Goin Down Under

PDD

Hi Guys,

Im planning on heading down under in the next two months and I was wondering if anybody has tips regarding:

Cheapest Airlines

Sutff to get sorted before I go (tax number, bank accounts etc)

Stuff I'd need like rucksack etc.

Not so sure on what clothes I'd need and I want to travel light rather than bring loads of stuff so any suggestions?

PDD

BrokenArrows

I used visa first when i cam over here and they sorted out all my bank and tax number stuff which was nice but remember that they do charge for something you can do for free yourself.

You can easily set up a bank account over here if you have proof of address of some place.(renting? get a letter head from landlord)

Tax number can easily be applied for on the net asfar as i know or any of the tax offices around Oz

Do you plan on roughing it alot. ie. camping etc If so get a good size and make sure comfortable backpack. If you are planning on always living indoors and living it up get yourself a rolling suitcase. carrying around 20kgs around gets a bit annoying.

Sometimes you can get a backpack with wheels.

As regards clothes. In two months its going to be getting back into the australian winter. And it does get pretty chilly in the southern part of the country. You will need a jumper or two but once you get out in the sun it heats up alot. I arrived here in early June last year and had a large jacket which i used alot but once august rolled on and weather got hotter it went quickly into the bin. But in the winter the sun sets pretty early(5pm or so as far as i recall) so you will need something for the nights.

derdoh

PDD wrote:

Hi Guys,

Im planning on heading down under in the next two months and I was wondering if anybody has tips regarding:

Cheapest Airlines

Sutff to get sorted before I go (tax number, bank accounts etc)



PDD

Im heading over in june im flying with aer lingus/ba/quants i booked it with a travel agency in waterford for €850 one way.

And i used www.visabureau.com for a years working holiday visa,i had it a week after paying for it,it was €240.

I dont really know if thats cheapest i was just recommend them so i went with it.

gonementhol

PDD wrote:

Hi Guys,

Im planning on heading down under in the next two months and I was wondering if anybody has tips regarding:

Cheapest Airlines

Sutff to get sorted before I go (tax number, bank accounts etc)

Stuff I'd need like rucksack etc.

Not so sure on what clothes I'd need and I want to travel light rather than bring loads of stuff so any suggestions?

PDD

I personally wouldn't reccomend Visa First at all.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055049926

As was said, you can set up the stuff for free yourself, and it's nothing anywhere near as much hassle as the likes of Visa First would have you believe.

I found Gulf Air cheap and cheerfull myself, they'd be worth checking out. You could also try http://www.bestflights.com.au
and i've gotten decent flights with http://www.travelocity.com in the past.

If you're going to be constantly travelling its worth investing in a decent rucksack that fits you well, as the guys in the camping shops about them and they'll help you pick out the right one. Be prepared to pay a few quid for it though the good ones can cost a few hundred. You should get something suitable for between E100 and E200 i think though.

If you're not travelling around and setting up camp somewhere to work or anything a suitcase might be better cos you can fit a bit more in and it's easier to get at your stuff.

In terms of clothes. If you were stopping anywhere on the way like Asia, then bring a half empty rucksack and stock up on the dirt cheap clothes there on the way. Definitley lean towards bringing too many light clothes than too many heavy clothes. Less to carry and just wear more layers if you get cold.

saraj14

you can get your visa from them directly on

http://www.immi.gov.au/visitors/index.htm

tax file number can also be gotten on line for free. can't remember the link.
Opening a bank account is very easy. walk in with your passport and that is it, no need for anything else as long as you do it with 14 days of getting here with your visa.
backpack this is important buy one that zips all the way around so you can access everything easily. not just the things at the top. also if you can get one with wheels it would be a bonus.

remember they have winter here too and it gets cold. especially in sydney and melbourne. you will need jeans and a hoodie. you can buy clothes pretty cheaply here. and whatever you bring will get destroyed in the wash.
if your female: work clothes a shop called SES, Cotton On, and loads of others. do not bring many clothes you will end up dumping them and the fashion out here is awful!!!!!!!

hope you have fun, and take care x

PDD

Wow cheers for the info guys very much appreciated. Does anyone know if your visa becomes active from when you enter the country or when you apply. Im not 100% sure about the exact dates and I dont want to loose a few weeks becuase I got it in a panic. How long does it take to get a 417 visa?

Does anyone have any sugguestions for insurance? USIT are offering an insurance and visa package.

Sara you sound like your down under at the moment, whats the weather like?

PDD

Guess_Who

Hi,

I'm in Sydney at the moment. Weather's great this week but supposed to piss rain at the weekend. So be warned it's not as Sunny as Home & Away would lead you to believe but hey, it's much better than home. And yes the winter does get quite chilly.

I got my visa from USIT with the insurance combo, I think it was E360 altogether. The visa is through Visa First and the Insurance is with Blue Insurance. Visa First will try & sell you a TFN and bank account. Don't bother as they are easy & free to sort out when you get here. I think as long as you just use them for the visa, then Visa First are fine. And your visa becomes active from when you enter the country not from when you apply.

saraj14 reccomended that you get a backpack with wheels. I personally wouldn't reccomend it. Everyone had been telling me that cos I'm a girl I won't be able to carry a backpack etc etc. But chances are you're going to have to carry it a bit, and the ones with wheels don't have great support. Some don't even have a strap for around your waist to take the pressure off your spine. If you really want wheels, I'd get a normal bacpack & then a little fold up wheely thing that it straps onto.

saraj14

hi. I got my visa in less than 24 hrs. Very easy. Just use the website i mentioned before. Not too sure how much I paid. Everything else you can do when you get here so don't panic. Weather is ok. Good days and bad days.
Your visa doesn't start until you enter the country. But you need to get it sorted before you enter oz. you cannot get a working visa once you are in the country. So just fill out the form before you leave.
Best of luck when you get here, www.gumtree.com.au is a great website for casual jobs and accommodation.

susanna

Apply for the visa yourself, its very quick and easy

As for flights, last year I booked a return to Sydney (with a stop in Hong Kong on the way over and Singapore on the way back) with Australian Holidays for €1200. That was with Aer Lingus/Qantas/BA which was grand

Good luck, I'm jealous!

ml

PDD wrote:

Not so sure on what clothes I'd need and I want to travel light rather than bring loads of stuff so any suggestions?
PDD

Yeah I was wondering about this too. Would I be better off buying clothes and shoes out there? Is it any cheaper to buy in Sydney?