No idea where to start.....

I really dont know where to start,

I have just bought the Lonely Planet Australia book to give me advice, i am looking to head to Melbourne as a friend who has just come back from travelling Oz recommends that the time of year i am looking at going i start in the south?

I am first of all looking for someone to travel with, i would love someone to come on my journey with me, i think i am looking to work for a year in Australia, only little work like fruit picking etc, i dont want to go over to Oz and find myself in a office again, even if i only work for 6 months of the year, i would like to gather money, buy a campervan and travel rounf Oz using the money i have made fruit picking to fund me round Oz, hopefully meeting people on the way, trying not to spend the money i currently have until i leave Oz, then i can head everywhere else.

My questions are:

If i was to just get a plane ticket to Melbourne, so i contact a hostel before i get there and tell them time/date of arrival etc, or do i arrive and just find somewhere?

What are the best sites to look for plane tickets?

What kind of things do i take? obviously clothes, but how many? do i take cooking tools incase i am livign under the stars for a few nights?

what safety precautions do i take, of course i am sensible, but i will be a female of 22 on own in a land i am unsure of.

do i just take a backback with a few clothes, sleeping bag, money, travel books and be on my way?

as i will be applying for a working Visa which is only a year, do i need my travel ticket out of Oz on a specific date to show the Australian Embassy? or if i just show them that i have the funds to depart, as i am not sure where i would be departing too?

I have SOOOOO many questions as you can tell, i am only just starting to look into this and i feel like i have a million and 10 questions to be answered, if anyone can guide me a little i will be eternally greatful.


Ami xx Reply to this

Hi Mell,

Thank youfor your reply, i did the google and thank you it helped. so if i was to head out i would just take a few basic clothes, advice books i.e the Loney Planet books? medication, i suffer from Asthma. My money, would i need to open a australian bank accout and transfer it all into there? of course carry a little on me but for safety reasons have most of it in a account.

i think i just am really worried about travelling alone, i know it will be a brilliant experiance etc, but i have barely travelled anywhere, i went to Spain 3 weeks ago to visit a friend, so all i had to do was plan my flights and get to the airport i was then picked up.

i know if i go to Oz, i wont be getting picked up, i would have to get off the plane and find my way to the hostels. i really want to meet people out there too, i dont wanna do the full journey alone, what if i dont meet anyone because at first i am quite shy and if i was on my own, i would be less inclined to go over to someone and start talking.

after my year of Oz, i dont want to return to the UK, i would like to get my outbound flight to somewhere like cambodia, but by then i am hoping to have met people and follow their travel.

Ami Reply to this

Oh i would definatly do that, i have just been online looking at places to stay, i know i could just get a hostel for a few days and hopefully meet people at the hostel, if not move on.

What is it like staying in the hostels, specially communal ones? to save money i would share it with some people whether it be all women or mix, are they safe, do you get lockers etc? would it be advised i say in a private for the first night then maybe a shared one for the others until i find my feet.

i looked at that seasonal Jobs and nothing at all came up it was odd. i will have enough money to get buy for a while but i will be looking at working.

i am just abit worried about what to carry around with me, i know i am not going to a country where i cannot buy supplies, but do i take things like my hair dryer and hair straightners?

What Size bag do i take? a standard rucksack with the bare minimal in or a huge camping bag?

Oh and as for carrying money around can i transfer it all to a Oz account? xx

Reply to this

Try searching Google Australia with different keyword combinations and you should have better luck with job info.

Look into opening a bank account before you leave. I don't think you mentioned where in the UK you are but some banks have branches there; Offices of Australian banks in London.
It's really hard for people going to the UK to open one once they're there, I'm not sure what it's like the other way around.

The hostel info online should mention if they have lockers. If not, email and ask. A hostel's attitude toward your questions is usually a pretty good indication as to what the staff are like. As for staying in a private room the first couple of nights, if you're going to be pretty tired when you arrive and want to make sure you get some peace, then maybe it's a good idea. I've never had any safety concerns staying in hostels. Don't take any risks with your valuables though - take them with you or leave them in a locker at the hostel.

The hair dryer and hair straighteners? Personally it's over the top when traveling imho, but if you think you can't manage without them then take them - don't forget the plug converter ;-) Reply to this

Hey Ami
Thanks for the message on my page.. look im travelling by myself from next monday til whenever.. Ive all of the same fears and exctiment that you have but one thing is for certain... im not leaving without my hairdyer and my GHDs he he he!!
I will be in Melbourne on the 4/5th Novemeber.. and hopefully staying with a mate.. if not will be in a hostel... my other mates are out there at the minute and they are passing things onto me to i will fill you in as i get the info...
When will you be in Melbourne then??

If you want to get in touch look me up on facebook louise mclister and on the manchester location.. (worked over there 4 3years and miss it boooooooooooo)

Keep in touch and sure we could sort something out xx Reply to this

If you're interested in a recommendation, I can recommend the Melbourne Metro YHA as a place to stay, at least to start with. One advantage of this hostel is that you, as Jo said, can take the Skybus from Melbourne airport. The skybus takes you to the central terminal and from there a smaller shuttle bus will take you right to the door of the YHA - you don't have to pay extra, it's all included in your $15 fee on the skybus - when the main bus drops you at the central terminal, you go to a window and tell them you're going to the YHA, then they call you when the shuttle bus is ready. The YHA is about a twenty minute walk from the centre of Melbourne, so easily accessible (maybe you'd want to be more central but you can decide that I guess). It's in a nice area itself, in North Melbourne, which has some local shops and cafe and also a theatre. They have single-sex dorms in the hostel and you can choose to stay in a 4-bed, 6-bed or 8-bed dorm. All the rooms have large lockers, enough room for a big rucksack and also a day bag (take your own padlock). The hostel also has a cafe and also runs social evenings a couple of times a week. There is a large noticeboard there where travellers post adverts to each other about all kinds of stuff, so I think you could even find a job and more permanent place to stay that way. And I think the hostel itself has information about working in Oz. I guess it's probably one of the less-lively hostels so it may not suit you, I don't know, but I was there first in beginning of October (when it was quiet) and then mid-end of November, when it was much more busy.

You really should be quite safe in Oz, and you will feel safe, I think. There are so many other travellers there and you will meet so many people, you'll end up travelling with them and will hardly be alone, if you don't want to be. so you really don't need to worry. If you want to take hair straighteners and hair dryer, then take them - lots of travellers do - just be warned that in a large dorm, you'll be fighting over the plug sockets, with people using their own straighteners, and then charging up their ipods and mobile phones too. Reply to this

Have a look for the cheapest ticket which allows date changes, and change it from over there. Reply to this

Or else you could have a short trip to New Zealand a few months after you enter Australia?

Good idea - but just check your visa is multi-entry. Reply to this

As Mel suggested, it's one way of showing you will leave the country within the visa validity.
You could check the cheap airlines like JetStar, AirAsia, for cheap one way tickets, and book one as far ahead as you can.
If you end up canceling or just not showing up it doesn't matter as much, but it would solve the leaving issue as far as immigration as concerned.

Once you're in Aus you can plan the trip to NZ. Reply to this

Hi!

I have just read this forum and am very much in the same boat! I was going to fly out in January to save some money but decided to go for it and booked my flights yesterday to fly to Melbourne on the 30th November. I am travelling on my own and have never been to Australia before but have heard how amazing it is! My plan is to start in melbourne and work my way up (hopefully meeting lots of people!)and eventually fly out to Bangkok. Having just booked my flights I would recommend booking them directly through Qantas as that was the cheapest i found which also had stop overs in thailand if that is what you want. I came across the same problem with not being able to book a year ahead for the outbound flight but spoke to a couple of agencies and they said you just have to pick a 'dummy' date and then push it back once ur out there.

Vicky Reply to this