What do we think about this Australia Itinerary?

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Fly out to Ayers Rock and do the Uluru stuff plus Kings Canton over three days

Go to Alice Springs for 2 days for a slow day and then West MacDonnell Ranges

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1 day at Ayers and Alice is enough. Alice Springs is a fairy depressing Aboriginal town that has little to offer. Ayers rock is pretty cool but an overpriced tourist trap. I've spent several days at each. The outback around both is fairly cool, though. Trim some time and go see either Darwin or Cairns or both. The outback south of Darwin is just as interesting and fun. And the tropical nature of Cairns is pretty cool too. The Atherton Tablelands just NW of Cairns is my favorite part of Australia. And the barrier reef from Cairns is interesting too. Take your Blue Mountain time and replace it with Atherton. Less time in Sydney (cool city but it is a city).

JMO.

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wo8ld you skip the outback altogether for cairns?

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No, unless the time is really limited. There is a very real feel of emptiness to the Outback that should be experienced by driving it. It deserves a couple of days. Try to spend a night in a road house. In the Outback it can be a ways between towns and the towns are very small. But usually you can find a road house every couple of hours for a mediocre room and a burger and beer for dinner. Usually run by characters with several more at the bar. Often the help is foreign that is allowed in on a work visa because young Australians want to get as far from the outback as possible. There are some beautiful spots as well, usually a canyon with water in the stream, or a view from a hilltop.