August 23, 2005 Thank you for organizing a wonderful trip for us to Sydney, The Red Center & The Top End. Every aspect of the trip was well planned and everything moved along like clockwork from the airport transports, hotel check in, tour packages and internal air transfers. No one missed a beat. Australia is indeed a wonderful country that arouses the senses and has the potential to give an emotional high to those who take the time to look at and think about their surroundings. Our trip, which can be broken down into four parts ( Sydney area, Red Center , the Top End, and Cairns/Barrier Reef), gave us a good sense of Australia 's diverse landscape and culture. Part 1 - Sydney The view from the Quay West Suites was breathtaking—the bridge, the Opera House and the busy bay right outside our window. Hotel service was superb. Being in the Rocks area was great for walks, shopping, and getting an historical perspective on Sydney. The Blue Mountains Eco day tour with Australian Eco Adventures is excellent. The small group provided for a more personal approach and added to the quality of the tour. The evenings we spent at the Opera House were most enjoyable. The Opera House is truly a masterpiece of architecture. The dinner at Bennelongs, which was included as part of the Starry Nights package, was bland and somewhat of a disappointment. The regular menu looked superb, however, it wasn't offered as part of the tour package. The Harbor Cruise and Sydney sightseeing tour with AAT Kings was good for a “big bus” tour. All in all we were pleased with the Sydney portion of our trip. Part 2 - The Red Center Uluru and the Olgas are awesome. Our stay at Longitude 131 made this part of our trip undoubtedly memorable as it created an atmosphere that complemented what we experienced in that area. Two days was delightful at Longitude 131 but we highly recommend that three days and nights be the minimum visit there. The folks at Longitude, as you know, really attend to every detail so exquisitely and provide for entertaining, dining and local tours in a very personal manner. We loved it there! The drive from Uluru to Alice Springs was very long but the stop at Kings Canyon made it worth the time on the road. We walked the creek, which was beautiful but then we took a helicopter ride over the Canyon. Incredible! We think it's worth telling others about because it gives a perspective of the escarpments that you can't imagine from the ground. The day at Alice was packed with things to do but everything ran smoothly. We think the balloon flight is a must. You fly at just the right altitude to appreciate the landscape and kangaroos and the vastness of the Outback. The Alice Tour with AAT Kings to the School of the Air, the telegraph station, the Royal Doctors, the Reptile House was very informative. As teachers, we found this tour to be very interesting and necessary for anyone who wants to understand more about the development of communities in the Outback and their way of life. The Red Centre Dreaming Dinner /Show was OK but just OK. Somehow it seemed to lack spirit. The Alice Springs Resort was OK with friendly service but nothing special as a hotel facility. We did have a fun night out on the town tasting outback foods at a local saloon. Part 3 - The Top End The Top End Tour provided by Australian Pacific Touring was several tours pieced together. It's actually clever how they operate different tours daily and package them to suite everyone's needs. Kakadu and the Yellow Water boat ride are a must. This is one of the few, if not only place, where we saw animals in the wild. Our tour guides on all of the tours were very knowledgeable and cordial. The Gagadju Crocodile Inn is worth the stay and their menu of local foods is very good. The trip to Arnhem Land provided by Arnhemlander Tours in conjunction with APT is done in small groups in 4WD vehicles, which is more relaxing and interesting. The trip to Ubirr and the Guluyambi Cruise also a must. Katherine Gorge is beautiful but the ride down and back from Darwin was “too long”. Katherine Gorge is definitely worth seeing but perhaps it needs to be combined with an overnight stay. We missed Litchfield Park. Nick got very sick that morning (probably from the air-conditioning on the bus ride to Katherine). Actually, we all felt rather under the weather so we decided not to go to Litchfield. (At the pick up time the guide mentioned a possible refund but we didn't call you to see about that. If there is one, let us know. Jane and Anna visited the Territory Wildlife Park because Nick was sick for a second day as well. The park is a beautiful area, which contains a good selection of animals native to the Top End and is a park that is still expanding and developing. The morning there was enjoyable. The Novotel Atrium in Darwin is a nice hotel. Most of the rooms are one bedroom suites with a sitting area separate from the bedroom and a couch that makes into a bed. It would have been OK for 3 people, but we did manage to get two rooms for the duration of our stay there and that was excellent since Nick spent two days in the one room recuperating. Part 4 - Cairns The Shangri La Hotel is outstanding in all respects. Again we had a fantastic view of the beach as the tide came in and went out again. The Reef Endeavour Cruise was excellent for a small cruise experience. The crew and the service were exceptional, the food plentiful and good, the day tours and activities to the islands and the drop offs into the reef were unforgettable. The Reef is something one has to see to believe. The feeling of snorkeling in the middle of the ocean and the beauty of the reef is indescribable. The Kewarra Beach Resort deserves a longer stay. It is a place to relax and to let oneself be transported into another world. We liked staying in the Timara suite. It's ideal for 2 couples or a threesome such as ours who are traveling together as it has two bedrooms and a common but separate living area with a bar, TV and library. The suite overlooks a lagoon, which is full of life and rainforest trees and flowers. And it's just a hop and a skip down a rainforest path to the beach. They've really done a fantastic job with their grounds. The gardener even takes you on guided tours around the place to acquaint you with the various flora and fauna. We really liked it there and would consider returning for a longer stay. The Kuranda Tour provided by Australian Wild Escapes was a good example of five star private touring. What an ideal way to end our vacation! So you see we had a fantastic time, one that we could not have accomplished without your help and expertise. Thank you, Sonia. Nick and Jane - Athens, Greece PS. Attached is a photo from the Olgas. No, the tin cup is not because we were broke from the trip, but almost. We have other snaps as well if you would like to see them. PSS-(additional thoughts) Australia has a Tax Refund System. We did manage to get back some of the taxes on some of the bigger items we bought but could have arranged our shopping a bit differently had we known about the tax refund system prior to our trip. We feel there were good shopping areas for Aboriginal art and crafts in Injalak, Arnhem Land and Kuranda village. Thai Airlines was a disappointment in many respects. Even though we've used them in the past, they seem to be deteriorating in terms of cabin maintenance and customer service. We would recommend the use of alternatives other than Thai for international flights.