The trip was booked via http://www.kangaroo-tours.de. The Mike Ball expedition was booked via http://www.diversionOZ.com. Both are highly recommended by me!

The headlines mostly match the rental car tour name as booked via Kangaroo Tours.

Flight to Australia

Nov 1: left Germany via Frankfurt with Cathay Pacific Airways
Nov 2: arrival in Hong Kong with an 8 hour stop (slept in the Regal Airport Hotel)
Nov 3 – Nov 5: arrival via Sydney and via Brisbane in Townsville, stayed in the Townsville Plaza Hotel

Exploratory Dive Cruise

Nov 5 – Nov 12: Exploratory Dive Cruise into the Southern Coral Sea on the Mike Ball Spoilsport from/to Townsville

Nov 12 – Nov 13: Another night in the Townsville Plaza Hotel, then via Bus to Cairns
Nov 13 – Nov 14: On night in the Sheridan Plaza Hotel in Cairns
Nov 14 – Nov 19: Stayed in the Coconut Beach Rainforest Lodge in Daintree (now: Cape Tribulation Resort & Spa)
day trip with an SUV to Cooktown

Nov 19 – Nov 28: Sunshine State Tour from Cairns to Brisbane
Nov 19 – Nov 20: Cairns in the Sheridan Plaza Hotel
Nov 20 – Nov 21: Townsville in the Townsville Plaza Hotel, visiting the Reef HQ Aquarium and IMAX and the Billabong Sanctuary
Nov 21 – Nov 23: Whitsunday Islands in the Club Crocodile Resort – Airlie Beach and Long Island Resort
Nov 23 – Nov 24: Mackay in the Whitsunday Waters (now: Dolphin Heads Resort)
Nov 24 – Nov 25: Hervey Bay in the Flag Kondari Resort visiting Fraser Island
Nov 26 – Nov 27: Coolum in the The Beach Retreat Coolum, visiting the Australia Zoo – the home of the Crocodile Hunter Steve Irvine.
Nov 27 – Nov 28: Brisbane in the Quality Suites The Inchcolm

Nov 28 – Dec 5: South East Coast from Brisbane to Sydney
Nov 28 – Nov 30: Gold Coast in Burleigh Heads in the Best Western Outtrigger Resort
Nov 30 – Dec 1: Coffs Harbour and diving with the Jetty Dive Centre at the Solitary Islands, stayed in the Big Windmill Motor Lodge
Dec 1 – Dec 2: Armidale in the Comfort Inn Hallmark
Dec 2 – Dec 3: In the Hunter Valley in Cessnock in the Comfort Cumberland
Dec 3 – Dec 4: In Blackheath in the Blue Mountains, stayed in the St.Mount’s Guesthouse If you are there, you have to do the Grand Cayon Hike!
Dec 4 – Dec 5: Sydney in the Simpsons of Potts Point

Dec 5 – Dec 10: Mountains & Rivers from Sydney to Melbourne
Dec 5 – Dec 6: Canberra in the Garden City Motel
Dec 6 – Dec 8: Albury in the Quality Resort Siesta
Dec 8 – Dec 9: Yarra Glen in the Yarra Glen Grand with a visit at Phillip Island (with the Penguin Parade)
Dec 9 – Dec 10: Melbourne in the Savoy Park Plaza Hotel

Dec 10 – Dec 15: Great Ocean Road & Wine Trail
Dec 10 – Dec 11: Port Campbell in the Comfort Inn Port Campbell
Dec 11 – Dec 13: Halls Gap, Colonial Motor Inn in the The Grampians Again: do the Grand Cayon Hike there!
Dec 13 – Dec 14: Kingston SE in the Comfort Inn Kingston, visit Hahndorf!
Dec 14 – Dec 15: Adelaide in the St. Francis Winery

Dec 21 – Dec 26: Trip to the red center via plane
Dec 21 – Dec 22: Alice Springs, stayed in the Alice Springs Resort
Dec 22 – Dec 23: through the west [MacDonnell Ranges](MacDonnell Ranges) to the Glen Helen Resort
Dec 23 – Dec 24: via the Mereenie Loop to the Kings Canyon, stayed in the Kings Canyon Resort
Dec 24 – Dec 26: and continuing to Uluru (Ayers Rock), stayed in Longitude 131 (and celebrating christmas!)

Dec 26 – Dec 30: Flight from Ayers Rock to Sydney, stayed in the Simpsons of Potts Point
Australian Dinner at The Summit
via Hong Kong back to Germany at Dec 31, 2002