Although it's dropped a tiny bit off its recent low, the Australian dollar is still being exchanged at the amazing rate of one U.S. dollar for 1.53 Australian dollars. And at that exchange, you live awfully cheap in Aussie-land.

But of equal significance is that Qantas Airways is currently offering a stunning airfare sale to Australia. Buy your tickets no later than Monday, November 3, and depart between now and November 17, or else in the month of May, 2009, and you'll pay only $347.50 each way between Los Angeles or San Francisco and Sydney, Australia. That's a round-trip cost of $695, and it includes all fuel surcharges (but not government fees and taxes of about $120). The total cost is as good as anything offered by Australia-servicing airlines in recent years.

The sale is said to be in honor of the new Qantas Airbus A380 that the Australian airline is currently operating on scattered flights to Sydney and Melbourne; but you aren't guaranteed of getting the giant, new A380 in place of a standard 747, and the sale obviously reflectgs a slowing of business to Australia, too. Regardless, the whole point is to reach Australia cheaply, and the airline stresses that though your departures must fall within the dates listed above, you can stay in Australia for as long as 330 days.

Go to www.qantasvacations.com, or else phone tel. 866/458-9348.