Andrew Roberts

Sorry Nathalie, We seem to have stolen your thread.
It is safe to be travelling alone in hostels. And as you said, you meet
others immediately, travel along together for a while, make new friends.
There are usually people looking for passengers to share the fuel costs.
Don't hitchhike. 99times you will be fine. Unfortunately that 1 makes it not
worth it.

Definetley go see the centre. Although if this keeps up you can be in Sydney
and have the centre come to you. I am south of Dubbo and we got the southern
edge of a dust storm that goes from here to Mt Isa blowing all the way to
the coast. Apparently the bridge in Sydney was a litle difficult to see. I
work indoors and was chewing dust. To the north was very red. The dust storm
was that thick in south west Queensland it showed on the weather radar as a
blip the size of Victoria.

And he could have evaporated the alcohol out of the beer......


"Nathalie" wrote in message
news:452636.1035373410@britishexpats-
.com...
    > Originally posted by Daniel Bowen:
    > > "Jim" wrote in message
    > > news:[email protected][/-
    > > url]"]news:[email protected]
    > > us.com.a-
    > > u    ...
    > > > Raffi I often wonder the same thing myself. I'd argue that the
    > > rental
    > > > companies have a duty of care towards their hirers which extends
    > > to at
    > > least
    > > > putting an epirb in the glovebox and showing how to change a
    > > tyre. I know
    > > > that I'd hate to think of a customer of mine stranded because
    > > they hadn't
    > > > been properly briefed.
    > > > Cheers
    > >
    > > I thought of this thread yesterday when I read about a German
    > > tourist whose
    > > car broke down out in the wilderness. He'd seen a TV documentary about
    > > and set out
    > > with ONE LITRE of water (when it was advised to take 100)
    > > and some beer. Thankfully locals found him.
    > >
    > >
    > > Daniel
    > > --
    > > Daniel Bowen, Melbourne, Australia
    > > dbowen at custard dot net dot au
    > >
    > Thanks Keith, I have had lot of people saying I must see these places
    > in particular so I think I will now start planning my route! I was
    > going to stay in hostels and try to meet up with people also doing the
    > same tours.
    > Can anyone tell me if the hostels are safe, especially as a girl
    > travelling alone?
    > --

Andrew Roberts

umm Raffi,

We've got Ivan Milat locked away due to quite a few missing hitchhikers


"Raffi Balmanoukian"
wrote in message
news:B9DC-
2A52.DF4F%[email protected] atico.ca...
    > >
    > > Thanks Keith, I have had lot of people saying I must see these places
    > > in particular so I think I will now start planning my route! I was
    > > going to stay in hostels and try to meet up with people also doing the
    > > same tours.
    > > Can anyone tell me if the hostels are safe, especially as a girl
    > > travelling alone?
    > Nothing is ever, ever 100% (including your own living room) but I've never
    > heard of a single incident anywhere in Australia, aside from the Childers
    > fire - and that had nothing to do with gender! Use your kop and you'll be
    > right.

Raffi Balmanoukian

in article [email protected], Andrew Roberts at
[email protected] wrote on 10/23/02 10:33 AM:

    > umm Raffi,
    > We've got Ivan Milat locked away due to quite a few missing hitchhikers

Hitchhikers...not hostels!

Seriously, I haven't even really heard much about serious property problems
- I've been in numerous backpackers' dorms with cameras, mobile phones, and
whatnot lying about (even a passport or two!!) and have never heard of any
dramas. I'm sure they do exist (the examples I cite are just plain stupid),
but I think it would be national news if a backpacker - male or female - was
molested or accosted in an Australian hostel. As I say, use your kop and
you'll have a great time.

Nathalie

Thanks Raffi and Andrew for your comments! I get the impression from alot of these threads that beer is a "must have" when in Oz !

Nathalie

More daft questions from a novice backpacker.....is it best to book tours from the UK or when I get to Oz? I have been onto the YHA website and they have some good tours, can they be booked through any hostel once I am in Oz? Are internal flights cheaper if booked in Oz or from the UK to i.e. Alice Springs?
I would be grateful for any advice.

Raffi Balmanoukian

    > Thanks Raffi and Andrew for your comments! I get the impression from
    > alot of these threads that beer is a "must have" when in Oz !


Oh yeah! Just avoid XXXX (pronounced four-ex) and Foster's. Vile stuff!

Raffi Balmanoukian

in article [email protected], Andrew Roberts at
[email protected] wrote on 10/23/02 6:17 PM:

    > ok..a misread. Lucky I went to bed when I did!

"quinine, strichnine, whatever"

Andrew Roberts

ok..a misread. Lucky I went to bed when I did!
"Raffi Balmanoukian"
wrote in message
news:B9DC-
2F60.DF65%[email protected] atico.ca...
    > in article [email protected], Andrew Roberts at
    > [email protected] wrote on 10/23/02 10:33 AM:
    > > umm Raffi,
    > >
    > > We've got Ivan Milat locked away due to quite a few missing hitchhikers
    > >
    > Hitchhikers...not hostels!
    > Seriously, I haven't even really heard much about serious property
problems
    > - I've been in numerous backpackers' dorms with cameras, mobile phones,
and
    > whatnot lying about (even a passport or two!!) and have never heard of any
    > dramas. I'm sure they do exist (the examples I cite are just plain
stupid),
    > but I think it would be national news if a backpacker - male or female -
was
    > molested or accosted in an Australian hostel. As I say, use your kop and
    > you'll have a great time.

Raffi Balmanoukian

in article [email protected], Nathalie at
[email protected] wrote on 10/23/02 5:52 PM:

    > Originally posted by Nathalie:
    >> Thanks Raffi and Andrew for your comments! I get the impression from
    >> alot of these threads that beer is a "must have" when in Oz !
    > More daft questions from a novice backpacker.....is it best to book
    > tours from the UK or when I get to Oz? I have been onto the YHA website
    > and they have some good tours, can they be booked through any hostel
    > once I am in Oz? Are internal flights cheaper if booked in Oz or from
    > the UK to i.e. Alice Springs?
    > I would be grateful for any advice.
    > --


Qantas has a boomerang pass that's available to foreigners (and maybe
domestics) but it has a lot of qualifications and restrictions - check the
qantas website for details. It's really only worth it if you're doing a
fair bit of flying around.

As for tours, the Australian backpacking industry is VERY competitive, and
good value - Aussies recognize that backpackers may spend less per day than
the Conde Nast crowd, but stay longer. Except for very peak areas at very
peak seasons, you will have no problem getting the tours/sights you want.
I'd try to remain as flexible as possible for that reason and book in
country, as you will find some places that you will love and want to stay in
longer than anticipated, and vice-versa.

Grub

The Funkhouse on Darlinghurst Road is wild if you fancy lots of noise, and interesting residents (mainly prossies and backpackers!)
Whitsundies are beautiful and the Big 4 campsite at Airlie is a good place to stay to go there. Go to the Blue Mountains whilst you are in Sydney- well worth the trip for some of the most awesome scenery i have ever seen!

Enjoy!

rrj21

I agree, get over your jet lag in sydney then get out. Once you've seen the opera house and bridge you'll be satisfied. You caould always then stay for a while in Manly or Coogee, which are the beachy parts around sydney, and much more fun and less daunting. It's quite hard to get to know people in sydney 'cos the hostels are so big and people tend to have been staying in them for a lifetime.
I travelled by Oz experience, which is a really good way to meet people in the ages group of 18-25.
It takes you up to brisbane or cairnes. I got as far a Bingara and stayed there for 3 1/2 months, because I wanted to live with australians. Here you can horseride, and my friends will all be there to teach you.
Basically there's so much more to see than sydney. have a plan before you go that doesn't involve too much, but be prepared for it to change. Have fun - i'm very jealous!!

Atticus

There are two good hostels on Glebe Point Road - halfway down Glebe Point Road is a short cut to Darling Harbour - failing that regular buses into city centre takes 5 mins.

Get bus passes - also before you go apply for a Youth Hostel Card gives you discounts on various things from acccommodation, food to tours not much but better than nothing - cheapest way to travel to see other places would be if you share costs with people going same way - lots of notices on notice board in the hostels other cheap option is the coaches - if you are in Oz for on 3-4 weeks then do Sydney in a few days head to Whitsundsays - pure white beaches can do a three day sailing trip or more or less whichever - also option to spend some time camping on Frasier Island which is not far (I think?!) - Alice Springs - well only reason for going to the centre of the earth is Ayers Rock really so 2 days is more than enough.

Other hostels I vaguely remember one near Coogee Beach - Bondi over-rated Manly is quite nice.

Working Holiday Visa

You need to have a set amount in your bank to show the Aussie Govt that you can support yourself - visa costs about £100 maybe more now but not by much - look at the immigration website will give you all you need on that.

Hope you have a great time.