Nationwide Building Society cards are free of all charges which is great when you are already spending a fortune on a holiday. When we did our round the world trip we just took the equivalent of £100 in each country's currency so that we had money for the taxi and any first day spending. We had no problems finding atms anywhere and the cards were similarly accepted everywhere. Personally I wouldnt take travellers cheques; spoke to a lady from the States whilst out at the Barrier Reef and she had had some problems changing her travellers cheques. (must admit, that surprised me, but also made me glad we hadn't taken any).

Babs135

Hi,

So I would need to open an account I assume to get one of these cards? I am not going till the 29th October but will be away for 7 weeks.

Where did you go on your RTW trip?

My trips includes New York, Brisbane, Carins and a cruise, Brisbane again!, Sydney, Ayers Rock then Singapore before heading home for the 17th December. Got all my hotels booked apart from Ayers Rock and got a few day trips booked will book the rest of them during the next few months. Any tips would be great!!!!!

Gill x

If I remember correctly we opened an account a couple of months before we went; giving us time to obviously put some money into the flexaccount (debit/switch account) and get the cards. Hubby would remember the time scale but he's fast asleep in front of the tv at the moment! We did Hong Kong, Melbourne, Sydney, then drove (we went with another couple) up the east coast to Cairns on a pre-organised trip (hotels were booked before we left the UK). Stayed in Cairns, before going onto Ayers Rock and Alice Springs before leaving our friends who had to get back for work and flew home via Singapore. We returned for another couple of days to Sydney before flying to Hawaii and then San Francisco before flying home.

You must do the Blue Mountains out of Sydney. The scenery is wonderful. Also do a tour of the Opera House. We didn't do the Bridge climb as I dont like heights but did walk across it at pedestrian level and pretended we were climbing it.

Drove into Brisbane which must have the worst one-way street system that I've encountered. We took the wrong turning as we approached the hotel and just couldn't work out how to get to it, going round and round the system getting extremely irritated and very dizzy! Eventually our friend jumped out of the car, got into a taxi and told him to 'lead us to our hotel'. We guess the taxi-driver is still dining out on that story!!! We did an evening dinner cruise in Brisbane which was enjoyable but I was a little disappointed that no landmarks where pointed out to us so we didn't really know where we were - food wasn't bad though!

Anything else you want to know I'll try to help. Wish I was coming with you.

Babs135

Hi,

Can you remember which Blue Mountain trip you did...ive seen one on viator.com that includes a cruise back to Sydney it is a little more expensive but not sure if it would be worth it.

I have a camel sunset tours, a sunrise tour and sound of silence dinner booked at Ayers Rock. Not yet booked hotel as want to book the Sails in the Desert but been told to wait till the end of May as I should get a good price then!!!

Want to do the Sky walk in sydney plus the Hunter Valley Wineries Tour and a dinner cruise in Sydney plus the blue mountians.

Cairns I want to book Kuranda Rail, Skyrail and Tjapukai Tour and Daintree -Cape Tribulation Day Tour I have booked the flames of the forest dinner!!!

New York i will also pre book a few tours and also Singapore. Some trips i can pre book when I am there, but the main ones i would prefer to pre book, so at least I know I have got them.

I have applied on line to the nationwide so hopefully will find out in a few days.

Brisbane I wont be doing any tours as staying with my cousin i was in Brisbane for 4 weeks about 7 years ago so seen all there is to see!!!! It will be just us catching up when I am there!!!

Gill x

I can only second Bab's suggestion to get a Nationwide Flexaccount card. Not only do the not charge any fees for withdrawing money, you will also get the interbank exchange rate which is the best there is.

luci

Hi, tried to log onto the viator website this morning but it wouldn't let me on. Can't remember who we went with to the Blue Mountains, but we visited a wildlife zoo/reserve first (actually stroked both a koala and a kangaroo!). We came back through the Olympic Village and took a catamaran ride back to central Sydney. We booked the trip the day before. We stayed in Darling Harbour and there are ticket booths there. You could, I suppose, book through your hotel. Most of them have comprehensive lists of tours, etc. in the lobby. Whilst most of our trip was self-organised, the stay in Cairns was not. We had booked an 'Essential Cairns 3-Night Stay' through our TA (I think it was in the Travel2 or Travelbag brochure) and this included one day at the Great Barrier Reef and one day Kurunda Rail, etc. trip. The latter trip was excellent and definitely worth doing.

Babs135

Hi yes thats the one with the boat ride back. viator.com have one but its nearly double the cost as it includes champagne, breakfast etc. I would prefer those full day trip to book up in advance as would hate to get there and find I cant go on a ceratin day!

Gill x

Our trip didn't include any champagne, etc. Sounds very decadent!

Babs135