Wanting some travel advise from the locals. MTBA Nationals #2 is in Illinbah, which is around 70km by roads from the Gold Coast. Eagle to Adelaide airport was only 22 and that cost us $35 for a taxi, so I'm a bit worried what the Qld weekend is going to cost, being that it's already over $500 in flights and >$300 in accommodation. Even any accommodation is quite a fair way away from the venue.

After some advise though in what might be the best way to get to and from the airport mostly. Would it be easiest to catch a taxi the whole way, or are there regional busses from somewhere local (Illinbah, Ferny Glen, Canungra perhaps), or even from Nerang to the airport?

Would it be easiest to catch a taxi the whole way

its always the easiest to catch a taxi the whole way. it sounds like you're asking what's the cheapest though.

Coolangatta airport?

you'd be flat out getting a taxi to go to Illanbah from the GC

hire a car for $35 a day or stay closer...Beechmont or Canungra
plenty of B&B there try searching for these.

but if you're already committed to your accom then go the car hire option imo

Nope, haven't booked accom yet... but also not eligible to hire a car. Not really after the 'cheapest' way, but just looking to see if it's worthwhile saving a bit on $100 each way from the airport. And yeah, Trog, Coolangatta. Unless there's a better option.

It's only 12-14km from Canungra to Illinbah so I *could* ride there Fri/Sat.

Just looking into a few places in Canungra atm.

I had a quick look on http://www.transport.qld.gov.au/ which is the Qld govt's public transport site and couldn't see anything easy. I think renting a car would be cheapest but if that's not an option you might be stuck on cab.

Can you get your parents to rent a cab for you or something?
Surely there is a place that rents to under 21s? (At exorbitant prices?)

Actually the problem isn't that I'm under 21, the problem is I don't have a drivers license :D

sounds like you're up s*** creek without a paddle, or a taxi

pitch a tent somewhere close by?

woah, serious raven?
like disqualified or never had one?

Never had one.

im unemployed and have a car...

dude I work and I don't have a license. Who gives a s*** if you drive or not at least people who don't drive can do whatever the f*** they want without worrying about driving home!!

whatever the f*** they want without worrying about driving home!!

Except you know.. Getting to the place in the first instance as seems to be the problem in this particular thread

dude I work and I don't have a license.

wtf? i hope that wasnt aimed at me?! what im saying is i might be able to help the dude out get to his race. im sitting around on my ass all day - and i have means to get him there.

suspicion confirmed

raven is a homo

wtf? i hope that wasnt aimed at me?! what im saying is i might be able to help the dude out get to his race. im sitting around on my ass all day - and i have means to get him there.

Everyone else in the world got what you were saying moobs

Actually the problem isn't that I'm under 21, the problem is I don't have a drivers license :D

Fark....you'll regret that when you finally get ya license and then have to wait 3 years to get ya opens to be able to have a couple....oh and now you gotta go through all that bulls*** (unless ya over 25).
Eh i didn't get mine until i was 19 and I thought that was freaking late :|

I'm over 25, but don't drink, so that's not a problem. But it is a pain that I'm going to have a lot to pay for insurance etc when I eventually get it. I should probably do something about that - this whole situation has kinda highlighted that. Slim to no chance of getting it within 3 weeks though (it's not that I can't drive I just don't, and VicRoads will be booked for months) :/

FARKIN VICROAD c***S!

i'm pretty sure qld transport has about a two week wait, however i know some people just ring up daily or many times a day asking to slot into cancellations etc. but as the cabbies would say, who cares about the car, protect your licence at all costs, it's the most valuable thing you have.
sure that was their livelihood, but it's still pretty important.

Well in favour of cutting costs, I've decided I'm camping at the race village. That still leaves a $130 each way taxi fare though from Coolangatta to Illinbah - I've got heaps of time on Friday though so I bus to Nerang and taxi from there, IF they'll let me on a bus with luggage (which I'm trying to figure out).

Flights already cost more due to excess baggage weight, QANTAS don't fly to Coolangatta, and Jetstar only give you 20kg, bastards.

pitch a tent somewhere close by?

I called it

Qantas only give you 20kg too
that said you can do 20kg check in and 7kg carry on

get a license anyway imo

Well f***.

Thought some people would enjoy a little update on how this was going.

After much scrounging, I found someone who was willing to take me out to the venue and back on Friday and Saturday. Meant I just had to sort Sunday out, which wasn't so bad.

Then at like 10:30 thismorning I get an email which basically says "I'm too sick to go up, so I've canceled my trip - and sorry, I can't help you out."

Doh.

So four days out I now have no transport other than Taxis (which though I've spoken to Regent and they've assured me they'll service the area), and is going to cost me like... an absolute assload.

well get a license and stop complaining

We've been over that.

Besides. I'd rather complain about inadequate public transport systems ;)

its not inadequate, do you expect them to run a daily bus service to alice springs from brisbane?
governments/council dont like spending money at the best of times, let alone when theres no money to make or at very least subsidise to cost

ride your bike lol

Yeah that sucks raven
but hey, just think about all the money you've saved over the years in not having a licence or car... a pair of $100 cab fares is a drop in the bucket compared to what you could have spent over the years.


D'OH! Forgot to tell you, probably too late now, but Limos (non-stretch im talking here) operate on time not kays. So if you're doing a big, quick run (highway style) its cheaper to hire a limo than take a cab. Last time i checked a standard fairlane sedan limo was about the $70/hr mark, whilst an hour trek in a cab on almost pure highway was about $120/hr. And thats for a stinky falcon, not a fairlane with leather seats. And that's not taking into account the service area of the cab, because if you go so far past the pick up boundary the cabbie is able to charge you a small cost per kay for back-running. Most of these jobs are offered as a quote basis however so you'll know full well what you're getting yourself into before you set off.

its not inadequate, do you expect them to run a daily bus service to alice springs from brisbane?

I'm surprised there isn't one.

ride your bike lol

I plan to ride back from Illinbah to the Gold Coast on Sunday arvo, I'm just not too keen about riding 50km with $3k worth of glass (camera lenses) on my back.

LOL we caught a limo back to our apartment from splendour.. it really wasnt that expensive.