h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi Frenchbean!

With your new home and, no doubt, a plethora of contacts, I wonder if you could answer me something. Would people over/down there say that August was an OK time to visit, weather-wise?

I've tried to search but only get the weather for the next three months. I know I'd get more if I searched for longer but hey, I know someone on-the-ground, as it were!

I know that the seasons are generally opposite to ours in the UK but my long hols are of course over the summer and are fixed. So I'm doing a bit of research as Spouse wants to go to Oz.

Thanks - hope to hear from you soon - just whenever you have a mo'.

Jules

Hey Jules *waves*

Depends which bit of Oz you want to see and whether you want to be somewhere warmer than UK in August

It is getting just slightly warmer than the coldest months by August, if you get my drift So temps will be around 27C in the north (north of Tropic of Capricorn) and down in the 8Cs and 10Cs or less, in the far south (Tasmania).

Let me know where you're thinking of visiting and I'll try to be more specific. I first arrived in the far north at the start of August and found it really bearable, temperature-wise.

And of course, if you're here and we're in the same area, we can have an MMM (microminimeet)

Oh, the other place to look is the Lonely Planet website - www.lonelyplanet.com I think The books certainly have weather stats and I'd guess the website will have as well.

Let me know...
Six Frenchbean

Thanks for that!

27'C is certainly better than we usually get here, even in our summer. I will have to look at the map and see which actual places that covers. 10'C is bearable too, we're used to that,eh?

Will continue discussing with Spouse and if we make real plans I shall definitely tell you!

Jules

He seemed very keen last night - we will definitely be making serious enquiries as to where and how. It will probably be August this year.

I can recommend it. Obviously

I've looked at the map and also the offical Oz tourism site. I think it was Cairns which will be hot up north and they reckoned Sydney would be coolish but not cold cold.

It's getting a bit exciting!

We are also thinking of where we'd stop over, as we fancy a Westerly place, either Vancouver or San Francisco, not a 'far Eastern' place as is more usual.

You'd better get the biscuits in

Jules

August in Cairns really won't be too hot - around 28C I reckon. Very touristy - be warned

Sydney - probably low 20s.

Vancouver sounds okay, but it is a helluva plane journey to Oz from there. I've done it and it took 20 hours, with a stopover at Honolulu and at Auckland

What about a really off the beaten track stop in the Pacific? Air New Zealand do flights that way round the world, and for an extra few quid (35 when I did it in '97), you can chose a stop off at Cook Islands, Samoa or Fiji.

I strongly recommend Samoa. Cheap as anywhere in the world. Clean. Geared up for tourists, but not many there Fabulous climate. Great beaches. Good food. Great places to visit. Good snorkelling. No sharks. Not a heap of nightlife, but some interesting spots if you're that way inclined. Oh and of course, Robert Louis Stevenson's last place of residence at Valima is definitely worth a visit

I wrote an entry on it, I think