Lions 2013

Just thought I'd diverte attention for a little while and ask if anyone is planning on going next years?

I'll be travelling on my first ever Lions tour and would like to know if anyone is going or has been to Oz for one. Is there anything I must do, must see or just cannot miss??

My plan as it stands is to fly into Sydney drive the Campa down to Melbourne via Canberra and then back up to Sydney, taking in 5 games in total (2nd and 3rd test)

I'd like to keep this away from the personell debate, and more of a free travel guide I can use,

Thanks all

Well Blues no advice sorry but I am going will be out there for 2nd and 3rd tests.

Good to hear bedford, I am crazy excited and it's so long away!!!

Has noone else been or is going?

The best advise I can give you is do not underestimate just how ridiculously expensive Australia has become.

Really guns? I have friends in Melbourne who equate it to the UK in a lot of ways. I will be hiring a mobile home for 3 weeks and its reasonably priced.

Although I suppose with a few thousand pommies flying in I can imagine a few prices rise slightly.

Incredibly jealous bluesman. Enjoy it! You too bedford!

thebluesmancometh wrote:Really guns? I have friends in Melbourne who equate it to the UK in a lot of ways. I will be hiring a mobile home for 3 weeks and its reasonably priced.

Although I suppose with a few thousand pommies flying in I can imagine a few prices rise slightly.

Im sure Melbourne is cheaper to sydney alright but was in Sydney last year and the price of everything seems to have rocketed since I was there in '02. Eating out really isnt very affordable and the exchange rate was very bad. Not sure what it is like now.

And drive straight through Canbera...dont stop...thats one dull boring place...well its just a place they put parliament so Syndey and Melbourne wouldnt fall out....

Bluesman please be careful. Everything in Australia will try to kill you, everything is venomous even the drop bears.

..and the women.

....the white pointers...

I was hoping to pop out there - but as I have just come out of a rather painful meeting where we were put on half pay and given 3 months notice to redundancy - I guess that idea has been kiboshed.

Sorry to hear mate...not pleasant...been there myself...but come through it.

Hope it works out alright...

My mate was laid off by Mitie over a year ago but received a letter last week saying that in the next round of job cuts his was safe. Retards.

Sorry to hear about you predicament LT, hope it all comes good.

LondonTiger wrote:I was hoping to pop out there - but as I have just come out of a rather painful meeting where we were put on half pay and given 3 months notice to redundancy - I guess that idea has been kiboshed.

Terrible news LT. Hope everything sorts itself out soon.

for LT. Keep the chin up!

The next tour to NZ will be better anyways.....

As said earlier, biggest problem with Oz affordability is the exchange rate against both pound and euro, aussie dollar gone through the roof mainly because Oz not hit the recession everybody else has. It's up 20% since this time last year.

rodders wrote: for LT. Keep the chin up!

The next tour to NZ will be better anyways.....

well, that is true - NZ being a real rugby country. Time to find a rich widow who likes well built men with thighs the size of oak trees methinks.

Thats the spirit! There's always better days ahead LT

Has the cost of everything in Oz changed so much??

I lived there between 5 - 7 years ago. At that time the exchange rate was about $2.5 = £1. I know it is $1.5 = £1 now but even at that it should be cheaper than here.

Some examples

I used to pay $10 in the supermarket for a 4 litre box of wine which equated to £4 then but would be £6.66 at the current rate. A 3 litre one here is twice that at least.

Fuel was about half of what it was in the UK.

We used to eat at a Thai restaurant around the corner where a set lunch was $7.

Coffee was usually around $2.50 (or £1 at the time) whereas here it is around £2.50.

This was all in Sydney.

There were loads and loads of cheap places to eat. If I spent more than $10 I felt I had been ripped off.

The exchange rate isn't great, but the euros holding better at the mo isn't it. I was planning on using my Irish account to transfer money because of the better rate.

From what I have been told by those who live out there it is very similar, some things like fuel and alcohol are cheaper but certain foods much more expensive.

But then TBH this is my first Lions tour and I will be going pretty all out so not too worried about cost, 4 weeks trip of a lifetime kind thing so going to go nuts.

Not too worried about the wildlife, I'll generally get the first bite in, or just do a Steve Irwin and finger the bumb, worked for him for years.

Everyone says to drive straight through canberra but it shouldn't be that bad there is a game there and should be plenty of lions supporters to play with.

Sorry to hear that LT, I was made redundant / sacked to avoid redundancy pay a few years ago by the gym I was running, owners did a runner to SA and left owing me about 3k. For years I had the most random gym equipment in my house!!!

Docnick, is there anything I must see or do? I'm planning on arriving into sydney, driving down to melbourne down the motorway via Canberra, then return to sydney along the coast. Is a week long enough to go the coast route? or is there better things inland?

Bluesman


We didn't go to Melbourne so I couldn't tell you anything about that really.

All I will say is it's a big old place. We went Dubbo for the zoo one weekend which is inland. It took about 5 hours and I don't think we were even a 1/3rd of the way across NSW.

We did go to Canberra for a weekend with friends. I don't think you would want to spend too long there in reality. I only went because I wanted to go to the Australian Institute of Sport for a visit.

We lived in Sydney and there is plenty to do there. Any time off we went to Uluru, Cairns (just thing any town in a spaghetti western that Clint Eastwood rode in to and then downgrade it a little) , Barrier reef, Gold Coast, central coast and Northern beaches of Sydney.

I love the great outdoors so I enjoyed stuff like the beaches and The Blue Mountains which is a couple of hours drive from Sydney.

It really depends what your interests are really. We had young kids so it tended to be a mixture of beaches, Taronga Zoo, Aquariums and the like. Your requirements on a rugby tour would be very different.

If you are in Sydney I would recommend the walking tour up the Harbour Bridge. Just stunning from the top. Also get the ferry to Manly. Explore the Rocks area near the Bridge. And go to Sydney fish market and have freshly caught fish platter and chips.

Oh and have a few beers in Kings Cross and say hello to Elsie for me.

Cheers doc, Ive read all about the bridge walk, and famous fish market and will definately be doing them.

TBH I'm not a big drinker, obviously will be sloshing some down on the 5/6 games I'll be going to but I will be driving the campa with a few others in. I'm more into exploration and exercise, although generally rambles and walks do not satisfy me, climbing, running jumping or flying is more my speed.

Hoping to do a famous climb in wolongong? some sheer cliff face that everyone says is amazing. Maybe a bit of diving.

Out of interest where will I find the best surf?

There is plenty around Sydney. There are just loads of beaches. I always liked the Northern beaches area. My favourite beach was a place called Curl Curl. To be honest you could go anywhere and it will be good.

It will be winter time as well which is good. That means it is just perfect.

LT, sorry to hear your news, that is a great shame.

Cheers Doc I'll look into Curl Curl!!!

Am likely heading down too with people here and meeting some friends/family.

Should be great fun.

bluestonevedder wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:I was hoping to pop out there - but as I have just come out of a rather painful meeting where we were put on half pay and given 3 months notice to redundancy - I guess that idea has been kiboshed.

Terrible news LT. Hope everything sorts itself out soon.

+1. Happened to me 10 years ago this month but as one doors shuts another opens.

Pot

Have you been before???

Doesn't sound like you're doing Brisbane which is a shame as Suncorp has by far the best atmosphere of any stadium and there's always a great buzz around on Match day.

Most people in Sydney HATE the Olympic stadium for test matches - difficult to get to and not a lot out that way (Atmosphere tends to be flat also)

Melbourne is and AFL city so I think that one will be like a home test for the Lions so should be good fun (don't expect good weather)

I would suggest stopping off in Canberra only if you want to see some museums etc. or looking at a mid week game.

A much better option would be to divert and head to the snow (Thredbo, Perisher, Mount Buller) which is on the inland route. Its pricy but you should find a cheap powered camp site for your camper.

Back in Sydney there are some good camp sites close to the city and stadium and to Public transport. If you're going to the midweek game in Newcastle consider staying in Port Stephens.....

Feel free to send me a private message and I can pass you on my contact details if you want a bit more info

Goose

Thanks a lot mate, never considered snow, is the ski any good???

Gutted i'll be missing Brisbane too, but the distance is so far for 1 test, plus freinds are all in melbourne, and don't want to be spending time in airports.

Canberra really will be a one nighter for the game I think.

Also out of interest when does the AFL season run? will there be any games we can go to? and will there be any clubs we can hit for a few trraining sessions (used to play GAA and loved it)?

LondonTiger wrote:I was hoping to pop out there - but as I have just come out of a rather painful meeting where we were put on half pay and given 3 months notice to redundancy - I guess that idea has been kiboshed.

Just seen this. Sorry to hear your news LT. Take it from one who has been there, good times are just around the corner.

thebluesmancometh wrote:Goose

Thanks a lot mate, never considered snow, is the ski any good???

Gutted i'll be missing Brisbane too, but the distance is so far for 1 test, plus freinds are all in melbourne, and don't want to be spending time in airports. - Brisbane is class...stopped there for a month right beside the Suncorp...great stadium

Canberra really will be a one nighter for the game I think. - Even thats too long

Also out of interest when does the AFL season run? will there be any games we can go to? and will there be any clubs we can hit for a few trraining sessions (used to play GAA and loved it)?
THe AFL final is normal September im pretty sure...so you should be there for the season. Sadly the best team (my team)...the Freemantle Dockers are based in Perth

You should have a great time anyway....

Cheers geordie

I'll have to look up some AFL games to check out. Any idea if there are any local clubs so we can contact and have a bit of a sesh with?

LondonTiger wrote:I was hoping to pop out there - but as I have just come out of a rather painful meeting where we were put on half pay and given 3 months notice to redundancy - I guess that idea has been kiboshed.

Thats a shame, on the other hand i've just been promoted and given a £7k a year pay rise. I could afford to go if only I didn't think the Lions was a load of old rubbish.

thebluesmancometh wrote:Cheers geordie

I'll have to look up some AFL games to check out. Any idea if there are any local clubs so we can contact and have a bit of a sesh with?

Mate if your base is in melbourne then your laughing as Victoria (the county) is the home of AFL...i think about 3/4 of all the teams in the league are based in Melbourne...so you'll have no trouble finding some junior clubs to have a bit of a kick around with.

thebluesmancometh wrote:Cheers geordie

I'll have to look up some AFL games to check out. Any idea if there are any local clubs so we can contact and have a bit of a sesh with?

I just looked up the AFL draw Bluesman and unfortunately none of the big Melbourne clubs are due to play each other on the weekend the Lions will be in town, but the games below would be my pick. There'll be tickets available in the week leading up once you know if you want to go.

Friday, June 21
Hawthorn v West Coast, Etihad, Melbourne 7.50pm

Friday, June 28
Sydney v Carlton, SCG, Sydney 7.50pm

The advice above is all good stuff and we can obviously help if anyone needs it.

Geordie

Plan is to land in Sydney drive down via canberra then return to sydney via coast (or maybe some ski inland now)

boomeranga

I'll be in Melbourne for about a week or so (I think) I'll have to check the schedules!

Cheers guys

Was offered tickets for the first tour game here in Hong Kong through my club......pricing is ridiculous! 120+ GBP (same as a full sevens weekend) for a sodding baabaas game...

Have fun guys whoever is going. Unfortunately I will not be able to follow up SA 09 as Mrs Bristol has decided that she will be giving birth around the time o f the tour.

BristolDave wrote:Have fun guys whoever is going. Unfortunately I will not be able to follow up SA 09 as Mrs Bristol has decided that she will be giving birth around the time o f the tour.

Congrats to you both Dave

Cheers Rava - might have to take some extended paternity leave to catch the midweek games

Jimpy wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:I was hoping to pop out there - but as I have just come out of a rather painful meeting where we were put on half pay and given 3 months notice to redundancy - I guess that idea has been kiboshed.

Thats a shame, on the other hand i've just been promoted and given a £7k a year pay rise. I could afford to go if only I didn't think the Lions was a load of old rubbish.

What kind of w***** are you Jimpy?

LT - Keep your chin up buddy, always something good waiting for you