Should I travel around Australia or stay in Sydney?

Question

I'm planning on spending a year in Australia in 2009, starting with ozintro.com. Was hoping to live in Sydney and work in a bar so I can spend my days on the beach and seeing things instead of being stuck in an office!

Anyway, does that sound like a good idea or do you think I would be better travelling around Australia and not staying in one place for too long?

How much money do you think I'd need to take roughly?

Would you recommend staying in hostels or renting an apartment?

I'll be 24 when I leave, do you think thats too old?

thanks xx

Answer 1

There are a lot of interesting places to see in Australia don't just settle in Sydney, experience as much as you can. As for work if you look on the website www.jobsearch.gov.au they have an area called harvest trail and they explain how to get work while travelling around Australia.

I don't think you are too old, I wouldn't recommend being any younger

Answer 2

Sydney is a beautiful place but definately travel around to places throughout Australia like Melbourne, Newcastle etc.

Answer 3

I would settle into sydney first and then make some decisions after you have worked out how much things cost and the price of living/travelling.  Perhaps look at renting a room in a share house in a decent area.  Stear clear of some of the dodgy areas where there is alot of crime/drugs.  Maybe a hostel to begin with for a few weeks while you get a feel for the place and some advice on where to look for a room.

renting an apartment alone wouldbe very expensive.  Dont forget to check out transport when you look for a place.

ONce you have settled in you can look to travel.  As our airlines have regular sales with very cheap flights you could at least get up to QLD or Tassie for a long weekend - stay in hostels there.  

www.virginblue.com.au

www.jetstar.com.au

www.tigerairlines.com.au

these are our major airlines inside Aus..you can go look at the cost of flights.

Sydney to Tassie on sale about $69 one way.

Depends on where you come from - if the UK then the conversion to AUD from GBP is on your side.  The US dollar is not much different to ours at the moment.

24 is not too old.

If you dont plan to work for the first 4 weeks you would need around 3-4KAUD>  This would pay for everything including a bond to put up front for a room in a share house and the first few weeks rent, sim card, food, hostel accom while you look around, transport. Get a international license before you leave your place.   This would be an ample amount.  I wouldnt want to come with less than this just in case.  You can buy a reasonable cheap car here for about 3kAUD.

If I were to come to Aus I would want to perhaps stay a while in Sydney then travel around a bit - Perth, Northern QLD (the gold coast is pretty horrible now), Tassie, Ayers Rock..

Have great fun planning

Answer 4

Sydney is nice, but if you want some awesome bar work go to Melbourne! I bartended there for 6 months last year, and there was tonnes of work going around and lots of awesome people. The city itself is amazing. I really suggest you spend some time over near Perth as well, the beaches are beautiful.

I stayed in hostels for some of my trip, and it was fun because you meet a lot of people and always have company. The downside though was it was usually pretty loud, and depending on the quality of the hostel you really have to be  careful about your stuff getting stolen. I do recommend you try some hostels though, they are a lot cheaper than appartments, and plus with an appartment there's a chance you could get stuck in a one year contract and not be able to travel around.

I took about 2000$ Canadian with me, which isn't much at all, but I'd planned on working there from the start so I did okay. The jobs in Australia generally pay well anyways, I never made less than 16 an hour bartending (but tipping isn't part of the culture, so you can't really rely on that for extra money).

Nah you're not too old, I met alot of people around that age who were just taking time off from uni.

Have a great trip!

Answer 5

i would travel

Australia is a lovely place

you really need to see the whole thing

and your never to old to travel