Single Female Soon to Travel the World (With a Year in Oz). (Long Post Alert)

[NSK]

G'Day PomsInOz,

 

Just thought I would drop in and say hello to you all as a new member. Submitted my Aussie passport application into the Embassy last week so feel a little bit of a fraudbeing here knowing so many people are struggling with visa's etc.

 

However there is a wealth of knowledge I wish to glean from you all and if there is anyone wishing to add their tuppence worth please feel free to do so OR just say hello....:smile:

 

I have acquired a 5-year sabbatical from my work place having a job waiting for me should I return (I don't plan to though and am looking for new career options that will keep me on the road long term). However this also means anything within my current field of work is out of bounds while I travel. Yes they probably won't find out but I am a person of integrity and this is one area of my life I can't mess with. I could resign but any number of things could bring me back to the UK and a job for piece of mind is important in our current financial climate.(......Borrrrrring..)

 

I am planning 6-8 months in South East Asia first so funds will have depleted by the time I arrive in Oz (leaving with £10k in October 2014) and will need to get a job pretty much as soon as I arrive. Yes this is what you call seriously planning ahead... :ssign19:

 

Am aware of the RSA / RSG / White Card / Blue Card etc for an easy (possibly) waitressing jobs or traffic controlling position (will also get a bank account and TFN before I leave). My preference is for work that is casual, part-time and completely different from my current slightly boring and unchallenging office-based position. I intend to travel though as a "penny-pincher", a frugal wannabe.. itching to get far and wide on the littliest money possible and to stretch what I do earn into experiances instead of things. Kinda why I am leaving the UK in the first place.

 

With family in NSW (Newcastle, Sydney and Canberra) I am desperate to visit the country (and the cousins I don't know) I took for granted when I was 8 years old and treated to a three month holiday.

 

Sounds weird but the ciccadas have been the one thing that have stayed with me all this time - one episode of "Wanted Down Under" leaves me sad.

 

Why the choice to do this now...? I have no significant other, no children and every desire to experiance what life in Oz could really be like. I am aiming for a year - who knows what I might feel like after that.

 

So perhaps I am looking for a little advice. The logistics of my travelling needs to be ironed out but right now I am looking at the possibilities of keeping costs low low low low......

 

 

 

The questions...

 

 

 

• Where do you suggest is the best place to settle for work in NSW? (My Aunt in Sydney can't put me up at all - there is a chance for lodgings in Canberra and Newcastle bearing in mind I would need to travel to visit the other areas.)
  
• Where do you suggest living for the smallest budget possible? (I am willing to rough it by the way, back-packing hostels or a cheap single room anywhere is do-able as is a less easy choice of living in a camper van.....)
  
• Which job would be the easist to earn money through, thats casual, able to do for 4 weeks then maybe disappear for 2 weeks and return? (I know beggars can't be choosers but living a current frugal life will assist in the "down weeks" where I can't find work and I truly need to see Australia so don't want a constrained job that's 9-5. Albeit if push comes to shove I don't mind embracing this and would rather do this than sponge or live on the streets so to speak. Not completely stupid you see...:wink:..and I don't mind boring jobs as a means to an end hence traffic controlling)
  
• How much do you think a person who is careful (checks different stores for £££) could live on per week?... considering they don't drink or eat meat/dairy (I know I know boring to some but means more money for EXPERIANCES....ha! )..
  

 

 

Okay thats enough for now..... I know this post is long but I make no apologies for it. Ignore it if you wish but I look forward to hearing from folk who can assist, know some secrets to make the tranistion a little easier or point me in the right direction.....

 

Thanking you all muchly and have a splendid day!!!

 

NSK

 

(NinjaSavingKat:animal-cat:- Frugal Queen of MSE)

[Guest The Pom Queen]

Hi and welcome to the forum. Sorry I missed your post, we get so many on here they are often overlooked so please don't take it personal.

It sounds like you are going to have the trip of a lifetime. Is your aim goal to settle here or are you just wanting to travel and then head back home?

There is a member who has a thread going in the Working holiday visa section! you won't need to worry about the fruit picking but he gives some great breakdowns of living costs etc.

its a shame your Aunty can't put you up because Sydney would be your best place for temp work, however be warned that most places like you to stay a minimum 3 months because they don't want to train you up and then you move on.

If you got yourself I'm to a hostel you would meet lots of new friends and maybe you could tag along with them travelling the country. Good luck with everything.