If anyone has read my series on birding in West Australia and Tasmania and wishing they could afford to come here but scared off by the high Aussie dollar, wait no more!  The USD is especially strong right now but you never know when things could change.  With the AA/US merger happening and the generous redemption rates currently in effect, this may be your year to visit Australia.  If you haven’t bought that $5 Lonely Planet book, you still have 4 hours from now!

I also have a series about birding in Queensland coming up after I finish the Africa series.

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Bad news for us Aussies but good news for Americans!  Thankfully since we are only going to Southeast Asia & Cook Islands this year we won’t be too badly burned.  I’m really glad we did the bulk of our travel last year!