First Time Abroad

shaz77_2

Hi All,

At the end of August I am travelling to Brisbane from the UK for three weeks. This will be my first time abroad and I'm a little bit daunted, is there anything out of the ordinary that I need to do before leaving and what is the best way to deal with the foreign currency issue?

Sorry if my questions appear silly - this is all new to me.

Thanks in advance.

benjus

Read this if you haven't already (don't worry if it sounds a bit alarming, I'm sure if they wrote one for the UK it would sound similar) http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/asia-oceania/australia

For currency, plastic is the cheapest way to go (but not just any plastic). Unless you already have a current account or credit card with free overseas use (e.g. Halifax Clarity, Santander Zero, Metro Bank, Norwich & Peterborough BS, ...), your best bet would be a prepaid card. The TravelEx Cash Passport Globe is currently the preferred option: http://www.travelex.co.uk/uk/cash-passport-globe.aspx

There's a full discussion of travel money here, although it isn't very up to date and doesn't mention the TravelEx Globe card (it mentions TravelEx currency cards, which are not the same thing and are less competitive): http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money

thegirlintheattic

Have you provided the airline with your passport number, name etc. for the API section?

Have you got your travel insurance?

Have you got and checked the details of your tickets?

Have you booked your transfers?

For the flight it might be an idea to get some flight socks to prevent DVT, it's a long flight that one.

As for money, get a pre-paid card (in AUS$) and fill it, also make sure you have a decent amount in paper money to use at the airport, tiping, taxi's, stalls etc.

stilltheone

thegirlintheattic wrote: »

Have you provided the airline with your passport number, name etc. for the API section?

Have you got your travel insurance?

Have you got and checked the details of your tickets?

Have you booked your transfers?

For the flight it might be an idea to get some flight socks to prevent DVT, it's a long flight that one.

As for money, get a pre-paid card (in AUS$) and fill it, also make sure you have a decent amount in paper money to use at the airport, tiping, taxi's, stalls etc.

Bad advice.

Keep the Prepaid card in your home currency unless you are expecting major currency volatility.

Travelex Cash Passport Globe

Matt2389

what airline are you flying with?

Cindyloo

Hi
I have flown to Australia 4 times, here are some tips.
Remember NOT to take any item into Brisbane that is not allowed, i forgot i had a tiny orange and was fined £210 at customs for my mistake, best read up on ALL restricted items.

Vaccinations are up to date, and get a good mossies spray (just in case)
I take dollars and plastic, things are not as cheap as they were, so keep a printable currency converter in pocket at all times and check all prices.
Remember to take some £'s in hand luggage for your return taxi ect.

Have a good flight ect

Where abouts in Brisbane are you staying, and how long for ?

stilltheone

Cindyloo wrote: »

Hi
I have flown to Australia 4 times, here are some tips.
Remember NOT to take any item into Brisbane that is not allowed, i forgot i had a tiny orange and was fined £210 at customs for my mistake, best read up on ALL restricted items.

Vaccinations are up to date, and get a good mossies spray (just in case)
I take dollars and plastic, things are not as cheap as they were, so keep a printable currency converter in pocket at all times and check all prices.
Remember to take some £'s in hand luggage for your return taxi ect.

Have a good flight ect

Where abouts in Brisbane are you staying, and how long for ?

This seems strange advice. Are you expecting the cash points within the British airports to be empty on her return? Similarly for taking AU$ with you. Why suffer poor exchange rates?

Vaccinations? Are you sure that you've been to Australia? None are required.

Good advice to take note of restrictions though, as it can be annoying to lose items because you didn't check.
Don't know how you managed to get fined.. Do you antagonise the staff there? Otherwise you must have come up against a particularly uncompromising character.

shaz77_2

One thing I don't have that was mentioned within the links above is a visa, I'm going at the end of August do I still have time and how do I obtain one?

stilltheone

shaz77 wrote: »

One thing I don't have that was mentioned within the links above is a visa, I'm going at the end of August do I still have time and how do I obtain one?

Yes, you have to do it online. It's free, so don't get conned by doing it on the wrong website.

olias

Unless you are particularly into clubbing/pubbing/theme parks, then don't be tempted to spend all your time in Brisbane/Gold Coast/Surfers Paradise. Take a few day trips out of the city. TBH, with 3 weeks, it might even be worth your while having a short side trip for a few days to somewhere - Sydney/Cairns/Airlie Beach and the Whitsundays/Fraser Island etc etc. It really is quite cheap to do, and you will have travelled a squillion miles to the other side of the world, so may be worth considering. I assume you are going to see friends/family, so I am sure they can help organise something for/with you.

Olias

stilltheone

shaz77 wrote: »

One thing I don't have that was mentioned within the links above is a visa, I'm going at the end of August do I still have time and how do I obtain one?

Just in case....

Apply here

Perhaps you need apply for a e676 Tourist Visa No charge