*Travel Tips>>>General - Australia & New Zealand Travel Tips

Anyone been on the Ozbus?

Travel Info
I'm thinking of going next year and would like to know how your experience went

Travel Tips

u mean oz experience>?

Ok dep on crowd on bus...

Note 20kg luggage limit and they are really strict on time.

if you go MAKE SURE YOU DO THE CHOPPER RIDE IN DINGO AS LIKE NO OTHER CHOPPER RIDE ANYWHERE... They fly full speed in between the trees like slaom posts.

also look up

Andos outback tours.

The avatar yacht in the whitsudays islands

and see this

on the way make sure you go here

www.tigertemple.co.uk in thailand and learn to scuba dive there in prep for great Barrier Reef

1st the earlier in life you do it the better subject to the right work experience.

Now as you will be travelling this will probably be non city temp work.

Ie on building sites, in bars, cafes/resturants/hotels

So learn building site skills especailly things like fork lift driving etc.

Barwork, waitor and silver service work, 5 star hotel work so you can do a small room in 30 and large room in 60 seconds easy.

Nursing training, engineering qualifications, IT qualifications electricain, pulmbing should be well paid as would hairdressing (plus you can do that in hostels)

Get some experience doing that to enable jobs.

Also a good one is a PCV licence ie bus driver.

As then you could get say OZ experience type jobs driving a backpacker coach and having a free go at things like bungee jumping.

Japan, South America I have not been to but I have a cut and paste for Thailand...

Thailand you dont need a visa if staying 30 days and can renew it bouncing back and forth accross the boarder.

But its not a working visa.

If talking South America bear in mind its dangerous and kidnapping is popualr so go to these traveller fairs they do and find stalls doing things like anti kidnap and survival and local scams courses... Serious get parents help for that and leanr self defence (serious self defence).

Language also helps.

Insurance...

MAKE SURE THERE IS NO EXCESS IE THE 拢40 WHICH FUNNILY ENOUGH IS HOW MUCH IT NORMALLY COSTS TO GO AND SEE A DOCTOR OR HOSPITLA AROUND THE WORLSD... NOW IMAGINE 6 DOCOTR TRIPS THATS A LOT OF MONEY.

PAY THE WAVER NO EXCESS.

In thaiand only book a few days hotel (no hostels) as you will be able to find far cheaper.

Ie in STA its Royal hotel 1200 bhatt, 5 ten min walk towards koa san road try 3-400 bhatt or if just a bed in tiny non air con room 150bhatt.

Certianly decent hotel thats like 4 star here for 800bhatt in bankok and the same for 150 bhatt in Chang Mai.

Rucksacs have to fit YOU not others even if they say its good ... YOU have to carry it.

Take 30 kg of weight (yes I know they test with 20 kg Im being realitic) and any crap you will stick on the outside ie a tent.

Yes you may look daft in the shop but when you start travelling its a lot dafter when you cant walk down the street.

Serously it has to fit you and aim for 75liters not 100. (the words hynia and operation come to mind.

Inc how you pick it up the words back and damage come to mind.

Travel bags may not be so cool as look like a ruck sack but you cant walk far with them. Get one you can trek with thats is light weigth, pockets help.

Also walk around shop for 10 minutes up and down stairs carrying the rucksac AND the day small rucksack and say a carrier bag of stuff like food.

Again trust me its worth the hasstle and looking silly.

And get a 'Camel Pack' Water bag with tube you can keep in freezers overnight.

Save up lots of money.

Open multiple bank accounts in the same bank and set up internet banking for transfers ALL WITH DIFFERENT PIN CODES AND PASSWORDS.

And make sure all the debit cards have say VISA sybols on them (as local bank cards cant buy stuff over phone or net like er plane tickets and mobile credits)

This is incase you loose one say machine eats it or pick pocketed. (so you are not screwed waiting a mnoth for a replacement in another country.)

Also with some different accounts and as many overdraft facilities as poss... (hence starting now) and get several joint accounts with yoru mum. Who can sort things out at home as you are er... bit far away.

Get battery charger and lots of high capacity (2500for AA batteries) best from camera shops. Make sure its very light and charges very quick ie an hour and ideally with trvel pack.

Also get a solar charger (in addition as they are slow) for when trecking, ideally one that charges phones too.

Wehn abroad always get a mulit adapter strip as hotels often only have one socket in hostels all sharing it.

Keep your weight down and leave the country with space in backpack... for stuff you pick up.

Get a Gortex ie snowboard jacket and waterproof gortex trousers esp if going SA.

Water proof , breathable with vents, pockets, removable hood and thin so can roll up and not to hot to wear.

Look for bug travel guides ie www.bugpacific.com
www.bugaustrailia.com as they give a travellers review ie nice crowd and sparkey the dog is cute or cliquey crowd and the dog is agro.

STAY AWAY FROM DRUGS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i ******* mean it or if lucky you will have a massive bribe/fine demanded off you of thousands, or if less lucky life imprisionment in a horrible place and most likey the death penalty.

ie Death squads in thailand assinate methampetamine pill dealers in the mornings on a knock on the door.

SERIOUS.

And your local consulate wont give a ****

NEVER TAKE GIFTS THOGUH THE AIRPORTS OR STUFF FOR PEOPLE AS OFTEN YOUR SET UP AS A DECOY OR A BRIBE TO GET THE REAL SHIPMENT ACCROSS.

COMMON SCAM FIND SOMONE LONLEY, PRETEND YOU LOVE THEM, GIVE THEM GIFT, ITS FULL OF DRUGS.

THEY GET EXECUTED.

learn about the culture.
Depends on how long you're staying...

DON'T get stuck in sydneys Kings cross... all people do there is go to the crap local bars and clubs, get pissed and stoned... they dont even go to other bars down the hill... sad.

In sydney:

Do the Botanical gardens tour and see the cockatoos in the park, go to the zoo and inside the kangaroo enclosure. U could climb the bridge but expensive.

Scubadive with grey nurse sharks in Manley Aquarium

Sod Kings Cross the life bar wise is Jelly wrestle night wednessday at the Oxford Tavern/Rita in the suberb Petersham.. (purple line few stops from central), petersham station, up bridge stairs right end of bridege left, up hill to main road, right, 100m up the road to cross roads... get there for 930 check train times as far apart. When fin get out quick or taxi.

Very lively, silly funny and crazy.

Bonbi beach aint all that the northern beaches are better, far better.

If in season see the harbour Whales. Note the harbour while trendy looking has lots of muggings, dont make pals there with guys wgho want to take you round the corner as they shared their drink with you.

************

Leave on Andos Outback Tours...

http://www.outbacktours.com.au/...

http://www.oztravelbugs.com/prod.asp?iid...

Sydney to Byron bay heading north via the outback meeting outback folk... this is a real road trip adventure and you see the real aussie land out of the cities... Must do ***!!!

Byron bay stay at
Arts factory for a bit
http://www.artsfactory.com.au/

And try and book some nights in the tee pee.

Bryon bay is on the edge of the hippie area of Australia and is a surfer town. Arts factory is a bit kookie that way but also spend time in the other hostels with free surf boards and stuff. Note Black dog surf does in deed have a surfing dog who comes on lessons and dolphins in the bay.

do the Sunday trip to Cahnnon market to see the hippie hills and the ton of Nimbin... The only place where dope is legal... yes Im talking dope cafes and hash cookies. (keep a few for surfers paradise infintity)

Coach to Gold coast/surfers paradise.

Here Sleeping in is a good place to stay. Movie sceen in the pool, limo pick up, walking distance to coach station and dorms have a lounger (ask for the big one in the annex down the road).

Tourist city, very built up, mad part times during Indy week with street racing or schoolies (end of high school debauchery)

Note here is the place to do the snorkle with tame sharks or the ONLY place you could get away with scuba diving with sharks

http://www.seaworld.com.au/entertainment...

Not sissy ones either but a tiger and bull shark which are not nice like grey nurse sharks. Think you are in some sort of acrylic cage.

http://www.seaworld.com.au/entertainment...

Theme park land here. And go to Draculas for a meal and horror show.

You can find work here but careful some rip off backpackers and don't pay.

(especailly avoid anyone who moves cars around)

Lots of other things to do.

BUT DO NOT NOT NOT DANGLE ANYTHING IN THE CANALS OR GET IN THEM, THEY ARE FULL OF HUMAN EATING BULL SHARKS... THATS NOT A JOKE.

On to Brisbane... Place to work with some clubs. Go to nearby Morton Island to hand feed wild dolphins.

On to Noosa... Note red triangles signs mean stand still, realise you are in deep **** and walked where you should not. phone for help, or back track your steps very very carefully. Red trianlge signs are for land mines and unexploded bombs... NOT A JOKE. was used to WW2 target practice and some areas aint been cleared..

But you can kite surf and closest place to go to Steve irwin, Croc Hunters zoo.

Next stop Harvey bay... naff all to do but go whale spotting bar its the Gate way town for lovely Fraser island... National park with wild dingos and other wild life you can explore with a 4wd land drover (go with palace or others who have a hard toped vehical as the island has backpack theves who know the camping spots. or with a tour.

Top place to see.!!!!!!!!!!!

Town of 1770... for dive tirps to a ship reck or a snorkle trip to the poster island for the barrier reef and start of it, a coral island of birds.

If with Oz experience coachs you may then stop at DINGO cattle ranch... if you do
TAKE THE HELICOPTER RIDE
TAKE THE HELP COPTER RIDE

CHOPPER RIDE!!!!

ONLY PLACE YOU CAN GET AN AEROBATIC LOW LEVEL 10 FOOT OFF THE GROUND ZIG ZAG BETWEEN TREES CHASE COWS CHOPPER RIDE LIKE IN A DOGFIGHT.

then Airlie beach... best stay a while and book your yacht trip here... not with some package got in Sydney or gold coast or Brisbane as you can get ladt minte deals which are cheaper...

or if a girl in possession of boobs... there are lots of competitions of thew wet t shirt, pole dance (boys can enter this one) and jelly wrestle variety where you can win yacht rips...

DONT GO FOR THE CHEAP TANGALOMA BOATS THEY ARE CRAP...

AIM FOR $400 ISH FOR A TRIP ON A MAXI YACHT '80 FOOT RACING'OR IDEALLY THE AVATAR TRIMARAN

http://www.seedownunder.com.au/destinati...

Must do... yacht trip to the barrier reef and whitsuday amazing beach islands
Top stay , stay at koalas and party at magnums.

Next Townsville where you can stay at magnetic island and chill... Must stay at Base...

Its on the beach and coral reef... nice beach parties.

Then tully river for white water rafting then Cairnes... To go on barrier reef dive trips inc one with lots of sharks... the further out you go ie coral sea or cod hole the better.

Place to work mostly hotel maid service.

Do aborigonie activites and go see the rain forest in table lands or cape tribulation... You can hire a car.

then head inland for darwin, and ayres rock etc.

If you get to Melborne... good spot to stay, only alterntive club scene ... go see the penguins comming home to phillip island... great thing to do.

******************************...

New Zealand...

South island is best and for long staying Christchurch, beach, clubs, near snow fields.

Go to white island in the north island to land on an active volcano, Taupo for cheap skydiving (half the prace elsewhere and the Tangaloma crossing walk... think after the orc caves in Lord of the rings.

And Rotura for Mauri stuff, volunteer to be the king and you may get to learn the haka here. And Waitomo caves inc the lost world one where you do a 100metet absail to get in, or scuba dive the destroyer in the Wellington Harbour.

Near grey mouth there is a mining town you can make knives. if you have the time and budget a samuri sword and you must do the glaciers ie fox glacier on the west coast of the south island...

hire a car or buy one in new zealand.
Others

no but some mates did the kiwi experience and had the time of their lives!!!! i hear the oz bus is good too tho. i was there last yearand spoke to some ppl who did it and loved it.
have fun!
I am also thinking of going on this trip (Jan 08) could you share any answer you get please???? Thanks Michelle x
If your talking about the bus that goes from London to Sydney www.oz-bus.co.uk the first one doesn't leave untill September 16th. I'm lucky enough to be going on this one, If you want to follow the adventure go to www.myspace.com/ozbus_London_t... I plan to use this as my diary.
www.oz-bus.co.uk
www.myspace.com/ozbus_London_t...