Part II: Planning Your Trip to Australia in VS .NET

Creation GTIN - 12 in VS .NET Part II: Planning Your Trip to Australia

controls; mobility scooter rentals; and accessible bus service Reserve well in advance Also check out the quarterly magazine Emerging Horizons (www emerginghorizonscom), available by subscription ($17/year in the US; $22/year outside the US) The Accessible Travel link at Mobility-Advisorcom offers a variety of travel resources to disabled persons British travelers should contact Holiday Care (% 0845/124-9971 in the UK only; wwwholidaycareorguk) to access a wide range of travel information and resources for disabled and elderly people

Sydney is one of the most gay-friendly cities in the world There are plenty of gay and lesbian bars, and most Saturday nights see a privately operated gay dance party taking place in an inner-city warehouse somewhere The cafes and pubs of Oxford Street in Darlinghurst, a short cab ride or long stroll from Sydney s downtown area, are the liveliest areas The annual Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras, culminating in a huge street parade and party in late February or early March, is a high point on the city s calendar and is attended by huge crowds In rural areas, you still find some resistance to gays and lesbians, but Australians are generally tolerant Noosa, on Queensland s Sunshine Coast, is a favored destination for revelers after the Sydney Mardi Gras, and a couple of resorts in North Queensland cater to gay and lesbian travelers One of the best known is Turtle Cove Resort & Spa (% 1300/727 979 in Australia, or 07/4059 1800; wwwturtlecove comau), on a private beach between Cairns and Port Douglas The LGBT community has lots of support services in Australia The Gay & Lesbian Counselling Service of NSW (% 02/8594 9500 for the administration office) runs a national hot line (% 1800/184 527 in Australia, or 02/8594 9596) from 7:30 to 10 pm daily Its Web site (wwwglccs orgau) has contact information for each state In Sydney, the Albion Street Centre (% 02/9332 9600 administration, or 02/9332 9700 information line) is an AIDS clinic and information service The International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association (IGLTA; % 800448-8550 or 954-776-2626; wwwigltaorg) is the trade association for the gay and lesbian travel industry, and offers an online directory of gay- and lesbian-friendly travel businesses and tour operators Gay & Lesbian Tourism Australia (wwwgaltacomau) also has listings of useful businesses in each state

Many agencies offer tours and travel itineraries for gay and lesbian travelers Above and Beyond Tours (% 800-397-2681; wwwabovebeyond tourscom) are gay Australia tour specialists Now, Voyager (% 800255-6951; wwwnowvoyagercom) offers worldwide trips, and Olivia (% 800-631-6277; wwwoliviacom) offers lesbian cruises and resort vacations Gaycom Travel (% 800-929-2268 or 415-644-8044; wwwgaycom/ travel), is the online successor to Out & About magazine It provides information about gay-owned, gay-oriented, and gay-friendly lodging, dining, sightseeing, nightlife, and shopping establishments in every major destination worldwide British travelers should click on the Travel link at wwwukgaycom for advice and gay-friendly trip ideas The Canadian Web site GayTraveler (http://gaytravelerca) offers ideas and advice for gay travel all over the world The following travel guides are available in bookstores and online: Spartacus International Gay Guide (Bruno Gm nder Verlag; www spartacusworldcom/gayguide); Odysseus: The International Gay Travel Planner (wwwodyusacom); and the Damron guides (www damroncom), with annual books for gay men and lesbians

Outdoor pursuits are high on the list of many visitors to Australia, lured by the wide-open spaces and a climate ideal for exploring and experiencing the great activities on offer Whether it s a gentle occupation like bird-watching, or the thrill of white-water rafting, Australia is sure to have an activity that suits you Most operators and outfitters listed in this book specialize in adventure vacations for small groups The Great Outdoor Recreation Pages (GORP) site (http://gorpawaycom) not only has links to adventuretour operators in Australia, but also contains articles, sells books and maps, and has links to heaps of sites on Australia with an action slant Outer Edge Expeditions (% 800-322-5235 or 517-552-5300; wwwouteredgecom) and The World Outdoors (% 800-488-8483 or 303-413-0938; wwwtheworldoutdoorscom) offer ecologically minded multisport diving, hiking, biking, canoeing, and kayaking packages to the Great Barrier Reef and North Queensland rain forest Meals, accommodations, equipment rental, and guides are usually included, though international airfares are not Where you end up resting your head at night varies depending on the package on a seakayaking trip, you ll likely be camping on a beach; on a hiking expedition, you may stay at a wilderness lodge; and on a biking trip you often stop at B&B-style lodgings Remember to check the regional chapters in this book for more information on the outdoor activities in the area you re visiting