Australia is enormous, and distances catch people off guard. Flying between major cities is the norm — Qantas, Jetstar, and Virgin Australia run frequent domestic routes, and booking ahead gets you reasonable fares. For the outback and regional areas, a car is essential. Roads are generally good but long and empty, so carry water, fuel up when you can, and tell someone your plans. Two legendary rail journeys deserve mention: the Indian Pacific (Sydney to Perth, three days across the continent) and the Ghan (Adelaide to Darwin, through the red center).
New Zealand is compact enough that driving is the best way to see it. Renting a car or campervan is practically a national tradition — the freedom camping culture is well-established, and the roads wind through scenery that makes every drive feel like the point, not just the transit. Both islands are manageable in a couple of weeks by car. Inter-island ferries between Wellington and Picton cross the Cook Strait several times daily and take about three and a half hours.
Getting around the Pacific islands is a different proposition entirely. Flights connect the major island groups — Fiji Airways, Air New Zealand, and smaller regional carriers link Fiji, Tonga, French Polynesia, Samoa, and others — but schedules can be infrequent and fares add up fast. Between smaller islands, you're often relying on ferries, small prop planes, or boats that run on their own timetable.
The isolation is real, and logistics take planning. Don't assume you can just hop between island nations the way you'd move between European countries. Book inter-island transport in advance, build buffer days into your itinerary, and accept that weather and mechanical issues can reshuffle your plans. That said, the slower pace is part of the experience. You're not stuck waiting — you're on island time.