Oz in just 10 days

My spouse and I will be in Sydney in mid-December on a round-the-world trip. What do you recommend as must-do, though manageable, places to see? They must include the Great Barrier Reef!
Jitendra Trivedi, Mount Vernon, USA

We got a lot of stick for saying two weeks isn't enough for New Zealand, but 10 days is not enough for Australia! However, in that time you can take a whistle-stop tour of some of the country's highlights.

To make a dent in Big Oz, get an air pass or some internal flights included in the deal when booking your flight - www.qantas.com has details of its Boomerang Pass - and check out budget airlines. Fares on Virgin Blue are competitive and its network covers much of the country.

You'll probably need a couple of days to acclimatise in Sydney. A morning checking out Circular Quay, the Opera House and the Botanic Gardens can be followed by a ferry to Manly, which has a great surf beach and a laid-back atmosphere.

Spend the rest of your time in Sydney exploring, shopping, sampling the nightlife in Darling Harbour and Oxford Street and heading over to Bondi or Sydney Harbour National Park which has fine walks with rewarding views.

From Sydney, fly to Cairns in Queensland- don't be tempted to go overland, it's almost 1,700 miles. Cairns isn't quite a tropical paradise, but it is perfectly positioned for the attractions close by. You can see a rainforest in the Daintree National Park and head out to the Great Barrier Reef. Dozens of firms offer everything from submersible day trips to multi-day diving trips, so shop around.

The disadvantage is that it's hot, humid and wet at this time of year, so visibility may not be at its best on the reef. You'll still get a good feel for the appeal of the area.

After three to four days in Cairns, go on to Uluru (Ayer's Rock) to experience the Red Centre of Australia. The region has other remarkable sights - the giant boulders of Kata Tjuta and remote pools and gorges at Kings Canyon. All this will give you a feel for the size and isolation of the desert. It's worth going for the night skies alone.

You can whiz back to Sydney from here. The only snag is that you won't have seen all of what Australia has to offer - so you must resolve to return. December is peak travel season, so book ahead. Try www.australia.com for more details.

Killer whale hunt

I've promised to take my daughter to see orcas (killer whales) in the wild. Where is best to see them?
Julian Rabjohn, Trefeitha

One of the best places in the world is the Pacific coast of the US and Canada, from Alaska to Washington state, where 19 pods of orcas live.

Hundreds of firms organise whale-watching trips. Two popular spots are Johnstone Strait, which separates mainland British Columbia from Vancouver Island, and Puget Sound, north of Seattle.

The best time to see these magnificent creatures is between May and September when the pods travel south to feed. Spotting an orca is not guaranteed but you will have a chance to see bald eagles, harbour seals, porpoises, sea lions and otters. Among the many firms that organise boat trips are Salish Sea Charters and Western Prince Cruises based on San Juan Island. A three-hour trip costs about £30 per person.

You get even closer to the wildlife in a sea kayak. British Columbia Kayak Camping does a four-day Kayak with the Orcas trip for around £350 per person.

Unfortunately orca numbers seem to be dwindling and no one quite knows why. Falling salmon numbers, more toxic chemicals in the sea and the growing number of whale-watching cruises are all blamed. Read about conservation efforts at www.orcaconservancy.org .

Spanish fly

I want to visit friends in Santander, Spain, in August, and then fly directly on to Tuscany, but I am having difficulty with this flight. What options are there? There will be two adults and three children.
Abigail Crampton, Cambridge

We could find no direct flight from Santander to anywhere in Tuscany. Iberia (0845 601 2854) flies from Santander to Madrid, from where you can catch a flight to Pisa, though the fare for you all is around £840 return. Availability in August is tricky: you may need to be flexible about dates.

If you're prepared for a little travelling at either end of the journey, take a budget flight. Volareweb.com - yes, it is an airline - flies from Bilbao to Milan, and fares start at £24. Flexibility and booking early get you the best deal. There are no discounts for children aged more than two years.

Bilbao is around 90 minutes by road from Santander, and from Milan there are fine rail links to Tuscan destinations.

Ferries are little use. The only boat going anywhere near is the Grandi Navi Veloci service from Barcelona to Genoa. It takes 18 hours, and by then you could be well on the way there by car. Details of more budget airlines can be found at www.flybudget.com.

Two faces of Tokyo

We have chosen Tokyo for a two-night stopover on the way to Perth, Australia, in January. How can we make the most of our time?
Steve, Nottingham

In two days you can take in a little of the old Japan and experience today's noisy, bright, vibrant Tokyo.

First stop should be the Imperial Palace. You can't normally go in, but the parks and gardens surrounding it are a good place to catch your breath. The Ueno and Asakusa areas are great for temples, museums and galleries for more of traditional Tokyo.

For modern Tokyo head by day to Shinjuku and Shibuya (the former is great at night too, for Blade Runner-style neon hustle and bustle). You'll find fashionable shops, amusement arcades and an abundance of youth in these areas.

You'll probably be too jetlagged to sleep, so at night the area to be is Roppongi, for bars and clubs.

You can stay anywhere, from capsule hotels to traditional Ryokan to five-star places. The Japanese National Tourist Office's Tokyo website lists accommodation. You can search and, normally, book online. Shinjuku and Kanda are good areas for mid-range accommodation. There's much more on Tokyo at www.seejapan.co.uk.

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