Start in the West,(Western Australia) so much to see, and the most spectaucular scenery is in the north of that same state. Take the time to explore and enjoy.

Ooooo,oooooo, come to WA Toucan, come to WA!

Unlike Gary, I'm not a fan of the north of WA though. Much better lies south of Perth.

LOL Mel, you know I'd love to. The major itinerary is driven by what birds Steve will be chasing, so we will have to see

Ideally, after we retire in about a gazillion years, we'd like to come for six months, buy a motor home, and see what we can see!

WE have birds!!!

LOL Indeed you do! And flowers! I would love to be there during the famed wildflower season.

Let me know what birds Steve is still after and what else you want to do.
Regards,
Alan

Will do Alan. We'll email you as we start planning. I just got the okay for 4 weeks off, so depending on airline schedules, likely December 7 - January 4 next year we will be in Australia!

I don't know where you have already been in Australia.
Have you been to Lord Howe Island? It is stunning. I very much enjoyed birdwatching there.
http://www.lordhoweislandbirds.com
http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/ebafactsheet.php?id=205

You probably are aware that tourists number are restricted, so it never gets too crowded.

Thanks Diamantina. We have not been to Lord Howe Island, we will certainly take a look.

We've been twice, around Sydney, Newcastle, Capertee, up to Brisbane, Lamington, Towoomba and thereabouts, then up to Cairns, Daintree Village, Atherton Tablelands, and thereabouts.

We would be in serious trouble if we did not stop in Sydney as we have good friends there. They have a farm up at Nabiac as well, so we'll have some time in NSW for sure, and we will be back up north again for sure as well. We both want to spend more time in the Atherton Tablelands.

But, we have to sit down and start our list, do a bit of research, and then begin planning. Plenty of time

I love watching birds myself, though I still have lots of trouble identifying them.

For me the greatest area for birdwatching in Australia was the Kakadu and Litchfield Park, up in the Northern Territories. It wouldn't be good place to visit in November/December (the wet season), but maybe sometime in the far future you could consider going up there (May through October).
http://www.travelnt.com/things-to-do/nature-and-wildlife/bird-watching.aspx

It sounds like you will have a terrific time, no matter where you go. You're smart to plan so far ahead.

Yes, we would love to go to Kakadu sometime. Right now timing gets dictated by work If I am going to be gone for that long, the best time (that my boss would approve) is December, so that does dictate a bit where we visit.

Someday!

Alan, just tried to send you an email via your web site, but it came back to me. Let me know if you get it or not. Thanks!

Toucan2, I did not get the email. I have checked the email form the home page and the booking sheet and both worked for me.

Would you mind trying again and letting me know from where you tried it if it fails.

If it does not work it's my first name at the web address.

The Golden Bowerbird put on quite a show for us yesterday. Worked on his bower and danced and romanced us.

I'll forward it on to your name at the web address. I did try again and it came back to me. I went here: http://www.alanswildlifetours.com.au/ and at the bottom of the page I clicked on email and it auto populated the email address with: alan@alanswildlifetours.com.au and it isn't going through. So it looks like that should be the right email address.

Very cool about the golden bowerbird.

Yes that is the right address and it worked for me. I am not sure what might be happening. Can you copy that address into your email program to send me an email. I look forward to receiving it.
Happy new year to you and Steve.
Alan

Happy New Year to you as well! I moved over to the laptop and emailed from there. It didn't come back to me so I am hoping it work. It may have been something about emailing from my iPad (although I do not know why that would be)

Glad we got that all worked out and the iPad one came through too.

I cannot afford to miss out on customers who only use iPads.

Glad to hear they finally came though. That was weird!

Have you received emails from me as I have just got a message that mine has bounced, that it was 'refused'. I sent one titled bouncing emails minutes ago.

It will be tough if we have to communicate only through Fodors.

I got the one titled bouncing ermails, but no others. I've added you to all my contact lists, and I sent you another email with some alternative email addresses for me. If you get it.

Yes, this is going to be tough if we can't get it worked out! I don't understand how I can get five million junk email messages, but not an email from someone I want to hear from

Toucan2 I got that email. I have sent emails to all three addresses. From your work address I have received the automated out of office reply, so that's a start at least.

I think we have it mastered at last! Thanks Alan. Happy New Year, and looking forward to seeing you at the end of the year!

Tickets have been purchased! Our airline reservations have us landing in Brisbane Sunday morning December 8, we will stay in the area until December 16, then fly to Cairns. We will stay up north until December 27, and fly to Sydney, then fly home from Sydney on Saturday January 4.

There is much yet to be worked out, but it is nice to have the tickets purchased. Partly because with tickets in hand, and an email okaying my time off, it would be hard for the company to say no, nevermind.

From Brisbane, I think Mt. Glorious, Lamington, and if I can remember correctly Cunnamara, are on the boards. Up north, I'd like to go to Chillagoe and to Undara lava tubes. We want to see more of the Atherton Tablelands, birds and wildlife. We will probably spend a few days in Daintree Village, and I am hoping from there to do a GBR trip.

In Sydney we will be spending NYE at my friend's place, where there is a great view of the Harbour Bridge and fireworks. I'm excited about that.

I am having fun reading trip reports and looking things up online

Alan, I guess it is time for our little game of, did you get my email?

We are probably going to do accommodation bookings in the next week or two so will be able to pin down some dates for you. Since some of the places we want to stay don't have that many rooms, we figure it's best to go ahead and book early.

Also in Yungabarra I've been looking at Kookabura Motor Lodge, Allumbah Pocket Cottages or Chambers Rainforest Lodge. We actually stayed there before and liked it fine, but I think I want to be in the village, this is up for discussion with Steve and yet to be decided Your thoughts on any of these?

I think Ralph stayed at the Allumbah Pocket Cottages and liked them.

I received and replied on the 23rd.

All of those are fine and you get what you pay for. At Chambers always request an end room so you get through ventilation.

I'll be calling you before we book as I will be arranging the days around our time with you, and including Chillagoe/Ungara. When I do call, what is the best time/day your time? (Very cheap for me to call from here, and given our email troubles, may be best for this part of the planning)

Toucan2, I am away until the 6th of March and then leaving on my big trip on the 10th of April. Between 6 and 7 pm is usually a good time to catch me in except on Mondays as we teach Tai Chi and then I take my darling dancing. You could try between 7 am and 8 but I could just as easily be gone by then. I live a very erratic life.

We'll connect, no worries. I'll make note of your return dates and try to catch you then.

Toucan - you're right. We liked the Allumbah Pocket Cottages very much. Great place and great location!

Thank you Ralph!

Toucan, I have at last moved to get myself a portable device so I'll have email contact often during the trip.
Alan

Fabulous Alan. Have been a bit crazed. Have decided to stay in village. Know that we would like to engage you to go to Chillagoe, overnight, go to Undara, then to Yungabarra. At least one more day and a night tour with you. Now just need to decide days. I am off to Santa Fe for the weekend so will not be doing any more planning for a bit.

Enjoy Santa Fe.

Alan, have sent you three emails tonight that kicked back. It says they are blocked by spamcop.net. I googled them, they are a spam flitering service. Is your provider perhaps using them? So it doesn't appear to just be me. I would be worried that other emails are not reaching you. Have you added me to your address book and/or approved senders?

All I was trying to let you know was that we are still in about the same place. If you need me to hurry up, let me know, but I figure I have plenty of time. Although I do want first dibs on your time

If I don't talk to before, have a good trip.

Toucan2, by this time in two weeks I should have seen toucans x2 xn.

I have just sent you am email which in part states: "You are on my safe sender’s list. I have had a few emails bounce lately myself. I wonder if the problems are related. I have had Maria send one from her work to another client, but tomorrow is her last day so that can’t go on.

"I am not in any hurry to firm up the dates and make arrangements but if you can give me the range in which the will occur I’ll pencil you in for the lot."

You have to get some preferential treatment for the nice things you've said about my tours on this site.

We are off next week!

Toucans are cool! Enjoy.

Okay, I replied. see if yo get it.

Argg, so you got my reply, but when I sent a short silly reply to your confirmation, it got kicked back again!

Ah well, at least we have Fodors.

Toucan - looks as if we're going to be criss-crossing australia at roughly the same time, but in different places. Shame!

have you set your itinerary yet? I'm just working on ours and it's frying my brain!

We've got our tickets so I know those dates, but we are still working out the details once we get there. We'll fly into Brisbane, arrive Dec 8. We'll fly to Cairn Dec 16, then to Sydney December 27, and home on January 4.

There's a lot of bird watching driving our destinations, but we'll get in a few other activities too I'm excited that we will be in Sydney for NYE, spending time with friends there.

It's hard to decide, you are right. so much to see and do, and not enough time and you never know when you will be back!

Toucan,
I have had a most frustrating day on the computer and phone. I think I'll just leave my laptop and phone at home and drop off the grid for two months.

Actually once I got through to a person on the call centre lines they were helpful and pleasant. This was unlike yesterday where I kept getting transferred to someone who didn't even understand the question or issue let alone be able to help and then I was passed twice back to the main menu form which the only escape is to hang up or try to muddle through again when none of the options relate to your enquiry.

Wow, I rarely write sentences that long unless dealing with something technical.