Friday, December 22, 2006

Timing is Everything.

No such thing as bad weather? You must be kidding me.

We're not quite sure that we've got our timing right as far as the weather is concerned. China in January is likely to be bloody cold, and even by the time we get to South America in July, we might find ourselves back in the cold. If we were to do the trip the other way around, however, we'd get Winter in Australia, and hit Beijing around the Olympics.

I think we'll have to live with the fact that the weather will be less than clement at the start and finish of the trip, but that we'll enjoy a good 3 months of Summer/Autumn in Australia, and get a bit of skiing in when we're in the South Island in NZ.

My remaining concern is that, because of the fact that we'll be in China so far off peak season, that many sightseeing options will be closed to us.

2 comments:

Angela said...

Thanks to "TheGoodBlogs" I've found your website! What an adventure for you and your family! I look forward to vicarious preparations, travel and experiences. I have been to Sydney, Australia (or Oz as you call it -- new term to me), Auckland, New Zealand (absolutely loved it & want to return). How did you happen to select your destinations? Seems like China is a very good choice, particulary for your daughters.
Anyway, best wishes and good luck! Oh, and by the way, my maternal grandparents immigrated to the US from Cork County. Burke is my mother's maiden name.

Unknown said...

Hi Angela,
Thanks for your good wishes. New Zealand seems to be very popular with anyone who has been there: I haven't heard anyone say anything negative about it. I'm really looking forward to that part, even if it will be Autumn/Winter.
If you have any advice about or NZ Oz (not my invention - common name here which I thought had currency even in Australia itself) I'd be very grateful on your input.
The three things that I have open questions about are
1) Practicality of buying and re-selling a car;
2) Practicality of house swapping;
3) Where to stay on the South Island (we're thinking of Queenstown).

I'll blog later on these themes more fully later.

We chose those destinations based on a balance between adventure and security, and based on the idea that these are places that we might not easily reach another time (hence the excusion of Europe and North America). We hope to make Africa and SE Asia separate destinations in the future.

Thanks again and best wishes for a great 2007 from Cork.