We just got back from Australia. Breakfast is $26.50 per person without tip. A 15-pack of Diet Coke at Cole's (owned by K-Mart) is $16.49. A 6-pack of beer at Cole's is $20.
We had dinner at a seafood restaurant in Sydney. The cab driver said it was well-priced. Well, fresh seafood was $60-$120 per kg. I had the specialty, mud crab, and the waiter brought out a bag with the live crab in it. $65 just for the crab. Everything was a la carte.
We went to a steak restaurant in an alley in Geelong. $50 just for a beef filet with no sides. It was certified Australian Angus beef. Yummy, but very expensive.
We did try Micky D's (called Mackers there) for breakfast on Wednesday. Daughter and I shared a Mates Brekkie for $9.95 -- two sandwiches, two hash browns, and two drinks. The meat in the Sausage Egg McMuffin was a beef hamburger. Yuck. I got the Bacon Egg McMuffin -- real bacon instead of processed "Canadian" bacon as we have here in the states.
A burger with "chips" (french fries) is $16.50 at the most casual of restaurants. I had a salad with no meat as my main course one night (they are big on meat and "chips" and not vegetables). It was $16.50.
Oh, and multiply these prices by 1.09 for conversion rates, plus tip.
That being said, our trip was great, and I'd go back in a flash. It is a magical country.
Beach RunnerBeach Runnerbeats on hoodNear the ATL and in SoWal as often as possible15,269 postsJoined View profileMessagebeats on hood
Beach Runnerbeats on hoodNear the ATL and in SoWal as often as possible15,269 postsJoined View profileMessagebeats on hood1,584 views
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DDDDSoWal Expertgrapevine, tx. /On the road to SoWal23,871 postsJoined View profileMessageSoWal Expert
DDSoWal Expertgrapevine, tx. /On the road to SoWal23,871 postsJoined View profileMessageSoWal ExpertWell BR, I'm pretty sure I'll not be going any time soon. Yikes! But, so glad you had this opportunity and I bet it WAS magical. What an experience!!!
Beach RunnerBeach Runnerbeats on hoodNear the ATL and in SoWal as often as possible15,269 postsJoined View profileMessagebeats on hoodAuthor
Beach Runnerbeats on hoodNear the ATL and in SoWal as often as possible15,269 postsJoined View profileMessagebeats on hoodAuthorOne night we were at the pier in Geelong for dinner. There was a birthday party being celebrating at the next table by a bunch of kids Lauren's age. All of a sudden a bunch of the blokes ran out of the restaurant. We looked outside and saw some young females streaking naked at the pier. The blokes stole the girls' clothes, so they were hiding behind some decorative anchors by the bay. The females at the table next to us retreived the streakers' clothes and all was well.
Lauren says the message is that if you're gonna streak, take your clothes with you. :floor:
Reminds me of the streaking craze at The University of Florida when we were grad students there. Hilarious.
Lauren says the message is that if you're gonna streak, take your clothes with you. :floor:
Reminds me of the streaking craze at The University of Florida when we were grad students there. Hilarious.
MangoMangoSoWal InsiderNew York/ Santa Rosa Beach9,699 postsJoined View profileMessageSoWal Insider
MangoSoWal InsiderNew York/ Santa Rosa Beach9,699 postsJoined View profileMessageSoWal InsiderThis is it?? I was looking for your trip report and it's about the expensive food? You need to post your daughters pictures. Expensive food and all, you can't beat those beautiful shots she took and the memories.
sunspotbabysunspotbabySoWal InsiderSanta Rosa Beach5,000 postsJoined View profileMessageSoWal Insider
sunspotbabySoWal InsiderSanta Rosa Beach5,000 postsJoined View profileMessageSoWal InsiderSounds like Disney prices. :lol:
KurtKurtAdminSoWal2,472 postsJoined View profileMessageAdmin
KurtAdminSoWal2,472 postsJoined View profileMessageAdminNo wonder they travel so much.
scooterbug44scooterbug44SoWal ExpertSowal16,706 postsJoined View profileMessageSoWal Expert
scooterbug44SoWal ExpertSowal16,706 postsJoined View profileMessageSoWal ExpertAustralia is an island - you pay more for imports.
Also think it might be some of the places you went/what you ordered - I haven't heard that it was ridiculously expensive (more so than other foreign travel) from others.
Also think it might be some of the places you went/what you ordered - I haven't heard that it was ridiculously expensive (more so than other foreign travel) from others.
Beach RunnerBeach Runnerbeats on hoodNear the ATL and in SoWal as often as possible15,269 postsJoined View profileMessagebeats on hoodAuthor
Beach Runnerbeats on hoodNear the ATL and in SoWal as often as possible15,269 postsJoined View profileMessagebeats on hoodAuthorOh, yeah. Because of the cyclone in Australia that destroyed many banana farms, one of our hosts told us that 3 bananas cost $19 at Coles.
BTW Mango, I will post a positive trip report as soon as I recover from the 14-hour time change. :wave:
BTW Mango, I will post a positive trip report as soon as I recover from the 14-hour time change. :wave:
RiverOtterRiverOttergot any pics?Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States11,444 postsJoined View profileMessagegot any pics?
RiverOttergot any pics?Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States11,444 postsJoined View profileMessagegot any pics?We are on another Western tour. Trying to book a room in Jackson Hole was the most frustrating thing ever. One freakin night at the Super 8 (<-- Did you hear that? The FREAKIN Super 8) is almost $200 + Tax and Fees. :angry: I'm not complaining about SoWal prices anymore!
Beach RunnerBeach Runnerbeats on hoodNear the ATL and in SoWal as often as possible15,269 postsJoined View profileMessagebeats on hoodAuthor
Beach Runnerbeats on hoodNear the ATL and in SoWal as often as possible15,269 postsJoined View profileMessagebeats on hoodAuthorWe are on another Western tour. Trying to book a room in Jackson Hole was the most frustrating thing ever. One freakin night at the Super 8 (<-- Did you hear that? The FREAKIN Super 8) is almost $200 + Tax and Fees. :angry: I'm not complaining about SoWal prices anymore!That's ridiculous. I thought their rooms were like $49.99 a night. :idontno:
NotDeadYetNotDeadYetBeach Fanatic1,416 postsJoined View profileMessageBeach Fanatic
NotDeadYetBeach Fanatic1,416 postsJoined View profileMessageBeach FanaticBR, you should have gone in 2002 when I went. The exchange rate was nearly $2AU for $1USD, and prices everywhere were comparable to what they were here at that time. Therefore, it was like a half-price sale. Same in NZ. Loved both countries, and found the food very good and very healthy. The chips and stuff like that were not much in evidence, lots of fresh fruits and vegetables everywhere I went. Also fish, lots of lamb. And of course, wine. Sounds like a lot of tourist traps have appeared since then.
tsutclitsutcliBeach FanaticSeacrest914 postsJoined View profileMessageBeach Fanatic
tsutcliBeach FanaticSeacrest914 postsJoined View profileMessageBeach FanaticSounds like a lot of tourist traps have appeared since then.
Now that sounds like SOWAL!
Now that sounds like SOWAL!
Beach RunnerBeach Runnerbeats on hoodNear the ATL and in SoWal as often as possible15,269 postsJoined View profileMessagebeats on hoodAuthor
Beach Runnerbeats on hoodNear the ATL and in SoWal as often as possible15,269 postsJoined View profileMessagebeats on hoodAuthorSounds like a lot of tourist traps have appeared since then.We weren't in tourist traps. We were hosted by locals (executives and board members of a major company in Australia).
Now that sounds like SOWAL!
librarianlibrarianBeach Lover94 postsJoined View profileMessageBeach Lover
i went to Melbourne in 2002 and the prices were higher there than US but food was healthy and as NDY says dollar was up-sad how the mighty dollar has fallen.
Beach RunnerBeach Runnerbeats on hoodNear the ATL and in SoWal as often as possible15,269 postsJoined View profileMessagebeats on hoodAuthor
Beach Runnerbeats on hoodNear the ATL and in SoWal as often as possible15,269 postsJoined View profileMessagebeats on hoodAuthori went to Melbourne in 2002 and the prices were higher there than US but food was healthy and as NDY says dollar was up-sad how the mighty dollar has fallen.Tell me about it. I remember the days when the dollar was so good that I bought so much Louis Vuitton and Chanel and Baccarat in Paris, Portmeirion in London, Meissen in Germany, and Majolica and Pratese in Italy that we'd have to ship it back. I've seen people go into the LV store right off the Champs-Elysees and literally buy 100 items (purses, wallets, etc.). That was also back when Reagan was President and you could take the interest from your credit cards as a deduction. Amazing.
How times have changed. Although if you go to Australia, behind the Rip Curl store in Torquay is an outlet store with great bargains. Also great bargains can be found on souvenirs in Chinatown in Sydney (like $6 per t-shirt, whereas the same shirt elsewhere would be $24). There's a free bus from the Circular Quay to there, so no taxi fee. And $15 for lunch in the Chinese restaurants there -- really cheap for Australia.
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