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goku chewbacca posted:Is everything really that expensive? Is the U.S., I could buy an AT&T GoPhone for $20, and it probably already has $10-20 in call credits on it. Some random things are stupid expensive seemingly just because it's Australia. Some things are expensive because they are catching up to the fact that like ten? give or take years ago the dollar could have easily been around 50 cents, now it's above the USD, so things like jeans in America which you can get a decent brand for 30USD are still 50-60 here. Electronics tend to be stupid expensive but some stores are getting better. Shipping stuff isn't too bad anymore. I get heaps of poo poo shipped from the US/UK free/almost no cost. Don't get your mum to label it cookies as it'd probably get searched for food. Probably clothes? I dunno. They can search and if it's a game that is 'prohibited' under our classification system (not many but quickly- the new mortal kombat for instance is) I have heard that it will be considered like you are bringing illegal material into the country (illegal as in not classified by our ratings board- the other things that don't get classified is things like child porn, beastiality, etc) however I really don't see that happening. Be something to think of though, they have no qualms checking your poo poo.
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Apr 4, 2011 13:33
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HAIL LORD ZLATAN posted:So guys I'm a brazilian citizen who may be getting a great opportunity to set sail and live in another country. Australia is one of the countries I'm seriously looking into (alongside Canada and NZ). The basic idea is to go to Australia under a simple study (or work) visa and earn a certificate on a skilled trade, then use said certification to apply for permanent residence. However there are a few things I'd like to ask if possible: Not sure about the legality of it but like 90% of the guys when I worked at a KFC were working 40 hour weeks while studying as indian students and seemed to have no issues whatsoever. That said I am quite sure if they audit you you'd get in trouble. If you sharehouse and save 20 hours you can get by on but it can be hard sometimes. I'm not too sure on all the other poo poo but I am fairly sure you'll have to pay for the education sadly. Melbourne rocks though!
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Aug 18, 2011 13:01
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Adelaide was the most boring piece of poo poo I have ever visited, it really is just as bad as all the stereotypes.
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Aug 20, 2011 11:41
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caldakid posted:Going to Australia for a month in January and will be focusing most on the east coast. Is it best to book packages for Fraser Island/Whitsundays online or just do it when your there? Book it in advance, January is PRIME summer time and prime holiday for Australian tourists who will be flocking to those areas, Whitsundays especially. It's also cyclone/jellyfish season in those areas and bring some sunscreen if you are white because Australian sun is brutal
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Dec 10, 2011 21:47
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NoArmedMan posted:Yeah, I know, I'm from Melbourne. Every Victorian I know heads to the Whitsundays in winter, when it's the northern dry season to get away from the rain. I'd be surprised if the summer, cyclone and wet season, is the high season for domestic tourists. I work as a travel agent in Melbourne and yes a stack of people want to go there. "Yeah I know it says it's cyclone season but what do you think" "I think it's cyclone season" "Well the odds aren't great so I'll go" whatever guys
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Jan 1, 2012 09:13
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Ani posted:Cool. I currently live in New York, which has even higher prices than Melbourne (judging by the apartments I've seen online so far). Definitely go with the places people have already mentioned (Brunswick/Fitzroy/Carlton/etc) the CBD does get dead on nights but is fairly busy on weekend nights. A short tram or bus or bike to work will still be quite easy, and they are some of the best areas in Melbourne to live IMO. Don't live in the outer suburbs then it takes ages to get to work (For instance I live in East Doncaster and if I wanted to get to a 9-5 job in the CBD I'd be leaving at around 7:30am each day and getting home at 6:30pm each day)
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Mar 9, 2012 07:36
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Sydney is hosed, Melbourne 4 life
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Aug 5, 2012 01:17
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Gloomiebat posted:I've been vaguely wondering about this too but figured I'd be alright as I've got proof of sufficient funds etc- not booked flights yet but have my visa, though I think I'll probably just buy a return anyway as it'd save me about £800 in the long run if I wish to stay for the two years and want to visit the UK at some point down the line. I'm planning on flying out at the end of February, totally got the fear now! I keep thinking I'm forgetting really obvious things that I should be planning; visa, flights, money/bank account, jobs, accommodation, phone, anything major I need to add to that list? (Have already bought theatre tickets because obviously that's a number one priority.) If you do need an 'exiting australia' ticket just buy some cheapy jetstar flight from Melbourne to New Zealand or Bali, or a virgin ticket or air pacific ticket to Fiji, or an Air Asia ticket to Kuala Lumpur. NZ should be the cheapest, can get a one way to Auckland or Christchurch from 100-200 bucks or so depending on what's going on. and ask away! Hopefully us Melbournegoons can help you out!
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Nov 14, 2012 14:08
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Gloomiebat posted:Aw cheers! have a look at jetstar.com.au and look up flights to like, christchurch, queenstown or auckland. Jetstar even have a few options for domestic new zealand flights as well, and they can all come pretty cheap. It's a great place.
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Nov 15, 2012 09:49
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I'm currently home from work sick as a dog so I can't think of anything specific right now to ask, ha, but I'm pretty much drafting up a mental list of questions that I'll no doubt unload here in a few weeks when I realise that I actually need to get my arse in gear. Almost time to give notice on the flat I've lived in for the past six years
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zack posted:I'm moving to Melbourne for work early in the new year. Although I've been Googling around to try and familiarize myself, I'd still appreciate tips related to the process of finding a place to rent, and any feedback relating to the suburbs I'm considering. Most of what you said is right, only thing is if you want to live inner city/burbs then that nightlife thing is present but maybe just pick one off a main street rather than on one and you'll be fine.
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Dec 2, 2012 21:38
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Sharks Below posted:I'm disgusted that you guys experienced treatment like that in tourist hotspots, of all places. Goodness knows that stupid moron in the YH wouldn't have a job if it wasn't for tourists. That's appalling! But please don't tar us all with the same brush, some of us are pro-tourism, pro-multiculturalism, generally tolerant and left wing people who are trying our best to make an impact on our demographics My girlfriend who has lived in Australia literally her entire life but is Asian has had the same experiences as detailed above I have at least 5 different stories from people who are African, Indian, Asian, Islander saying the same from when I worked in fast food. I now work as a travel agent and people come back to me with these stories. I've actually deterred people from travelling to queensland because of it if they have any ethnic background other than pale white
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Dec 12, 2012 07:24
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Gromit posted:I'm a white male, and was standing at the counter of a Japanese takeaway in the heart of the Brisbane CBD waiting to be served. I was the only one standing there, and the three Asian women behind the counter were busying themselves with making sushi and stocking the fridge. The state of Queensland, under asian dictatorial rule. Have fun in your concentration camp known as Brisbane, RIP white rule of this fine nation, etc btw thanks for backing up my point
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Dec 16, 2012 13:17
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It was always a cop out anyway as it plays on the fear that some people have (ridiculously so) that Indonesia will invade.
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Dec 17, 2012 07:23
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Gromit posted:Thanks for not reading this part, nutjobs. It was just an anecdote I posted, that's all. I love this, "let's drop the discussion, btw the thing you guys all criticised me for is totes not true, parting shot on poster below me edited in, I'LL BE THE BIGGER MAN AND NOT CONTINUE THIS DERAIL"
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Dec 17, 2012 14:20
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Gloomiebat - I don't know about UK to Aus flights but I'm a travel agent from Melbourne, and Qantas has most of their 2013 earlybirds to the UK in october. when are you looking at going and what cities to/from and how long staying? Also there are a lot of decent airlines flying into Sydney or Melbourne from London - Qantas obviously, but most of the SE Asian airlines (Thai, Malay, Singapore) and Middle Eastern (Emirates, Etihad, Qatar) are high quality and also decent prices as well. Lord Dangleberry - Make sure you have documentation to prove you have a job etc. When renting you usually have to show payslips/references/etc as competition is fierce as mentioned, so you have to show you're worth it over the other people looking at it. Chinese food places are fine in Melbourne which has a huge thriving asian food culture. Specifically Chinatown in the city or Box Hill in the eastern suburbs.
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Dec 28, 2012 00:40
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totalnewbie posted:Teacup - any pointers on the best time to book from US <-> Aus? TIA. (Both when to book and also when to travel?) Uhh when to book I'm not sure of what your guys earlybird seasons are. Travelling it's all based on when you leave your city - so leave in low season. Low season is a bit sporadic but it will be affected by holidays (like Christmas, Easter, I guess... thanksgiving? for you guys) and any breaks where people like to go away (for example your winter to escape to our summer, spring break, any school holidays, etc) If it helps say a ticket from Melbourne to Los Angeles can go from 1200-1400 with Qantas in Low Season return (like Feb, march, May, June) and can be 1800-2200 return in mid (april, july-october) and 3000 + return in December around Christmas. Not so sure how you guys do it but I assume sooner the better. If it helps you have a few options getting over Your airlines (Delta and United) Fly direct LAX - SYD and I think UA do SFO to SYD as well. Generally I don't get great feedback from Clients on these ones. Hawaiin Airlines fly HNL - SYD and Brisbane - and obviously connect anywhere they fly to from honolulu. Again not great feedback but lets you break up the journey (5 hours from LAX to HNL and 10 from HNL to SYD Virgin Australia have direct flights to LAX from Melbourne Sydney and Brisbane and are a fairly high quality service Qantas have direct flights to LAX from Sydney and Melbourne and maybe Brisbane? And direct flights to Dallas from Sydney, the return leg being Dallas to brisbane. Sydney to Dallas I think is the longest commercial flight in the world now that Singapore Airlines stopped Singapore to JFK. Qantas are fairly high Quality. Air New Zealand fly from Los Angeles and San Fran to Auckland, then connect to every major city in Australia from there. The layover is generally quick and efficient and breaks up the long flight a tad (3 hours or so AUS-NZ and 10-13 hours from NZ to LAX) and it lets you see new zealand if you want! Air New Zealand are probably my favourite to fly and get really great feedback from them. Other airlines are stuff like Cathay, Korean Air, Japan Air, China Eastern/Southern, Air China, Singapore, etc and some oddball ones like Emirates flying the wrong way round the world or Air Pacific flying Los Angeles to Fiji then an awful layover to here. I'd reccomend against the oddball ones because of time, and the china ones have awful feedback from people I've booked but let you see China I guess? Also takes about 30 hours to get here though. Cathay lets you see Hong Kong, the other ones obviously go through their respective hubs - sometimes a bit cheaper but you are taking ages to get here doing it. Problem is obviously the lesser quality ones will be cheaper. Note also who has codeshares with who - if you don't live on the west coast near LAX or SFO then you'll have to connect- Virgin Australia partner with Delta and Virgin America, Air New Zealand partner with United, and Qantas partner with American Airlines, so if that helps then you may go with one based on connections. It's a long flight so a bit of a bitch but the killer is mainly the jetlag, you leave late at night on one day and arrive in Australia two days later. If you provide more specifics I can try and look around but to be honest looking from Aus. I can really only guide as you will have access to better fares from local agents or online. Quite happy to help though especially regarding times/dates/etc. Big other thing to realise is book enough connection times if you are transiting somewhere like LAX. All Australia flights leave at night so it's not like there are 8 other flights heading to Sydney that day - if you miss your home city - LAX - Australia connection due to a flight delay then you will get put on the next flight but it's a day later so it might put you out a lot.
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Dec 28, 2012 12:30
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Any Australia post office can rent a PO box out, it's fairly easy. Flight changes will incur a fee, the cheaper the ticket the higher the fee, plus any fare or tax difference. If you are moving around Christmas time expect a fairly high difference added onto that fee due to packed out aircraft.
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Dec 29, 2012 22:40
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I literally never tip in Australia, we get paid well enough to not need them. I will round up on some things if they really are great though.
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Feb 2, 2013 10:41
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Black leather shoes, trousers instead of jeans, button shirt and a 'business' jacket (or just anything that isn't like just a normal go out jacket) will be fine without overdressing. I mean it'd be overdressing for macdonalds maybe but whatever
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Jun 30, 2013 06:06
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Woohoo posted:Still feels like overdoing it in country where everyone wears flip-flops. In Perth, I saw businesspeople wearing backpacks and training shoes (with trousers and button shirts, though). Go to an op shop. Shoes are probably the big thing. Depends what job I guess, barwork and cafes won't give a poo poo. Maybe call centres. Anything in an office will.
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Jul 8, 2013 13:10
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I used to manage at a KFC and we hired international students so much we did not care
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Jul 9, 2013 14:28
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ShadyNasty posted:
You are hosed mate
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Jul 24, 2013 14:08
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xxEightxx posted:Honeymoon is basically set in terms of cities\time tables (Sydney, Brisbane, Cairns). Are there any professional sports going on in November? I cannot get enough aussie football, and would love to see a match, but it looks like the league ends in September? Rugby would an acceptable replacement. Hey man just chipping in with sadly they are over by that time, but be careful if you are looking for like amateur league, it's not like the states where some college team will have a huge game, once you go below the AFL/NRL they are small time. LIke someone else said, try to catch a 20/20 game!
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Aug 2, 2013 14:28
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I wouldn't worry re: Fiji, they have had approximately 3,000 coups in the last decade. Tourism is fine. Leaving from Brisbane, how many nights are you going for, what is your budget and when do you want to go?
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Mar 1, 2014 07:57
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Golbez posted:We're flying from the USA to Sydney in a couple of days (landing a couple of days after that, har) for vacation and it occurred to me that I didn't know what form to have money in. Should I withdraw cash from an American ATM before leaving, and exchange it when I get there? Or should I rely on my credit cards while over there? Almost everywhere will accept credit cards here in Australia except the smaller corner shops and even then only if you're doing less than 10 bucks. I always thought getting cash from a proper bank or money changer would be better? But who knows. The rate is favourable for you at the moment and it's been going up and down lately so that might come into play.
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Apr 3, 2014 08:07
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