Coach Travel

Most of our travel within the country will be by private, air-conditioned or heated bus (very comfortable!).  Some dirt-track roads (very common outside cities and towns) will be traversed in off-road buses or shuttles.  If you are prone to motion sickness in vehicles, be sure to supply yourself with some type of over-the-counter medicine.

Public Transportation

The best way to get around in Sydney is via one of the many public transportation options.  You will each receive an OPAL card (included in course fee) with which you can travel freely and conveniently (up to AU$75 of travel) within Sydney using trains, buses, ferries, and light rail.  See here for more information on Sydney’s incredible public transportation system.  We will use public transportation for all of our class trips within the city and its suburbs.  You can use your OPAL card on off-days as well (but notice travel limit of $75 per card).

Walking

If you have never traveled outside the United States, you might be surprised to see that walking is the primary and celebrated way of getting around cities, neighborhoods, and shopping areas (pretty much true anywhere outside of the US).  We will walk A LOT during our time in Australian cities and towns.  For example, a round-trip walk around the city center of Sydney is about 3 miles.  Remember that Australians drive on the LEFT side of the road.  So when crossing the street look right first, then left – this will take some getting used to!  Luckily, Australian drivers are very used to pedestrians.

Hiking

At most of our outdoor destinations, we will be hiking.  For this purpose you are required to bring a closed-toed, ankle-bracing pair of hiking boots (see here).  Be sure to break them in for at least 4 weeks before the trip to avoid painful blistering.  Our longest hike is on rugged terrane and is about 5 miles roundtrip.

Boats

For our snorkel adventure on the Great Barrier Reef, we will be taking a small pontoon boat.  This boat provides a quick and comfortable ride to the reef.  However, depending on surf, when anchored (and moving) the boat ride can be bumpy.  If you are prone to sea sickness, supply yourself with appropriate medication.

Ferries

Sydney is a harbor city and one of the best ways to get around the Port Jackson area is by public ferry.   The bay is protected by headlands so wave levels are usually low and sea-sickness rare on the ferries.

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