Guest HayleyJ Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 Thanks :-) I have had a look on there already and thought it looks like a good idea so will probably go over with them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 Hi everyone, I am seriously considering a 12 month working holiday visa but I'm a bit worried that I may have to go alone! I've heard lots of people have done it and absolutely loved it, including my dad but that was like 30 years ago and for some reason I think it's easier for blokes! I think I would rather go with someone cos I hate being on my own! I'm trying to persuade people to come with me and I'm hoping my sister will but she can't until May at the earliest, and I would really like to get away sooner rather than later! If anyone has any advice on travelling alone (good or bad stories!), staying in hostels, getting work, making friends, anything really! I would really appreciate it :-) 30 years ago travel was certainly less wide spread and to my mind there were more 'real' travellers. But these days the onus is on fun regardless of place in the sense that it could be Thailand or Laos or Australia. I wouldn't worry about leaving alone as you will seldom be alone long enough to bore yourself. The backpacking world here in Oz is rather a world in itself. Done the East Coast of Oz way back in 97 and no problem at all meeting people from within the backpacking world. Far more so than locals. If wanted could have been party everynight. Lots of booze,well it was a different time and it was cheap then, lots of casual relations between gender and a general feeling of freedom and come what may. Just do it you'll have a ball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest51810 Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 Hey Hayley, Hope your going to go for it!! Things have changed since we last spoke, looks like i'll be going out myself too but probably not untill November. we'll both have a blast Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Hannah87 Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 Heyy, thought i would reply to your thread because you sound just like i did. I spent ages waiting for a friend to join me but there would always be a reason to why they couldnt come. Finally i thought i have to do it now or else i never will (and ive always hated doing stuff by myself) Although my brother was out here when i arrived it was only for the first month. The first hostel i stayed in i felt completely out my comfort zone but you get used to it and they are full of people in the same boat as you and everyone is really friendly. After a month i flew from melbourne to brisbane to meet a friend of a friend who was here for afew weeks, i met people through her and have ended up living with them since, my visa is due to run out in june and im trying to get farm work so i can get my second year. You should def do it, its the best thing i have ever done..i dont want to go home! Good luck :biggrin: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HayleyJ Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Hey Hayley, Hope your going to go for it!! Things have changed since we last spoke, looks like i'll be going out myself too but probably not untill November. we'll both have a blast Hi Stacey, thats good, and you will get Christmas over there if you make it over in November! Have you just decided to go for it then? I'm still weighing up the pros and cons of going now or waiting until next year as I'm a bridesmaid for my best mate next March and if I'm away I'll miss all the planning and also have to come home before my 12 months is up :-( so we're trying to sort a cheeky girly holiday in April then I will hopefully have a better idea of what I'm actually doing with my life lol but just to get the full benefit I'm now thinking I might get a smaller visa around November, have a little taster, be home for my friends wedding, then get WHV for a full year :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Armstrong Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Hey HayleyJ, I'm in the exact same spot you are. My friend just bailed and I'm weighing the options on going alone or not. I'm 80% planning on going. I have enough money saved up, and consider myself very travel savvy, but I'm nervous about leaving my friends and getting lonely on the other side of the planet (from Atlanta, Ga USA). My fallback plan is to reserve enough money for a return flight, and leave if things get bad. Otherwise, I just plan on having fun. I'm hoping to leave for Sydney mid-September. If you're in the area shoot me a message, we'll meet up for some company. Good Luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HayleyJ Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Heyy, thought i would reply to your thread because you sound just like i did. I spent ages waiting for a friend to join me but there would always be a reason to why they couldnt come. Finally i thought i have to do it now or else i never will (and ive always hated doing stuff by myself) Although my brother was out here when i arrived it was only for the first month. The first hostel i stayed in i felt completely out my comfort zone but you get used to it and they are full of people in the same boat as you and everyone is really friendly. After a month i flew from melbourne to brisbane to meet a friend of a friend who was here for afew weeks, i met people through her and have ended up living with them since, my visa is due to run out in june and im trying to get farm work so i can get my second year. You should def do it, its the best thing i have ever done..i dont want to go home! Good luck :biggrin: Hi Hannah, Sounds like you're having an amazing time! Are you managing to find work to keep you going as I heard a friend of a friend had to come home after 5 months because he couldn't find work (I'm not sure whether this was down to the individual though haha) Hope you get your 2nd year! :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HayleyJ Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 I have enough money saved up, and consider myself very travel savvy, but I'm nervous about leaving my friends and getting lonely on the other side of the planet Thats the same as me! I love my friends and they've all been really good to me and I feel like I'll be abandoning them! But everyone says you make friends easily over there as loads of people are in the same situation. I'm 100% going at some point, just not sure when or how haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Armstrong Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Thats understandable. I've done one major move in my life across the US. I left an amazing group of friends and knew no one in Atlanta at the time. I made it my first priority to just be social and participate in anything I was invited to. I've been here 4 years now and have another amazing group of friends (that i'm afraid to leave. haha). The way I see it, if you're honestly considering a trip like this, you're already adventurous enough do it. Just introduce yourself to everyone, then start weeding out the ones you're not too fond of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest51810 Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Hi Stacey, thats good, and you will get Christmas over there if you make it over in November! Have you just decided to go for it then? I'm still weighing up the pros and cons of going now or waiting until next year as I'm a bridesmaid for my best mate next March and if I'm away I'll miss all the planning and also have to come home before my 12 months is up :-( so we're trying to sort a cheeky girly holiday in April then I will hopefully have a better idea of what I'm actually doing with my life lol but just to get the full benefit I'm now thinking I might get a smaller visa around November, have a little taster, be home for my friends wedding, then get WHV for a full year :-) That sounds a really good plan! then you get the best of both worlds! Yeah i think im definitely going to go for it, I had been thinking of going in January 2013 instead so its a complete clean slate but i think if i leave it any later than november i'll talk myself out of it. I'd love to just leave right now but i dont have the money lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Lana Turner Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Hey, I've bitten the bullet and have got the visa and am going on my own! Reckon it's easier for blokes but I couldn't live my life thinking 'what if?'. Just do what I did.... just book it and go! I'm going end of July and have put a multiflex on my ticket which means if I don't like it I can return anytime. But... I can never say I never did it now!!! ) Life's too short! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rp83 Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 I am here on my own. It can be daunting and you do get lonely sometimes, but think how much confidence you are gaining doing this all on your own. It can be a pain in the arse when you're at the airport departure lounge for example, and nature calls, and you don't have anyone to watch your stuff for you. I don't really regard people who come in groups of 4 as 'travellers', they're not really, they are just on holiday - I understand that some people like safety in numbers. Going it alone is not for everyone, you have to be prepared to be on you're own a bit. My advice is don't be frightened to ask someone if you're not sure about something, ask lots of questions. My first few months in Australia were great, now I'm going through a bad patch as I don't have work at this precise moment and my bank balance is creeping down at a steady rate. But I have to be optimistic that things will change. If you;re on your own and you're worried - don't panic. The chances are that there will be others around you feeling the same way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest51810 Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 I am here on my own. It can be daunting and you do get lonely sometimes, but think how much confidence you are gaining doing this all on your own. It can be a pain in the arse when you're at the airport departure lounge for example, and nature calls, and you don't have anyone to watch your stuff for you. I don't really regard people who come in groups of 4 as 'travellers', they're not really, they are just on holiday - I understand that some people like safety in numbers. Going it alone is not for everyone, you have to be prepared to be on you're own a bit. My advice is don't be frightened to ask someone if you're not sure about something, ask lots of questions. My first few months in Australia were great, now I'm going through a bad patch as I don't have work at this precise moment and my bank balance is creeping down at a steady rate. But I have to be optimistic that things will change. If you;re on your own and you're worried - don't panic. The chances are that there will be others around you feeling the same way Great advice and i hope you find work soon :wubclub: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rp83 Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Me too Stacey, it's boring doing nothing except for applying jobs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rp83 Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Me too Stacey, it's boring doing nothing except for applying jobs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest51810 Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Yeah i can imagine, its the exact same here for me in scotland. apply for jobs everyday and hardly hear back from them, job situation is awful here. It's a huge worry for me that i'll go to australia and it'll be just as hard, i'll be applying for all sorts of jobs over there but i imagine there must be quite a lot of competition between the other backpackers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rp83 Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 At least I can say the weather is good in Sydney today...well it has been the past few days anyway. Generally it's been a pretty rubbish summer weather wise. I know exactly how you feel, I had the same worries...I still do. I'm probably one of the many millions regreting going the university route! God, I should have listened to my Dad when he told me to learn a trade! I'd have no shortage of work if I had decided to learn a trade rather than go down the academic route. A basic painting and decorating job will pay you $35 an hour, a truck driver or one of those "stop and go" guys get $50 an hour. The only job interviews I seem to be getting put forward for at the moment are for sales. which I really don't want to do...but think i will have to do shortly. I guess I'd rather be here applying for jobs, where people are generally more friendlier and optimistic, than be in the UK where most people are bloody miserable and pessimestic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest51810 Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 which degree did you do? have you thought of moving to a different state, i've heard Perths job situation is better, i think thats where im going to head for the main part of my year or two. I wish i'd done a trade too lol although you dont get many female tradies. Your right, at least things seem a little more positive over there and hopefully you'll find work soon even if its just to tide you over for a few weeks. over here all you see is doom and gloom on the news so sometimes you cant help feeling negative! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rp83 Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Business Management at Bournemouth, and I only got a 2:2....again with hindsight how I would have worked harder. I went to Perth in January, but it was too bloody hot...40 degrees for about 8 days in a row, so i cam back to Sdy. Also I didnt feel that there were that many casual opporunities available. It's a lovely city, but too remote/quiet for me...shops shut about 6pm and there isnt any Sunday Trading. I know...everytime I look at the BBC News Website it depresses me! Most remote city in the world is Perth. If you're experienced in mining or are a truck driver, which I'm going to go out on a limb here and say you're probably not lol, then you'd a find a job as quick as I can click my fingers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest51810 Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Business Management at Bournemouth, and I only got a 2:2....again with hindsight how I would have worked harder. I went to Perth in January, but it was too bloody hot...40 degrees for about 8 days in a row, so i cam back to Sdy. Also I didnt feel that there were that many casual opporunities available. It's a lovely city, but too remote/quiet for me...shops shut about 6pm and there isnt any Sunday Trading. I know...everytime I look at the BBC News Website it depresses me! Most remote city in the world is Perth. If you're experienced in mining or are a truck driver, which I'm going to go out on a limb here and say you're probably not lol, then you'd a find a job as quick as I can click my fingers Lol yeah im a big truckie :laugh: only joking! Cant really think of anywhere else you could try, I did however notice a advert today looking for trainee recruitment consultants, im sure it said if you had a degree( didnt say what it had to be) and had sales experience then you could apply. it was a sponsored visa one. not sure if thats any good but just thought id mention it? have you tried signing up for all the agencies in the city. Yeah 40degree's is far too hot, im going to struggle with that. wouldnt be suprised if i burst into flames lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rp83 Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Errm I'm registered with about 10 agencies now. They all have give me lip service: "Well, you seem have to pretty good experience we'll be in touch when suitable roles come up, and put your forward for an intreview..." then you're sat by you're phone waiting for a call, searching every 2 hours on Gumtree, Seek etc...I'm thinking I going to go and get my white card and bartender license which should open up more jobs for construction labourers or bar staff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest51810 Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 That sounds like a plan batman! try get into the construction/mining seems to be plenty work and i think i read somewhere that if its regional then it counts towards your 2nd visa? dont quote me on that though. i would imagine you'll find bar and other tourism related jobs quite easily. have you thought of moving to queensland or victoria? ive saw a few people on here recently saying finding work in sydney can be a nightmare, they're more than qualified for the job but still cant find any starts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest51810 Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Also, i looked through your other posts and you say you have loads of farming experience? try OBI recruitment, i noticed they usually have loads of that type of work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rp83 Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Yes, you are right the construction/mining thing counting towards your second visa, providing it is in the right postcode. I'll probably need to move to queensland to do my regional work. I grow up on a farm, so know a bit, and what i dont know I'll blag Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest51810 Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 That's the spirit! i just think its harder in sydney so maybe moving is your only choice. theres good money in construction, maybe you could get some sort of machinery ticket like a excavator. millions of work everywhere and if your there on a whv then theres a good chance of being sponsored. thats what my ex bf works as and when we were going over together there was loads of work for him but they wont sponsor people from the UK, you have to already be in the country Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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