Just found this list in my travel diary and thought I'd share.

Australia:
-VIP hostels. Great resource, better standards
-You can't wear open toes when going out to bars/clubs. I only brought flipflops/thongs/jandals and boots with me and I had to buy a pair of shoes to go out in
-Not many people who go on a 3 day tour of Ayers rock end the tour wishing they spent more time around the monolith. It gets a bit redundant, and begins to lose its magnificence after a few hours. If it's feasable, rent a car and do it yourself.

New Zeland:
-BBH. More hostels. Discounts, excellent standards.
-You most certainly WILL need raingear and warm clothes. Silly me, didn't research the weather enough.
-Nakedbus.com if you book far enough in advance, they're super cheap! I had bought a chunk of time on Intercity before I found Naked.
-You ABSOLUTELY need that proof of departure flight. Unless you have a WHV, which brings me to...

Both Oz and NZ:
-WHV. How I missed this I have no idea. Working Holiday Visa, look it up.
-If you usually travel with your Lonely Planet or any other kind of guidebook, don't bother brining it with you to these places. Both economies cater so well to tourism that you most likely won't need it.
-If you're used to stick deodorant, bring some from home. They're few and far between. And I searched.
-Westpac bank is affiliated with Bank of America (which is found in both places, and I've been told Hong Kong as well) and a German bank.

in no particular order

bring along imodium / dodgy belly tablets £1 in the uk, $12 in an australian pharmacist ,couldn't find any in the supermarket

buy sunscream / SPF in supermarkets or before you go, a tiny bottle of SPF 25+ is $12+ in many beach towns. you'd think the government would subsidise to reduce skin cancer

cadburys chocolate bars 50 pence in the Uk upto $3.50 at service stations ouch. no wonder aussie women are so skinny, they can't afford choccies

Take your Driving licence, you'll need ID in sydney and other big cities if you go to bars / pubs / clubs
avoids the risk of losing your passport on a messy one.

Otherwise enjoy

ps. try and avoid the
whats your name what you drinking what university did you go to types
(i left uni 10 years ago and people still ask.. does it matter)

pps. ulura is good for a 2-3 night trip from alice springs if you include kings canyon and kata tjua
one of my favourite trips

Losing your passport anywhere is messy - not just in Australia. I'd rather lose a passport in Australia, htan some of the third world countries. Nobody in their right mind buys chocolate bars in petrol stations, everything is higher priced there. Personally, I reckon the Cadburys chocolate made in the UK is the pits - way too sweet and sickly. Their boiled lollies are ok, but their chocolate sucks.

No need to buy sunscreen "before you go" - it's readily available in any supermarket here.
Supermarkets are not permitted to sell Imodium. Or other medications of a particular nature. They're pharmacy only medicines.

Oh, one thing more - if you really, really, want to make friends, when go to a pub, always yell out "My shout". I can guarantee you, you will have friends for life!

Make sure you buy 30+ sunscreen. And get the ones that are 4 hours protection.

cadburys sickly too sweet thats a first
next you'll be saying vegemite is better than marmite, tim tams are better than penguins and weetbix is better than weetabix..

"Nobody in their right mind buys chocolate bars in petrol stations, everything is higher priced there" even in seven11 they are 2.5


being a disgruntled Brit with a useless currency I am just warning fellow UK pound sterling travellers to buy sunscream at home its far cheaper..

one thing i like about oz is the drive through bottle shops, why haven't we got any here
possibly the police and gordon browns cronies would interfere

next you'll be saying vegemite is better than marmite, tim tams are better than penguins and weetbix is better than weetabix..

Of course Vegemeite is better than that muck - yewek! Penguins? They come ashore down on Philip Island at dusk. Can't eat them though - they're protected.

The Tim Tam Slam is one of the greatest joys known to man. Imagine doing a penguin slam - doesn't quite have the same ring to it.
Weetbix/weetabix - don't eat the stuff. My tastes are a bit more..um..sophisticated - cuppa tea and a fag!

I'm currently in WA so here's my 2 cents worth.

1. Get an Aussie driving license - transferring a British one took me 15 minutes and cost me £35. Wear a seat belt ($500 fine) and make sure everyone else does ($500 for driver plus $100 per person). Don't speed or drink and drive over a public holiday weekend, their points and probably fines are doubled.

2. If in Perth get a Smartrider for the transport, makes everything cheaper and makes travel in the city free!

3. If you're staying for longer than a week, look at the suburbs for accommodation. I live in a shared house with 2 couples, all extras and 15 minutes from the city for $200.

4. Join a library, free books and DVD's for when you're bored.

5. Buy petrol on a Wednesday - it's about 10% cheaper than weekends!

6. Things are pretty much the same price in supermarkets, beer is way more expensive, buy fruit/veg from the markets (Claisebrook/Cannington/Ledeville) where it's much cheaper.

7. There's loads of free stuff to do - The WA Courts, Kings park and even hang around outside Myers in the city, there's usually a street entertainer there.

I'll confess that I'm still new to the country and state, i'm still learning

G

Whistler wrote:

next you'll be saying vegemite is better than marmite, tim tams are better than penguins and weetbix is better than weetabix..

Of course Vegemeite is better than that muck - yewek! Penguins? They come ashore down on Philip Island at dusk. Can't eat them though - they're protected.
The Tim Tam Slam is one of the greatest joys known to man. Imagine doing a penguin slam - doesn't quite have the same ring to it.

LOL - I'll give you the Tim Tam slam - that is definately the best and penguins are yuk
- but marmite is WAY better than vegemite which is just a poor mans copy! - But please note - it must be British marmite - NOT the NZ version which is distributed downunder - it is quite different!

in response to the original post by lauracatherine:

can't really help on oz, but in nz:

SPOT-ON about the BBH hostels. i was lucky in that i learned pretty quickly that they were the way to go, and the little bbh hostel pamphlet with descriptions and ratings and locations was invaluable. next to my guidebook and my journals, they were the things i really couldn't live without.

the other thing i was able to do, and wish i'd known way before i figured it out, was the idea of camping at hostels. i assumed you had to always get a room, and so was always in the dorms. i finally got a tent and learned you could camp on the grounds at some places. MAJOR SCORE! not only was it much cheaper, and i saved money, but i liked it better. i got my own room, privacy, and didn't have to worry about drunk backpackers coming in at all hours of the night waking me up. ditto with leaving things lying about. and on the flipside, you still got to use all the kitchens, common rooms, and bathrooms. so i got all the social aspects of hostels, saved on food, and got my hot shower, but for much less, and with more privacy. wish i'd figured that out sooner! not so sure if things are still the same there though...

just make sure you get a good quality tent. bring something weatherproof from home; it rains a lot in nz. DON'T be tempted to get a $50nzd jobbie from "The Warehouse" or something.

Why would you get a licence when your overseas one (provided it is in English) is valid to drive on in Australia.
You don't even need an International Driving Permit but that can be used as a translation if your licence is not in English. This is a link to the rules in Victoria.
http://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/Home/Lic ... cences.htm

The advice re seatbelts is very pertinent as with Christmas approaching the police will "blitz" this again. Also in Victoria you soon won't be able to use a mobile phone whilst driving unless it is a bluetooth or is installed in the car -you have to be able to answer it without pressing any buttons -this rule starts in mid November

Re the roll on deodorant. I was up at the local Coles supermarket and checked up. In the mens section they had eight different brands but in the womens only four. Maybe you were looking in the wrong shops. You can buy them either in Chemists or supermarkets.
Also you are not permitted to bring chocolate in to Australia with you. Please when if you do bring anything in error then declare it and let them make a decision. Australia, because of its isloation, has managed to avoid a lot of problems with our foods because we police the import of plants, wood and foodstuffs. Of course we do import food but under protocols. Paying an extra 50p for a chocolate bar is better than putting a billion dollar industry at risk.
Also if you are going to bring sunscreen then put it in your check in luggage. I would also be cautious of the formulation. I don't know whether they make them different for Europe but we do have a fierce sunshine to contend with (as my constant treatment for skin cancers reminds me!).
I am going with an English visitor for a tour around Port Phillip Bay (Melbourne) tomorrow. Should be fun with driving a V8 station wagon which he has just bought so he car tour around Australia.

Chinamonty wrote: Also in Victoria you soon won't be able to use a mobile phone whilst driving unless it is a bluetooth or is installed in the car -you have to be able to answer it without pressing any buttons -this rule starts in mid November

It is illegal to use a mobile phone whilst driving anywhere in Australia.
Bluetooth on a cradle doesn't change the existing laws.

I am sorry but you are mistaken. In Victoria at least you can use them in certain circumstances. It is explained here.
http://www.onlymelbourne.com.au/melbour ... p?id=21468
Basically it means Bluetooth only unless you have some sort of voice activation for your phone.

Chinamonty wrote:I am sorry but you are mistaken. In Victoria at least you can use them in certain circumstances. It is explained here.
http://www.onlymelbourne.com.au/melbour ... p?id=21468
Basically it means Bluetooth only unless you have some sort of voice activation for your phone.

Actually I am not mistaken. It is illegal to use a mobile phone whilst driving. Current communication states that a driver can only use their mobile phone to make or receive a call (when in a cradle or remotely operated) AND all other functions are prohibited.

The majority of people do not have them in a cradle Chinamonty - I see them with their phones stuck to their ears - one hand on the wheel.

It's a $234 fine and the loss of 3 demerit points. P-platers are not permitted to use a mobile phone at all whilst driving, even if they’re in a hands-free set.
The new rules aren't making it easier - they are fixing an anonmaly which esixted so in fact are stricter. Roadsafe

The post I gave is the new according to the people who MAKE them! As I said generally they are not allowed but with Bluetooth or a cradle they are. This will be onforced from November 09. If you look at the article there are also a couple of major differences for Victorian drivers -the staus of the single white line is changing to agree with other States.