mungbean

I wasn't, but another of the passengers was hanging over the side and ridding herself of breakfast for 80-90% of the trip.

Daddy Long Legs is a kind of spider here, not the same as the Crane Fly that gets the same nickname back home. http://australianmuseum.net.au/daddy-long-legs-spider

As you're in IT presumably you're also checking for responses going into your spam folder? Definitely registered with the email address you're checking? Any chance of phoning some of them to follow up?

I wish I'd known about the anti-histamines before this happened. I just thought "oh yeah, mosquitoes - done that". In the end I was staying in Bondi shortly after arriving and I had such a bad reaction and a bite on my wrist that looked like it might actually be going septic, so I went into a random pharmacy and asked what to do. They gave me anti-h (basically same as hay fever tablets) and some antiseptic creme, and that made a big difference. Now I always carry the antihistamines with me and if I get bitten I take one straight away, and so far the welts didn't come up.

TBH mosquitoes are by far my biggest concern... I had a very bad reaction to them when I first arrived, with big welts coming up and having to take anti-histamines for the first time in my life (they made a big difference). I'd been living with mozzies in India for 4 years before that and never had any kind of reaction like it. And the buggers are still flitting around in the garden today, even though we're only 3 weeks off the winter solstice! But at least there are loads of anti-mosquito options.

On my first morning at work here I was introduced to my new colleagues and we chatted for around 15 minutes about where everyone was from. They then spent the next 45 mins telling me all kinds of stories about crocodiles, sharks, snakes and spiders! Only later did everyone admit that nobody they know has ever been attacked by any of them (and my boss has been here since 1955). I've seen plenty of spiders in my house or garden here in Sydney, but mostly very big garden spiders, or small ones I somehow assumed were harmless, flitting around inside the house. None of them looked like these anyway... http://www.spiders.com.au/ I guess I should start learning the dodgy ones!

Can't see any mention of this on the forums, but FutureLearn, one of the many providers of free online courses or MOOCs, is hosting a course by British Council https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/understanding-ielts It lasts 6 weeks. Understanding IELTS: Techniques for English Language Tests Improve your English and prepare for tests, such as IELTS reading, writing, speaking and listening, with this free online course.

Pretty much anywhere near the water has paths for walking, running or cycling - in some cases all three. A lot of mixed-use. Quite a bit of landscaping and turning of industrial areas into parks as well. At weekends these places are full of people running and cycling. I don't think you'll have any trouble finding a decent run. Google maps will show you where the parks are, and the cycle paths too ("Show: bicycling")

Congrats! Another thing crossed off the list... progress feels good eh?

I fulfilled a long-held ambition on Sunday morning: went Whale-watching in Sydney! Well, just off Bondi to be exact. The migration season has just started and they're heading North, up the East coast, to breed. It's amazing that you can jump on a boat in Darling Harbour or Circular Quay and within an hour or so can be watching Humpbacks frolicking in the silvery ocean. We even saw a "double breach" at one point, with the two Whales we'd been watching leaping right out of the water at the same time. Some pics from the day, supplied (sold) by the crew of the boat...

I am living on my own, in a very small house, and am spending half my take-home pay on rent. I'm in a nice house in a great area (Rozelle) and have a short journey to work, so I'm willing to take the hit right now. Cheaper places are out there, but of course involve some kind of trade-off. It's always harder to find somewhere that's good value for money when you first arrive and don't know the area. No reason why you couldn't move to somewhere better/cheaper if you get lucky and come across somewhere once you've been here a while.

I've found the Sydney buses to be pretty unreliable, probably due to the heavy/unpredictable traffic. If you're somewhere that has lots of different services all going where you want to be then it will be much easier. If you have to make a specific train connection each morning it might be a hassle. I just bought myself a bike, and now have a lovely 22-minute ride to work along the edge of Rozelle bay, mostly along off-road cycle paths. (And this is after finding myself waiting up to 25 mins at the bus stop because my bus to work just didn't turn up.) Google maps can show you bike routes for Sydney. Ferries are pretty good too, and you can take your bike on them if you have one. A very pleasant way to start the day. If you're going for the bus I'd definitely recommend getting the TripView app for your phone... it's not free but it gives live information on each route, including how late they're running and a map showing their location. Also the free Opal app that shows routes for buses, trains, ferries and the light rail. I use both of these regularly and they're really useful, especially when you first arrive.

The $540 is the employer nomination cost, if I understand correctly. Doesn't make much difference overall. My employer already paid full costs for the 457 visa and that was only back in Feb, so it's not really feasible to be asking for a contribution to this, especially since it's not essential for doing the job.

hi all, I'm happily working away here in NSW on my 457 since arriving in February, and now seriously considering going for PR. Since I will turn 50 at the end of this year, it's now-ish or never. Spoke with a registered Migration Agent today and he was quoting me fees of $5500 inc GST, for handling my application via 186 ENS (direct entry scheme because I've not been here long enough for the transition scheme). This would be on top of $3600 for the visa app and $540 for the VETASSESS skills assessment. My documentation all seems fairly straightforward - I have quals and enough experience, plus payslips etc from all employment. I was told starting VETASSESS now would probably mean that would come through in mid/late August and then the main visa app would take about another 4 months if current times stay the same. I'd like to get moving fairly soon and will approach some other agents for quotes, but wondered what people think of that $5500...? Sound reasonable? I wasn't expecting to have to fork out more than $9k in total and would like to get it much lower if it's possible. Or maybe I should even just do it all myself? Not sure how that would work with the employer nomination part though. Thanks

You can get a PAYG SIM right there in the airport when you arrive in major cities.

Tax-free threshold for those on working holiday visas to go as well: "From July 2016, those on a working holiday in Australia will no longer enjoy a tax free threshold of up to $18,200, and will instead be forced to pay 32.5 per cent tax from their first dollar earned." http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-05-12/budget-2015-working-holiday-crackdown-to-yield-millions/6464330

Good luck and enjoy your travels @vickyplum and +1! I was living out of a suitcase for 4 months in the end... Makes you finally appreciate finding a place even more though, I guess.

This is very useful, but worrying, to hear. How about the VETASSESS advisory service? http://www1.vetassessadvisory.com.au/SRGO/Online/ They charge $130 for advisory session of which $50 can then be offset against the application. Does paying for the advice imply quality of service and a duty of care to the advisee? Also, since I'm here... the MARA consumer guide says that MARA agents can only charge a "reasonable fee" https://www.mara.gov.au/media/152338/consumer_guide_english.pdf ... does this mean there's a ballpark rate we can expect from all registered agents? Do you guys charge by the hour or fixed fee? Thanks

Got my driving licence in my rain-soaked mailbox today, a week and a day since I applied for it. But to be honest I'm just glad I've still got a roof (albeit with a few leaks) and electricity. The storms that have battered NSW the last 3 days have been pretty horrific. http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2015/apr/22/nsw-storms-wild-winds-and-flooding-as-sydney-weather-brings-chaos-rolling-report

It's not about how many are plugged in at once, it's about how many are switched on.

DIBP are running a survey on the Skilled Migration and Temporary Activity Visa Programme, which includes a chance to give your views on the age limit being 50 and the specific way English test results are used. https://dibpau.asia.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_eKywjamv8dX32Ad

Not recommended to plug any of those into a multi-way adapter and use them at the same time.

140k is more than plenty, unless you have expensive lifestyle habits. And minimum super is 9.5%. Check http://www.paycalculator.com.au/ for what you'll take home.

I've heard good things about goget as well.

Yeah terrain view doesn't really tell you very much, but if you use the directions feature and choose the little cycle icon it will show you an elevation profile of your route, or -- hopefully -- "mostly flat". Great tool!