Where to start when goin to OZ

Shiv411

Hi all,

Me and a few friends are goin to OZ late next year and really want to start planning we know about USIT and TRAVEL FINDERS but if anyone has any other websites or recommendations i would be greatful. Thanks:D

hussey

Shiv411 wrote: »

Hi all,

Me and a few friends are goin to OZ late next year and really want to start planning we know about USIT and TRAVEL FINDERS but if anyone has any other websites or recommendations i would be greatful. Thanks:D

There is a useful links thread at the top of this forum ... use that to find out any info

also DON'T buy your visa package with usit or visa first, it is a complete rip off if you use the australian website it is cheaper & quicker, and all the perks they try to sell you are usually free or just as cheap here (e.g. open a bank acc can be done free from ireland, sim card is $2)

Shiv411

hussey wrote: »

There is a useful links thread at the top of this forum ... use that to find out any info

also DON'T buy your visa package with usit or visa first, it is a complete rip off if you use the australian website it is cheaper & quicker, and all the perks they try to sell you are usually free or just as cheap here (e.g. open a bank acc can be done free from ireland, sim card is $2)

Thanks very much, usit advertise sim cards for €30 so big difference lol, i'll definitely be checkin out the OZ sites instead

Larianne

Also when you do fly into Australia, go to Darwin or Perth first so you don't get caught in the Sydney rut.

hussey

Larianne wrote: »

Also when you do fly into Australia, go to Darwin ....

Not very helpful, as it will be the rainy season then (In darwin)

Shiv411

hussey wrote: »

Not very helpful, as it will be the rainy season then

Were planning on hitting Thailand first in October maybe for a month then to OZ, when does raint season start in Perth

dSTAR

Shiv411 wrote: »

...when does rainy season start in Perth

Perth doesn't have a rainy season. The weather there is more like California. Just ask Xavi. He spends more time bludging, swilling beer in his budgie smugglers at the beach than he does at work.

hussey

Shiv411 wrote: »

Were planning on hitting Thailand first in October maybe for a month then to OZ, when does raint season start in Perth

Nah it rains in Darwin, not perth.
However, there is nothing wrong with starting in Sydney, esp if arriving and want to spend New Year by the bridge etc.

As Larianne said, people can come to Sydney fall in love with it and spend too long (and their money) and don't get to see the rest of Oz etc.

dSTAR

Not to be biased or anything but I think Melbourne is a far better city than Sydney. Not as plastic fantastic if you know what I mean and so much more culture going on.

hussey

You are biased, just like I am biased towards Sydney, and Xavi towards Perth

I say visit each one of them and decide yourself

watna

Well, I'm biased and I say skip Aus completely and move to Wellington!

but really, Hussey's right, you should try them all.

Xavi6

Contaray to common belief it does actually rain in Perth!

Mainly between June and October though so if you're coming late next year then you'll be here for the 40 degree dry season.

The_B_Man

im in sydney. will be here til january anyway. got here sept 14th so here 2 months now. its not great. im only here coz i've a good paying job in IT.

also, wtf is up with boards? database errors all over the kip!

dSTAR

hussey wrote: »

You are biased, just like I am biased towards Sydney, and Xavi towards Perth

I say visit each one of them and decide yourself

True true. Just a friendly bit of rivalry. Possibly why they made Canberra the capital (a place no-one in their right mind would go) because they couldn't decide if it should be Melbourne or Sydney.

Shiv411

hussey wrote: »

You are biased, just like I am biased towards Sydney, and Xavi towards Perth

I say visit each one of them and decide yourself

Were definitely going to try them all and i have heard as you said that alot of people go to sydney first and don't really end up leaving but we want to travel. I've also checked out those links you suggested and they've been very helpful so thans very much

spurious

Make sure to find time for NZ - extraordinary country.

The_B_Man

Shiv, would ya not start off in cairns and travel south? that way you'll end up in sydney, so if ya get stuck there, at least ya've seen most of the country. the only thing ur missin then is perth, ayers rock, a bit of outback and melbourne. and ya can do most of them on a weekend trip or by takin a few days off work! thats my plan anyway.

hussey

The_B_Man wrote: »

Shiv, would ya not start off in cairns and travel south? that way you'll end up in sydney, so if ya get stuck there, at least ya've seen most of the country. the only thing ur missin then is perth, ayers rock, a bit of outback and melbourne. and ya can do most of them on a weekend trip or by takin a few days off work! thats my plan anyway.

Cairns -> Sydney isn't most of the country!
and you would really want to spend more than a weekend doing some of the places you listed

The west coast alone is simply stunning and could easily spend 3 weeks from Perth -> Darwin, then Kakadu, Tasmania etc

The_B_Man

ya could do each of them other places in a weekend with the exception of maybe perth.

most of the center of the country is just outback. in terms of the tourist places, thats most of the country.

Larianne

hussey wrote: »

Not very helpful, as it will be the rainy season then (In darwin)

Oooh sorry! I just was naming off places other than Sydney to fly into. People tend to leave Perth and Darwin off their lists and they are great places to visit.

The_B_Man wrote: »

Shiv, would ya not start off in cairns and travel south? that way you'll end up in sydney, so if ya get stuck there, at least ya've seen most of the country. the only thing ur missin then is perth, ayers rock, a bit of outback and melbourne. and ya can do most of them on a weekend trip or by takin a few days off work! thats my plan anyway.

No no no no no!!!!!!!!!!! Terrible plan. Melbourne was my favourite city with plenty of things to see and do. If you're into sport, this is the city to be in.

Experiencing the outback and the Northern Territory especially is seeing the real Australia and meeting proper bogans! I did a 3 day trip to Ayers Rock from Alice Springs and it was brilliant. You realise how big the country is!

Western Australia is so much better than the east coast. More relaxed beautiful beaches. I'm sorry that I only spent 2 weeks there. I did find Perth a boring city though.

Xavi6

Larianne wrote: »

I did find Perth a boring city though.

:eek: Blasphemy!

Larianne

Xavi6 wrote: »

:eek: Blasphemy!

Ha I knew you'd reply to that! :pac: Going from Melbourne to Perth, it did seem boring in comparison but the West Coast defo gets a thumbs up! Beaches are stunning!

The_B_Man

I'd love to rent a car or van or something and just drive acros from here to perth.

Strangely enough, I had no interest in doing that until i watched Wolf Creek, then I figured it'd be cool to go driving in the outback...