1. RANCHO MIRAGE HIGH SCHOOL Choir
2016/2017
AUSTRALIA
PERFORMANCE
TOUR
December 28, 2016 –
January 8, 2017
Sydney – Canberra
Andrew Eisenmann, Director

2. MAP OF AUSTRALIA

3. DAY ONE – LOS ANGELES DEPARTURE
Wednesday, December 28, 2016
Arrive at Los Angeles International Airport – meet World Projects representative
Check in with your airline and pass through security
10.30pm - Depart Los Angeles for Sydney, Australia on Qantas flight QF#12
Overnight in the air
DAY TWO – EN ROUTE
Thursday, December 29, 2016
Cross the International Date Line

4. View across Sydney’s city center
DAY THREE – SYDNEY
Friday, December 30, 2016 (D)
8.30am – Arrive at Sydney Airport - proceed through immigration
Meet local Australian Tour Manager (Tony Vaccaro) / load coach
Depart on Sydney Orientation Tour
Lunch on own at Bondi Beach
Enjoy a visit to Sydney Tower
Check in to the Vibe Hotel Sydney CBD
6.00pm – Welcome Dinner as a group at Adria Restaurant
View across Sydney’s city center

5. TOUR MANAGER – Tony Vaccaro

6. TOUR HIGHLIGHTS – Bondi Beach

7. TOUR HIGHLIGHTS – Sydney Harbour Bridge

8. TOUR HIGHLIGHTS – Sydney Tower

9. VIBE HOTEL SYDNEY CBD

10. DAY FOUR – SYDNEY Saturday, December 31, 2016 (B,D)
WORKSHOP & PERFORMANCE
Breakfast as a group
Depart for St Stephen’s Uniting Church
WORKSHOP with Elizabeth Scott
Lunch on own in Sydney
Transfer to Mark Moran Vaucluse Retirement Village
PERFORMANCE at Mark Moran Vaucluse Retirement Village
Dinner with a A$20 cash handout
Enjoy the New Year’s Eve fireworks at Barangaroo Reserve
Return to the hotel
Elizabeth Scott

11. New Year’s Eve in Sydney

12. New Year’s Eve in Sydney

13. DAY FIVE – SYDNEY Sunday, January 1, 2017 (B,D) PERFORMANCE
Breakfast as a group
Depart via ferry for the beach suburb of Manly
Free day in Manly
Surfing & Snorkeling
Manly Corso
Shelly Beach
Lunch on own
Possible impromptu performance at Manly Corso
Return to the city / on to Darling Harbour
Dinner with a AUD$20 cash handout
Darling Harbour

14. MANLY HIGHLIGHTS
Manly Beach
Manly Corso

15. MANLY HIGHLIGHTS
Manly Wharf
Shelly Beach
Manly Ferry

16. DAY SIX – SYDNEY Monday, January 2, 2017 (B) CLINIC
Breakfast as a group
Transfer to the Sydney Opera House
CLINIC with Matthew Barclay and Johanna Puglisi (Opera Australia) at the Sydney Opera House
Afterwards, informal tour of the backstage area
Depart for Taronga Zoo
Lunch on own at the zoo
Late Afternoon – Return to the hotel
Dinner on own in Sydney

17. TARONGA ZOO

18. Museum of Contemporary Art
DAY SEVEN – SYDNEY
Tuesday, January 3, 2017 (B)
PERFORMANCE
Breakfast as a group
Transfer to St Patrick’s Church Hill
PERFORMANCE at St Patrick’s Church Hill
Lunch on your own in Sydney
Enjoy a Sydney Harbour Cruise
Return to Circular Quay / visit the Museum of Contemporary Arts
Impromptu performance at Circular Quay
Dinner on own around Circular Quay
Return to the hotel
Museum of Contemporary Art

19. ST PATRICK’S CHURCH HILL

20. SYDNEY HARBOUR CRUISE

21. Queen Victoria Building
DAY EIGHT – SYDNEY
Wednesday, January 4, 2017 (B)
PERFORMANCES
Breakfast as a group
Impromptu performance at the Queen Victoria Building
Lunch on your own in Sydney
Transfer to St. James King Street
PERFORMANCE at St. James King Street
Enjoy time at Paddy’s Market
Dinner on own nearby
Transfer to the Sydney Opera House
Attend ‘La Boheme’ presented by Opera Australia at the Sydney Opera House
Return to the hotel
Queen Victoria Building

22. ST. JAMES KING STREET

23. LA BOHEME (Opera Australia)

24. DAY NINE – SYDNEY Thursday, January 5, 2017 (B,L,D)
Breakfast as a group
Depart for a visit to Tobruk Sheep Station
Sheep Muster & working dog demonstration
Sheep shearing
Whip cracking & boomerang throwing
Aussie BBQ lunch as a group
Return to Sydney
Dinner as a group at City Extra Circular Quay
Return to the hotel
Tobruk Sheep Station
with cattle dogs

25. TOBRUK SHEEP STATION
Boomerang throwing
Sheep shearing
Duck herding

26. DAY TEN – SYDNEY → CANBERRA
Friday, January 6, 2017 (B,D)
PERFORMANCES
Breakfast as a group
Check out / depart for Canberra
Arrive in to Canberra – lunch on own
PERFORMANCE at Parliament House
Check in to the Vibe Hotel Canberra
Transfer to Wesley Uniting Church
Rehearsal at the church
Dinner at the church with local choir members
PERFORMANCE in conjunction with members of the Woden Valley Children’s Choir
Return to the hotel
View of Parliament House

27. NATIONAL PARLIAMENT HOUSE

28. VIBE HOTEL CANBERRA

29. Wesley Uniting Church

30. Canberra City Walk Markets
DAY ELEVEN – CANBERRA
Saturday, January 7, 2017 (B,D)
PERFORMANCE
Breakfast as a group
Transfer to the National Museum of Australia
PERFORMANCE at the National Museum of Australia
Lunch on own / shopping time at the City Walk Markets
Visit Telstra Tower for views across Canberra
Enjoy a Farewell Dinner as a group at a local restaurant
Return to the hotel
Canberra City Walk Markets

31. NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AUSTRALIA

32. DAY TWELVE – CANBERRA → SYDNEY → LOS ANGELES
Sunday, January 8, 2017 (B)
Collect Box Breakfast
Check out of hotel / transfer to Sydney Airport
Check in luggage / pass through security
11.30am - Depart Sydney for Los Angeles on Qantas flight QF#11
6.25am – Arrive into Los Angeles and move through immigration and customs
WELCOME HOME!

33. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

34. WHAT TO PACK? HOW MANY SUITCASES?
Try and pack as light as possible – there are no bellboys traveling with the group!
It is strongly recommended each traveler only bring one suitcase
Each person can carry on to the aircraft one bag (backpack, etc.) plus one personal item (purse, overcoat, laptop, etc.)
Refer to the Pre-Departure FAQ handout for suggested packing list

35. CARRY ON RESTRICTIONS?
If you are carrying on medication, ensure it is clearly labeled
Follow the TSA ‘3-1-1’ guideline:

36. WHAT TO EXPECT ONBOARD THE FLIGHTS?
Each seat will have a personal entertainment screen with a variety of movies, television shows and music on demand
Complimentary meals will be provided shortly after takeoff and shortly before landing

37. SAFETY WHILE ON TOUR…
Being vigilant and using common sense will ensure a safe and pleasant trip
Limit the amount of money you carry with you – keep some secure in your luggage in the hotel room
Have a copy of your credit card secure in your luggage
Never leave your luggage unattended at any time
Look both ways when crossing the street
Never deviate from the group / never wander off by yourself

38. PASSPORTS / VISAS
Each person has been issued an ETA (Electronic Visa Authority) which grants you permission to enter Australia
The ETA is entirely electronic / no paper confirmation is required
Ensure that your passport is kept safe and secure throughout the entire trip
Travel with a copy of your passport / this can expedite replacement should a passport be lost or stolen

39. WHAT WILL BE THE TIME DIFFERENCE?
Sydney and Canberra will be 19 hours ahead of Palm Springs
FOR EXAMPLE – if it’s 12.00pm on Wednesday in Sydney it will be 5.00pm on Tuesday in Palm Springs

40. WHAT WILL THE WEATHER BE LIKE?
December and January is the heart of summer and temperatures tend to be warm to hot
Humidity and thunderstorms are also common during the summer
Average high in Sydney around 80 Fahrenheit / lows in the 60s
The sun’s rays are particularly strong over Australia and therefore sun protection should be worn at all times including sunscreen, a hat, etc.

41. CURRENCY / SPENDING MONEY
The Australian Dollar is the official currency
All breakfasts are included.
Eight (8) lunches are not included.
Budget AUD$ per meal
(depending on type of meal)
Three (3) dinners are not included.
Budget AUD$ per meal
TOTAL – approx. AUD$ (US$90-140)
Souvenirs – at the discretion of each traveler!

42. DO I NEED TO TIP? There is not a strong tipping culture in Australia.
When dining at a restaurant, if you feel the service was excellent, leaving a few extra dollars would be much appreciated by the server.
In taxis, rounding up to the nearest dollar is also fairly standard.

43. WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO CARRY MONEY?
Recommended to arrive in to Australia with at least a small amount of local currency – it may not be known how soon you will have access to an ATM
ATMs are common all throughout Sydney and Canberra
Banks are usually open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. with shorter hours on Saturday. Most banks are closed on Sundays.
VISA and MasterCard's are accepted almost everywhere, while American Express and Diners Club are also accepted, but not as widely.

44. IS IT SAFE TO DRINK TAP WATER?
Drinking water in Sydney and Canberra is very safe when taken from the tap or faucet.
Many travelers do opt to only drink bottled or purified water as a personal preference.
Bottled water is widely available for purchase at local supermarkets or stores.

45. WILL MY CELL PHONE WORK IN AUSTRALIA?
It is always recommended that you check with your cell phone provider prior to departing overseas. Your provider will be able to advise you for sure that your particular phone will work in Australia and may even be able to provide you with discounted international roaming plans/rates.
Purchasing an international calling card either prior to departure, or on arrival, can be an inexpensive way of calling home from public telephones.
If you are traveling with a laptop or tablet, Skype can also be a free method of communicating with other Skype users at home.

46. HOW CAN I ACCESS THE INTERNET?
The hotels that the group will be staying in offers complimentary wifi in the rooms
In addition, internet cafes and wireless hotspots can be found throughout Sydney

47. WILL I NEED A PLUG ADAPTER?
In Australia, the electricity supply is 230 volts AC 50 HZ and plugs designed for use in the USA will require an adapter. Australia has what are known as ‘Type I’ plugs
Most small appliances such as cell phone charges, iPod chargers etc. will only require a plug adaptor however some electrical appliances may require a transformer