Lauren..

Hi guys,

Firstly, I feel I should apologise for anything I'm gonna ask that's been asked 100 times before, but they're all genuine questions I really would love answers to..

First off, I'm 21 and I'm from Glasgow, Scotland. I've had more than a few friends who've travelled and gone to Australia at some point during their trips. Just looking at their photos and hearing their stories made me realise a while back that I'd love to do the same for a while.

I've had a look online recently (I have a long-hour job and a partner etc, so don't get much time to do things like that), and I've concluded that the best visa for me is the Australian working holiday visa. I know that comes with a couple of restrictions like not being able to work in the same place for more than 6 months, but it seems to be the easiest one to get. Correct me if I'm wrong about this, of course.

One of my friends went to Cairns with a working holiday visa, worked as a valet, and was able to rent a place for about $100 a week, which his wages (and savings) covered.

I think I'd fancy Sydney or Melbourne. As I said, I'm 21 and definitely want a bit of atmosphere and life. Bars, clubs, restaurants, shops etc are a must, but if there's a beach too, that'd just be fabulous.

At home, I work for a bank and have about a years experience in this industry, but I'm not sure if I'd want to (or be able to) continue this kind of work in Australia. Maybe it'd be easier for me to get a job in a bar or something like that?

Anyway, my questions for now are:

-Sydney/Melbourne - where would you recommend is "better", based on the info above?

-Would a UK driving licence be okay to drive with in Australia? Is there any extra exams or anything to do before I can drive there?

-In reality, would a bar type job earn me enough money to live? Obviously I'd be taking back-up money ($5000 minimum according to the visa website I looked at) but I wouldn't want to live solely off of that.

-How easy is it to find a place to rent/share without going to view first? Would anyone actually trust me to turn up, or would I probably need to stay in a hotel/hostel for a week or so while I found something myself?

-Travelling and "living" solo...it's not that hard to meet people, is it..?

Thanks in advance for any help you can give. :-)

RCoight

Either but if you're uncertain to start with go for Sydney (I did, even though I prefer Melbourne now to live in).
UK driving licence is fine, you don't need any other forms or tests.
Depending on how many hours you do and what you do in your free time, yes bar work is sufficient...or at least it was for my (brit backpacker) housemates a few years ago. Don't expect to be living the high life all the time if you're not working much nor have huge amount of savings, however.
Stay in a hostel first - back in a my day there were loads in the Kings Cross area, many you can research online - and quite a few are workers hostels where you could quite feasibly live for months. Otherwise, you will make friends and go and rent somewhere, or hear about places with rooms coming up as people move on.
It's better doing it on your own: be aware you may prefer to be single once you're out here and your partner isn't (!!!!). I couldn't begin to count the number of relationships that had to end over the phone as one was in Oz enjoying life and the other was back in the UK (mine included). Even if you somehow resist the rage of your hormones you will have no trouble making new friends.

Do it do it do it: book a ticket and a week in a hostel and enjoy one of the best times of your life.

NickyC

Check out Lonely Planet's Thorntree forum.

It's populated almost entirely by people here on WHVs. There's nothing they don't know about living, working, socialising, travelling etc in Australia on a WHV.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntre...&keywordid=163

RCoight

The good old Thorn Tree! I swore by that when I was backpacking!

NickyC

I used to spend many a happy hour on there - I particularly liked reading posts from people travelling in the more obscure, out-of-the-way places. Central Asia was my favourite ('here a 'stan, there a 'stan, everywhere a 'stan, 'stan). Can't say I've got any desire to go there - but I do know a good place to stay in Bishkek if anyone wants to know.

Lauren..

Great, thanks for the info and the link...I'll check out that website.

The whole single/not single thing does worry me a bit, cos my other half is SO not into Australia. Don't know what the deal is, but they're definitely not going to consider coming with me. Other side of the coin is that if I don't go, I'm effectively conforming to their "rule". Hard decisions and all that, but I have wanted to go to Australia for so, so long now.

Thanks again :-)

RCoight

Dump him (I presume there's only 1 and it's a he, although seeing as you refer to 'they' I'm not so sure) and go anyway. You're only 21, you've got plenty of time to meet someone else, and until you do there are plenty of mr-here-and-nows to meet backpacking.