Melbourne on NYEs

nellyshark

H Folks,

Basically I bit the bullet and bought my ticket for Oz, arriving in Melbourne NYE at 9ish.

Im leaving Dublin at 7.00 on the 30th, on to Frankfurt with Aer Lingus and from Frankfurt to Singapore and from Singapore to Melbourne with Singapore Airlines. Purchased this through lastminute.ie for around €700.

Now the naivety of my question (I have never done a long haul outside Europe before) but do I just rock on up to Dublin,check myself and my luggage in and then I meet my luggage in Melbourne?

Also just to be safe, should I confirm with Aer Lingus and Singapore Airlines that my ticket indeed has been booked (I have got confirmation emails alright from last minute but should I check with them to be 110% sure).

I applied and was granted a visa within a few hours and I will be taking out insurance but is there any other paperwork that I need to be concerned about?

I will be collected and have a place to stay when I get to Melbourne but are there any details that Im overlooking. As such Im going out on a one way ticket, should I book a cheap ticket out to NZ just for show or will I be alright?

Positive reviews of the airlines would also be massively appreciated atm lol for peace of mind

mandrake04

If your flight to frankfurt is part of the longhaul ticket then your luggage will be checked through to Melbourne, you will probably be issued with 3 boarding cards at Dublin (1 for each flight).

Singapore Airlines IMO is probably the best in the world (same for NZ Airlines)

Are you sure you are going make Melbourne for NYE? It would be tight to make the city before midnight.

nellyshark

Thanks for the info esp about the airline

Feelgood

Your passport number is your visa, so when it gets scanned at the airport they will know you are on a tourist visa or working holiday visa etc. No need to worry about that...

I actually flew here with Emirates, Qantas and most recently Singapore airlines. Singapore airlines is definitely the pick of them. Excellent service and the air hostesses are ridiculous hot. There will be a whole 20 hours of drooling involved!.Great selection of entertainment, good food and plenty of drinks and snacks. All you have to do is sit there and enjoy

Ya picked a funny time to fly though, mandrake is right you will be hard pushed to make the city for 12 bells?. One way ticket is absolutely fine, just as long as you can prove that you have enough money to buy a ticket out of Australia. i.e. a credit card.

Only other advice I can offer the limit on Aer Lingus/ Singapore airlines is 20KG - remember that because aer lingus will crucify you at the airport if you are over. They tried to charge me 600 euros on my way out. I think its 20-25 euro per extra kg so say you are 5kg over, thats 125 euro PER FLIGHT = 3 flights x 125 = 375

Oh and stuff is expensive out here, stock up on razor blades. Don't forget sun cream!.

nellyshark

Jeez lads youre all mad party animals

Thanks for the info re luggage (and hostesses )

Its great to hear other peeps positive stories, takes a weight off.

For any else in a boat similar, I only booked it last week and went applying for a few jobs.

Been told to ring some crowd when I get there and was offered an interview already with another crowd. A good sign I guess

Mellor

Feelgood wrote: »

One way ticket is absolutely fine, just as long as you can prove that you have enough money to buy a ticket out of Australia. i.e. a credit card.

You don't even need that. You have a yr (or more to save enough)
There is no requirement to have a ticket out on a WHV, nor funds to pay for one.
You need $5000 to support yourself until you find work, and that's it.

nellyshark

Thanks guys, tis an ease to hear these things.

Slunk

Don't mean to scare you but print the email with your visa. Scanned my passport in London and visa didn't show up so wouldn't print the boarding cards. Showed the email and they made a phone call. All was ok in the end. Watch the baggage too. Flew with Malaysia airlines. 65 per kilo. They don't charge for an extra bag either. Was been charged close to 1k for extra case.

tba

where are you going to stay?

jack in the box

Does there be anything happening in Melbourne on New Years eve.Maybe in Federation sq or something. Have xmas planned but what to do on the 31st of December??

nellyshark

tba wrote: »

where are you going to stay?

Initially with friends in Whittelsea (sp?)

tba

nellyshark wrote: »

Initially with friends in Whittelsea (sp?)

handy having a place to work off the jet lag

The Sweeper

nellyshark wrote: »

Initially with friends in Whittelsea (sp?)

Well you won't be in the city for midnight so!

Whittlesea is quite a distance outside metropolitan Melbourne, but it's nice countryside around there. (Tell them you want to go to the Cheese Factory at Donnybrook, and the Mernda Markets. ) You're also relatively close to Epping, which is a good spot for shopping. Public transport from Whittlesea into Melbourne might not be too great.

nellyshark

Lads (and ladies), ye lot are mad for me to be partying in the city centre, once Im not in Ireland ill be happy;)

Yeah, my mates are actually ozzies who live there so I know about its perils, but its a place to get settled in for a while and get used to Melbourne.

Yup, transport isn't great but sure Im used to poor transport where Im from :rolleyes:

Im really looking forward to it now, you never know, I might catch some of ye out there, Ill inevitably be drawn to something GAA related

tba

Its kind of like living in Mullingar in terms of a commute to the city.

nellyshark

tba wrote: »

Its kind of like living in Mullingar in terms of a commute to the city.

That got a hearty laugh from me

I have been in contact with AIB here, and being banks, they are as vague as f**k, now I know my ATM will work in ATMs that accept Maestro but what are the charges associated.

Please not that I dont actually intend on using my card but if there is an occasion that I have to use it, will the fees be high.

Also while I have the floor, I expect to only be staying in Whittlesea a short while, what would be the best places to look for accom? Ideally near the coast

tba

near the coast (ie the bay near the city is, port melbourne, south melbourne, albert park, middle park, st kilda, bay side) further south you would need a car to make the most of it.

nellyshark

Bit of an odd question, but I asked the people Im going to do they want anything, they asked if I could to bring over some crisps.

Can I put crisps in either luggage or hand luggage?

dSTAR

nellyshark wrote: »

Bit of an odd question, but I asked the people Im going to do they want anything, they asked if I could to bring over some crisps.

Can I put crisps in either luggage or hand luggage?

In terms of customs as long as the foodstuffs are commercially produced and packaged they are fine. Obviously bringing plant material into Australia is a major no go for obvious reasons but crisps are good to go.