004: Visiting Australia in Two Weeks (or more)

Have you ever wanted to visit Australia? This week we talk about the Land Down Under with native Erin Bender about what you can fit into a two-week trip to Australia -- if that is all you have. We cover a sample itinerary, what to do with kids in Melbourne, Sydney and the Great Ocean Road. Plus, we learn about fairy bread, Vegemite, and where to find those adorable koalas and kangaroos. ON THE PODCAST 1:00 Shout out to Lance for giving Vacation Mavens our first review on iTunes! 1:20 Kim talks about her recent trip to Phoenix including hot air ballooning 4:40 Spring training with the Cactus League 8:20 Eating in Phoenix -- Hilton at Squaw Creek 9:55 Erin Bender from Travel with Bender 13:02 Nomadic travel challenges 15:00 Australia in two weeks 17:00 Getting from place to place in Australia 21:00 Koalas and kangaroos 21:30 Must try Australian foods 24:00 Four days in Sydney 25:20 Driving Great Ocean Road 27:00 Phillip Island and Fairy Penguins 27:45 Where to find koalas and kangaroos 28:45 Best place to take a family photo 29:30 Surviving the long flight to Australia with kids 31:30 Favorite travel outfit or gear 33:35 Tip of the week ABOUT ERIN BENDER FROM TRAVEL WITH BENDER Erin is the driving force behind the world’s leading family travel blog, Travel With Bender. With her husband and 2 young children (ages 6 and 7), she’s been on a nomadic journey since 2012 across 64 countries and counting. Most recently she is touring the US on the #motherofallroadtrips. Erin and her husband were both born in Australia and have been together for 18 years. Erin and her husband Josh took a seven-week round-the-world trip pre-kids and loved traveling so much that they decided to embark on a nomadic lifestyle when her kids were two and three. What was going to be a six-month journey has turned into four years of travel. Erin and her family are currently in Orlando and will be traveling through the U.S. for a few more months, but she took time out of her busy schedule to tell us about her native land -- Australia. While she suggests spending at least a month in Australia, she shares a two-week itinerary that covers a few of Australia's highlights. You can follow their travels on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or Snapchat. TWO-WEEK AUSTRALIAN ITINERARY Erin recommends flying into Brisbane on the Gold Coast and starting with four-nights in Queensland where you can see some of the best islands in the world, including the Great Barrier Reef and Whitsunday. In Brisbane, you will also find many amusement parks and attractions. She would then spend four nights in Sydney, taking in sights like the Sydney Opera House and a walk across the Harbour Bridge. The Sydney Aquarium is also a highlight for families with kids. Ferries around the harbour are also a great way to get a view of the city. Next, she would do four nights in Melbourne, including two nights driving the Great Ocean Road to see the Twelve Apostles rock formations. (Note: there are not Twelve Apostles, but the water is magnificent and the formations are quite beautiful.) If you get a bit further to see the great Australian "bite" with wonderful cliffs and views. Also, near Melbourne you can go out to Phillip Island to see the Fairy Penguins. At dusk, the penguins come from the ocean to their homes on land. You can sit in the grandstands to watch this phenomenon. Finally, finish up with a trip to see Uluru or head over to western Australia and visit Margaret River, one of the best surfing destinations in the world.  MUST-TRY FOODS IN AUSTRALIA  We also wanted to know what the "must try" foods are from Australia and Erin introduced us to fairy bread (white bread with butter and sprinkles) and Vegemite on toast. Kangaroo steaks are also quite popular (yes, they do eat the national animal.) Meat pies are also very popular in Australia, stuffed with mince meat and gravy. Erin recommends getting meat pies from Harry's Cafe de Wheels in Sydney. WHERE TO FIND KOALAS  Of course, no trip to Australia would be complete without seeing some koalas and kangaroos. Erin surprises us by telling us that koalas are as common as squirrels or deer are in the U.S. But apparently, koalas can also be vicious so be aware (and kangaroos box!) On the way to the Great Ocean Road, you can stop at Kennett River Wildlife Park, which has koalas, kookaburras, and other animals. BEST PLACE TO TAKE A FAMILY PHOTO Erin recommends taking a photo with the Sydney Opera House in the background. If you are clever, you can manage to get the opera house and the Harbour bridge in the same photo. In Darling Harbour, walk on the lower level on the way to the opera house and you will be able to get both. TIPS FOR FLYING WITH KIDS After so many long-haul flights, Erin recommends keeping kids on the same schedule they are at home when they are on the plane. This includes putting on pjs, brushing their teeth and putting them to bed at their regular bedtime. Also, pack lots of snacks or send the kids to the back to get some extra snacks. FAVORITE TRAVEL GEAR Erin loves traveling in a long skirt but finds that she always needs pockets, so tends to go with jeans or shorts. For shoes, she also likes thongs (flip-flops). TIP OF THE WEEK When flying with kids, be sure to pack a lidded cup or a sippy cup because airlines tend to only have open cups that can get really messy with younger kids. MENTIONED ON THE PODCAST Hilton at Squaw CreekGreat Ocean Road PerthMargaret River Australian FoodsPenguinsAustralian Animals you can eatQuokkas