First Time Abroad

thegirlintheattic

You need an e-visitor visa, which are often given within a few days but can take up to 10 days, so you should be fine.

Read all the information though as they have restrictions on who can use the visa for example a limit on the total time sentenced for any criminal convictions.

They send you an e-mail, nothing is needed in your passport, just keep the e-mail on you for reference when you travel.

Cindyloo

stilltheone wrote: »

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.

Yes stilltheone i have visited Australia, not much point in saying otherwise is there.
I was taking GP advice on vaccinations as we stayed in certain countries as stop overs that required them.

Customs in Brisbane were correct in 1995 as i did not declare any forbidden items, i believe fine is much higher now. This can be checked out on there web site

I thought i was being helpful with this true advice on Australia Customs, best to be aware.

Taking a few £ will allow for a cuppa and taxi home on return, this is how i do it as i don't want to go to any cash point not after a long haul flight home, but then its what works for the individual.

stilltheone

Cindyloo wrote: »

Yes stilltheone i have visited Australia, not much point in saying otherwise is there.
I was taking GP advice on vaccinations as we stayed in certain countries as stop overs that required them.

Customs in Brisbane were correct in 1995 as i did not declare any forbidden items, i believe fine is much higher now. This can be checked out on there web site

I thought i was being helpful with this true advice on Australia Customs, best to be aware.

Taking a few £ will allow for a cuppa and taxi home on return, this is how i do it as i don't want to go to any cash point not after a long haul flight home, but then its what works for the individual.

You really shouldn't have bothered to reply. You have only made it worse.

You wouldn't want to go to a cashpoint because you had a long flight??
Come on now, this is just nonsense. You probably will walk past one on the way to the exit. As for that cuppa.... believe it or not but they take cards at the airport. Trains and the Underground take them too.

I agreed that it was good advice on checking the restrictions. I was just surprised that they fined you for 'forgetting' a small orange. Officials have some discretion in these situations, so possibly they did not believe that you forgot or maybe you didn't express yourself properly. Maybe you said something totally ridiculous at the time.

Anyway, don't take it all too seriously.

SavingPennies_2

stilltheone wrote: »

You really shouldn't have bothered to reply. You have only made it worse.

You wouldn't want to go to a cashpoint because you had a long flight??
Come on now, this is just nonsense. You probably will walk past one on the way to the exit. As for that cuppa.... believe it or not but they take cards at the airport. Trains and the Underground take them too.

Er i always do the same regarding bringing some cash for the way home, why is it so strange?...

stilltheone

SavingPennies wrote: »

Er i always do the same regarding bringing some cash for the way home, why is it so strange?...

Simply because it is not worth stating as advice.

It is neither here nor there since it is not a scarce resource. It doesn't cost anything to withdraw cash when you reach the arrivals hall. You can also pay for anything there with your card.

So why carry English cash with you for weeks if there are cash machines at the airport if you need them?? Unless you have a phobia of ATM machines at the airport. Just bizarre.


For instance, I would advise someone to take some English cash with them to Thailand to change at the airport for taxis etc, as the ATMs in Thailand charge 150 baht per withdrawal. That is useful advice.
Suggesting to keep English cash to pay for a cup of tea when you get to the airport is just silly.
More importantly, the OP asked for advice on Australia.

hermante

stilltheone wrote: »

Simply because it is not worth stating as advice.

It is neither here nor there since it is not a scarce resource. It doesn't cost anything to withdraw cash when you reach the arrivals hall. You can also pay for anything there with your card.

So why carry English cash with you for weeks if there are cash machines at the airport if you need them?? Unless you have a phobia of ATM machines at the airport. Just bizarre.


For instance, I would advise someone to take some English cash with them to Thailand to change at the airport for taxis etc, as the ATMs in Thailand charge 150 baht per withdrawal. That is useful advice.
Suggesting to keep English cash to pay for a cup of tea when you get to the airport is just silly.
More importantly, the OP asked for advice on Australia.

I would carry some English COINS in case I needed to make a call when I arrived back... kept separately from rest of wallet in case cards etc. get lost/stolen.

stilltheone

hermante wrote: »

I would carry some English COINS in case I needed to make a call when I arrived back... kept separately from rest of wallet in case cards etc. get lost/stolen.

Do you know how expensive payphones are these days??

shaz77_2

Thanks for the feedback everyone; I'm going to now appy for the holiday visa, could I just confirm that the TravelEx Cash Passport Globe card is the best option to deal with currency?

stilltheone

shaz77 wrote: »

Thanks for the feedback everyone; I'm going to now appy for the holiday visa, could I just confirm that the TravelEx Cash Passport Globe card is the best option to deal with currency?

Purchase it via TopCashBack for a extra saving.