Laura Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 Hi, my name is Laura and I'll be 19 when I plan to travel to Australia for the first time early next year! I'll be going it alone and was wondering if there is anyone who is planning a trip at the same time as some company would make it feel a little less daunting! I'll be going on a WHV and the plan is to get some jobs and au pair for some of my time down under! Let me know if you're travelling then, or even if you've done this before as any advice is more than welcome!! Thanks, Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jodipodi Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 (edited) Hi Laura, my hubby is off to Oz around the end of March, alone.. Very daunting and very scary but very exciting. We are considering Northern Territory and by the sounds of things we believe this will be the most likely place to get employment for him as a Youth worker. We've been to Oz before... Adelaide, which is beautiful. . But NT will be VASTLY different and isolated we expect...but I imagine beautiful nonetheless with its own plus points. Keep us updated and all the best for your journey ahead!! Edited September 7, 2015 by jodipodi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Posted September 7, 2015 Author Share Posted September 7, 2015 Keep us updated and all the best for your journey ahead!! Thank you!! I've not been to Australia before and so I'm not sure which parts will suit me best, although I was thinking of just sticking to the East Coast! I'll be sure to keep you updated, and I hope your trip is great too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest51810 Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 There's a few girls going early next year. Hopefully they will notice this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jumpingjellybean Posted September 7, 2015 Share Posted September 7, 2015 although I was thinking of just sticking to the East Coast! No don't. This is the well-worn backpacker route and worth doing. But Australia is so much more than just the East Coast. Don't worry. You will meet up with other backpackers here and may end up travelling with them for a while before going your separate ways. It is a very transitional lifestyle. During my year here solo aged 20, I traveled several sections with other international backpackers I met along the way, and also spent a few months travelling with an Aussie. The most daunting thing is arriving at the airport alone I reckon. Once you arrive at the actual hostel things get very easy very quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Posted September 7, 2015 Author Share Posted September 7, 2015 (edited) @jumpingjillybean Thank you! I'm sure I'll be fine once I've met some people, it's all just still so daunting, ah! And now I'll make sure that I don't just stay on the east coast, thank you! Are there any places you would definitely recommend visiting? Edited September 7, 2015 by Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Posted September 7, 2015 Author Share Posted September 7, 2015 (edited) @scottishstacey Ah, I hope so! I'll keep an eye out for any other posts, thanks! Edited September 7, 2015 by Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misskayleigh Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 Hi Laura :-) I'm leaving the UK on 1st Feb and landing in Sydney on the 3rd. Not sure where it will take me but I'm soo excited! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARYROSE02 Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 No don't. This is the well-worn backpacker route and worth doing. But Australia is so much more than just the East Coast. Don't worry. You will meet up with other backpackers here and may end up travelling with them for a while before going your separate ways. It is a very transitional lifestyle. During my year here solo aged 20, I traveled several sections with other international backpackers I met along the way, and also spent a few months travelling with an Aussie. The most daunting thing is arriving at the airport alone I reckon. Once you arrive at the actual hostel things get very easy very quickly. It's not too bad, no more scary than going to Spain for a fortnight in Benidorm! Book a couple of weeks in a a hostel before you go, whether private or the YHA (join the YHA before you leave.) I'm using Sydney as my example as I live here, though I first arrived in WA. Many of the hostels offer a shuttle bus service from the airport to the hostel. I went into 'Wake Up' for a look round reception after Stacey told me she was staying there, and I asked about the shuttle bus service. If you don't want to use the shuttle bus, it's just as easy to get a train to the city - Central - if that is where your hostel is, or Kings Cross, where many other hostels are. That reminds me, I was speaking to one of the young barmen in a pub I go to, and he has just moved to his own flat in Potts Point. I asked him how he's finding it living near Kings Cross? No problems. He walks down from Kings Cross station to his home in Potts Point. There is a hostel near me called 'Bounce' which has a good reputation. Take the airport train from International to Central - the entrance to the station at International is right there in the terminal, get off at Central, and no more than 100 metres from platform to Bounce on Chalmers Street. The station is right opposite Bounce, though the entrances to the station are 50 metres away. As far as choosing your route around Australia goes, well, there are no rules. I've never done the East Coast route, well, not north of Brisbane anyway. Just because 'everyone does it' does not make it any less exciting. You could go up the New England highway instead of the Pacific Highway, miss out on Brisbane all together and head off into north west Queensland. (It would be a shame to miss out on Brisbane though.) I once did a good road trip travelling further inland than the New England Highway, the 'real' outback, which you should try and see. You may well get a job out there anyway. I suppose if you spend most of your time with other backpackers, you could miss out on interacting with some 'real' Aussies, but chances are, if you get a job, you will meet plenty. My nephew met his Pommie WHV girlfriend in a Sydney pub, so she certainly got to interact with some 'real' Aussies. 'Real' Aussies do actually live in places like Bondi Beach too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jumpingjellybean Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 Many of the hostels offer a shuttle bus service from the airport to the hostel. Yes they do and this is great. Unless you are unlucky like me and my flight was delayed in Heathrow for 15 hours and so I missed the backpacker bus. And they would not come back for me. Pretty daunting getting a taxi into Kings X at some ungodly hour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jumpingjellybean Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 Are there any places you would definitely recommend visiting? I will make a list. I will check it twice. I will find out whether your naughty or nice......................opps wrong season :laugh: Don't mind me I am cracking up! I will put a little list together and post later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARYROSE02 Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 Yes they do and this is great. Unless you are unlucky like me and my flight was delayed in Heathrow for 15 hours and so I missed the backpacker bus. And they would not come back for me. Pretty daunting getting a taxi into Kings X at some ungodly hour. I'd actually feel safer in Kings X late at night than most other ' burbs which close down by midnight. 15 hours delay! Any compensation? I really do have to get back on a plane, not having done so since Dec 2008. Need to find a destination first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest51810 Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 @Laura I started a "where to go" thread that people helped me with if you fancy a look. There's some rambling on it I think (mostly from me) but there's some good places on it. I think there's a few other similar threads from other people Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Posted September 8, 2015 Author Share Posted September 8, 2015 (edited) @misskayleigh Fantastic! Are you travelling alone? It would be great to meet up in Sydney if you fancy? Edited September 8, 2015 by Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Posted September 8, 2015 Author Share Posted September 8, 2015 @MARYROSE02 Thank you so much, that's all really helpful! I'll make sure I look into the shuttles and stuff:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Posted September 8, 2015 Author Share Posted September 8, 2015 @jumpingjillybean Thank you, that would be fab! x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARYROSE02 Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 @Laura I started a "where to go" thread that people helped me with if you fancy a look. There's some rambling on it I think (mostly from me) but there's some good places on it. I think there's a few other similar threads from other people I thought I'd meet u at Sydney International with a huge photo of Tony Abbott rather than "Stacey"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest51810 Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 I thought I'd meet u at Sydney International with a huge photo of Tony Abbott rather than "Stacey"? if you do that I'll bring you a signed autograph of Nicola sturgeon or Alex salmond :laugh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARYROSE02 Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 I'm in Strawberry Hills hotel at 0130 on Wed. 200 metres away in the Aurora hotel is where "The Huns" Meet to watch their games. I joined their fan club but I've not been to game yet. Wake Up is ten Min walk from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jademill2010 Posted September 8, 2015 Share Posted September 8, 2015 Hi Laura, I am going in March when in 2016 are you thinking of going to Oz? X Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Posted September 8, 2015 Author Share Posted September 8, 2015 @jademill2010 Hi! I don't have any dates set in stone yet, but I'm considering mid-late January, in time for Australia day! Do you have any plans for once you arrive? x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceej1994 Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Hi Laura, My name is Charlotte and I'm planning a similar trip on a WHV leaving the UK on 31st January 2016 flying out to Melbourne. Im 21 and also travelling solo so im looking for fellow travel companions! My current plan is to live and work there for a while and then travel up the east coast.. Although I don't really have a solid plan yet! I don't know if that's what you had in mind but definitely keep me posted on your plans! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Posted October 5, 2015 Author Share Posted October 5, 2015 @Ceej1994 Hi Charlotte! That sounds great! I'm planning on starting off in Sydney, but I'm hoping to just see where I end up! It would be great to meet though! I'm still finding the thought of solo travelling a little daunting, have you travelled alone before? X Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ceej1994 Posted October 5, 2015 Share Posted October 5, 2015 Yeah I'm basically doing the same! I'll definitely be heading up to Sydney at some point so we could definitely meet up.. Or if you're coming to Melbourne at any point definitely let me know. Yeah I know what you mean! I wasn't initially sure about going by myself but I just decided to go for it! No I haven't really done much on my own to be honest. Earlier this year I went to Canada on my own but met my sister out there so wasn't so daunting, but I've never done a trip this big by myself. Have you travelled much alone? X Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Posted October 5, 2015 Author Share Posted October 5, 2015 @Ceej1994 Yeah I'll definitely keep you updated with where I'm staying! I was the same, going solo was something I'd never considered but i got fed up of waiting for someone i knew to want to come with me! And I've not had any opportunities for solo travel before so this is all an entirely new experience for me which is really exciting! X Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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