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Day 1: LA to Australia - Fly from LA to Melbourne on V Australia. If there is any free time, book a two day car rental in Melbourne, picking the car up in Geelong the morning of arrival.
Day 2: The Great Ocean Road - Arrive at Melbourne in the morning. Buy a cell phone at the airport Opus. Take the Sky Bus to Southern Cross station. Take the train to Geelong and find the car rental (insurance is different than car rental in USA). Look for this sign to find Australian Tourist Information as you travel:
Drive the Great Ocean Road to Lorne. Book a flight to Ayer's Rock for day 7, and a flight to Perth from Ayer's Rock for day 9. I recommend the AAT Travel tour which is around $700 including the flight, accommodation, and tour. Since you are in a new country, a simple diet is best at first. You will probably have to buy internet access, but it is worth it. Spend the night at the Lorne Foreshore Caravan Park in the tent.
Day 3: More of the Great Ocean Road - Drive to Warrnambool. Turn around and drive to Apollo Bay. Make tomorrow night's reservation for the campground in Sorrento. Call the Rosebud Model Caravan Park near Sorrento and have them refer you to a campground close to the ferry in Sorrento. Spend the night at the Pisces Holiday Park in the tent at Apollo Bay.
Day 4: Return to Melbourne via Sorrento and the Mornington Peninsula - Drive to Geelong and return the rental car. Take a bus to Queenscliff, and then take the ferry across the mouth of the bay to Sorrento. Give your couch surfing host in Melbourne a heads up that you will be there to stay tomorrow night. Walk a short distance up the beach from the ferry to the campground, and spend the night in the campground in the tent. This campground is not on the map, and even the locals may not know it is there.
Day 5: Couch Surf Melbourne - Ride the bus and train up the peninsula to Melbourne. Spend the day exploring Melbourne on foot and by tram. There are lockers at the Southern Cross station for the backpack. Contact your couch surfing host and spend the night.
Day 6: Couch Surf Melbourne Again - Take a river tour and then rent a bicycle to ride to St. Kilda and back. Spend another night couch surfing.
Day 7: Ayer's Rock (Uluru) - Fly from Melbourne to Alice Springs and then to Ayer's Rock. If there is any spare time, book a rental car for six days in Perth. Take the shuttle to Ayer's Rock Campground in Ayer's Rock Resort. Give your couch surfing host in Perth a heads up that you will be there to stay soon. Go to the sunset viewing of Uluru. Return to Pioneer Village at the resort for a beer. Bars in the Northern Territory may check that you are registered at a hotel or campground before serving you alcohol. Return to the tent for the night.
Day 8: More Ayer's Rock - Awake early for the Uluru sunrise viewing. After that, ask the tour bus driver to at least drive you around The Olga's (Kata Tjuta). Have them leave you out there for the day hiking if you are tough. Consider a camel tour back at Uluru rather than a hike. At the end of the day, return to Uluru for a sunset viewing again. Grab a beer again at Pioneer Village, at then return to the tent for the night.
Day 9: Perth - Fly to Perth and have your couch surfing host pick you up at the airport. Hang out with your host for the night.
Day 10: Perth Again - Go downtown and explore. Take a boat cruise down the Swan River to Freemantle. Get on the internet and book a flight to Adelaide. Tiger Airways or Jetstar have the best deals. Also make reservations at the Adelaide Shores campground just west of downtown Adelaide. Make reservations for a tour of Kangaroo Island south of Adelaide with Greyline Tours. Make a two day car reservation for pick-up at the Adelaide airport. Hang out with your couch surfing host again for the night.
Day 11: Sunset Coast - Pick up the rental car at the airport. Drive to one of the Perth beaches on the north side of town, and check it out. Then head north and hug the coast as much as possible. Drive as far north as Cervantes. Check into the Pinnacles Caravan Park campground for two nights. Spend the night in the tent after taking a swim in the ocean and watching the sun set over the Indian Ocean.
Day 12: More Sunset Coast - Drive north to Geraldton and back to Cervantes, checking out all the small coastal towns on the way. Spend the night in the tent again.
Day 13: Margaret River - Depart Cervantes and stop at the Pinnacles Desert Discovery before the drive back towards Perth. Once past Perth, try to hug the coast as you drive south. Stop into the Visitor Center in Harvey, and have them direct you to a campground for the night. This is a good opportunity to see wild Kangaroo's.
Day 14: Margaret River - Drive from the campground near Harvey to Prevelly on the coast near Margaret River. Make reservations for two nights at the Prevelly Park Beach Resort. Take a swim in the ocean and watch the sun set over the horizon.
Day 15: Margaret River - Take a morning swim in the ocean. Drive into Margaret River for breakfast. Get on the internet and make reservations for day 16 at the Perth Vineyards Holiday Park - Swan Valley (close to airport). Drive south to the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse. Drive back toward Margaret River and stop at one of the caves and Hamelin Bay for a swim. Drive back to the campground in Prevelly. Take a swim in the ocean and watch the sun set.
Day 16: Back to Perth - Drive back to Margaret River for breakfast. Drive to the Mammoth Cave for a tour. Drive back to Perth. Hug the coast as much as possible. Drive to the Perth Vineyards Holiday Park campground in the Swan Valley. Stay the night in the tent. Contact your couchsurfing host in Adelaide and tell him that you will be there soon.
Day 17: Adelaide - Drive from the campground in Perth to the airport and return the rental car. Make reservations for day 20 and 21 to camp at the Canberra Motor Village campground. Fly to Adelaide. Rent a car from the airport for two days. Explore Adelaide a bit by driving around. Drive to the Adelaide Shores Caravan Park and spend the night in the tent.
Day 18: Kangaroo Island - Get up early and meet the connection for the Greyline tour of Kangaroo Island. Spend a long day on the tour and then return to the campground for the night.
Day 19: Couch Surf Adelaide - Return the rental car to the airport. Take the bus to downtown Adelaide and contact your couch surfing host and spend the night couch surfing with them.
Day 20: Canberra - Take the bus to the airport. Make reservations to camp days 22, 23, and 24 on Cockatoo Island in Sydney (Sydney Harbour Federation Trust). Fly to Canberra. Take the bus to the Canberra Motor Village campground. Spend the night in the tent.
Day 21: Canberra - Take the bus back into Canberra. Take the Explorer Bus tour. See the Australian War Memorial, Capital Hill, and the Australian Museum. Get a ride to the top of Back Mountain for the view, if possible. Take the bus back to the campground and spend the night. Make reservations for days 25, 26, and 27 in Sydney at the Medina Grand Harbourside at Darling Harbour. Use the website Wotif.com to get the best rates.
Day 22: Sydney and Cockatoo Island - Take the Greyhound bus from Canberra to Central Station in Sydney. Take the Sydney and Bondi City Sight Seeing tour. Take the ferry to Cockatoo Island and spend the night in the tent.
Day 23: Sydney and Manly Beach - Take a boat up and down the Parramatta River. Take the ferry to Manly Beach. Return to Cockatoo Island to spend the night in the tent.
Day 24: Sydney by Bicycle - Spend the day exploring Sydney by bicycle. Return to Cockatoo Island to spend the night in the tent.
Day 25: Sydney Harbor Bridge and Hotel - Check into the hotel. Do the BridgeClimb Sydney of the Harbour Bridge. Don’t buy the photographs because the climb is expensive enough. Go back to the hotel. Check out Darling Harbour in the evening for the nightlife.
Day 26: Bondi Beach - Take the train to Bondi Beach. Spend the day there.
Day 27: Fish Market and Kings Cross – Take the monorail to the Fish Market. Afterward, visit Paddy’s Market (not open every day), the Powerhouse Museum, and the National Maritime Museum. Explore Kings Cross in the evening.
Day 28: Sydney to LA - Fly from Sydney to LA on V Australia.
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