# planning my oz trip



## sunbeam1 (Oct 12, 2010)

want to go down under and dont know where to start apart from the flight.

Can you advise what i need please?


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## Wanderer (Jun 16, 2007)

The very first things you need Sunbeam are a passport which I'll assume you have 
_[ and just make sure it's in a prominent forget me not spot when you leave for the airport ]_
Hot on the heels of that are a visa and many young people from eligible countries will decide on a Working Holiday Visa for a 12 months trip and then even consider doing three months seasonal regional work so as they can apply for a second 12 months WHV.
New Zealand, one of our nearer neighbours also has WHV provision for many countries.
But if you are not eligible or its more of a quicker trip you are considering then an ETA, an eVisa or a paper application tourist visa of three or six months is probably what you are after - details & other info via. Visitors - Visas & Immigration

*Insurance is another consideration *though some people may decide to risk not having it, and if for instance you are from the UK, Oz and UK have reciprocal medical care and so it is really then only loss/theft that you need to consider insurance for and read the fine print for insurance companies can be pretty good at showing you did not take due care and so have voided your cover.
The most classic story I have read of was a woman, a reasonably experienced traveller at that waiting at a ferry dock for a ferry, had her bag at her feet and lit up a smoke and in just relaxing a bit, she had her bag swiped - Insurance company said she had been careless!

As for what you want to do in Australia, obviously how long you plan on is to be considered and the more time the better depending on interests.
Seeing as we have a tropical north and a temperate south you can come and kind of follow the sun to have a full year or two with no winter if you like.
*A basic rule is to plan on seeing the tropical north between say May and October *for outside of that it can also be a bit tropically wet and October to May in southern states usually has good weather leading into and following summer months, it being the time for a lot of major sporting events etc. 
http://www.australiaforum.com/travel-questions/4395-travelling-alone.html is one thread from P3 and scroll back to there and beyond and you will find quite a few threads with links on accommodation and travelling options, there also being a few more specific location ones on this page and P2.

That'll get you started with ideas and you can come back for more help as needed.


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