Your questions answered
Taking the scenic route aroun the world to Australia
Q My daughter recently married an Australian from Brisbane, and I have a nephew in Sydney. We hope to travel to Brisbane (maybe via Sydney) on March 15th. I live in Cork and could travel to Paris, where my daughter works, and we could meet up and travel onwards together. I would like two stopovers or one longer one to offset the travel fatigue and also to do some shopping. Should we travel eastwards or westwards? Where are the most interesting stops? Cost, of course, is to be considered. I look on this as an opportunity to cherish the world. I am arty, so what would you suggest?
MM, Cork
As your daughter lives in one of the capitals of the art world, why not start your trip in Paris and explore all the city has to offer? When it comes to shopping, Singapore has a great name for variety and bargains and would make a very nice stopover. You can fly with Singapore Airlines from Paris to Sydney via Singapore. A through ticket from Cork to Sydney will cost about €1,500 return for travel in March. I suggest you book it through a travel agent, who can arrange the stopovers for you and get you the best deal for your onward flight to Brisbane. Trailfinders, an Australia expert, has an office in Cork, at 40-41 Marlboro Street (021-4648800, www.trailfinders.com).
Q I am thinking of bringing my two daughters, aged five and six, to a West End show, in London - possibly 'My Fair Lady'or 'The Sound of Music'. Can you please advise as to where I can get tickets and the likely cost, the best times to go, possible accommodation options, good sights to see during a 24-hour period in London and any other useful tips?
EC, Dublin
You can buy tickets for shows through Keith Prowse (00-44- 845-1254880, www.keith prowse.co.uk) or Ticketmaster (00-44-161-3853211, www.ticketmaster.co.uk). Keith Prowse can also book hotels and flights.
My Fair Ladyis on tour at present, but The Sound of Musicis on at the Palladium (Argyll Street, 00-44-20- 74945020, www.soundofmusiclondon.com). Tickets cost from £20 to £62.50 (€38-€79). Hotels in the West End that you could consider are the Park Plaza Sherlock Holmes (108 Baker Street, 00-44-20- 74866161, www.parkplazasherlockholmes.com), with rates from £129 (€164), the Cumberland (Great Cumberland Place, Marble Arch, 00-44-871-3769014, www.guomanhotels.com), with rates from £110 (€140) and Kingsway Hall (66 Great Queen Street, 00-44-20-73090909, www.kingswayhall.co.uk) with rates from £149 (€189).
The other popular musical in London at the moment for youngsters is Wicked, the story of the witches of Oz. See www.wickedthemusical.co.uk. It is at the Apollo Victoria Theatre (17 Wilton Road, www.apollovictoria.co.uk), with tickets from £30 to £65 (€38-€82).
If you fly to London Gatwick, the express train stops at Victoria Station. You'll find a selection of hotels in the area, such as the Park Plaza (239 Vauxhall Bridge Road, 00-44-20-70344820, www.parkplaza.com/londonuk_victoria), with rates from £129 (€164), or the Comfort Inn (18-24 Belgrave Road, Victoria, 00-44-20-72336636, www.comfortinnvictoria.co.uk) with rates from £79 (€100).
A Saturday might be a good time to go, as you have a choice of matinee or evening shows.
As for places to see, the London Eye is a great experience. Book in advance at www.londoneye.com or on 00-44-870-5000600.
An open-top bus tour will take in most of the major sites, and you can buy transport cards for getting about on the underground and buses in any underground station.
Q I am planning a four- or five-day break in Istanbul next Easter. Are there any direct flights from Dublin? If not, what would be the best way to get there? Is this a good time to visit from a weather point of view, and can you recommend a good four-star hotel that is reasonably central?
JOB, Dublin
There are direct flights five days a week from Dublin with Turkish Airlines (www.thy.com). Prices start at €309 return, including taxes. The average temperature in April is 16 degrees.
Abbey Travel (www.abbeytravel.ie, 01-8047100) has some good packages to Istanbul that should work out cheaper than booking flights and a hotel separately. It also has a good selection of centrally located four-star hotels.
Q We are a family of five, with three children, ages seven, four and 18 months. We did not have a summer holiday and hope to head away for a week during the October school holidays. We don't want to go anywhere too hot, so ideally somewhere in the low 20s. Our preference is a villa in a resort were there will be pools and activities. Can you suggest a location, websites to help us, or both?
DH, Kildare
We will be featuring mid-term breaks next week in GO, so come back for lots of suggestions and deals from tour operators.
Send your questions, with your name and address, to jscales@irish-times.ie