Australia flight and country experiences?

Question

Hi, I'm flying out to Australia for about 4 weeks- Brisbane to be exact with my little cousins. This is the situation : I am 17 and my uncle has moved there and I lvie in Wales- he has a new gf out tehre and a baby son but he has two other sons here 9 and 11 who live in London so I am flying them out to see him , etc. Well first of all- OMFG how the heck am I going to fly out two little kids on a massive beast flight? I haven't any idea how to use airports and things- AND we have to stop off somewhere on the way to re- fuel and what not. Does anyone also know what the flights are like? Are tehy really bad? I'm also worried that I'll be really tired but I don't want to fall asleep at any point because I have two little kids with me. Has anyone been to Brisbane and was it nice? I read on another thread that someone didn't like Australia and found it disappointing. Any idea what the weather will be like there in the Summer? Answer only if you've been to australia only please, thanks :)

Answer 1

my best advice for you for the flights are fly qantas airlines as some of their flights wont involve you getting off the plane in aisa, as some of their lights just touch down for re-fuel rather than a change of planes. the flights are very long and jet lag is pretty bad, there is no point telling you otherwise.  do try to sleep, its too long not to.  the kids will be fine, whee can they go, they are trapped on the plane.  just make sure their earphones are working and set them up with the kids chanel on the seat back tv's.

i love australia, although brisbane isnt the best place.  its quite nice but its one of the less interesting places in the country.  but frazer island is near by, thats a really cool place to go, and surfers paradise and the gold coast are good beaches.  also steve irwins zoo is near brisbane.

sadly the weather will be getting cooler now, as our summer is their winter, but queensland doesnt really get cold so i wouldnt worry too much about it, if you are going down to sydney at any point though it might get chilly.

Answer 2

Oh lucky you. i have flown on long flights many times. Your cousins are a good age they have minds of their own at that age and they will be excited on the adventure you are all going on. If you can carry a small pillow on board that is always a help on a long flight Although they often give you one it is very little and thin. You will all want a sleep They will turn the lights and movies off when most people are sleeping. The hostesses are great . any time you want a drink they will fetch you one. MOST IMPORTANT.>Just make sure all the time your 3 passports are safe. Don't bring any food into Australia unless you declare it . You will need to help them fill out the declaration cards on the flight . There will be movies shown you can watch and you can walk around the plane aisles at times for a stretch. Don't be afraid to ask any questions to airport staff or the hostesses on the plane. Or if you need something ask them. You will be told what to do when the plane refuels . you may be allowed to go to a transit lounge at the airport but make sure you listen when to re board. The meals are usually good and you usually have a choice of 2 or 3 things. You will all love Brisbane. I'm sure uncle will take you on many drives out To the Gold Coast Fabulous beaches Theme parks ie Movie world , Sea World, Dream world, Wet n Wild. Australia Zoo. If the weather is hot most places have air conditioning but this year we have had a mild summer. Our winter is June July August and then the weather is great cooler nights and warm days. You will only want summer clothes most of the year but something a little warmer if you are here in Winter for the evenings. So pack the shorts the swim wear grab your passports and come on an amazing trip.

Answer 3

It is a very long flight I have done it my self a good few times and a few of hem with a 8 year old boy i wont lie it is hard but the airlines try and make it as easy as pos for you we flew with Singapore airlines and they were wonderful there was plenty of movies for him to watch and they have lots of games they can play as well they even took him off my hands for half an hour to see the flight deck and such and if in doubt i find a light sleeping tablet will do the trick :-)

Answer 4

Australia's summer occurs in December-Feb and the winter is June-August.  (approximate months)  So depending on when you're flying out it may actually be winter there.  The winter's are relatively mild from what I hear. You could try looking up a Lonely Planet guide to help you out with things to expect.

I have been to Sydney and Canberra but not Brisbane.  Australia wasn't high on my list of priority countries to see but I enjoyed my experience there.  The people were friendly and helpful.  I believe you'll enjoy it there!

As per the flight, try not to stress too much.  There are always staff in the airport to assist you should you need it.  It's quite a long flight but there are a lot of movies showing and I'm sure those kids will bring some books and/or games with them.  They're a bit older so they should be able to behave.

Answer 5

You definitely have a long flight ahead of you, straight through or not. Take things along for your cousins to do, books, games, drawing paper and crayons, and some small snacks like fruit bites and pretzels. They'll get bored easily (and so will you so add some things for you too). If your flight entails any nightime flying, sleep is good to pass the time. Let your cousins stay up late the night before to be sleepy at least in the first part of the flight. The long flight will be tefious on you and if you are worried about the kids, let the flight attendants know of your concerns and many will help keep an eye on them if you doze off. If the kids fall asleep, take the opportunity to do so yourself. For myself, I loved Australia every time I visited. Never had a bad experience, ever! It's our spring here in the US but it will be fall down under. Relax, enjoy! As to the airport, get there early, have all your papers (tickets, boarding passes, passports, visas) readily available. Don't pack  too much in your carry on baggage as your hands will be full with the kids and their goodies (see above).

Answer 6

Yes, it's a long flight but look at it as an adventure! By the way, you MUST sleep on the way!! Try to develop a travel plan. Aim to get them to have a sleep after they've had a meal on board. Take a few things with you to keep the boys entertained but don't let them know. Then you can produce them out of your carry on bag at strategic points to keep them occupied. Small puzzle books, simple games etc. There will on on board films and TV programmes to keep them entertained as well, perhaps even games (depending on the airline).

Make sue you know the travel arrangements very well. Which terminal you are flying from? How do you get there? Get information about the flight in advance from the airline web site. Stay in control at all times and don't be afraid to ask cabin staff for help.

I've been to Melbourne, Sydney and Cairns (north of Brisbane) and it was all great. You'll have a whale of a time!!

Answer 7

Brisbane is beautiful in the summer I recently flew there in january and the weather never got below 30 degrees. I wouldn't stress about the flight, flight attendants make it very easy for you to feel comfortable and if you have to stop off and change planes or anything like that they are very helpful and always willing to give you a hand to direct you in which direction you should be heading. Also as far as brisbane goes I wouldn't worry it's a very friendly state I found and if you need help (like I did) people have no worries with helping you find your destination. Hope you enjoy your stay in Australia.

Answer 8

The flight is pretty bad, there's no way to sugar coat it, you get bored basically. Although, there are a LOT of movies & TV to watch on your personal TV screen. If you watched everything they have, it'd take up pretty much the whole flight.

You should stop off in either Thailand or Singapore, but the air hostesses make it EXTREMELY easy to know what to do once you stop to refuel. You just get out of the plane, go into the terminal in Thailand or Singapore, then go back into another waiting area until you can get back on the plane.

Make sure you carry your tickets & passports with you, and you will be fine. If you're lost, ask someone at a desk. They'll help you. (They will all speak English)

About your cousins though, they will be perfectly fine, there's nowhere for them to get lost on a plane. They can't get off, nobody could abduct them or whatever. But if you are worried, your best bet would be for you to sit in the aisle seat, and for them to sit between you and the window. That way they can't get out of their seats without you waking up, as they'd have to climb over you.

Brisbane is a great place, it's a really sunny nice place, great beaches, nice shops and everyone is laid back & relaxed.

Get to the beach if you can, because in summer Brisbane averages 29°C. And it isn't unusual for it to get up to 40°C.

Perfect beach weather.