Frommer’s Australia 2009 (Frommer’s Complete) (Paperback)
June 1, 2009 by Aussie
Filed under Outback Guide Reviews
America’s #1 bestselling travel series Written by more than 175 outspoken travelers around the globe, Frommer’s Complete Guides help travelers experience places the way locals do. More annually updated guides than any other series 16-page color section and foldout map in all annual guides Outspoken opinions, exact prices, and suggested itineraries Dozens of detailed maps in an easy-to-read, two-color design Completely updated every year (unlike (more…)
Frommer’s guides have been around for decades, and I grew up with their $-a-day books when traveling with my family in my teens. I can remember sitting around hotel rooms, with various family members reading entries out loud, because they were so well written. Of course, back then, Arthur Frommer was still writing the books. But while not all the writers today possess Frommer’s style, they still possess his level of reliability and his passion for travel.
When I left the corporate world and headed for Australia to start my career over, it was the Frommer’s guide that went with me. Of course, it has only been since “Crocodile Dundee”that book stores have started stocking more than one title on Australia, so I would have had to go to a specialty shop or ordered from a travel company to find something other than Frommer’s for Australia, that first time. But Frommer’s was all I neeeded, and “Australia on 40 dollars a day” saw me safely through six months and 20,000 miles of traveling.
It may seem an odd thing to like about a guide book, but one of the things I value about the Frommer’s guide is that there aren’t a lot of glossy photos. That means that I don’t feel badly taking a razor blade to the spine of the book. (If you cut up the book, you don’t have to carry the whole book with you all the time, while you’re traveling. You just stick what you need for the day in your camera bag, purse, or pocket.)
For some destinations, Frommer’s is still the only option. But when there are a few guides, I now pick up others, as well, depending on where I’m going and how long I get to stay there — just to get more opinions and insights. But Frommer’s offers advice I know I can trust — which is why I just bought the 2009 Australia guide.
than previous reviewers. I find Frommers Australia rather sketchy, missing important resources in places I know. Not trustworthy at all for the Darwin area, and lacks depth for Sydney. Lonely Planet is a better choice IF it is up to date. Unfortunately I will have to add to the Frommers another book or two to feel I have good coverage of lodgings and other resources. I would pass on this one.
Great info for Australia. We are cruising so only needed sections on Melborne and Syndney.