I have been planning on trying the "Oz Exp" in June this year.

It sounded terrific, jumping on the bus in the city and hopping off in the bundus somewhere getting to see the way out places and meeting all the colourful characters.

Now, after reading the negative posts I'm not too sure.

Does anybody have any good experiences from the "Oz Experience"?

Hope so.

David Savage wrote a mini-travelogue about his experience on Oz Experience that might add additional insight for you.

Oz Experience

Thanks Sean

I read Daves travelogue last year, (part of the reason I was so enthusiastic about trying it out)but there are some conflicting stories about it.
So now I'm not sure. Maybe I should just go ahead and then submit my own opinion.

Good idea...just go for it and see what you think for yourself! At the end of the day, if you choose to have a good time, you will.

Peace,
Sean

just go ahead, you'll have a laugh - the atmosphere generated by your fellow passengers seems to be the deciding factor on how good your trip is, but if you simply don't like them find another Oz Exp bus and start over

and if you find you really can't stand it, sell your ticket to someone else and hop in a backpacker car.

Two of us are looking at leaving for a RTW trip next October and our starting point is Australia. We were also looking at Oz Experience. A friend who lived in Australia for 2 years went on some short trips into the Outback and liked it. What have you or others heard about them? I'm interested in the good and the bad.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Michelle101:
I have been planning on trying the "Oz Exp" in June this year.

It sounded terrific, jumping on the bus in the city and hopping off in the bundus somewhere getting to see the way out places and meeting all the colourful characters.

Now, after reading the negative posts I'm not too sure.

Does anybody have any good experiences from the "Oz Experience"?

Hope so.

---

Oz Experience has been getting a pretty bad press recently, but I have travelled with them twice and never had a bad experience. The key thing to remember about taking a trip with Oz Exp is that you don't have to stick with the people you first meet on the bus. If you find yourself stuck with a load of people you'd rather not spend your days and nights with, hop off the bus, hang out somewhere cool and then get another bus later on.

Oz Experience does have a reputation for being the party package. This is true on the trips up the East Coast (I spent a year working on a sheep station that hosts the Oz Exp buses on the East Coast route). If you want to get drunk and party hard, then this is the trip for you. If you want a quieter trip, with smaller buses and less partying, head on one of the trips along the Great Ocean Road (it's a great trip) or up the centre.

Your experience and enjoyment of Oz Exp will depend entirely on the group you are with and the driver you get - they are all very different. Find a combination that suits you and you'll have the time of your life, meet some great people and go to some truly amazing places.

another cambridger!! there's a few of us bootsies in cambridge! small world. we had arranged to meet but it fell through, but hopefully we will meet up soon for a pint. fancy joining us?
sima :0)

I went to uni there, great place - I miss the cocktails in the Maypole!

i LOVE the maypole!! i was barmaid at the son's wedding! my friend lives 2 seconds from there and we used to go there all the time!! the 'nutty professor' was my fave cocktail!! :0)

To-traveller

Lisa?? (one of the posts) complained of overbookings of buses, too much drinking, lousy guide/drivers. But as Soph and Nundle say, it depends on the people you share the bus with.

I've decided I am going to try it out when I go over in June (I'm booking my tkt this week).

I decided to explore the Outback in winter coz Botswana and Australia I believe have a similar climate and I know I can't handle that scorching dry heat.

Despite me getting my tkt this week, I am petrified of going. I WISH THESE DAMN FEELINGS WOULD DISAPPEAR.

After I've conquered my fear and Australia, I plan on going to the US and Canada in November.
To-traveller - where are you in Canada?
And whats to do there??

Myself and a friend are going to be using Oz Experience this April and May. I haven't used them before so I too was a bit nervous seeing all those negative posts. I like the idea that you can just hop on a new bus if you don't like your group and I definitely think attitude has a lot to do with the sucess of a trip!

I'll update this after I've been on the trip for a bit. Good luck on your trip Michelle, I'm sure you'll have a great time!!

I suppose I'm far too ancient to join an Oz Experience bus????

I'm from Toronto (Ontario).

There is a ton to do in Canada ---but it's a huge country so you'll have to decide specifically where you want to go if you come here or allot a significant amount of time for travelling.

BC/Alberta - the mountains are absolutely breathtaking/great skiing and snowboarding/big outdoor culture - lots to do like kayaking, hiking, etc.

Saskatchewan/Manitoba - don't know...I've never been there

Ontario - Algonquin Park (great for canoe trips and camping), Niagara Region (wine country), Toronto (tons to do! lots of sightseeing, theatre, dining, big, but friendly city), Ottawa (national capital)

Quebec - feels very European, lots of culture, good outdoors activities, great eating and nightlife!!

Atlantic Canada - beautiful scenery, great seafood, friendliest people in the country, big local music culture

Hope that helps. Let us know how your outback adventure goes!!

quote:

---

Originally posted by TUXEDO1:
I suppose I'm far too ancient to join an Oz Experience bus????

---

You can never be too old to go on Oz Experience. When I was working for them, we had a lot of people in their sixties, a couple in their seventies and one in their eighties. They were having the times of their lives! The youngest, by the way, was 6 months old.