Travel and Working holidays The Ultimate Guide

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Author: Samantha Koch

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TRAVEL AND WORKING HOLIDAYS


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TRAVEL AND WORKING HOLIDAYS THE ULTIMATE GUIDE Samantha Koch


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First published in 2003 Copyright © Samantha Koch 2003 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher. The Australian Copyright Act 1968 (the Act) allows a maximum of one chapter or 10 per cent of this book, whichever is the greater, to be photocopied by any educational institution for its educational purposes provided that the educational institution (or body that administers it) has given a remuneration notice to Copyright Agency Limited (CAL) under the Act. Allen & Unwin 83 Alexander Street Crows Nest NSW 2065 Australia Phone: (61 2) 8425 0100 Fax: (61 2) 9906 2218 Email: [email protected] Web: www.allenandunwin.com National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry: Koch, Samantha. Travel and working holidays: the ultimate guide. Includes index. ISBN 1 86508 898 6. 1. Employment in foreign countries—Handbooks, manuals, etc. 2. Temporary employment. I. Title. 331.2574 Set in 11/14 pt Minion by Bookhouse, Sydney Printed by Griffin Press, South Australia 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1


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Contents Contents

Introduction: Why travel?

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Part I: Planning 1 What sort of travel? 2 Saving and budgeting 3 Booking your ticket 4 Getting ready 5 What to take

1 3 16 25 31 49

Part II: Travelling 6 Accommodation 7 Travelling 8 Eating 9 Language 10 Safety and staying healthy 11 Where to go for help

57 59 68 79 84 87 93

Part III: Working overseas 12 Working visas 13 Other visas 14 Before you go 15 Living overseas 16 Job ideas

99 101 127 142 152 163


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Travel and Working Holidays

Conclusion Appendix 1 Working visa applications Appendix 2 Checklists Appendix 3 Useful websites and phone numbers Index

182 184 209 213 216


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Introduction

Why travel? Why travel?

If someone asks me what is my favourite thing in the world, I say ‘travelling overseas’ without even thinking about it. I had many different jobs while I was at school and uni, and every penny I made went towards my next holiday. First I conquered Europe, then Canada, then Southeast Asia. I never spent much cash on extra clothes or entertainment; I wanted to make sure I got to go on that next holiday—which in my case was always a backpacking or working holiday. The aim of this book is to help you plan, save and follow through with your next overseas holiday—whether you are 17 and having your first backpacking experience, or 24 and conquering your last continent. If you are planning a trip to Club Med Bali, a whirlwind Contiki tour of Europe, or an end-of-season footy cruise, this book is not for you. Most people can organise a short-term overseas holiday, but a backpacking expedition or working holiday requires more preparation than just choosing a destination and booking a ticket. So the major focus of this book is the backpacking holiday and the working holiday—if you fall into one or both of these categories you need to read this book. Backpacking is where you take the time to really experience an environment and culture different to your own—it is not


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for those who want a short relaxing break. The challenge most of us face is getting together enough money to support a sufficiently lengthy adventure, and that’s why so many people work along the way—instead of just backpacking they go on a working holiday. I know that making mistakes and learning from them can be half the fun of travelling, but I hope I can help you to not make the major kinds of mistakes that can wreck a holiday. This book goes through all the things you need to sit back and plan properly before you set off. It covers all the countries Australians and New Zealanders can get working visas for, the conditions of those visas, the processes to go through and how much they cost. Remember, though, that visa conditions often change so it’s a good idea to double-check everything before you plan a trip. And if there’s a country you really want to work in and it’s not on the list, check with the embassy as countries are regularly developing working holiday programs. At the end of the book there are a few job ideas to help you get started when you arrive at your destination. Overseas travel is definitely not cheap, especially when you go for an extended period of time. These days most backpackers combine some kind of work with travel to help pump up their bank balances and add to their overseas adventure. Working and living a day-today life in a different culture is an unforgettable experience. I am addicted to travel. The only way that I was able to fund two of my major trips was by working while I was overseas, and it definitely added to the experience. Not only was I able to earn money and experience a different culture on a day-to-day basis, but I also made a stack of friends from all over the world. I’m not saying that I am an expert on travel. But after researching and writing this book, and drawing from my own experiences, I feel that I have a pretty good idea of how things work. I hope I can help you to have a successful holiday, no matter what your destination.


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Part I

PLANNING


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1 What sort of travel? What sort of travel?

BACKPACKING/WORKING HOLIDAYS The majority of people who plan a big backpacking trip end up working for some part of it. At our age the major problem that we are going to face on any trip is cash—and not having enough of it. Practically speaking, combining a backpacking holiday with an overseas working experience isn’t a bad idea. I have done both the backpacking holiday and the working holiday, and have a pretty good idea of what the major pros and cons are of each option. Backpacking holiday Pros

Cons

You get to enjoy the experience of being away without having to spend a good portion of your time flipping burgers or pulling beers.

You have to save up a huge amount of money. If you are away for one year without working you are looking at around $10 000.

You don’t have to stick to a set plan of getting to a certain place by a certain time because you are running out of money or need to get a visa validated. You don’t have to stay in the one place for too long.

You might miss out on opportunities of mixing with locals and experiencing foreign cultures. You don’t get the chance to stop and live somewhere for an extended period of time.


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Working holiday Pros

Cons

You get to earn money while you are travelling.

Sometimes you can have too much work and not enough holiday.

You don’t have to save up as much money before you go.

In most cases the money you make goes to your living expenses, rather than to boost your savings account for future travel.

You get the chance to work with the locals and fully experience their culture.

A trip like this involves a lot more planning, like making sure you meet all a particular country’s requirements when you apply for a visa.

It is a great option if you are travelling alone, because working gives you the chance to meet so many people.

You may have to follow a strict itinerary to make sure that you get to the countries where you are working before your money runs out.

In the three-month summer break before my last year at uni I went on a working holiday to Canada. I love skiing, so I did my research and worked out that I wanted to go to Banff. I chose to do a working holiday because there was no way that I could save enough money while I was at uni to go there and just ski for three months—I had to work to survive. Deciding to combine my holiday with work was the best decision I could have made. It took some perseverance to get a job, but not too long after I arrived I got a job at one of the ski hills— Sunshine Village. This was great, for not only did I make enough money to cover my living expenses, but I also got a free season pass to Sunshine Village and the surrounding mountains, plus discounts at some of the local shops and cafés in Banff. I also made many good friends who really made my Canadian experience—and I am still in contact with most of them.


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What sort of travel?

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CHOOSING A DESTINATION Trying to decide where to go when you are planning a major overseas experience is a big decision—there are just so many options. Not only do you have to decide where you want to go, but you have to find out what it will be like at the time of year you are planning to travel. You also need to think about things like major festivals and holidays, which can mean that travel is impossible for a couple of days, even a week sometimes, because you won’t be able to get a room in a hostel or a seat on a train. Here is a bit of food for thought.

Southeast Asia Best time to go Between November and February, when humidity is low, it isn’t too hot and there is little rain.

Major attractions • • • • •

Angkor Wat—Cambodia Grand Palace—Bangkok, Thailand Tropical beaches—Thailand Halong Bay—Vietnam Trekking—northern Thailand and northern Vietnam

When travelling in Southeast Asian countries be aware of the holiday period for Chinese New Year in February, when the entire country may virtually shut down for a week. On my trip I was in Vietnam at the time of the Chinese New Year—called the Tet Festival in Vietnam—and for the three days we were in Ho Chi Minh City


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we had to eat at the same restaurant every night because most of the others were closed.

Europe Best time to go Spring (March to June) is definitely the best time to visit Europe. The days are getting longer, the weather is generally mild, prices are lower than in the busy summer months. Autumn (September to November) is also a nice time to visit, but the days are getting shorter, meaning that by November there is limited sunlight, and the mornings and evenings can get pretty cold. Peak tourist season in Europe is the summer time—July to August. Although it is warm, this is when the crowds are the biggest and the prices the highest. Try and avoid the winter months, particularly in northern Europe, where it can be very cold and where you may find that major attractions have shortened hours—some may not even be open in the winter months. Having said that, a lot of people successfully backpack around Europe for an entire year—it is all about planning where you want to be in each season. You might like to spend the winter months in the southern countries around the Mediterranean, like Spain, Greece or Turkey, where it is still warm, then spend the busy summer months in parts of northern Europe that are less travelled, like Hungary or Finland. If you are planning on working in the UK or Ireland, like millions of other Aussies and Kiwis, why not work during their summer time? That way you avoid the crowds in mainland Europe, and get to enjoy the best weather the UK and Ireland have to offer.

Major attractions • •

Buckingham Palace and Big Ben—London, UK The Eiffel Tower and the Mona Lisa—Paris, France


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• • • • • • •

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Sistine Chapel and the Colosseum—Rome, Italy Leaning Tower of Pisa—Pisa, Italy Battlefields and cemeteries—north-western France, Belgium and Germany Scenery and glaciers—the Alps, Austria and Switzerland Ancient ruins—Pompeii and Rome (Italy), Athens (Greece) and Crete Beautiful architecture—Eastern Europe Beaches—Spain and Greece

North America Best time to go Like Europe, the peak tourist season is between mid-June and midSeptember, so if you want to avoid the crowds it is best to go in spring or autumn. But remember that although things will be cheaper in these months, some major attractions could be closed. It really depends on where you want to go and what you are looking for—for example, autumn is a great time to see the colours changing. If you want to work, tourist operators are looking for extra people in the summer months. If you want to ski while you are in North America, or if you are going there to work in the ski season, you will obviously want to go in their winter months (December to February). Alternatively, if you are planning on camping or visiting the far north of Canada, summer is the best time.

Major attractions • • • • • •

Amazing scenery—Canada and Alaska Grand Canyon, deserts and cowboys—Texas and Nevada Architecture—Quebec Beaches—Southern California Mountains—Rockies Big surf—Hawaii


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Africa Best time to go Northern Africa—The best time to visit is spring (March to May) because the weather is warm enough to hang out at the beach without any crowds. Summer (June to August) is the worst time to go because it is really hot and is peak tourist season. Central Africa—The best time to go is January and February, when the weather is hot and dry. The worst time to go is March to May when it rains virtually 24/7. Southern Africa—The summer months (December to February) are very unpleasant in the lowlands where it is very hot. Although temperature-wise this is a good time to visit higher altitude areas, be aware you could experience a bit of rain or mist.

Major attractions • • • • •

Sahara desert—Morocco Pyramids—Egypt Victoria Falls—Zimbabwe Mt Kilimanjaro—Tanzania Game parks—South Africa

Middle East Best time to go Spring (April to June) and autumn (September to November) are the best times to go. Summer is hot and dry, while winter is wet and can get quite cold in some parts, like Turkey and Iran. Make sure that you take into account the major religious holidays when travelling to the Middle East, as some countries fill up with pilgrims and the cost of living can greatly increase (accommodation, meals, etc.).


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Major attractions Before you attempt to go and visit any of these major attractions, make sure that you research how safe the area is for tourists: • • • • •

Jerusalem and Bethlehem—Israel The Dead Sea—Israel Bazaars—Turkey, Iran Landscape—Turkey Petra (a city carved into a cliff face)—Jordan

South and Central America Best time to go Central America (including Colombia and Venezuela)—The best time to go is over the warm and dry winter period (October to May). The summer is very hot and wet. Northern South America—A great time to go is in the winter time (June to August) when there is less rain than the humid summer (January to April). Southern South America—the best time to visit is in the winter months (June to September) because there is less humidity. During the South American summer, accommodation and food prices skyrocket, as the locals flock to the beach to go on their annual holidays.

Major attractions • • • • • •

Carnivale—Brazil Iguazu Falls—Brazil and Argentina The Amazon—Brazil Architecture—Buenos Aires Beaches—Caribbean (Mexico, Bahamas, Jamaica, etc.) Wildlife—Galapagos Islands


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Inca Trail—Peru Diving—Caribbean (Mexico, Bahamas, Jamaica, etc.)

WARNINGS There are a few general warnings that you need to be aware of when you are travelling. These include:

Drug trafficking penalties Be aware of these, especially in Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. Several tourists have received the death penalty for carrying drugs in these countries. This is a very serious matter; when I went to Asia my plane landed in Bangkok and the flight attendant came on saying, ‘Drug trafficking results in the death penalty—have a nice stay here in Thailand’—it sounded really weird.

Pickpockets These menaces to your welfare are everywhere—especially in Asia, South America and the Middle East. It is important that at all times you are aware of pickpockets and take precautions. This means always leaving your passport in your hotel safe, wearing a money belt at all times, carrying as little around with you as possible, and being generally street wise. Note that pickpockets may work in conjunction with street hawkers.

Health precautions If you plan on travelling outside Western Europe and North America, in terms of health make sure that you have the appropriate vaccinations before you leave home, drink bottled water, take your malaria tablets, and carry insect repellent and antiseptic creams everywhere


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you go. It might be a good idea to do a first aid course before you go so that you can quickly identify any signs of major sickness and know what to do in an emergency, for example in case of a snakebite.

ROUND-THE-WORLD TRAVEL Embarking on a major overseas holiday not only takes a lot of cash and planning, it also takes a lot of time. If you are at uni you usually get a three-month break over the summer, but if you are working you are stuck with your four weeks of annual leave a year. This means that many people end up doing a major trip between school and uni, between uni and work, or between jobs. If you are taking extended time off, why not try and see as much as possible while you have the chance. If you are going to quit your job and go travelling, don’t just see Europe—add other places you know you won’t get to on your four weeks of annual leave when you are back in the real world. Also think about the costs. Living downunder means that it costs Australians and New Zealanders a lot of money just to fly anywhere. So make use of the money and see as much as possible while you are over there.

HOW ARE YOU GOING TO TRAVEL? When you embark on an overseas adventure you need to work out who you want to travel with. Make sure you take time to make this decision. Don’t set off with a girlfriend or boyfriend of two weeks whom you hardly know.

By yourself The most obvious option is to travel by yourself. This suits people who can handle making decisions by themselves, can make friends easily, are level headed and brave.


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The best part of travelling by yourself is that you have the freedom to go where you want when you want. This means there are no arguments, which can spring up about such little things as whether you should walk to the hostel from the train station or catch a taxi. Travelling by yourself means that you don’t have to deal with group dynamics and petty fights, and it allows you to spend time on your own—something that you won’t get if you are travelling in someone else’s pocket. The downside is that when you travel by yourself it can get very lonely. Who do you chat to on 10-hour train trips? Who can you share funny incidents with? Another point to consider is that in some cases it can be more expensive to travel by yourself because you don’t have anyone to split costs with. For example, when you have to get a taxi you have to pay the whole bill, but if you were travelling with others you would split it. Many people will also tell you that it isn’t as safe travelling by yourself as it is with other people. What if a car hits you? Who phones your parents to tell them you are in hospital? When I was backpacking around Europe with my friend Amy we decided to go to Granada in Spain, for a few days.The second day we were there Amy got REALLY sick, couldn’t get out of bed and was continually vomiting. After 24 hours of this I got really worried and called her parents to ask what I should do. They thought I should get her to a doctor as soon as possible. In that part of Spain we found that there were very few people who could speak English, and I knew no Spanish, so it came as no surprise that the lady who ran the pension we were staying at didn’t understand that I wanted a doctor. In the end I got Amy out of bed and into a taxi and got the driver to take us to the hospital, thanks to my Lonely Planet phrase-book. At the hospital nobody spoke English and I had to signal to the doctor what was wrong with her. They put her on a


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drip, kept her in overnight and gave her some medicine to take with her when they let her leave the next day. After the night in the hospital (one of the longest in my life) we had to stay in Granada another five days till Amy was well enough to move on. In that time I had to organise with the lady at the pension for us to stay extra nights, get Amy drinks and food from the shops each day, and make sure that she got better not worse. Whenever I have friends who go overseas on their own I think of that week and wonder what Amy would have done if she had been travelling by herself.

With friends A lot of people end up travelling with friends for no better reason than they get excited about the idea. When you travel with friends the first thing you need to think about is how many people you want to travel with. I travelled with one friend around Europe and that worked out fine. When I went to Asia I travelled with four friends, which was a lot of hard work but also great fun. You also need to think about the personality and habits of anyone you are thinking of travelling with. Someone who is your best friend in the whole wide world—on your home turf—might turn out to be very hard to deal with in unfamiliar territory. For example, if you are a compulsive planner (like me) and your friend always ‘goes with the flow’ and will plan nothing—can you see a personality clash looming? The best part about travelling with a friend is the company; you always have someone to talk to. It also means you have someone to share experiences with, and it is always said that there is safety in numbers. The negatives revolve around the conflicts and personality clashes that you may face if you don’t pick your travelling partner carefully. What happens if one person is on a tighter budget than the other?


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Or when you want to go one direction, and the person you are travelling with wants to go the opposite way? The key is to talk in detail before you leave about where you want to go, what sorts of things you’re interested in seeing, and how much you can both afford to spend. There is no point in travelling to Europe with a good friend if you want to spend time in the cities looking at art galleries, and your friend wants to be hiking in the Swiss Alps admiring the scenery! Travelling with a friend has both risks and rewards. Great friendships can become much closer; they can also break down as a result of travelling-in-each-other’s-pocket syndrome.

With a partner Well, it is the twenty-first century and it is widely accepted that people travel with their partners, boyfriends or girlfriends. Before you jump into this situation, think about whether or not it is going to make or break your relationship. Spending 24 hours a day, 7 days a week together can be very testing on a relationship. The best part of travelling with a partner is that you get to share experiences with someone you care about. It also means you don’t have to go through the homesickness that most people face when they go off travelling and leave their partner at home. The negatives are that you may feel suffocated spending 24/7 with your partner with little time to yourself. There is also a risk that you might see a side to your partner that you don’t like. Before you leave, think about what would happen if you broke up. Are you capable of travelling on your own? I have gone backpacking on three major overseas holidays, two with my best friend and one with my boyfriend. My travel experiences were very different, but I had three fantastic holidays, with only a couple of arguments apiece. And yes, Amy is still my best friend, and yes, I am still with my boyfriend.


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HOW LONG WILL YOU BE AWAY? A lot of your planning will revolve around how long you intend to go away for.

Short break If you are thinking of going on a short break, like TAFE or work holidays, you will probably only make it to one or two places. This means that you need to chose your destinations carefully, and try to keep time wasting to a minimum.

Summer break This category mainly relates to uni students who get three months off over summer. Because uni students aren’t usually the wealthiest of people, this break is often combined with work—for example working at a ski resort in the USA or Canada for three months—or turns out to be a holiday in Asia, where you can get a lot more for your Aussie or Kiwi dollar. Because Europe is smack bang in the middle of winter at this time, it isn’t the best place to spend your summer break.

One to two years If you are planning to head off for a couple of years you are undoubtedly going between jobs or between study and work, or maybe between school and uni. If you are lucky enough to be in this situation, why not try and see as much as possible. You never know when you will get another chance. If you fall into this category you are most likely going to work at some stage of your travels—so definitely check out the working overseas section of this book!


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2 Saving and budgeting Saving and budgeting

HOW MUCH MONEY WILL I NEED? Before you go anywhere you need to sit down and work out realistically how much money you are going to need for your trip. That will help you to form some kind of savings goal. A budget is also a good way to check that the amount of cash in your savings account is going to cover your expenses. The best way to work out how much you think you are going to spend is by putting together a budget. A budget is basically a table or chart that attempts to balance your income and expenses, and tries to work out whether you have money to spare or if you will only scrape by. When creating a budget, the most important thing to remember is to try not to over-estimate or under-estimate your expenses or your sources of income. The key is to be realistic. You also need to do your research, to estimate how much each expense is really going to be when you are overseas. Talk to people who have been where you want to go, watch travel shows, read guidebooks, search the Internet and make sure you check out the weekly travel section of


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Saving and budgeting

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the major newspapers. For example, a night in a hostel usually sets you back $20–25 in Australia or New Zealand, but in the USA this figure can be double due to the exchange rate, and in the UK triple the amount! The figures in this table will give you a rough guide of how much you should budget for per day on a backpacking expedition in the following regions (at 2003 exchange rates): Europe Asia North America South America Middle East Africa

$50–100 (Greece vs London) per day $30–50 per day $50–100 per day $30–80 (Ecuador vs Argentina) per day $30–80 (Turkey vs Israel) per day $30–50 per day

I think that it’s a good idea to create two separate budgets for living and working overseas, because the costs end up being quite different. The five major steps that you need to go through when creating any budget are: •

•

Step 1 Set the time period. If you are travelling you will probably have a daily or weekly budget. But try to spend as little as possible—you don’t have to go through the set amount that you take out of your account each week. If you are working overseas you should set your budget according to your pay period, whether it is weekly, fortnightly or monthly. Step 2 In one column list all the sources of income you have for that period. When you are working out a budget for just travelling, your savings account will be your only source of income, so you need to divide the amount you have saved by the amount of weeks you plan to be away to work out the maximum amount you have to spend each week. Don’t forget to allow for the money you are going to spend before you leave home, like travel insurance and plane tickets. When doing a budget for working overseas


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•

• •

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your income will be what’s in your savings account plus your take-home pay. In most cases people try to live off their takehome pay and keep their saved money for the trips they will be doing during or after they finish working. Step 3 In another column list all the expenses you are going to face in that period, as well as the expenses that you will need to pay before you leave home. Make sure you total the column. Step 4 Add 10 per cent to the expenses total to make sure that you have enough money for emergencies and unpredicted costs. Step 5 Now take a look at the totals of the two columns. If total expenses are greater than total income, you are over budget— which means you need to do a bit more saving before you can afford to go overseas. If total expenses are less than total income you are under budget—and you are ready to hit the road!

In the early stages of planning a major trip you should use a budget and work backwards. Do your research on all the expenses, estimate as accurately as you can how much they are going to be, add that little bit extra for emergencies, and total them up so that you are left with one expenses figure. Now you know the minimum amount you have to save before you set off on your trip, and can start a serious savings program. I know that saving for a trip is hard work, especially if your friends are going out every weekend. After saving for a few big trips, I can honestly say I don’t know how people can get a big amount of money together without using a budget. When I decide I’m going to go away I sit down and work out a budget first, so I know roughly how much I have to get together. Then I work out how much of each week’s pay has to be saved; on top of that, if I have any of my week’s spending money left over I put it into my savings account. The secret is to keep your focus on your long-term goal—your trip! Don’t view saving as a burden, but as a reward.


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Overseas budget planner—Travelling Time period: Weekly Expenses:

Income: Savings account

$...

Before you leave Plane ticket

$...

Travel insurance

$...

YHA membership

$...

Vaccinations

$...

Luggage

$...

Equipment

$...

Clothes

$...

Passport and visas

$...

Phone card

$...

Total before you leave expenses

$...

When you get there Food

Total income

$...

$...

Accommodation

$...

Transport

$...

Entry fees (museums, galleries, major attractions)

$...

Souvenirs

$...

Miscellaneous (toothpaste, bottled water)

$...

Total weekly expenses (multiplied by the number of weeks you plan to be away)

$...

10% of total weekly expenses for emergencies

$...

Total expenses (weekly + before you leave + emergencies)

$...

Amount left over (income – expenses)

$...


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Overseas budget planner—Working Time period: Monthly Income:

Expenses:

Savings account $... Overseas job (estimated monthly pay multiplied by the number of months you plan to work) $...

Before you leave Plane ticket

$...

Travel insurance

$...

YHA membership

$...

Vaccinations

$...

Luggage

$...

Equipment

$...

Clothes

$...

Passport and visas

$...

Phone card

$...

Total before you leave expenses

$...

When you get there

Total income

$...

Food

$...

Rent

$...

Bills

$...

Phone card

$...

Transport

$...

Entertainment

$...

Clothes

$...

Miscellaneous

$...

Total monthly expenses (multiplied by the number of weeks you plan to be there)

$...

Allow 10 per cent of total monthly expenses for emergencies

$...

Total expenses (before you leave + monthly + emergencies)

$...


$...


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My sister Brie is the total opposite—she is so bad at saving. She and three of her friends are going travelling around India in a couple of months, and to make sure she has enough money to go she is making Mum save for her! Every week she gives all her pay to Mum, Mum gives Brie an amount to live on, and puts the rest into an account Brie can’t access! I guess it’s whatever works in the long run . . .

WORKING OUT A SAVINGS PLAN No matter where you are travelling to, even if you are planning on working while you are overseas, you need to have saved up quite a bit of cash before you go. For most of us this takes several months, or maybe even years, of denying ourselves little luxuries while we try to reach our savings goal. The best way to save a big amount of money fast is to set up a savings plan that you can follow. Trust me, it works. In May of my second year at uni I decided that I wanted to work in Canada over the three-month summer break. At that stage I had very little in my account—and most of my money was being spent on clothes and going out. To be allowed into Canada on a working visa I had to have $4000 in my account, so I made this amount my savings goal and worked out a set plan of how I was going to reach it.

The step-by-step guide on page 24 goes through the major steps that you need to follow if you are serious about saving up a reasonable amount of money.


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Living at home budget planner Time period: Monthly Income: Take-home pay $... Youth allowance $... Cash in hand (baby-sitting, pocket money, etc.) $...

Total monthly income

$...

Expenses: Personal Clothes Shoes Accessories (swimmers, belt, toiletries, etc.) Entertainment (movies, concerts, nights out) Magazines/books/newspapers Hobbies/sport/fitness Extras (gifts, haircuts) Travel Fares (bus, train, ferry, tram) Car repayments Car maintenance (rego, roadside assistance) Parking Petrol Insurance Food Takeaway Restaurants Lunches Snacks/coffees Living costs Board Payments Course fees Mobile bill Credit card Personal loan Private health insurance Contribution to savings Total monthly expenses


$... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $...

$...


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23

Living out of home budget planner Time period: Monthly Income: Take-home pay $... Youth allowance $... Cash in hand (baby-sitting, odd jobs, etc.) $...

Total monthly income

$...

Expenses: Personal Clothes Shoes Accessories (swimmers, belt, toiletries, etc.) Entertainment (movies, concerts, nights out) Magazines/books/newspapers Hobbies/sport/fitness Extras (gifts, haircuts) Travel Fares (bus, train, ferry, tram) Car repayments Car maintenance (rego, roadside assistance, servicing) Parking Petrol Insurance Food Groceries, etc. Takeaway Restaurants Lunches Snacks/coffees Living costs Rent Utilities Internet access Electricity Water Gas Telephone Maintenance Payments Course fees Mobile bill Credit card Personal loan Private health insurance Contribution to savings Total monthly expenses


$... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $... $...


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Step-by-step guide to saving for a holiday Step 1 The first thing that you need to do is to open up an account that is specifically designed for saving.This means you are encouraged by incentives such as bonus interest to deposit money on a regular basis, and not withdraw any.This account will hopefully give you the discipline you need to save. Step 2 Draw up a budget according to your current living situation, and decide how much of your income you can deposit into this savings account. If you find there isn’t any money left over to save, this means you will either have to get another job or cut out some non-essential expenses.The most important thing is that you decide on an amount, add it into your current budget as an expense, and be committed to putting it into your savings account each pay period. (I’ve drawn these up as monthly budgets, but you can easily adapt them to weekly figures.) Step 3 Work out how much your trip is going to cost you (by drawing up a budget like the ones on the previous page), and then set a savings goal.Telling yourself you can go away as soon as you reach your target gives you a real incentive to save.

It is really important to find the bank account that is going to offer you the best deal, and do the most for your savings. Visit the major banks and shop around for the account that offers you the most interest and the least fees. I go into greater detail about bank accounts in Chapter 4.


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3 Booking your ticket Booking your ticket

For most of us the biggest single expense we are going to face on an overseas trip is the airfare. It is important to remember that the cost of the ticket largely depends on when you want to go on your holiday. High season and low season rates can vary quite a bit. High season is the most popular time to go, so tickets cost more in that period. Typically, in high season the weather is better and there are more people travelling. In low season, the cost is less but the weather may not be as pleasant. In places like the Greek islands, for example, many of the hotels and boats close down in the low season. As an example of the difference in cost, when I checked with Qantas at the time of writing, a return economy airfare to London was $2530 in the low season and $2720 in the high (both fares include taxes). Don’t start freaking out about how many shifts you are going to have to work before you will have enough for a plane ticket; these days there are a lot of different ways of picking up a good deal.

BOOKING ONLINE Booking your plane ticket online can be a great option because you get the chance to see what deals are out there for yourself, and the


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rates charged by airlines you may never have heard of—you can seriously end up saving a couple of hundred dollars. It can sometimes happen that a travel agent tells you only about the more expensive fares—that way they can get more commission from your sale. The site I always go to first is <www.travel.com.au> (<www.travel. co.nz> for Kiwis); when you do a search this site ranks the results in terms of price, with the cheapest options first. The conditions of each fare are also really clear.

ROUND THE WORLD (RTW) If you are going on a major trip and visiting a couple of continents, it is much more economical to book a round-the-world ticket than several one-way tickets. As with most flights, the season may impact on your fare, so always check that out. From Australia or New Zealand you are looking at around $2700 if you leave in July and August (high season), and around $2300 if you leave in low season. On top of that, allow around $300 for taxes (they vary depending on your stops). The most important rule to remember with round-the-world tickets is that you have to keep going in one direction—under no circumstances can you backtrack. This means you can’t go to Europe from Australia, then from Europe to Asia, because you would be backtracking. A popular round-the-world itinerary from downunder is Asia to Europe to North America and then back home. Most round-the-world fares are valid for a year; they generally allow you a minimum of three stops and a maximum of five, and a maximum of 26 000 miles—but there are always exceptions. Don’t start panicking. That 26 000 miles will definitely get you to Asia, Europe, North America and home. The problems start when you begin to zigzag up and down the world—if for example, you want


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to go from New York to Santiago in Chile, back up to Hawaii and then home. The major disadvantage of round-the-world tickets is that you have to decide on your itinerary before you go, because you have to organise what exact stops you want on your ticket. The dates don’t really matter because you are pretty much free to change those around as much as you want—just as long as there is a seat on the particular flight you want.

STUDENT DISCOUNT FARES If you are a student, you should always check out what kind of discounts are out there before you book any kind of international travel. There are some travel agencies, such as STA in Australia, which specialise in student travel. After speaking to them I found out that no set percentage discount is offered; discounts exist, but they vary from airline to airline. To get a student discount on an overseas flight you need to have an international student card (which can be bought from STA Travel for around $20) and proof you are a full-time student—usually the official student card given to you by your uni or TAFE college.

ONE-WAY TICKETS One-way tickets are a good option if you are planning to stay in the one area for over a year, as most return tickets are only valid for 12 months. Remember that in most cases you will only be allowed to enter a country with a one-way ticket if you have a working visa (and can prove you have enough money to purchase a return ticket) or if you hold citizenship to that particular country.


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SHOP AROUND I know that when most of us tell our parents we are going overseas they think we should travel on a nice safe airline like Qantas or Air New Zealand. Unfortunately these also happen to be two of the most expensive airlines—where you pay for top service, good food and inflight entertainment. These days if you are looking for a cheap flight you need to be adventurous and try airlines other than the ‘super powers’. Why not give some of the smaller airlines a go—they often have the best rates with adequate service.

CHARTER A charter flight is where you pay for a cheap fare and in return receive just a seat on a plane; these flights usually don’t provide in-flight entertainment or meals. I wouldn’t get your hopes up of finding a charter flight; they are very hard to come by these days in Australia and New Zealand, as most charter airlines have now gone under. You can still pick up the odd charter flight in Europe and North America if you look hard enough.

TICKET CONDITIONS After doing a few big overseas trips I now realise how careful you have to be when you book your ticket, and that you must read all the conditions. The biggest problem I’ve ever had is not knowing how many changes you can make to your ticket for free. When Toby (my boyfriend) and I were coming home from our trip to Canada, we’d planned to fly home via Hawaii on a particular


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date. When we got to Vancouver, after spending a couple of months skiing and working in the Canadian Rockies, we decided we wanted to escape the cold and leave a few days early for Hawaii.We knew we had one free ticket change, according to the conditions of our ticket, so we booked an earlier flight and were told to come to the airport on the day of our flight with our old tickets and that everything would be fine. When we checked in we discovered our travel agent at home had already used the one free change, before we left home months earlier. We remembered something about changing our departure date because of our exam timetable, but the travel agent had never told us this meant we were using our free ticket change. We were each slapped with an $80 charge for the extra ticket change—and that’s a lot of money when you are living on your last couple of hundred dollars.

When you decide on a particular airfare or deal there are a few things that you need to look out for before you sign away your hardearned cash: • • •

•

• •

What are the conditions of travel? If you have stopovers, what is their duration? You don’t want to be unexpectedly stuck for the night. Are airport taxes included in the price? For example, when you leave Sydney airport, you face around $77 in taxes, and then about US$5 per sector, depending on the airline. Make sure you check the validity of the ticket, which is the minimum and maximum time your ticket lets you be away for. You don’t want to buy a ticket that is only valid for a month when you are planning to be away for ten months! If you need to cancel your ticket, what fees will you have to pay? When do you have to pay by?


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Will you be charged by the airline if you want to change your flying dates? The general rule is you get one free change; after that you have to pay a fee.


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4 Getting ready Getting ready

DOING YOUR RESEARCH The first step in planning any overseas holiday is doing your research. How do you know you really want to go somewhere unless you have read up on its history and culture, and the things to do there? How will you know the best time of year to visit? Or how much is it going to cost you? The best place to start is with your friends and family. They are the ones who will give you an honest opinion, and won’t be trying to sell a destination to you like a travel agent might. Grill them as much as you can by asking questions like: • • • • • • • •

What was your favourite place? Did you consider it an expensive place to go? What time of year did you go and what was the weather like? Where did you stay? Were the locals friendly? Was there a language barrier? If so, was it a major problem trying to get around? If you went again what would you do differently? What was the transport and infrastructure like?


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Once you have spoken to people you know and have decided to seriously consider going to a particular place, it is time to read up on it. You can search the Internet for information on the country— a good place to start is <www.lonelyplanet.com> in their worldwide guide section. It allows you to choose a country, in some cases a region or city of that country, and brings up a stack of information on when to go there, approximate costs, major attractions, the local culture, history, activities and heaps more. If you are after more detailed information or aren’t into computers, you need to get your hands on guidebooks on the area you are thinking of visiting—whether you buy them or borrow them from your local library. The major guidebooks of value to backpackers are Lonely Planet, Let’s Go and Rough Guides. These will provide you with maps, information on places to stay and eat, and even details on the major attractions, their opening times and entry prices! Once you have decided where you want to go, and have a good understanding of the place, your next stop should be your travel agent for information on how you can get there and how much it is going to cost you to go at various times of year—high season versus low season. If you follow these steps you will get to know enough about a particular destination—what there is to see and do, how much it is going to cost—to be sure whether it really appeals to you or not.

GETTING A PASSPORT If you don’t already have a passport you will have to apply for one. This can be a really confusing process, so I have outlined the steps you need to go through when applying for an Australian or New Zealand passport. If you already have had a passport, check whether


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it needs renewing. The process is simpler, but contact your local passport office for details.

Applying for an Australian passport Step 1 Get an Australian Passport Application form from an office of Australia Post or a state office of Passports Australia (part of the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade). This form explains the requirements. Step 2 Adults living in Australia must personally lodge their application for an Australian passport at Australia Post or Passports Australia. You will need to be interviewed. An appointment might be needed when applying for a passport at Australia Post, so make sure you call ahead. Step 3 The interview. You will need to bring: • •

•

• •

•

The completed application form. Two new colour passport size photographs (can be taken at almost any photo processing shop). It’s a good idea to get extra copies done; in many cases you will need them later when you apply for visas. An original document that proves you are an Australian citizen, either: a previous Australian passport issued after 22 November 1984, your full Australian birth certificate, or your Australian citizenship certificate. An identity document (e.g. driver’s licence) that shows your current name and signature. If you have changed your name you need to bring documents (e.g. marriage certificate) that explain name changes from the name shown on your birth certificate, citizenship certificate or previous Australian passport to your current name. The passport fee of A$136. You can pay by cash, EFTPOS, Bankcard, Visa or MasterCard. (Cheques require 10 working days’ clearance before the application may be processed.)


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Applying for a New Zealand passport Generally it takes 10 days to process a standard passport application, or three days if you use the urgent service. Step 1 Go to <www.passports.govt.nz> and download a passport application form. Print it off and complete it using a pen. Or you can go to your nearest passport office and pick up a copy. Offices are located in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Manukau. Step 2 Return the form and any other required documents to your nearest New Zealand Passports office. You will need to include: •

•

•

•

Proof that you are a New Zealand citizen. You can prove this through holding a current or expired New Zealand passport, a citizenship certificate, or a full birth certificate stating your parents’ names, showing you were born in New Zealand, Cook Islands, Niue or Tokelau. Remember that documents have to be originals, not photocopies. Proof of your identity. You need to get someone you know to formally identify you on the application form and to identify your photos. This person will be called your witness and must be over 16 years old, be a holder of a current New Zealand passport, and have known you for more than 12 months. A witness can’t be a relative, your partner, or live at the same address as you. A witness has to do two things: fill in the Proof of Identity page of the application form in their own handwriting, and on the back of one of the photos you have to supply write the full name of the person applying for the passport (you), the date and their signature. Photographic proof of your identity. You need to include two identical photos which are less than 12 months old. Make sure you don’t trim your photos, the passport office will cut them to the size they want them. Your application fee, which is NZ$80 for the standard service.


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It is important to note that you may need to renew your passport if it has only six months left before it expires, as some countries require that your passport is valid for at least six months before they let you in. I made this mistake when I planned to go to Hungary with my family. I met up with them in London and went to get my visa from the Hungarian Embassy a few days before we were meant to leave. When they discovered that I only had three months left on my passport they refused to give me a visa. As a result I had to spend the next few days waiting around in the Australian and Hungarian embassies getting a new passport and then my visa. In the end it all worked out—but I was very lucky.

APPLYING FOR VISAS Whether you are planning to work or not, you still need to check out what visas you need when heading to other countries. A tourist visa is basically a stamp, sometimes a form, that is put in your passport when you enter another country, and which generally lasts for three months. It acts as a permission slip for you to enter that country. For some countries you have to apply for a visa in Australia or New Zealand before you leave, for instance, if you are travelling to Vietnam. Remember that having a visa doesn’t automatically mean that you are allowed into a country—that is actually up to the immigration officials when you arrive. It doesn’t matter what type of visa you are applying for, or which country you want to enter, there are a few general points: • •

You need a current passport. Call the embassy or consulate of the country you wish to visit to


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• • • •

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find out if you need a visa to enter or work there; if so, ask them to send you a visa application form. Apply early. Some countries will process a visa in a few days; others need a few weeks, even months. You definitely don’t want to be applying the week before you go. You will need extra copies of your passport photos to be attached to your application form. Most tourist visas will set you back around $100. Most visas are valid for 90 days, but always check the expiry date, because there are exceptions. Most countries will want your passport to have more than three to six months left on it. To give you an example of how the process works, when I was planning my trip to Vietnam I had to apply for a tourist visa. I called the Vietnamese consulate in Sydney and asked them to send me the forms, when I found that I had to have some passport photos taken. After filling everything out I had to drop the paperwork, my passport, the fee and the photos into the consulate. It took around five working days to process the visa, then I had to go to the consulate and pick up my passport. The visa was valid for 30 days and cost $75.

SEEING YOUR DOCTOR It is always advisable to do as the ad says and ‘see your doctor before you see the world’. Let your doctor know what areas you are planning to travel to; doctors know what vaccinations you need to get and what medications to take with you. Your family doctor should have a record of all the vaccinations you have had, and will know


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when you need to update the big ones; for example, when it is time for your next tetanus booster. Be prepared to be hit with a big bill, as vaccinations can be very expensive, especially if you have to get a few. When I went to Vietnam I had to have shots for hep A, hep B and typhoid—the bill added up to more than $200! If you want to check out for yourself what vaccinations you need, there are a number of websites where you can type in the country you are heading to and get info on the diseases prevalent there and the vaccinations you need to get. I found <www.travelvax.net> was very good. When it comes to travelling in tropical areas, you’ll probably find that you will have to take anti-malaria tablets. Malaria is a serious and sometimes fatal disease that you need to protect yourself against. I know that anti-malaria tablets are expensive and can be annoying to take, but that is no reason not to take them. Along with taking the tablets, it is a good idea to actually try and prevent mosquito bites. You can do this by applying insect repellant, sleeping inside mosquito nets, burning a mosquito coil, and wearing long pants and longsleeved shirts. It is also a good idea to go for a check-up at the dentist before you set off on a major overseas holiday. What if you are in Nepal, three months into your trip, and come down with a major toothache?

TRAVEL INSURANCE Travel insurance is basically money that you pay to insure your holiday, just as you would insure your car. If something goes wrong with your holiday—you get injured or sick, you lose your luggage, a flight is cancelled—you can make a claim with your insurance company. Most comprehensive travel insurance policies cover things like trip cancellation costs if you get sick before you go, trip interruption,


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stolen money, accidental death, medical/dental coverage, transportation to adequate medical facilities, loss of luggage or personal possessions, and protection against the default or bankruptcy of suppliers (for example, an airline). Other insurance options you might be able to choose from include personal liability cover for damages, legal defence and bad weather. Travel insurance is worth taking out—two out of my three major overseas holidays I have been able to claim medical bills. When you are trying to decide whether or not you want to buy travel insurance, there are a few points that you should definitely consider: • •

•

•

The longer you go away for, the greater the chance that you will get sick at some point. If you don’t want to fork out the few hundred dollars for travel insurance, think about how much it is going to cost you if you get sick and need to go to hospital—especially in the USA, the UK and Canada. If you are planning on staying in the one place for a while to work, it may be cheaper to organise health insurance in that country for the period you are living there (but also consider exclusion periods here—many health funds won’t let you claim anything in the first few weeks after you join). If this is worth doing, take out travel insurance just for when you are actually travelling. If you are going to be doing particularly risky activities, like skiing or trekking, it is definitely better to be safe than sorry and take out a comprehensive travel insurance policy. Again, look very carefully at the policy’s exclusion clauses.

What to look for in a travel insurance policy Buying a travel insurance policy isn’t as easy as getting a new pair of hiking boots. A lot of thought has to go into what you want to be


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covered for when you are away, and how much you are prepared to spend. Here are a few points to think about: •

•

•

• • •

•

Conditions and costs vary from policy to policy so, like anything, you have to shop around to find the best deal that suits your requirements. The first thing you need to do is to have a look at the health insurance policy that you have at home, and see if they offer travel insurance to their customers at a discount. Some credit card providers, like American Express, and major banks do the same kind of thing. Even though you can buy travel insurance at travel agencies, they are not the insurer and therefore might not fully understand the policy. Remember that their word is not gospel. Make sure you read the fine print and call the insurer themselves if you have any unanswered questions. Trip cancellation or interruption is a major part of any travel insurance policy. What if you break your leg a week before you are meant to go away? If you have already taken out travel insurance, it will cover costs such as charges by the airline to delay your flight a couple of weeks and accommodation deposits that you might lose. When looking over a policy, who exactly is covered in trip cancellation? Does it only cover your insured travelling partner? Or will you get money back if you have to go home to look after a sick family member? You also need to work out exactly when the coverage starts and finishes. Does the insurer provide a 24-hour toll-free hotline to provide you with emergency travel advice and assistance? In the event of a medical emergency, does the policy only cover taking you to the nearest medical facility? Or does it cover your trip home? If you are planning on travelling to politically volatile areas, find out if the policy covers acts of terrorism or hijacking. You also


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need to find out if there are any countries so dangerous that the insurer won’t cover you if you go there. Basically, you must always read the fine print of any insurance policy you are thinking of taking out and always ask a lot of questions. The more you know up-front, the fewer hassles you will encounter if you need to file a claim. My friend Emma’s luggage was stolen from hotel reception in Amsterdam while it was under the care of the hotel. She had checked out that morning and left her bags in a locked room provided by the hotel so that she didn’t have to lug the bags around all day before catching a train that evening. On her return to the hotel her bags were gone, the hotel staff denied any responsibility, and the insurance company claimed that she had left her bags ‘unattended in a public place’! So remember that while travel insurance is a necessity, there are no guarantees that your claim will always be honoured.

CALLING CARDS If your parents are anything like mine, when you set off on an overseas journey they will want to keep in contact with you every step of the way. I know that the Internet will allow you to keep in touch and let them know where you are, but nothing can beat hearing the voices of your family when you are on the other side of the world— especially when you have had a bad day. Telstra, Optus and Telecom New Zealand all offer international calling cards. These cards allow you to make phone calls from overseas and have them charged to your home/parents’ account. This is the kind of card that my parents encouraged me to get—it means you can call them for as long as you like and they pay for it. The first thing to do when shopping around for a phone card is


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enquire with your current service provider. If your home account is with Telecom New Zealand, call them to find out more about the Telecom New Zealand Direct Calling Card; likewise if you are with Telstra call Telstra for one of their cards; the same goes if you are with Optus. Telstra also offers a PhoneAway Card, which you can buy in newsagents or post offices in $10, $20, $50 and $100 amounts, to use overseas. When the credit on the card runs out, you can put more money on the card in $25 and $50 amounts using your credit card. Another option is to buy an international phone card in the country you are in. When I lived in the UK I found that they have such good call rates to Australia that you could buy a calling card over there worth $10 or $20 and talk to people at home for ages! Calling reverse charges is another option out there, but from my experience I would only use it in an emergency. The call rates are much higher compared to those attached to a calling card or a general phone card. When I go away I almost always call home on my calling card.The rate per minute is the same as that charged when calling that particular country from Australia with your landline provider. When I was in Canada I called home each week and chatted for about 30 minutes; it cost around $10 per phone call. One night that I’d told Mum and Dad I would call I was out and had forgotten to bring my calling card. So I decided to make a reverse charges call—big mistake.The 10-minute call ended up costing $40—can you believe the price difference!

YOUR BANK ACCOUNT Banks are the major receivers and lenders of money in the financial system. We deposit our money into savings accounts at certain banks which then pay us interest as a reward for choosing their bank.


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If you are planning on going overseas for an extended period of time you need to make sure your bank account will work for you while you are away. You don’t want all your hard-earned money being eaten away by fees, so shop around to find the right bank and the right account. The major fee you are going to face is the one you will be charged when you withdraw money from your Australian or New Zealand account through an overseas ATM. (Remember you can only do this through an ATM that has either the ‘Cirrus’ or ‘Plus’ symbol on it; this means you can use your card there.) At the time of publication, the going fees for overseas ATM transactions for the five big banks were: • • •

• •

Commonwealth Bank A$4 per transaction. Westpac A$2.65 a transaction. NAB A$4 per transaction, plus 1% of that amount. For example, if you are withdrawing $500 you pay $5 (1%) on top of the $4 general fee. ANZ A$5 per transaction. National Bank of New Zealand NZ$5 per transaction.

Another thing to look out for is whether or not your bank has reciprocal arrangements with any overseas banks. For example, if you hold an account at Westpac you can use Barclays ATMs in the UK, BNP ATMs in France, and Deutsche Bank ATMs in Germany, for nothing except a small currency conversion fee. It can be really hard trying to decide which bank has the best account for you, because there are so many different types of accounts around. The major things to look at when shopping around for an account are the differences between charges and interest rates. For example, some banks will let you make a certain number of transactions each month without charging a fee. After you reach that limit, you will have to pay for each extra transaction you make.


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So it is a good idea to do your research and find out which bank offers the services, the type of account and the charges that best suit you and your situation. Don’t forget to investigate the purely online banks, such as ING. They can often afford to pay you a higher rate of interest because they don’t have the same expenses as normal banks, like branches and extra staff. All the communication, such as statements, with these banks is via the post or email. There are a few major things to keep in mind when comparing the various accounts of different banks with each other. Start by finding out the answers to these questions: • • •

How much will you be charged for a withdrawal at an overseas ATM? Can you use EFTPOS overseas? And if so, how much will you be charged? Does the bank have any reciprocal arrangements with banks in other countries?

I would definitely recommend that you set up online banking before you leave home. Online banking allows you to check your bank balance for next to nothing and enables you to transfer money between any accounts you hold at the same bank. To register for online banking, visit your local branch and fill out the forms; they will then supply you with a username and password (which most banks give you the option of changing when you log on for the first time). Then all you need to do is rock up to an Internet café when you are overseas, log on to your bank’s website, and your account details will come up—the balance and a list of all the transactions you have made recently. If you are planning on working in another country you will probably find it easiest to set up an account over there. Get a letter from your bank manager before you go, saying that you are a good client and have been with the bank for however many years.


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ORGANISING YOUR MONEY Once you’ve sorted out how much money you’ll need, it’s important to work out how you’ll organise it while you’re away. It is usually a good idea to take a combination of cash, traveller’s cheques, your debit card and your credit card. This combination works well as it gives you back-up options, which come in very handy if you ever get into a sticky situation. Organise some traveller’s cheques for times when you can’t get to an ATM, make sure you have some cash on you when you land at your destination, take your debit card, and seriously consider a credit card for emergencies—what if you need to go to hospital or catch a flight home in an emergency?

Cash It’s a good idea to have enough cash when you arrive in a country to last until you get your bearings. Organise some cash to take with you before you leave home. Once you are there you can use your debit card in ATMs just as you do at home, as long as they display the ‘Cirrus’ or ‘Plus’ symbols (almost all do). If you are travelling to a developing country, find out from your travel agent or guidebook about the availability of ATMs and other banking facilities in your destination. Are they all over the place, or only in the major cities? Handing over cash when you’re away will be a lot less confusing if you’ve worked out exchange rates and the terminology of various currencies beforehand. We use dollars but Thailand uses baht, England has pounds and South Africa uses the rand. Something that costs 200 baht in Thailand might sound really expensive, but when you convert it back to Australian dollars it might not be so bad (around $10). Take the time to find out about the currency of the place you are visiting so you don’t get ripped off or confused. Taking a small calculator with you is a really good idea to help with all these


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conversions—you’ll be able to work out if that fabulous jacket really is a bargain or not.

Traveller’s cheques Traveller’s cheques are a safe option because, unlike cash, they can be replaced if they’re lost or stolen. All you need to do is keep your receipt, make a note of the serial numbers of your cheques, and keep handy the number of the emergency hotline, which your travel agent or bank will have given you. Make sure that you store these details away from your traveller’s cheques so that if you lose one you will have the other to fall back on. Another benefit of traveller’s cheques is that because you pay for them before you leave home, you know how much money you have left, and can have your money organised the way you’d like to. Check with your travel agent and bank for the best deal.

Debit card Personally, when I go overseas I totally rely on my debit card—and take a credit card with me only for emergencies. Debit cards are great because they are linked to your savings account back home, and you know that you are only spending money that you have earned—none of this credit business. One drawback of using only a debit card is that it won’t work everywhere, particularly in some parts of developing countries. When I went to Vietnam the only places that had ATMs were Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi; this meant that I had to take out a heap of money in Ho Chi Minh City to last me for my journey up to Hanoi—this is when you need traveller’s cheques to act as a back-up. If for some reason your card won’t work (and it happens sometimes), traveller’s cheques are a blessing too. Before you leave home, contact your bank and ask for the number you can call from overseas if your card gets lost or is eaten by an


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ATM. They will then put a stop on your card and issue a new one to your home address. You will then need someone to forward it to you.

Credit card Credit cards can be really handy when you travel. You’ll need a card that is readily recognised, so choose a big-name card—I recommend Mastercard or Visa. So that you don’t get into trouble by overspending, remember to keep a tally of how much you’ve spent so you don’t come home to a debt disaster. If you do take a credit card away with you, before you go arrange for an automatic payment from your savings account to cover your monthly bill, or at least to cover the monthly minimum payment.

Power over your account It saves a lot of hassles if you give your mum or dad power over your account when you are overseas. This will allow them to deposit, withdraw and transfer money for you. If you don’t officially give them this right, they won’t be able to touch your account. What if you need them to take some money out of your account to pay the minimum owing on your credit card bill? To set this up you need to get the relevant forms from your bank and fill them out with your mum or dad, and remember to return them to the bank before you head off on your adventure.

MEMBERSHIPS When you go overseas for an extended period of time you need to cancel or suspend any memberships you won’t be using while you’re away. These days a lot of membership fees are directly debited out of your transaction account, so you definitely want to make sure this doesn’t continue to happen when you are travelling the world.


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So before you leave make sure you cancel or suspend: •

• • • •

Your private health insurance. You won’t need this when you are away because you will be covered by travel insurance, and if you decide to live and work in the one country for an extended period of time you might take out private health insurance there. Any other insurances you might have. Your gym membership. Magazine and newspaper subscriptions. Mobile phone contracts where possible.

On the other hand, there are associations that you want to join before you leave, most importantly the Youth Hostels Association (YHA)/Hostelling International (HI). Even if you think you won’t be doing much travelling, but mostly working, I would recommend you join YHA. It costs you around $50 for a year, which gives you access to budget accommodation in more than 4000 hostels in over 60 countries around the world, as well as entitling you to heaps of discounts. To join, contact your local YHA office for a form, or log on to <www.yha.com.au> or <www.yha.org.nz> to join up online.

MONITORING THE AREA In this day and age you really need to monitor the area that you plan to go to, to ensure your day-to-day safety. I’m not talking about pickpockets and local drug smugglers, but events such as: •

•

Wars—for example, even if there isn’t anything in the news, always check out what’s happening wherever you are going before you consider planning a trip there. Natural disasters—earthquakes, floods, droughts, cyclones, bushfires, etc.


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•

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Political instability—for example, in countries that have a history of civil war, just before a major election can be a very poor choice of timing. General dislike of foreigners—you may find this in some communist countries or in countries with a military dictatorship, like Myanmar.

The places to find out the latest information on what is happening in the countries that you plan to travel to are: • • • • •

The ‘world’ section of major city newspapers. An Internet search on that country. The Lonely Planet website, <www.lonelyplanet.com>. The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, at <www.dfat.gov.au>. The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, at <www.mft.govt.nz>.


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5 What to take What to take

The worst feeling in the world is to get to your destination and realise you haven’t brought half the stuff you should have. The best way to guard against this disaster is to make a list of what you need to take well before you go. That will give you time to go over the list enough times to work out what you have forgotten. The key to good packing is organisation and planning.

THE SPECIFICS Whenever I go away on a holiday I like to think it won’t take me too long to pack, all I have to do is throw a few things into a bag and I’m set—wrong. When you start to pack you begin to realise how much stuff you actually need to chuck in. The rule is—Never pack on the day you are leaving: you will always run out of time. When I left to go backpacking around Europe for a year I made the mistake of thinking that because my flight left at 3 pm I had heaps of time to pack that morning. Boy, was I wrong. At midday


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my mum was telling me to hurry up because we had to leave at 12.30, and I was still dubbing tapes for my Walkman and deciding how many pairs of undies I needed to take—basically, it was a disaster. I ended up running late, leaving my room in a mess, and having an argument with my mum in the car.We made up before I got on the plane but it wasn’t the ideal way to leave.

The moral of the story is to pack early and decide exactly what you want to take ahead of time. There are pretty detailed lists of what I would now take with me on a backpacking trip in Appendix 2. Tips •

• •

•

No matter where you’re going or in what season take at least one polar fleece. There is nothing worse than being cold, especially in a tent or on a night train. Take a pair of rubber thongs to wear in hostel showers; you don’t want to pick up tinea. Invest in a good pair of hiking socks, to prevent blisters. You’ll be surprised how much walking you’ll do on a day of sightseeing alone. Make sure you pack a good medical kit. Include things like Panadol, antiseptic cream and Bandaids. You’d be surprised how pricey and hard to come by some of these things are in other countries.

BUYING YOUR GEAR After your airfare, you will probably find that buying your gear is the second biggest expense you face before you leave home. The way to spend as little as possible is to plan ahead and work out what you need early. Then you can spend time shopping around at factory


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outlets, you can keep your eyes peeled for the big sales, and have stuff to suggest for birthday and Christmas presents.

Sales One way you can always pick out another Kiwi or Aussie overseas is by their Kathmandu gear. Kathmandu has been around for 30 years. It started out in Melbourne, but has now shifted its head office to Christchurch. The company currently has 23 stores across Australia and New Zealand, and provides quality, but well priced, outdoor clothing and equipment for travel and adventure. Kathmandu stores are renowned for their twice-yearly up to 50% off sales, and for product specials. They sell everything from polar fleeces (which they are best known for), backpacks, hiking boots, gloves and socks to travel washing detergent. When I went to Canada I was leaving in November, but worked out what I needed early, and bought all my stuff at the Kathmandu mid-year sale. I got my backpack at half price, and great deals on my polar fleece and thermal underwear.

Factory outlets Factory outlets are a great to place to go bargain hunting. If there is a certain line of gear that you love, but would only buy if you could find it at a much cheaper price, give the company a call and ask them where their factory outlet is. They are usually happy to help you. The size of the discount depends on where you go and what you are buying. The price you get something for can depend on what season it is, how desperate the store is to get rid of certain goods, whether the product has a fault or not, or pure luck. Don’t worry, the big discounts are there. One of the things that you should look out for in factory outlets is luggage. As for all gear, prices on luggage vary enormously, so shop around. A backpack is essential if you are travelling around, but you


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might prefer a suitcase if you plan to be based in the one place and just work. Remember, it might feel light in the shop but it’ll be much heavier when you’re lugging it around London on a rainy morning, so choose carefully. When I went to Europe I thought I wasn’t going to be doing much backpacking. I was planning on getting a job, making that my base, and doing travelling from there. So I decided to take a suitcase—big mistake. When Amy and I arrived in Paris we had to negotiate the metro to make our way from the airport to the house of a friend of my parents (where we were staying for our first couple of nights).There were stairs everywhere, and we had to change lines. So after a 24-hour flight from Sydney via Bangkok and London, I had to carry my heavy suitcase up and down what felt like hundreds of flights of stairs. When we were nearly there the handle broke, so that when we arrived at our last metro stop I had to carry my case (arms around the middle of it) three blocks to the house where we were staying.The next day I went out and bought a backpack!

Here are a few things to remember when you are choosing a backpack: •

• •

Make sure your pack is designed to suit your body shape. Remember that even though you may be able to fit more stuff in it, if the pack is too big you won’t be able to carry it when it’s full, and it may put pressure on the wrong areas of your body— on your shoulders and lower back rather than on your hips. Examine the security of the pack. Can all the pockets and zips be padlocked? If not, maybe you should consider another pack. How waterproof is the pack? Will your belongings get saturated if you get stuck outside in the rain?


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The cheapest isn’t always the best when it comes to luggage. Bags get a pretty tough ride on the luggage carousels at airports, so choose something that is of good enough quality to withstand a bit of a battering. It might cost you more at the start but it also might save you having your bag burst open as it drops onto the carousel.

Tips from the experts • • • • •

• •

Shop around. Always know what you are looking for. Make a list. Decide on how much you want to spend, and don’t go over that limit. If you find something you love in an expensive shop, the chances are that a cheaper place may have copied it and be selling it at a better price. Make sure the quality is still there, though. If you have any doubts about buying something, don’t buy it. Don’t buy something just because it is a bargain—it won’t be if you don’t really need it.

LONGER TERM PACKING If you are planning to work overseas for a couple of years, you’ll need to take a bit more time to work out exactly what you want to take. If you are going backpacking first you will probably need to take all of the gear listed in Appendix 2, as well as the clothes you will need for work. The kinds of clothes and shoes you take for work will, of course, depend on what you plan to do. If you are planning on finding work as a labourer you will need to take your steel-capped boots; if you are planning to work in the corporate world (whether as a temporary secretary or a hotshot salesman) you will need a suit and appropriate shoes.


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If you are going backpacking for a few months before you settle down to work, you won’t want to carry your working clothes around with you. You basically have two options: • •

Set some money aside and buy clothes for work once you get over there. Send a box of gear with a freight company to your planned destination.

In both Australia and New Zealand there are lots of freight companies that specialise in transporting travellers’ baggage (in chests) to overseas destinations. When you send a box to an overseas destination the first decision you need to make is whether to send it by air or by sea. Sending it by air is expensive but the box gets there a lot quicker; by sea it takes a lot longer but is heaps cheaper. As with everything, you need to shop around to get the best price—how will you know if one company is expensive if you don’t have anything to compare it with? You need to find out what their policy is if your goods are lost or damaged on the journey. Like travel insurance and your plane ticket, make sure that you read the contract thoroughly, including the fine print.

Air If you only have one box to send, air is a good option. For a 25 kg box (measuring 56 × 44 × 35 cm) it will cost around A$200 (depending on the destination), and will get there in one or two days. For further details the best places to contact are Fed-Ex, Australia Post or New Zealand Post.

Sea If you are planning on living overseas for a while, and have quite a bit of stuff to be sent over, sending it by sea is your best option. It


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usually takes around 8 to 10 weeks, and works out to be quite economical if you have a few boxes to fill. The average tea-chest (the box your gear is packed into) measures around 65 × 40 × 42 cm. The way the pricing structure works is that the more boxes you send, the cheaper it gets per box. For example, the first box might cost $350, but then you would pay $400 for two boxes, $450 for three boxes, $480 for four boxes and so on. For further details contact Fed-Ex or Grace International Removals. If it’s on the small size, try Australia Post or New Zealand Post.


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Part II

TRAVELLING


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6 Accommodation Accommodation

When you finally make it overseas after all that planning, you will have to make lots of different decisions on a day-to-day basis. The biggest one decision when you are on the move with a flexible itinerary is where you are going to stay that night—something you can’t plan too far ahead. For myself and everyone I know who has embarked on a backpacking adventure, the major factor affecting where we stayed was almost always price. I know that when you think of cheap accommodation, dingy hotels in the wrong end of town come to mind, but you would be surprised at the number of accommodation alternatives out there catering for people travelling on a tight budget. I’ll go though some of these options to give you an idea of what is generally available.

BACKPACKER HOSTELS Backpacker hostels are a great option for people of any age. In general they offer clean, practical and affordable accommodation for travellers. They provide dormitory-style rooms with anywhere from two to six sets of bunks (and sometimes more!), and communal


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bathrooms—sometimes a bathroom per room or a bathroom down the hall shared by a few rooms. These days a lot of hostels are starting to cater for couples and families by offering private rooms at a higher price; some even have their own bathrooms so you feel as if you are staying in a hotel—for a much cheaper price. One of the best things about hostels is that many of them have cooking facilities, which can really cut down your daily costs—especially in Europe or North America. You can stop in at the local supermarket on your way home from sightseeing and buy ingredients to cook dinner yourself, or salami and cheese for tomorrow’s packed lunch. You will also find a lot of hostels include basic breakfasts in their nightly rate, whether it is pancakes in Canada or baguettes and jam in France. When I stayed at hostels on backpacking trips I would eat as much as possible of the hostel brekky so I wouldn’t have to buy lunch! Some of the bigger hostels have their own cafés, which generally cook good-sized meals at a reasonable price. These points alone are great reasons to stay in hostels, but for me the best thing is you get the opportunity to meet people from different countries/cultures who are around your age and in your situation. You receive and pass on tips about where to go, how to get there, what to see and where to stay. You might also find you form strong bonds with people and end up travelling with them for part of your trip. When I was staying in a hostel in Portugal I met up with a few great people and we travelled to Morocco together. After that we split up and went our different ways, but I organised to meet up with one of the girls in Greece a few weeks later—we ended up spending about three months travelling around together.

There are a lot of great things about hostels, but there are also a few disadvantages to even things out. Hostels are usually located on


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the outskirts of towns and cities which, when you have to fork out a hefty train or bus fare every time you want to go into town to sightsee or explore the nightlife, can make the cheap accommodation seem not worth it. Another downside is the lack of privacy—in most cases you will be in a room with at least seven other people and will have to use a communal bathroom. If you are travelling in a region’s tourist high season I recommend you ring the hostel you are planning to stay in at least a couple of days beforehand, although getting a place in high season is often the luck of the draw. When hostels are full they find it hard to book in advance, because they don’t know how long their current guests are going to stay for. Unlike a hotel, hostels tend to give first priority to their current guests, and if those guests want to stay for two extra nights they get the beds ahead of someone new. Hostels may take this harsh view because they are used to so many travellers making bookings, then changing their plans and not turning up—even if they have paid a deposit (which is pretty small). When you call the hostel find out whether it has cooking facilities, whether breakfast is included in the price, and how many people will be in your room. Your guidebook should have a listing of the hostels in the city or town you are travelling to, along with their phone numbers. To book online go to <www.hostelbooking.com>, the international booking network operated by the International Youth Hostel Federation. This site is really user-friendly—you go in, click on the continent you want to make a booking in, then the country, then the city or town. It will bring up a picture of the youth hostel and specific details, including the facilities, number of beds to a room, opening times, directions to the hostel and prices.

YHA If you are planning to stay in hostels your should definitely join the Youth Hostels Association. It costs around $50 to join for a year, and


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gives you access to budget accommodation in more than 4000 hostels in over 60 countries around the world—as well as entitling you to heaps of discounts. You will find many hostels are affiliated with either YHA or HI (Hostelling International) and that you need to be a member to stay there in peak season, and to get their best rates. Hostels have to meet strict guidelines to be allowed into these associations, so when you stay at one of these hostels you can expect a very high standard in hostelling terms. To join, contact your local YHA office for an application form, or log on to <www.yha.com.au> or <www.yha.org.nz> to join up online.

PENSIONS A pension is a cheap hotel. There are only a couple of people to a room, and often communal bathrooms. In a lot of places you will find that a room for two people at a pension is just as cheap as staying in a dormitory room at a hostel. Pensions can charge low rates because in most cases they don’t have the facilities that hostels do— for example, kitchen facilities, a common room or Internet connection. They provide a basic level of service and don’t have to meet the strict standards of YHA or HI. The great thing about pensions is that unlike hostels, which tend to be located further out of town, they are often situated in central positions. When my friend Amy and I were travelling in Greece we found the hostel we wanted to stay at in Athens was way out of town. We were only going to be there two nights and wanted to be as central as possible to the tourist sites, so we decided to stay in a little pension run by a Greek family. We had such a good time,


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and were only there for such a short time, that it didn’t matter that we didn’t meet many people—which we probably would have if we had stayed in the hostel.

When you arrive at a new town or city by train or bus you will find lots of people from pensions waiting to greet you with signs about their accommodation. In general they are a good alternative if the local youth hostel is full, but be careful you are not ripped off, because they don’t have to follow the strict standards of the YHA and HI hostels.

MOTELS By definition a motel is a hotel that you can motor (drive) into and park your car in front of your room. Motels are a good option if you have hired or bought a car and are on a driving holiday looking for a clean and warm place to spend the night. If you have a couple of people to a room, it can work out to be a relatively inexpensive alternative. The downsides of staying in a motel are that they usually don’t have cooking facilities, there is no communal area where you can meet people, and they don’t always have a café/restaurant where you can grab a bite to eat.

CAMPING Camping is a great accommodation option if you don’t want to spend much money, want to get away from the crowds and into more remote areas. Although camping can be heaps cheaper than a hostel on a nightly basis, there are a lot of set-up costs involved. Firstly, you will probably


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need a car. Not only are camping grounds located on the outskirts of towns, but you need to transport a lot of gear from place to place. At a bare minimum you need to have a sleeping bag, a bedroll or blow-up mattress, a gas cooker and a tent (although you can hire tents from some camping grounds). As with hostels, you need to book a spot in a camping ground at least a few days ahead in tourist high season. Your guidebook should have details of camping grounds in the region you are travelling to and their phone numbers (but this information will be limited because they have so much other stuff to cover). If you are planning on doing a bit of camping, invest in a camping book or National Parks book on the area you are headed to. A book like this should have details on all the camping grounds in the region, their facilities, directions and prices. The amount you pay for a spot in a camping ground varies depending on the standard of the facilities it has to offer. For example, a camping ground with a swimming pool, a restaurant and new bathroom facilities won’t be much cheaper than a hostel, generally no less than A/NZ$20 per night per person. You will find the bargains at grounds that are a bit rundown or have more basic facilities. Unlike staying in a hostel or a motel, the weather has a major impact on camping. It is definitely not as pleasant staying in a tent in December in Canada or Germany; it also isn’t that enjoyable during the wet season in Central America. When camping you need to think about your safety. In South America and parts of Eastern Europe you should research the area to see if it is safe, ask people you know who have travelled there if they would recommend camping, and consult your guidebook for the region. Likewise, when camping in National Parks in Africa or North America you need to research what safety precautions the camping ground takes, in terms of preventing wild animals into the site. The last thing you want is a lion or grizzly bear outside your tent.


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Like hordes of other travellers, when my friends Gemma and Gill were backpacking in Europe they headed to Germany for Oktoberfest. They were unable to book a hostel before they arrived, so they decided to take their chances on finding accommodation once they got there.When they finally arrived in Munich everything was full so they decided to camp.The camping ground was really cheap, working out at around $10 each for the night. But then they had to hire their tent at a cost of $15, and put up with catching the train everywhere—in the end it worked out at around the same price as the hostel. Not only did it end up a bit more expensive than they thought, but they were not prepared for the experience—especially when it started snowing on their second night. To this day Gill and Gemma both say they have never been as cold in their lives as they were those two nights.

Caravanning/campervanning Caravanning or campervanning is a great accommodation option if you are travelling around, because you literally carry (tow) your house around on your back! There are advantages and disadvantages to both. When you are caravanning you can take the caravan off your car while you’re staying at a site, and drive away to go sightseeing. The downside to a campervan is you can’t take the back off, so when you want to go sightseeing you have to drive the whole thing around. This is a really cheap way to live once you have bought your setup. You can get away from urban areas and it gives you a bit of flexibility. The best parts about this alternative are that, unlike camping, you actually get a bed, a table and chairs, it is much more comfortable and if the weather is bad you can cook inside in the dry; the more deluxe models even have showers and toilets inside. A great thing about caravanning or campervanning is you can


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set the vehicle up as your home. You don’t have to unpack and pack up every day, you can go shopping and store your food. The major negatives of this form of accommodation are the costs. Hiring a campervan is like hiring a car. When it is for the long term you usually pay a set fee per week, which can get pretty expensive. In Australian dollars you are looking at at least $150 a week to hire a caravan, and at least $700 per week ($100 per day) to hire a campervan. If you have the cash saved up it could be a good option to buy a campervan to explore a particular region, then sell it and fly to the next region you plan to explore. Other disadvantages are driving is a lot slower when towing a van, and the vehicle chews up a lot of petrol. Caravanning or campervanning is best suited to more developed regions like North America or Europe, where the roads have a couple of lanes, are in good condition, and feel safe to drive on. As for camping, you need to book a site for your van. Again, instead of relying on your general guidebook, get a specific book on camping or National Parks in the region you are heading to.

HOTELS Hotels are definitely the most expensive accommodation, and as a backpacker you should steer clear of them unless it is an emergency. Hotels should always be your last resort, but you need to remember they are there if you find yourself in a crisis situation. There will be the odd time that you arrive in a city late at night and find all the hostels and pensions are full, and the office at the local camping ground has closed. Under no circumstances should you sleep at the train station or on the street—it’s not safe, and your mum would have a heart attack if she found out. You need to cut your losses and start contacting the hotels. Think about your safety and well-being first, and remember it is situations like this you brought that emergency credit card for.


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Although they blow the budget, hotels are great in late-night emergencies because in most cases reception is open and taking bookings 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you do have to book into a hotel one night because you can’t find accommodation anywhere else, stay there for as short a time as possible. Get up and check out first thing the next morning, and start hunting for more reasonably priced accommodation.


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7 Travelling Travelling

A lot of people book their airfare to get them overseas but don’t sit down and think about how they are going to get around once they are over there. You would be surprised at how many transport options you have, and how much of it you can book from home. Not only is booking from home convenient, but in most cases it is also cheaper. Imagine trying to negotiate hiring a car from a dealer in Paris who only speaks French, or buying a train ticket when you don’t speak Spanish.

RAIL TRAVEL Train travel is a great transport alternative in many parts of the world. It is an efficient way to get around, in most cases there is more room than there is on a bus, you can walk around if you want to, and it allows you to sit back and look out the window at the countryside. The downside is the cost—although it is cheaper than flying or hiring a car it is generally much more expensive than catching the bus. Train travel is great in places like Europe and Japan where the distances are short, the railways are of a high quality, and it doesn’t


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take too long to get anywhere. For example, you can get on a train in Osaka and be in Tokyo a couple of hours later, or get on a night train in Amsterdam and be in Barcelona the next day. Both Europe and Japan are also relatively safe and their train networks are up there with the most efficient in the world.

Europe If you are planning on travelling by train in Europe, you should consider getting a Eurailpass. Eurail was set up in 1959 as a joint venture between European railroad companies and European shipping lines. Its aim was to provide unlimited possibilities for travel by train throughout Europe, which it has achieved. The Eurail network covers Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. There are 12 varieties of Eurailpass to chose from, and you must buy your pass at home—they are not offered in Europe. For example, the Eurailpass Youth, for travellers under 26, is valid for 2nd class travel in 17 countries and on some major shipping lines. You can buy it for consecutive periods of 15 days, 21 days, one month, two months, or three months. An unlimited three-month Eurailpass Youth will set you back around A$2000. When I backpacked around Europe I bought a Eurailpass that was valid for three months—it got me everywhere I ever wanted to go. I was even able to use it on the 20-hour ferry ride from Italy to Greece. I was also able to save quite a few nights’ accommodation by planning to take a train trip overnight as opposed to during the day.


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If you decide to purchase a Eurailpass, you will be given a detailed train timetable when you receive your ticket. Alternatively, most stations that are part of the Eurail network have schedules up.

UK As you probably noticed, the UK is not included in the list of Eurail countries. The UK has their own network called BritRail. BritRail passes are made for tourists; you can only purchase one if you are a non-UK resident. BritRail passes allow unlimited travel in England, Scotland and Wales on any British rail scheduled train service during the validity of the pass, without restrictions. When choosing a BritRail pass you have two main options: •

•

BritRail Classic Pass This is valid for travel on a certain number of consecutive days. Passes are available for 4, 8, 15 or 22 days or one month. BritRail FlexiPass This allows the holder to choose the travel days within the period of validity. Passes are available for 4 days travel in 2 months, 8 days travel in 2 months and 15 days travel in 2 months.

A one-month BritRail pass will cost you approximately A$700. If you want to investigate further, check out <www.eurail.com> and <www.britrail.com>. If you want to buy one of these passes the following places are a good starting point:

In Australia Rail Plus—<www.railplus.com.au> CIT—<www.cittravel.com.au>

In New Zealand Rail Plus New Zealand—<www.railplus.co.nz>


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Japan Japan has one of the most sophisticated train networks in the world; using it is a great way to get around and see the sites in as little time as possible. Two types of rail passes are offered to tourists; green (superior carriages) and ordinary. Passes are available for 7, 14 or 21 consecutive days. A 21-day pass will set you back around A$1000. If you are travelling to Japan and want more information on train travel go to <www.railplus.com.au>.

USA The USA is another destination with a great rail network. Their train travel pass is called the Amtrak Pass, and comes in different types depending on which part of the country you will be travelling around. If you want to do the whole lot there is the Amtrak National Rail Pass, but if you are just planning on travelling around California, for example, there is the California Pass. You can buy either 15-day or 30-day consecutive passes, which vary in price depending on whether you are travelling in peak (July to September) or non-peak periods (rest of the year). You save quite a bit of money by travelling in the non-peak times. For example, a 30 consecutive day Amtrak National Rail Pass costs A$1038 in peak period, and drops to A$727 in non-peak period. For more information go to <www.railplus .com.au>, where you can also purchase a pass.

BUS TRAVEL The best thing about going by bus is that in most cases it will be the cheapest option, and may even be quicker than the train. The downsides are the lack of space and legroom, and the delays you can encounter in heavy traffic or if your bus breaks down.


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North America When it comes to North America the Greyhound bus network is extensive and reliable. Greyhound offers a few different passes, including the North America Discovery Pass and the International Ameripass (which covers Canada, the USA and Mexico). These passes can be valid for 4 to 60 days, and Greyhound services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you live in Australia the best places to buy a Greyhound travel pass are an STA travel branch, Canada & America Travel Specialists (in Sydney), and Great Adventure Tours (in Sydney). In New Zealand the best places to check out are an STA Travel branch or Greyhound International (in Auckland). For more information on the Greyhound network go to <www.greyhound.com>.

Europe In Europe you have a few bus options, such as Busabout, which has copied the Eurail idea; you can buy passes to travel on their 66-city network. This is a good option if you are on a tight budget because it works out a lot cheaper than a Eurail pass. The downsides are their network isn’t as extensive, the buses aren’t as frequent as the trains, and I have heard the buses can be less reliable (breakdowns, etc.). Check out <www.busabout.com>, where you will find information on their network and prices in both Aussie and Kiwi dollars.

Asia/Africa/South America In less developed regions bus travel is a really cost-effective option to get from place to place, although it may not always be the safest. There is no need to buy tickets before you go; in most cases it is pretty easy to buy them for each separate leg of a journey. When my sister Brie and I were travelling around Thailand we wanted to get from Bangkok to Chang Mai. As usual we were


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travelling on a really tight budget and were looking for the cheapest option—within reason.We looked at catching the train, which worked out to be around A$50, and wondered if we could do better.We then looked at bus travel and found the tickets were half the price and the trip was only a couple of hours longer, so we saved a whole day’s allowance and caught the bus.

CAR RENTAL Renting a car is a great option if your budget isn’t that tight, and you can afford the extra expenses like petrol and insurance on top of the car hire. It can be a cost-effective option if there are a few of you to split the costs. In Canada, six of us hired a van and went on a road trip around a few ski resorts in Alberta and British Columbia. The van was expensive to hire, but we were able to split all the costs six ways— car hire, insurance and petrol. So in the end it didn’t work out to be that expensive.

There are lots of pros to hiring a car rather than catching public transport. You have the freedom of being able to go places when you want, not when the bus or train timetable says you have to go, and it allows you to get off the beaten track and discover a lot more about a destination than the average backpacker who is limited to train and bus services. Another major plus is you don’t have to carry your backpack around; you can just chuck it in the boot. If you are under 21, however, you can forget about this option. Almost all dealers require the driver of the car you are hiring to be over 21. The only time I have hired a car was when I was in Canada, and that was because I was travelling with my boyfriend, who was


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21 at the time. We registered him as the only driver. My mum has a lot more experience in this department, having organised many hire cars on various trips, and organising a car on a lease agreement for a six-month European trip for my family of six. The car was great and lasted us through narrow lanes in Ireland, crazy drivers in Italy and speedy German autobahns. Sam: Do you find it cheaper to organise hiring a car before you leave home? Mum: Yes, much cheaper. Your local travel agent can offer you special prices and discounts that aren’t available overseas. Sam: How do you organise to hire a car before you leave? Mum: The first thing I do is work out exactly how long I am going to want it for, then I think about how many people will need to fit in it, and most importantly the amount of baggage we will have to squeeze into the boot. A good thing to ask your local travel agent is to find out the capacity of the boot; if it isn’t as big as you want you need to find out if they can organise roof racks or a roof box. Sam: How did you go about researching and organising for the lease agreement of the Peugeot van for six months? Mum: The first person to mention this kind of agreement to me was my travel agent. They explained that you can enter into a lease agreement with a car company, like you would lease a car at home, and they would agree to buy it back from you when you went home. I thought this was a great arrangement because it meant that we had a brand new car and it was ours for the six months we had it. My travel agent gave me brochures to look at. I found a couple of cars which met my requirements, and ended up going for the one that offered me the best deal. Sam: What were the costs involved? Mum: I paid for the cost of the lease agreement and the insurance for the six-month period in instalments to my travel agent


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before I left home—this made life a lot easier when we got over there. This kind of agreement best suits people who want a car for a long stay. Over the six months it worked out much cheaper than hiring a car for the same period time.

DOMESTIC FLIGHTS Once you are overseas getting around by plane is definitely the most expensive option. But it is a good alternative for the time-poor who have a bit of money and are trying to see as much as possible in a limited amount of time. Flying between destinations is also a good option if they are a long way apart. You have to consider the trade-off—a domestic flight might cost twice as much as the bus, but it only takes an hour instead of 10 hours on a bus. In some regions flying is the only practical option even for the traveller on the tightest of budgets, for example in South America, where you have to travel huge distances which can at times be unsafe on a bus, to get to your next destination. The major disadvantage of this type of travel is obviously the cost. How many nights’ accommodation in a hostel could you buy for the cost of one domestic flight? Another downside of flying is you can miss out on really getting to know a culture, as there is no looking out the window at people’s day-to-day lives from a plane seat. It is best to book these flights before you leave home; this way you know you will get on the plane and it is almost always cheaper. Some airlines will give you a couple of free domestic flights if you do your long haul with them from downunder. Likewise, if you are on a round-the-world ticket, take the time to carefully plan what domestic flights you want to take. These days you get the best airfares if you book online, so check out places like <www.travel.com.au> or <www.travel.co.nz> and the websites of the major airlines in the region you plan on travelling to.


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CYCLING Cycling is a really good transport alternative if you are travelling to an area that is flat and scenic. It allows you to discover a region at your own pace, you can take in the sights and smells, and it keeps you fit. The drawbacks are you are exposed to the elements, it can be physically draining, you are moving along at a pretty slow pace, and it can get pretty hairy if cars are flying around every corner. In theory this option is pretty inexpensive, because all you really need is a bike, a helmet and a carriage to tow behind your bike for your luggage. Most major cities have bike shops which hire out this gear, but if you are planning on using it for more than a couple of weeks it would probably work out cheaper to buy a bike and sell it when you have finished. Cycling starts to get expensive when you go on an organised tour, where you have a guide, a truck that takes your luggage from one night’s lodging to the next, and your accommodation and meals are organised for you. France is a popular area for cyclists. The landscape is flat, there are lots of small towns pretty close together, and there is so much to look at, smell and experience. Vietnam is another destination that lends itself to cycling. It is fairly flat along the coast, villages are close together, the people are welcoming, and it is almost quicker than catching the bus—trust me, when I was in Vietnam one 60 kilometre bus trip took three hours!

TREKKING Trekking is a great way to travel through regions that can’t be reached any other way. These are areas that don’t have roads running through them or train stops at the top of the hill. The best thing about trekking is you get to explore landscapes and cultures off the beaten track, which you wouldn’t have been able


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to see if you had hired a car or taken a bus. You get to take in scenery, smells and sounds. Trekking is great exercise, it can be fairly cheap, and it allows you to see how other people live. When I was in Asia I went trekking in northern Thailand, and it was one of the highlights of my trip! There were five of us, so we organised our own private trek and guide from home. When we arrived at our hotel in Chiang Mai there was a message from our guide to say he would be there to pick us up first thing the next morning. We spent the next five days trekking through the mountains. It was amazing! We rode in ox-drawn carts, stayed in bamboo huts, met the locals, drank green tea with a witchdoctor, rode elephants, rafted down a river and, boy, did we do a lot of walking! At times it was strenuous—in some parts it was so steep we had to use our arms to help pull ourselves up never-ending inclines—but we were able to see scenery and cultures we wouldn’t have been able to access by any other form of land transportation.

The downsides of trekking are you are exposed to the elements, you are isolated if someone gets injured, and you are in the hands of your guide in an area that is presumably unfamiliar to you. You don’t need much equipment to go trekking, but what you do need has to be good quality. The most important thing is a guide, and you have to feel you can trust this person. You can either organise a guide from home, if you know the exact dates you want to go trekking, by contacting a travel company that specialises in the region you are going to, or you can find one when you get there. Both have benefits. Finding one when you get there means you get to meet the person first, and aren’t locked into anything ahead of time. It also gives you a bit of flexibility with dates.


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Finding a guide when you get to your desired destination is usually pretty easy. A local tour operator should be able to organise for you to go trekking in a group; if there are a few of you travelling together they might be able to organise for you to have your own guide. Besides a guide you need a good pair of hiking boots, a comfortable pack, a water bottle, and appropriate clothing for the area you are headed to. In northern Thailand I wore a pair of light pants, hiking boots, a t-shirt and a cap, but when my cousin went to Bhutan she had to wear thermal pants underneath her normal pants, a thermal top, a polar fleece, a beanie and gloves. A friend of the family did the Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea recently and he said it was pretty tough, but one of the most amazing experiences of his life. He and a few of his friends organised their trek from home, and met their guide before they left. They flew into Port Moresby and started their trek as soon as they arrived. They went to places that you could only reach on foot, interacted with the people who lived in the remote environment, and saw the most amazing scenery.


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8 Eating Eating

One of the best things about travelling is you get to learn about other cultures, and one way to really experience a culture is to consume their local cuisine. It is a shame to go overseas and only eat the same kinds of foods that you do at home. I know there will be days when you will be craving a Big Mac, a piece of steak or a ham and cheese sandwich, but don’t be afraid to try the local cuisine. When I went to Southeast Asia I was really excited about the food I would get in Thailand, because Thai is one of my favourites at home, and worried about the Vietnamese food in Vietnam because I was certain that I was going to hate it. I had only ever eaten Vietnamese once or twice at home, and pictured it all as watery soups with noodles. Boy, was I wrong—I ended up loving the Vietnamese food! Now I am addicted and go out for Vietnamese at home all the time, although there is nothing like the variety of dishes I got to sample when I was over there.

When you are travelling on a budget you usually try and spend as little as possible on food. Who wants to spend $20 on dinner in


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a restaurant when that can pay your admission fee to see the Mona Lisa the following day?

STREET STALLS Street stalls are located in major tourist areas and are a great place to buy cheap local meals. The downside is you have to line up for your food, and in most cases no seating will be provided. Eating from street stalls in Europe and North America is really safe, but when it comes to developing countries you have to be a lot more careful. Take precautions such as insisting the food is cooked in front of you; if you are ordering a meat dish make sure you can see it has been sitting in a relatively hygienic place (not out in the sun covered in flies for example); and make sure all water used is either bottled or boiled. If you take precautions, eating from street stalls in developing countries can be one of the best experiences of your trip. Not only do you get to interact with locals, but you are able to see how they cook their authentic dishes—something you would miss out on if you ate in a restaurant. When I was in Thailand I loved to buy Pad Thai from street stalls; it was delicious and only set me back a dollar or two. Sadly, no matter how many times I watched it being cooked, it still doesn’t taste the same when I try to whip it up at home.

WATER BOTTLES No matter where you are travelling, you save so much money if you carry a water bottle around with you. Think about all of the cans of


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drink and bottles of water you would buy on a full day of sightseeing in the middle of summer. In North America and Europe it is safe to buy a water bottle and fill it up each day with tap water from the kitchen or bathroom of your hostel or hotel. When it comes to developing countries, this becomes a more serious issue. The water systems in many developing countries contain diseases and bacteria that our Western immune systems are not familiar with, and if we drink this water we could get really sick. This means you have to buy bottled water each day (no filling up from the tap!) and use that at all times when you might be tempted to use local water—from brushing your teeth to drinking from a bubbler, to having a glass of water. When you are travelling in developing countries make sure you never have ice in your drinks. In most cases ice is made from tap water which has not been purified first. Also watch out for salads or anything else that could have been washed in the local water.

SUPERMARKETS Don’t think that just because you are living out of a backpack, not a home, that there is no need to go to the supermarket. In North America and Europe, where the majority of hostels have kitchen facilities, you save so much money if you stop by the supermarket every couple of days. Pick up ingredients to cook your own dinner and to make sandwiches to take for lunch when you go sightseeing the following day. Personally I love going around and looking at the different food products available in supermarkets from country to country, especially in Europe where you can go 100 kilometres and be in a totally different culture.


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HEALTHY EATING A trap many travellers fall into is not eating healthily—I know I did. When you want to see as many museums and nightspots as possible something has to go, and that is usually food. Backpacking around Europe I had a budget of $30 a day for everything except transport (I had my Eurailpass). Breakfast would usually be included in the night’s accommodation at the hostel, lunch would often be a 30-cent ice-cream cone from Macca’s, and dinner would consist of two-minute noodles or packet pasta— not exactly a quality diet.

Constant travel from place to place requires a lot of energy. If you don’t make an effort to eat healthily you will get sick and tired really easily—trust me, I’m talking from experience. You need to make sure you are eating three fairly balanced meals a day, meaning you can’t survive on bread and pasta alone—you need vegetables, fruit, dairy and even meat (I know it is expensive) every now and again. Here are a few tips on how to eat well while you are travelling, and not break the budget: • •

•

•

Go to a supermarket after your day of sightseeing and buy the meat on special, then cook it up that night in the hostel. Carry the basics around in your pack—things like salt, pepper, vegemite or peanut butter—so you don’t have to buy them every time you go shopping. Whenever you arrive in a town or city where you plan to stay for a few days, do a small supermarket shop. Get things like a loaf of bread to make sandwiches, some cheese and fruit, for example— things you will use up in the few days you are there. If you can’t afford meat on a regular basis, remember cheese, mushrooms and nuts are also good sources of protein.


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• •

•

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Eat like the locals do. Find out what their cheaper cuts of local meat are, and ask locals how they cook it. Don’t be shy, talk to the people who work in your youth hostel or other locals who might want to practise their English with you. Buy local produce, like veggies, rather than imported food—it is much cheaper. Use veggies to pad out sauces, and buy less meat. For example, if you are cooking spaghetti bolognaise, use less mince and more veggies. Pasta and rice are always inexpensive, and you can use one of them to supplement any meal if you have to.


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9 Language Language

These days when you travel to places where English is not the national language, it is still pretty easy to get by if you stick to the tourist areas—although you should try and make an effort to learn a little of the local lingo. You will be surprised how much of a difference it can make to the level of service you receive if you learn ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ in the local language. You will also be amazed at how many closet English speakers there are. When I was travelling through Germany and Austria I would get out my phrase book and try to ask for something in German, and in many cases they would happily respond in English. They seemed to respect the effort I was making to use their language. If you don’t feel confident enough to try that, learn how to ask ‘Do you speak English?’in the local language. It is much more polite to do that, because you are not rudely assuming all locals will understand enough English to respond ‘no’ to the same question when you ask it in English. How would you like it if you were walking down the street at home and a tourist asked you in Spanish if you spoke Spanish? How could you respond ‘no’ if


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you didn’t speak the language in the first place? You could only shrug your shoulders.

Even though we like to think English is the universal language, and it is what ‘everyone’ learns at school, this is not true everywhere. If you are going to take the risk of not learning some of the local language before you leave, you need to do your research before you rely on the fact that people will speak English as their second language. What if you are wrong? When I travelled through Spain and Morocco I had a lot of trouble communicating. I found in northern Spain the majority of people spoke French as their second language; and in Morocco, French was also the second language (after Arabic), and then came Spanish! No matter what country you are in, if you plan on heading off the beaten tourist track into a region that doesn’t speak English, you are going to have to learn a lot more of the local language to get around. Before you go away, do your homework to find out how much of the local language you are going to need to get by. Speak to people who have been to that region before, read books, and search the Internet. If you decide you will need to learn a bit of the language you then need to work out how you are going to do it. To start you thinking, here are a few suggestions.

Language course Contact your local community college to find out what language courses they offer. My local college runs language courses at different levels (beginners to advanced) one night a week from 7–9 pm. If you don’t know where your closest college is, contact your local council for details.


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Private tutor Just as you can take piano or violin lessons, you can also take French or Spanish lessons. Check out the noticeboard at your local shopping centre, or the ads in your local newspaper. One-on-one lessons can get a bit expensive, but lots of teachers put together classes of four or five which makes things a lot cheaper.

Phrase books/textbooks If you have a bit of self-discipline, and a knack for languages, you could try teaching yourself the basics of a language by using phrase books; old school textbooks might also be useful.

Tapes A lot of people I have spoken to prefer to learn from audio tapes. You can buy them from bookstores, and learn at your convenience. To use your time as efficiently as possible, you could listen to your tapes in the car and practise saying words and phrases while you are driving along. When you decide to make the effort to learn a language, work out which language would be most useful to you. For example, if you were travelling through South America you would probably choose to learn Spanish, because that is what the majority of countries speak; if you learnt Portuguese you would only be able to use it in Brazil. Whether or not you plan to learn a language before you go away, you should always travel with a phrase book for emergencies—you never know when you may need it. What if you get really sick while you are away? How will you be able to describe your symptoms? You will find that Lonely Planet, Let’s Go and Ultimate Guide have language sections at the back of their guidebooks—if you think you need more detail than that, they also publish phrasebooks for almost every language.


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10 Safety and staying healthy Safety and staying healthy

Before you go away, you need to have a think about the situations you might run into and how you would deal with them, keeping in mind you probably won’t speak the language well or fully understand the culture. Also note that as backpackers usually mix more than other tourists with the local population, they have more chances of meeting trouble than big-money tourists who stick to ‘sanitised’ tourist resorts. Always read the information at the front of your guidebook on the health and safety precautions you will need to take in a particular country or region.

WHAT DO I DO IF I GET SICK OR INJURED? To start with, you need to take the appropriate precautions before you leave home, as discussed in Chapter 4. •

•

Go to your local GP before you leave and have a general health check. Tell your doctor where you plan on travelling to, and ask for the appropriate vaccinations and medications. If you are on prescribed medication, ask your doctor for a letter explaining the contents of the tablets or other medicines (this


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saves problems with Customs thinking you might be carrying prohibited substances), and take a decent supply with you. Also take a copy of the doctor’s prescription with you. Go to your dentist and have a full dental check-up. Take out travel insurance. If you don’t take out travel insurance any medical bills you have to pay when you are overseas will be coming straight out of your pocket. Some overseas hospitals won’t even admit you if you don’t have travel insurance, no matter how serious your condition is.

If you get sick or injured while you are in another country contact the closest Australian Embassy or Consulate if you are an Aussie, or the nearest New Zealand Embassy or Consulate if you are a Kiwi. They should be able to give you some advice as to what you should do in your particular circumstance, and provide you with a list of local doctors and hospitals in your area. By the same token, don’t overreact. Sometimes you will get sick because you are rundown and tired; moving from place to place so often can get very strenuous. If that is the case, stay in the one place for a few days and take a break, get to know that particular city— read a book in the park for an afternoon, go to the local museum, or even go to the movies (most non-English speaking countries will have a cinema showing English movies with the local language in subtitles).

MEASURES YOU CAN TAKE TO STAY SAFE A lot of people believe the key to staying safe overseas is luck, but I think they are wrong. Sure, a bit of luck is involved—but I believe if you take all the right precautions you will substantially decrease your chances of getting sick, being robbed, or losing your documents. Before you leave home you should contact the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade or the New Zealand


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Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to get the latest warnings and precautions on the countries/regions you are planning on travelling to. For example, if you are going to a politically unstable area check to see there are no elections planned; if you are going to an area prone to natural disasters like cyclones, check out the best time to go. No matter how much you love your sleeping bag, the most valuable (and hard to replace) items you will be travelling with are your passport, your credit cards and traveller’s cheques. When you are moving from place to place you should always carry your passport and valuables in something that can be worn around your neck, under your clothes or just out of sight in general. I always use a money belt, which I wear around my hips, between my undies and my pants; that way I always know where my passport is and there is no way it could be taken without me knowing. Whenever you have the chance you should leave your passport, large notes and other valuables in a safety deposit box or safe at your hotel. That isn’t always a possibility when you are staying in a hostel, but you should always ask if they have a safe that you could use. My friend Cathy’s daypack was stolen when we were sightseeing in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. Luckily she had left her passport and traveller’s cheques in the hotel safe. I wasn’t so smart, and was carrying my passport and all my valuables in my daypack (it was too hot and sticky to wear my money belt).What would have happened if they had stolen mine instead? From that day on I have always left my stuff in the hotel safe where possible.

To protect yourself against loss or theft of your passport and/or valuables, you should always make two photocopies of your passport, visas, itinerary, credit cards, travel insurance documents, and important phone numbers. If you are travelling with a friend, give them one copy to carry in their backpack, and leave the other copy at home with your parents or friends. If you are travelling by yourself,


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carry one copy in your actual pack, away from the originals which will be in your day pack or money belt, and leave the other copy at home with parents or friends. If you want to be really prepared for an emergency you could take two credit cards with you, keeping one separate from your other valuables. Usually I take my debit card, a credit card, and a couple of traveller’s cheques for emergencies, which I keep separate from my other valuables. Try to avoid hitchhiking at all costs. Not only is it illegal in some countries, but there are very few places where it is considered a safe way of travelling.

A FEW NOTES FOR WOMEN TRAVELLERS Unfortunately, a lot of other countries are not as liberated in their outlook as Australia and New Zealand, and women are not treated with as much respect as men. I am not trying to scare anyone, but you do need to be aware of possible dangers. If you are the subject of unwanted attention—like hissing, pinching or verbal abuse, for example—try and stay calm and quickly remove yourself from the situation. It is really important you, or the males you might be travelling with, don’t retaliate as in most cases this will only make the situation worse. Make sure you research the local customs of non-Western regions, and you comply with those customs where possible. Be aware that many Asian countries and most Arab countries are very conservative about dress. The way you dress at home will not always be acceptable in these regions, and can lead to unwanted attention. In Morocco, for example, I made sure I always covered my arms and my legs to try and draw as little attention to myself as


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possible. When we travelled out into the Sahara desert it was so hot that I got lazy and started wearing singlet tops with my long pants.We stopped at one small town on our way and I was hissed and spat at by some of the local men because of my dress. If I hadn’t been travelling with two ex-rugby forwards, whose size was fairly intimidating, I would have been really scared.

According to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, many conservative, religious cultures do not respect women who appear ready to go out with or accompany local men alone. Be conscious of local customs and mindful of how your actions can be misinterpreted. Equally, apparent ‘friendliness’ of some local cultures can be misleading, so be aware of the potential for sexual assault.

WHAT YOU NEED TO BE AWARE OF According to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, these are the major things that travellers need to be aware of when they are overseas: •

•

The law of the country that you are travelling in Be aware that when you are travelling in a foreign country, you are subject to the laws of that particular country, regardless of whether you agree with the laws or not. For example, if you are caught carrying drugs in Australia or New Zealand the penalty would probably be imprisonment for a relatively short period of your life, but if you are caught carrying drugs in Malaysia or Thailand (even though you are an Australian or a New Zealander) the penalty is usually death. Never carry packages or luggage for another person through Customs at airports, bus depots or across land borders This


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trick is used by drug traffickers to transport prohibited substances at no risk to themselves, but at a huge risk to the person carrying the package. Never drive someone else’s vehicle through Customs, or across a border This is another ploy often used by drug traffickers. Get-rich-quick schemes Be cautious of people offering get-richquick schemes—for example, purchasing of gemstones for resale in another country. When travelling with friends on a night train, take turns to sleep in shifts If travelling by train, especially overnight, secure your possessions and do not take sleeping pills, as in some countries gangs of thieves operate on trains and rob sleeping passengers. If you’re travelling alone think twice about catching a night train, unless you’re prepared to stay awake.

Remember that when you are overseas you are not the only person concerned about your health and safety—so also are your family at home downunder. So make sure you keep in touch with your family and let them know where you are, and where you plan to head to next. Trust me, a lack of communication with home can cause your family to worry. You never know, you could be the subject of a major police search instigated by your anxious mum. Ring your family regularly—but not necessarily at prearranged times; if you can’t ring at a set time for some reason, they will fear the worst straightaway.


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11 Where to go for help Where to go for help

If you find yourself in a situation overseas where you don’t know what to do, you can turn to the consulate or embassy of your country. If you are robbed and left stranded without any money, or you have lost your passport, don’t be scared to call your consulate for advice. They will let you know whether they can sort out the matter, or whether you should contact the local police or your travel insurance company. If it is a simple matter that your commonsense knows how to solve, you should contact the relevant authorities. Remember how my friend Cathy’s daypack was stolen in Ho Chi Minh City? Luckily it only had her camera and Lonely Planet guidebook in it—not her passport or money. In this case we contacted the local police and got them to do a report stating that the pack had been stolen, then contacted her travel insurance company to report it to them—they told us what to do from there and sent the relevant forms to her home to be filled in when we got back. If it is a more serious matter you will need to contact your national consulate or embassy.


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IF YOU ARE AN AUSSIE . . . The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade provides consular services to Australians through their headquarters in Canberra and Australian embassies, high commissions and consulates in foreign countries. Consulates are there to provide with you with assistance if you run into any problems in the overseas country where they are based. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade provides the following services to Australian citizens overseas: •

Issues passports (applicant must provide relevant documentation and comply with procedures required by law), including emergency passports. • Provides advice and support in the case of an accident, serious illness or death, or if you are a victim of a serious crime, and arranges for your family to be informed. • Visits or contacts you if you are arrested and can arrange for your family to be contacted. • Can contact your relatives and friends on your behalf to ask them to assist you with money or tickets. • Can provide limited financial assistance in real emergencies. • Provides a list of local doctors and lawyers. • Provides help during emergencies, for example civil war or natural disasters. • Provides the latest consular travel advice, which includes information about security and health conditions in many parts of the world. It is important to note that although your consulate can help you out in a lot of situations they cannot override local law, even where local laws may appear harsh or unjust—like the death penalties handed out for drug trafficking in Asia. The Department of Foreign Affairs:


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Cannot arrange visas, work or residence permits for other countries, or help you to get them. Cannot give legal advice, intervene in court proceedings or provide funds to pay your legal costs or fines. Cannot get you out of prison or obtain special treatment for you in prison. Cannot pay or guarantee payment of your hotel, medical or any other bills, including the cost of returning lost luggage to Australia. Cannot act as a travel agent, bank or post office, or store your luggage. Cannot provide interpreter, telephone or photocopy services. Cannot help to find you a job overseas. Cannot investigate crimes in foreign countries.

Consular officers are usually located in capital cities, but in some cases there are offices located in other major cities of a country. Also note that not all countries have an Australian diplomatic or consular post, but there is usually an Australian post in the wider region. You might also find another country’s representative, such as the British consulate, will help you until an Australian consular official can establish contact with you. The addresses and telephone numbers of Australian embassies, high commissions or consulates can be obtained from local telephone directories, hotels, tourist offices, or the police in the country concerned. A Directory of Australian consular posts appears in the latest edition of Hints for Australian Travellers, under the section ‘Your Information Base’. This booklet is given to you with your passport. In some countries where there is no Australian diplomatic or consular post, consular assistance can be provided to Australians by Canadian diplomatic or consular posts. A Directory of Canadian posts that help Australians also appears in the Hints booklet. For more information go to <www.dfat.gov.au>.


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IF YOU ARE A KIWI . . . The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade provides consular services to New Zealanders through New Zealand embassies, high commissions or consulates established in many, though not all, foreign countries. According to the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, staff at New Zealand posts are able to help New Zealand citizens in lots of ways if they get into difficulties overseas, but there are some limitations. They: • • • •

• • • • • • •

Can give you guidance when in trouble, with the primary aim of helping you to help yourself. Can help arrange for the issue of a replacement passport (for example if yours is lost or stolen). Can help you to contact relatives or friends back home to arrange a money transfer, if you get into financial difficulties. Can provide you with a list of English speaking lawyers in the case of detention or arrest and help you contact family and friends. Cannot pay your hotel, travel or other bills, bail or medical expenses. Cannot help you with arrangements that could be handled by local organisations, e.g. banks, lawyers, travel agents, undertakers. Cannot give you legal advice or get you out of prison. Cannot get you better conditions in prison or hospital than a local national would receive. Cannot give you a loan, other than in a real emergency and only after consultation with family and friends in New Zealand. Cannot trace missing persons or investigate a crime. These are police matters. Cannot operate a personal mail service for you.


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The addresses and telephone numbers of New Zealand embassies, high commissions or consulates can be obtained from local telephone directories, hotels, tourist offices, or the police in the country concerned. For a detailed directory of New Zealand consular posts and more information on the role of New Zealand consulates, go to the website of the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, which is located at <www.mft.govt.nz>.


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Part III

WORKING OVERSEAS


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12 Working visas Working visas

In an ideal world you would be able to work in whatever part of the globe you like, for as long as you want. Unfortunately that isn’t a reality, and if we want to work in another country we have to apply for a visa. This chapter looks in alphabetical order at all the countries that Australians and New Zealanders are able to get working holiday visas for. For specific details on how to apply for each visa, and the contact details for embassies and consulates, go to the ‘Working Visa Application’ section at the end of the book.

AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND You do not need a working visa if you are an Australian citizen or resident working in New Zealand, or a New Zealand citizen or resident working in Australia. The only circumstances where entry may be restricted to either country is if the applicant has a criminal record, untreated tuberculosis, or has been deported, excluded or removed from any country.


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CANADA The Working Holiday Program allows Australian and New Zealand passport holders to take an ‘extended holiday’ in Canada for up to 12 months, and to take on temporary casual work to supplement their holiday funds.

Who can get it Australian and New Zealand passport holders between the ages of 18 and 30 inclusive—your application must be stamped on or after your 18th birthday or on or before your 31st birthday. Approximately 6000 places in the Working Holiday Program are given out to Australians each year, and 800 to New Zealanders— representing the different sizes in their respective populations.

Conditions To apply for the Canadian Working Holiday Program you must meet the following criteria: • • • •

•

•

Hold a current Australian or New Zealand passport, which is valid for six months after you intend to leave Canada. Not have a criminal record—including any drink driving offences. Be aged between 18 and 30. Have no dependants—including children, a spouse, de facto or fiancé. However, if they are eligible in their own right, they are also allowed to apply for the program. Not have previously been issued a letter of introduction for the Working Holiday Program by the Canadian Consulate General in Sydney. Be able to provide evidence of A$4000 or NZ$5000 (approximately) in available funds when you enter Canada. This evidence can be in the form of bank statements, credit card statements, or cash. This is to show that you have enough money to initially


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support yourself in Canada while you are looking for a job, and for your return or onward travel. Successfully complete all information on the application form and send in other required information.

It is advised that you allow six weeks from the time of mailing your application to receiving your letter of introduction.

Costs A Working Holiday Program visa costs A$170 or NZ$195 and you must be able to prove that you have A$4000 or around NZ$5000 in available funds to support yourself when you arrive.

Arrival in Canada You must present your letter of introduction—issued by the Canadian Consulate General in Sydney—to immigration authorities at your port of entry when you arrive in Canada. You will then be issued your employment authorisation. Employment in Canada is not restricted; holders of working holiday visas are able to work with as few or as many employers as they like for the period of the visa. To be eligible for employment you have to register for a Social Insurance Number (SIN) once you arrive in Canada. To find out more information on how you get a SIN go to the Human Resource Development Canada website, located at <www.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca> It was at the end of my second year at uni I decided I really wanted to go on a working holiday to Canada, and my three-month summer break gave me quite a bit of time. I left at the end of November and came back at the beginning March. I had a couple of friends who’d gone the summer before, and they told me you had to get your application in early to make


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sure you got one of the limited visas. In the May before I left I contacted the Canadian Embassy in Canberra to find out all about the application process and what I needed to do. I spent the next few weeks putting my application together, filling out the form, photocopying part of my passport, and organising a bank cheque for my application fee. I then sent it all off at the beginning of June. Almost two months later I was awarded a working visa for that year.They sent me a letter, which I had to keep safe and sound until I arrived in Canada. When I got to immigration at Vancouver International Airport I handed my letter to the official and they stapled a working visa into my passport. It was this piece of paper that I had to show potential employers at interviews, to prove I was allowed to work in Canada.

CHILE The Chilean Working Holiday Visa is valid for 12 months and allows New Zealand citizens to work temporarily, on either a part-time or a full-time basis, for the same employer for up to three months. You’re not allowed to participate in permanent employment during your visit.

Who can get it New Zealand citizens between the ages of 18 and 30 at the time of application. Australians are unable to apply for this visa.

Conditions • • •

You have to be between the ages of 18 and 30 (inclusive). No children are allowed to accompany you to Chile. You have a return travel ticket.


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At least US$1800 to support yourself when you arrive. A passport valid for the full 12 months of your stay.

Costs The visa costs US$37 in Chilean currency, which you have to pay immigration authorities in Chile.

CYPRUS The Cyprus Working Holiday Visa allows Australian citizens to work and travel within Cyprus for up to one year. The initial visa is for three months, but this can be extended to a year when you are over there by contacting the special branch of the Migration Officer in Cyprus. Under the extended visa, you are allowed to work for a maximum of nine months.

Who can get it Australian citizens between the ages of 18 and 30 who are single. New Zealand citizens are unable to apply for this visa.

Conditions Unlike many other working holiday visas there are few conditions applying to the Cyprus visa. For example, you don’t have to prove you have enough money to support yourself upon arrival and there are no specific employment restrictions.

Costs The visa costs around A$30, which you have to pay via money order or bank cheque (personal cheques aren’t accepted).


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DENMARK The Danish Working Holiday Permit allows Australian and New Zealand residents to work and travel within Denmark for one year. You are not allowed to work more than a total of six months in this 12-month period, and you can’t stay with the one employer any longer than three months.

Who can get it Australians and New Zealanders between 18 and 30 years of age who are single or married but without dependant children.

Conditions To successfully apply for this permit you must meet the following conditions: • • • • • •

You have a return air ticket or proof of sufficient funds for a return ticket. You intend to leave Denmark at the end of your stay. You can prove you have a good chance finding temporary work. You have not participated in this program in Denmark before. You possess around A$6000 or NZ$7000 to support yourself upon arrival in Denmark. The primary reason for your trip to Denmark is holiday.

Costs The Danish Working Holiday Permit costs A$164 for Australians and A$174 for New Zealanders. Because all applicants are processed in Australia, New Zealanders have to pay their fee in Australian dollars—you can do this by getting a bank cheque.


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Please note you need to allow six to eight weeks for processing, and you can’t apply for this permit within Denmark.

FINLAND The Finland Working Holiday Visa is valid for one year, and is basically a temporary residence permit.

Who can get it Australian citizens between the ages of 18 and 30 can apply for the visa. New Zealand citizens are unable to apply for this visa.

Conditions To successfully apply for the visa, you must meet the following criteria: • • • • • •

•

The primary reason for your trip to Finland is holiday. You are aged between 18 and 30 years inclusive at the time you apply. You will not be accompanied by dependent children. You have not previously been granted working holiday permission. You have a return travel ticket or sufficient funds with which to purchase such a ticket. You possess reasonable funds for your maintenance during the period of initial stay in Finland (classed as three months)— around A$3000. You have good health and a sound background.

Costs The application fee and the cost of the Finnish Working Holiday Visa total A$240.


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FRANCE A one-year Working Holiday Visa permits New Zealand citizens to stay in France for an extended period of time, and combine tourism and employment.

Who can get it This visa is only available to New Zealand citizens between the ages of 18 and 30 at the time of the application. There is no working holiday program in place in France for Australian citizens.

Conditions To successfully apply for a working holiday visa, you have to meet the following conditions: • • • • • • • •

A New Zealand citizen. Between the ages of 18 and 30 inclusive when you apply for the visa. Must be motivated by the opportunity to holiday in France and to undertake paid employment to supplement existing funds. You have not participated in this working holiday program before. Must have a return ticket or sufficient funds to purchase a ticket. Must be able to show proof of around NZ$4000 to cover expenses at the beginning of your stay (before you get a job). Must be able to provide evidence of holding a health insurance policy to cover the duration of your stay in France. The one-year duration of your visa will start from the date you arrive in France, regardless of the time you spend out of France during the one-year period. The French clearly state that under no circumstances can this working holiday visa be extended beyond its one-year duration.


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Note that the visa will take approximately four weeks to process, and be issued on a first-come first-served basis. Each calendar year there are a limited number of visas on issue, so it is best to get in early.

Costs If your application is accepted, you will then be notified of the visa fee (which changes regularly due to fluctuations in the exchange rate) you are required to pay—you will have to pay this fee by a bank cheque (personal cheques aren’t accepted) made out to ‘Embassy of France’. You will also have to produce your travel insurance policy to prove you will be medically covered for the duration of your stay.

When you get there Once a New Zealand citizen who holds a holiday working visa has found employment in France, they must apply for a temporary work permit at the nearest Government Employment Service. In most cases the work permit will be immediately granted for the expected duration of the position. You are able to renew this permit up to the authorised length of your working holiday visa.

GERMANY This working holiday program allows Australian and New Zealand citizens to stay in Germany for up to 12 months, and work for a total of 90 days in that period. During those 90 days, employment can be taken up with different employers of the visa holder’s choice. This is a one-off visa and you cannot apply outside your home country.

Who can get it Australian and New Zealand citizens aged between 18 and 30 at the time of application.


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Conditions To successfully apply for a visa as part of the Working Holiday Scheme you have to meet the following requirements: • • • •

You are aged between 18 and 30 years. A return airline ticket. Sufficient funds to support yourself during your stay—a monthly minimum of A$400 or NZ$500 is required. Health insurance cover for the duration of your stay in Germany.

It is recommended you apply for your visa well in advance of your departure date, although the processing of an accurate and complete application usually takes around two weeks.

Costs The visa is free of charge, but you have to pay a fee for postage.

Finding work in Germany The best way to increase your chances of finding work is to make sure you have a good knowledge of German, and some experience in the field you are seeking employment in. In all larger towns you can obtain information from the local employment office (Arbeitsamt). However, this office can only be of assistance if you want to spend several weeks working for the same employer. Otherwise you are advised to establish direct contact with potential employers. You can also contact these two offices in Germany: Zentralstelle für Arbeitsvermittlung (Central Job Placement Office) Villemombler Str 76 53123 Bonn, Germany Internet: <www.arbeitsamt.de>


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Bundesjugendforum (Federal Youth Forum) Kinder und Jugendreisen e.V. Senefelder Str 14 10437 Berlin, Germany

HONG KONG The Hong Kong Working Holiday Visa allows Australian and New Zealand citizens to work in Hong Kong for a period of up to 12 months. Participants in the scheme are not permitted to engage in permanent employment and should not work for the same employer for more than three months during their visit. Australians can participate in as many training courses as they like; New Zealanders are only allowed to do one.

Who can get it Australians and New Zealanders aged between 18 and 30. Only 200 applicants are taken from each country each year.

Conditions To successfully apply for this visa you have to meet the following requirements: • • • • • •

You must live in the same country you hold a passport for. Your primary reason for travel to Hong Kong is holiday. You are aged between 18 and 30. You can prove you have sufficient funds to support yourself in Hong Kong—A$4000 or NZ$3000. You hold a return air ticket or have sufficient funds to purchase a return airfare. You have not participated in this program in Hong Kong before.


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Costs The cost of this visa is around A$20. At the time of application you should confirm this fee with the Chinese Embassy or a consulategeneral in your country.

IRELAND Ireland offers a Temporary Working Holiday Permit that covers work of a casual or temporary nature only. This permit is valid for only one year, and the holder may not work with one employer for more than three months.

Who can get it To apply for this visa you must be an Australian or New Zealand citizen aged between 18 and 30 years, either single or married without children.

Conditions •

•

•

Applicants must have sufficient funds to support themselves for at least the initial part of the holiday or in the event of failing to secure employment. When you enter Ireland, immigration officials may ask to see evidence that you have sufficient funds, so make sure you have a copy of your latest bank statement. You need to have around A$5000 or NZ$5500. The Irish government recommends that if your application is successful, you take up private medical insurance to cover hospitalisation costs in the event of an accident or illness. You won’t be covered by Ireland’s equivalent of Medicare. Irish authorities reserve the right to refuse applicants for work authorisation permits at their own discretion.


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The Consulate-General of Ireland recommends you allow at least three weeks for processing of your application. They also request you do not call them during this time to check on your application; they will inform you if there are any problems.

Special work arrangements There are a number of sectors where Ireland has a shortage of skilled employees. A Working Visa and Work Authorisation scheme has been introduced to enable the recruitment of qualified people from outside Ireland and the European Union. At present, there is a shortage of employees in: information and computer technologies, construction professionals, and a range of medical, health and social care professionals. This makes it possible for people who want to combine an overseas working experience with a continuation of their career. However, before you can submit an application for one of these visas you need to have received a job offer from an employer in Ireland. Information on skill shortages and job vacancies in Ireland is available on the State Training and Employment Authority’s website (<www.fas.ie>). Applications for Working Visas and Work Authorisations are only accepted from outside Ireland.

Costs The Irish Working Holiday Visa costs A$60 or NZ$70.

ITALY The Italian Working Holiday Visa enables New Zealand citizens to work in Italy for up to 12 months. Each year up to 250 visas are issued.


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Who can get it New Zealand citizens between the ages of 18 and 30 at the time of application. Australians are unable to apply for this visa.

Conditions • • • • • • • •

Applicants must be aged between 18 and 30 (inclusive) at the time of application. You aren’t allowed to be accompanied by children. You must hold a valid New Zealand passport. The primary reason for your trip to Italy is holiday. You must have a return travel ticket or proof of enough funds to purchase one. You must have NZ$5500 to support yourself upon arrival. You have to hold medical and comprehensive hospitalisation insurance for the duration of your stay in Italy. You are only allowed to work for a maximum of six months and for only three months with the same employer.

Cost The cost of the visa is NZ$62.

JAPAN A one-off six-month Working Holiday Visa for Australian and New Zealand citizens, allowing them to supplement a holiday with casual work. At the end of the six months, there is the possibility that the visa may be extended for a further six months by the immigration authorities in Japan.


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Who can get it Australian and New Zealand citizens between the ages of 18 and 30 (inclusive), who are ‘of good health and character’ and currently living in their home country.

Conditions To successfully apply for this visa you have to meet the following requirements: • • • •

Be between the ages of 18 and 30 at the time of application. Have a return air ticket or a confirmed reservation. Primary reason for travel to Japan is holiday. Possess sufficient funds to support yourself in Japan until you find work. Australians must have proof of A$2500 if single, and A$3500 if a couple. New Zealanders must have US$2000 if single, US$3000 if a couple.

It is recommended that you arrange health insurance coverage before you leave home since, under the conditions of employment for this visa, the period of employment is usually not long enough to qualify for coverage provided by employers.

Costs The Japanese Working Holiday Visa is free.

In Japan Once the visa is issued you must enter Japan within three months. When you have been in Japan three months you must apply for alien registration at the Local Government Office nearest where you are staying. You need to remember this is a single entry visa—if you leave Japan for any reason, you are only allowed back in if you obtain a


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re-entry permit from the immigration authorities before leaving Japan. When you are in Japan you should ask for a statement of earnings in English. Call the Australian or New Zealand tax office for the appropriate information on how to lodge your tax return when you get home.

Support in Japan The Japan Association of Working-Holiday Makers is a not-for-profit organisation, which provides assistance to those who have entered Japan as part of the Working Holiday Program. Japan Working Holiday Centre Phone Numbers are: • • •

Tokyo—03 3389 0181 Osaka—07 2296 5741 Fukuoka—1092 713 0854

REPUBLIC OF KOREA (SOUTH KOREA) A one-year working holiday visa is available.

Who can get it Australian and New Zealand citizens aged between 18 and 30 years.

Conditions To successfully apply for this visa you must meet the following requirements: • •

The primary reason for your visit to Korea is holiday. You only take up employment to supplement your travel expenses.


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You are aged between 18 and 30. You have A$6000 or NZ$5000 to support yourself upon arrival.

You should allow a couple of weeks for the processing of your visa. Foreigners are not allowed to be employed in the following positions: • • • • • •

Receptionist Dancer Singer Musician Acrobat In other general places of entertainment.

Costs The visa costs A$90 or NZ$160.

MALTA A Working Holiday Visa to Malta allows you to holiday and travel in Malta with the opportunity of working to support your travel. This visa lasts for up to one year from the date of issue.

Who can get it Applicants must be Australian citizens, single or married without children, and between the ages of 18 and 25—in some cases applicants up to 30 years of age may also be accepted. New Zealand citizens are unable to apply for this visa.

Conditions To be eligible for a working holiday visa you must meet the following requirements:


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Your primary reason for travelling to Malta is holiday, and any work you do is to support your holiday. You have sufficient funds to support yourself until you find work—at least A$4500. You have a good chance of finding temporary employment, meaning that you are skilled—whether it is a formal qualification or past work experience. You will not enrol in formal studies while you are in Malta, other than something like a short-term Maltese language course. You will depart Malta when your visa expires. You have a return air ticket. You have to apply from Australian soil.

Unlike working holiday visas for some other countries, on this visa you can do any kind of work as long as your prospective employer has obtained (on your behalf) an employment licence from the Department of Citizenship and Expatriate Affairs in Malta. There is a reciprocal arrangement between Australia and Malta whereby health care (like Medicare) will be provided for up to six months after your date of arrival. If you are staying longer than six months you will need to take out private health insurance to cover the rest of your stay.

Costs The cost of the Working Holiday Visa is A$60.

NETHERLANDS A Working Holiday Scheme whereby Australians and New Zealanders can work in the Netherlands for a period of up to 12 months with the objective of combining a holiday with work.


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Who can get it You must be an Australian or New Zealand citizen, and be 18 to 30 years old inclusive.

Conditions To successfully apply for the Working Holiday Scheme you must meet the following criteria: • •

• • • • •

You must be an Australian or New Zealand citizen and ordinarily reside in your home country. Your primary intention in applying for this visa is to have a long holiday in the Netherlands, with employment being the secondary rather than the primary reason for your visit. When you apply you must be at least 18 but not yet 31 years old. You cannot be accompanied by children. You must have comprehensive health insurance (covering hospital) for the whole time you are in the Netherlands. You must have either a return ticket from Amsterdam/home OR A$2000 available in your bank account to purchase a ticket home. Besides your air ticket/money for your air ticket, you must also be able to prove that you have enough money (A$2000) to cover your stay in the Netherlands—in the case of insufficient income from employment.

If you are able to meet all these requirements, a provisional residence permit (MVV) will be put into your passport free of charge. This permit confirms your participation in the Working Holiday Scheme. You will have to show your MVV to several Dutch authorities when you arrive in the Netherlands. If you are lodging your application in Australia or New Zealand, you are advised to do this at least two weeks prior to your date of departure—but to keep on the safe side I would apply at least a month beforehand.


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Costs If your application is successful, you will be issued with an MVV visa free of charge. When you arrive in the Netherlands you will have to validate your visa with the relevant authorities, which will end up costing 28 Euros (A$50) in total. These costs are explained further in the next section.

When you arrive in the Netherlands To validate your Working Holiday Scheme Visa you must do the following when you arrive in the Netherlands: •

•

•

•

Within three days of arrival you must visit the police authorities (Vreemdelingenpolitie) in the area in which you wish to stay, in order to change your provisional residence permit (MVV) into a residence permit valid for one year. This residence permit, which takes around three weeks to acquire, says (in Dutch, of course) that ‘working is allowed without a working permit’. The cost of this permit is 28 Euros. You need to apply for a tax registration number (So-fi number), issued by the tax office (Belastingkantoor), once you receive your residence permit. Although you don’t need a working permit, employers will ask for your Sofi-number. If you intend to stay longer than four months, you should register in the municipality (Gemeente) in which you are living. You can do this at the town hall (Gemeentehuis). You will need to show your residence permit and a copy of your birth certificate certified by a justice of the peace (you should get this before you leave home and always keep it in a safe place). It is not essential that you open a bank account during your stay, but if you choose to do so you will need a copy of your residence permit.


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NORWAY The Norwegian Working Holiday Visa allows Australian citizens to work and travel within Norway for one year. The only restriction is that you can only hold employment with each employer for a maximum period of three months. Applicants will not be refused a visa solely on their lack of the Norwegian language.

Who can get it Australian citizens between 18 and 30 years of age, single or married but without dependent children. New Zealand citizens are unable to apply for this visa.

Conditions To successfully apply for this permit you must comply with the following conditions: • • • •

• • •

You have a return air ticket or proof of sufficient funds for a return ticket. You intend to leave Norway at the end of your stay. You have not participated in this program in Norway before. You possess A$7000 to support yourself upon arrival in Norway (you only need A$5000 if you have already purchased a plane ticket). The primary reason for your trip to Norway is holiday. Have good health and a sound background. Holders of working holiday visas are not to engage in any studies or training for more than three months.

Costs There is no fee for this working holiday visa.


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Arrival in Norway There is no direct assistance with finding jobs, although the government of Norway encourages youth, cultural and community organisations in Norway to provide appropriate counselling facilities for Australian citizens who have entered Norway on working holiday visas.

SWEDEN The Working Holiday Agreement allows Australian and New Zealand citizens to obtain both residence and work permits, giving you the opportunity to spend a holiday in Sweden for up to one year. You can only receive this visa once in your life.

Who can get it You must be an Australian or New Zealand citizen and aged between 18 and 30 years of age when you apply. The primary reason for your trip to Sweden must be holiday.

Conditions To receive a visa as part of the Working Holiday Agreement you must meet the following criteria: • • • • •

The main purpose of your stay in Sweden is holiday. You are aged between 18 and 30 years inclusive at the time of application. You are not accompanied by dependent children. You have not previously been granted a working holiday visa for Sweden. You must have a return travel ticket, or be able to prove that you have sufficient funds to purchase a ticket.


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You must have enough money, around A$3000 or NZ$3500, to support yourself for at least your first three months in Sweden. New Zealand citizens must have a valid health insurance policy. Have general good health and a sound background.

Costs An application fee of around A$200 is required if you are applying within Australia; around NZ$230 if you are applying from New Zealand. Unfortunately, if the application is denied this fee will not be refunded, so you need to put as much effort into your application as possible.

In Sweden You may only apply for jobs of a temporary nature. It is important that you have a medical insurance policy that will cover your expenses if you get sick and/or need to be hospitalised. This is because you will not be entered into the population registry in Sweden, and thus will not be entitled to social welfare benefits.

UNITED KINGDOM A UK Working Holiday Visa has a duration of two years. Following recent changes to the scheme all work restrictions have been removed. This means you can work in whatever profession you choose for as long as you like (within the two year period). After one year spent in the UK, you are allowed to switch to Work Permit employment if you have company sponsorship.

Who can get it To apply for a UK Working Holiday Visa you must be a citizen of a Commonwealth country, and between 17 and 30 years old inclusive.


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If you are already 30 years old, you must apply for a visa before you turn 31.

Conditions • •

•

• •

•

You must be intending to leave the UK when your visa runs out. You must be able to prove you have enough money to partially support yourself when you are in the UK and for your onward/return travel. All you need to prove this is to produce a recent bank statement showing your name, your account number, and the amount of funds you have. You should not have any financial commitments at home that require a regular income. This includes things like car repayments or a mortgage. You must declare any criminal convictions. If you are married, your spouse must be intending to take a working holiday with you, and you must both meet the above requirements. If you have any children going with you, you must leave the country before the child’s 5th birthday.

The British High Commission does not give a set time period for processing your visa. It states officially that you should: ‘allow plenty of time for the processing of your application as processing times may vary throughout the year. You should not make definite travel plan dates until your application has been processed’. I suggest you apply at least two months before you plan to leave.

Costs To apply for a Working Holiday Visa and have your passport/s and documents returned, you face these fees: Working Holiday Entry Clearance Fee A$93.60 Postage 0A$11.00 Total A$104.60


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You can pay your application, postage and entry clearance fees by: • •

Credit card—Visa, Mastercard, Bankcard. Money order or cheque payable to the British High Commission.

Tips on where to look for work •

•

TNT Magazine Provides information on jobs, accommodation and flights available in and around London. The employment listings have sections devoted to bar work, nannying and office work. Check out the website (<www.tntmagazine.com/uk>) before you go, or pick up a copy of the magazine when you arrive in London from any tube station or newsagency (comes out on a Wednesday). Industry-specific employment agencies have a lot of experience dealing with Aussies and Kiwis, and understand the Working Holiday Visa requirements. These agencies often advertise in TNT. When Amy and I decided to go to Europe just after high school, we worked out that we didn’t have enough money to last us for a year so we would have to work along the way. After looking into the countries where Australian citizens could get working visas, we found that for most of them you had to be at least 18 years at the time of application. We were only going to be 17 years old when we left Australia. The UK was one of the few places that allowed 17-year-olds to apply for working holiday visas—so we decided that was where we were going to work. We didn’t have any problem getting visas. We called the High Commission in Canberra and asked for application forms, and got the ball rolling.Time was of the essence, so we quickly filled them out and sent them back. Three weeks later we were on our way to Europe with UK working visas in our passports.


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We left in early February to travel through continental Europe. Our savings lasted until June, when we headed for London. Amy got a job in a pub on The Strand and I worked in Harrods.We had a fantastic time, and managed to pump up our bank balances so we could do more travelling later in the year.

DON’T OVERSTAY YOUR VISA No matter how much you are enjoying your working holiday, under no circumstances can you overstay your visa—unless you have made arrangements to get an extension. If your working visa has expired and you are discovered, there are serious consequences. Not only will you be made to leave the country immediately, but in most cases you will have to pay a heavy fine, and may not be allowed to come back to that country—not even as a tourist on a retirement trip! If you are really enjoying working and living in a particular country, you must go about staying there in the right way. Why not apply for residency or ask the company you are working for if they will sponsor you—you never know your luck.


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13 Other visas Other visas

If you have your heart set on working in a particular country which isn’t one of the places you can get a working holiday visa for, don’t worry, there are other options.

USA The USA doesn’t offer a general working holiday scheme for young Australians or New Zealanders, but there are several organised working programs which you can apply to take part in.

Camp America (summer camps) Camp America is the biggest summer work experience program in the world. It is run by the American Institute for Foreign Study, which organises cultural exchange and working holiday programs for over 50 000 young people each year. US summer camps offer American kids aged 6 to 16 years an outdoor experience in sport, art, crafts and more. Most camps are in the countryside, where staff and campers sleep in either cabins or


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platform tents. Some camps are located on lakes or rivers, allowing the kids to swim, water ski or sail. There are eight different types of camps: • • • • • • • •

Private/independent camps Privately owned, offer extensive facilities and are expensive. Agency camps Owned by agencies such as the YMCA, YWCA, boys’ and girls’ clubs. Disadvantaged camps For people from an urban, low income or difficult background. Day camps Children are only at camp during the day. Staff may live on camp or with host families. Special needs camps Provide for children and/or adults who need special attention because of physical or mental disabilities. Girl scout camps All-girl camps focusing on camping and pioneering activities. Learning disabled camps Includes attention deficit disorder, hyperactivity, dyslexia, etc. Religious camps A small number of camps have a religious theme that may be either Christian or Jewish.

You are unable to choose which camp you want to be placed in, but Camp America will use its extensive resources to personally place you at a camp that best matches your skills and background. You will work for 9 or 10 weeks from June to August. As a camp leader (counsellor) to American kids, your job is to teach them new skills, share experiences and cultures as well as providing overall supervision. There are three main types of counsellors: • •

General counsellor Responsible for the overall activities and supervision of a small group of boys and girls. Specialist counsellor Teaching specific skills to various groups of kids each day. To fulfil this role you need to have expertise in


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a particular area like swimming, tennis, drama, etc. It is good to note that there is always a high demand for qualified lifeguards. Special needs counsellor Caring for kids or adults who require special attention.

Not only does this program give you the opportunity to work in the USA, but you are also paid to do it. Your time at summer camp gives you: • • • • • • • •

A pre-arranged job for 9 to 10 weeks. Between US$1150 and US$1410 pocket money. An extra US$190 per week for work exceeding the nine-week assignment. Free accommodation, including three meals a day. A US J1 visa, which is valid from 1 June to 30 September, plus there is normally a 30-day period for travel purposes. Five months’ US medical and hospital insurance is included in your package. 24-hour emergency assistance and support in the USA. A US phone card and detailed Participant Handbook, including travel tips.

To participate in Camp America you must meet the following requirements: • • • •

18 years old by 1 June (there is no upper age limit). No criminal record (must provide a criminal record check). Two written references illustrating you are suitable for the position. A passport valid for six months after your return date. To apply for a place at a summer camp you have to follow these steps:

•

Download the application forms from <www.campamerica. com.au>


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Select the country you are a resident of and post (don’t email) your completed application forms, along with your application fee of AUD$140/NZ$200 and references, to your local Camp America office in Australia or New Zealand. Your Camp America office will contact you to arrange a local interview, which usually takes around 45 minutes.

The Australian Camp America office is located at: Camp America 288A Whitehorse Road, Balwyn, Vic, 3103 Freecall 1800 653 477 The New Zealand Camp America postal address is: Camp America Private Bag MBE M400, Auckland Toll free 0508 263 742 For more information go to <www.campamerica.com.au>—this site is for both Australians and New Zealanders.

Work USA STA Travel in Australia and New Zealand has a Work USA program officially sponsored by the US government. This program allows tertiary students to work and travel in the USA for up to five months, starting from November/December and running through to March. To be eligible for this program you have to meet the following criteria: • •

Be between the ages of 18 and 30. Currently a full-time university or TAFE student. You are not eligible if you are just finishing year 12.


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Available to leave for the USA in the second half of November/ first half of December.

Depending on what you want out of your trip, STA gives you two program options to choose from: •

•

Independent Option It is up to you find your own job and accommodation. This is a good option if you want a bit of flexibility, and wish to travel from place to place finding work and lodging as you go. Placement Option STA finds a job for you before you leave home. This is good if you want peace of mind, knowing that you have somewhere to go when you get there. It also means you won’t waste time and money over there searching for your own job.

Because this program takes place over our summer period, the US winter, most of the positions available are in the ski fields. You may find yourself doing anything from room service in a hotel to ski-instructing tiny tots.

My good friend Gill got a job through the Work USA program a couple of years ago. She spent the northern hemisphere winter in the Californian ski resort of Mammoth. She worked as a ski-lift operator from November to March and had a fantastic time.

To find out more information about this program log on to <www.statravel.com.au> or <www.statravel.co.nz>, or contact your local STA travel agent. Please note to participate in this program there are fees which come to around A$500 or NZ$600 on top of your flights and travel insurance.


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EUROPEAN UNION The EU countries are Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. If you are entitled to citizenship or residency in a country other than Australia, due to your heritage, you will most likely be able to work in that country on a permanent basis. If that country is part of the EU (or Iceland or Norway), you will able to work in any other EU country. As an Australian or New Zealander you are entitled to apply for holiday working visas to several of these countries, as discussed in Chapter 12. My Canadian friend Bridget spent five months working in a resort on the island of Rhodes in Greece without a visa. Not once was she asked whether or not she was permitted to work in the country. Apparently the resort was full of backpackers in the same situation, and the local authorities turned a blind eye. My friend Skye and her boyfriend Andrew went to Austria to snowboard for four months. They lived in a medium sized ski resort, and were hired as snowboarding instructors. They worked for the full four months and were never asked whether they had the appropriate visas or ancestry.

Another good alternative is to look for work as an au pair, meaning nanny, from home. The Careers section of the major city newspapers in Australia and New Zealand, under the heading ‘Domestic’, often have ads for international postings in places like Italy or Switzerland. The ad will ask you to email your résumé; if you are selected the employer will fly you over, pay you, and provide accommodation and meals. These families are after English-speaking nannies to converse with their kids so they become bilingual at an


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early age. This can also be a great way to travel, as most families will take you on holidays with them. London is another good place to look for European nannying positions, and there are agencies specialising in this kind of thing. I know nannying is a bit risky because you don’t know how your host family is going to treat you, but you can really strike it lucky. One of my dad’s good friends (she’s a bit younger than Dad) applied for a nannying job from London with a family in Switzerland. She looked after four great kids ranging in age from 4 to 12, and was taken skiing with them in winter, cruising the Mediterranean on their yacht in summer, and on regular trips around Europe. She became such a major part of their life that now the kids are grown up and she is living back in Sydney, every year they fly her to Europe to join them on their summer holiday so they can all catch up.

There are a number of organisations that run au pair programs, which find you overseas postings in exchange for a fee. While this option is more expensive than finding a job in the paper, it gives you peace of mind and a bit more structure. For example, they usually have set conditions for the host families to meet, like a certain number of working hours each week and certain days off. The downside is you may be committed to staying with a family for a set time period even if you aren’t enjoying yourself, and the conditions of application can be really strict. For example, you may need a diploma in childcare to apply. STA Travel (<www.statravel.com.au> or <statravel.co.nz>) and JCR Au Pair (<www.jcraus.com.au>) are two good places to start looking. If you don’t like the sound of any of these, there is always volunteer or aid work. This is a good alternative if you have your heart set on working in a particular country, but don’t have ancestry connections, there is no working holiday program in place with your


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country, you don’t like kids and don’t want to take the risk of working without a visa.

MIDDLE EAST COUNTRIES I am sure you are aware that the Middle East is not one of the safest places to travel. In fact, at the time of writing this book there were extensive travel warnings out for the entire area. Despite voluntary and aid work, about which I will go into further detail later, the most developed work program in the Middle East is the Kibbutz Program in Israel. Israel is viewed as one of the safer countries of the region, with strong diplomatic ties to the Western world. Another plus of working in Israel is that most people speak English. I am sure you have heard of people going to work on a kibbutz, which is basically an Israeli farm. It isn’t a new thing—my aunt’s best friend did it in the late 1970s—my friend Talia did it a couple of years ago. There is no working holiday program set up between Australia or New Zealand and Israel, and to work in the country legally you will have to go through an agency similar to the Work USA program. Don’t worry if you aren’t Jewish—all religions are welcome to work on the kibbutzim. For working at the kibbutz you will receive accommodation, food and pocket money. There are a number of agencies that can organise a placement for you. The best place to look is on the Internet, as most are located in Israel and only have branches there and in the US. Try <www.kibbutzprogramcenter.org> and <www.kibbutz.org.il>. Like using any agency, make sure you ask for testimonials from past travellers, and if possible contact people who have just come back for their comments on their experiences and the agency’s service. Generally, you should only have to pay an administration fee for this service, but remember to make allowances for travel


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insurance, as most programs make it compulsory for you to be covered. Most agencies will arrange for you to be picked up from the airport in Tel Aviv. A working visitor will be expected to work between six and eight hours a day, depending on the needs of the particular kibbutz and the section you are working in. Your duties could range from fruit picking and packing to kitchen duties—usually you are rotated round various jobs so you aren’t stuck in the one area for your whole stay. You usually share a room with one or two other people, and must be prepared for pretty basic living conditions. The kibbutz will provide you with basic supplies such as sheets, blankets, a pillow, and even work clothes. It is up to you to bring the rest. While you are working on the kibbutz you will receive a small amount of pocket money, as well an allowance for necessities that the farm doesn’t provide—deodorant, writing paper, pens, etc. Before you rush into this decision you need to be aware of the social barriers you might face. You will be working with traditional locals who have seen many volunteers come and go, and may not necessarily go out of their way to help you fit in. Also remember this is a rural society, and there won’t be much nightlife compared to the city—but evening events are organised on a regular basis. Generally the kibbutz will also help you to arrange any courses or sightseeing that you want to do—anything from Israeli dancing and Hebrew lessons to day trips to the tourist sights.

SOUTH AND CENTRAL AMERICAN COUNTRIES If you want to work in a country in this region, conservation work is a really good option. Conservation work is great because it gives you the chance to see places off the beaten track, meet and work with local people, and make some great friends. Participation in conservation programs has to be organised before you leave home.


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To take part in conservation work you need to be reasonably fit and prepared to give 100 per cent effort and commitment. Projects are usually labour-intensive and take place regardless of weather conditions. You will have to use a variety of tools and equipment, which your project leader should show you how to handle. A good place to contact first is Conservation Volunteers Australia (CVA), an organisation that completes conservation projects in Australia and overseas with the help of volunteers. They offer placements for two to five weeks with a conservation organisation overseas in environments very different to those downunder. The types of projects vary from trail maintenance and construction, to habitat protection, drystone walling, fencing and heritage site restoration, to abandoned mine site mapping. You can take part in a CVA project if you are an Australian or New Zealand citizen over 15 years of age and have a love of the outdoors. For more details log on to <www.conservationvolunteers.com.au>.

ASIAN COUNTRIES The only Asian countries that offer working holiday visas to Australians and/or New Zealanders are Hong Kong, Japan and Korea. If you want to work in other areas of Asia, look into teaching English. There is a huge demand for English teachers. With tourism booming in most areas of the continent, lots of jobs are opening up where employees need to have a basic level of English—and there is a definite shortage in the labour force. One of my friends from Canada, Raeann, is currently teaching English in Beijing. She went to an international job fair in Winnipeg (her home town) where there was lots of information on teaching English in China; for the program she chose, no teacher training was required. Although she is having a great time at the moment,


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she isn’t with the best program. Not only did she have to pay for her airfare out of her own pocket, but they hadn’t organised her working permits when she arrived.

The programs that offer the best conditions will require you to do training before you go if you are not already a qualified teacher. If you are using an agency to help you find a placement, be prepared to pay a hefty administration fee—but remember it will give you peace of mind and you will get looked after really well in return. i-to-i is an organisation which runs short voluntary teaching projects in a number of Asian countries. They train and prepare you before you leave, and you are met at the airport when you arrive at your teaching destination. You have to be at least 18 years old, and interested in travel and other cultures. This is a great program, but it can get a bit expensive. For more information log on to the organisation’s official website, <www.i-to-i.com>. You can often find your own placement by looking in the Careers section of major city newspapers in Australia and New Zealand under the heading ‘Teachers’ after the local jobs. The ads will be titled something like ‘Teach in Asia’ or ‘Teach English in Thailand’. An overseas teaching position should include: • • • • •

A 3, 6 or 12 month work placement. A competitive local salary. Return airfare. Accommodation. Some kind of training. Sally, a friend from school, is teaching English in Japan. She finished uni and applied for a position advertised in the paper. The next thing she knew she was flown over to Japan on a 12month contract. She wasn’t required to do any training because


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she had completed a university degree. She loves it there, and is now on her second 12-month contract—and not looking like she is coming home any time soon.

Before taking up any placement, do your homework. Ask questions, research the school you are going to, and speak to people who have taught English overseas to see what advice they can offer. Again, if you don’t want to teach English, there is always volunteer and aid work.

AFRICAN COUNTRIES No African country, not even South Africa, offers a working holiday program for Australians or New Zealanders, so if you want to work in Africa you’ll have to look at other options. The alternatives of conservation work and teaching English also apply in Africa. One option I haven’t gone into much detail on is volunteer work, where you spend your time working to help local communities. International Volunteers for Peace (IVP) is an organisation with an international perspective that arranges projects to help community groups; they refer to these projects as work camps. The group currently has African camps planned for Ghana, Uganda, Zambia, Tanzania and Swaziland. Most work camps last for two to four weeks (through there are some that can extend for up to three months) and have up to 20 volunteers. Volunteers have to be over the age of 18, fit enough to contribute to the camp, and can come from Australia, New Zealand or any other country. Each work camp is designed to contribute something of tangible benefit to the local community you are working in, does not replace paid labour, and is not meant to get in the way of the locals. There are different types of work camps. For example, manual camps do


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building and restoration work, while social camps work with children or people with disabilities. You pay IVP a placement fee of between A$200 and A$350, depending on where you are going. When you arrive at your destination there may be some additional fees to pay, but you will be advised of these before you go. You also have to pay for your flights, for transport to and from the work camp, travel insurance, and have to organise your own visas. In a work camp: • • •

You receive food and accommodation. One work camp leader coordinates day-to-day activities. You are expected to work up to 35 hours a week.

For more information, log onto <www.ivp.org.au>. There is no specific program for New Zealanders, but they’re welcome to apply through the Australian office.

OTHER OPTIONS Ancestry Compared to many countries around the globe, Australia and New Zealand are very young and multicultural societies. If not yourself, how many people do you know whose parents or grandparents were born overseas? If you were born overseas, or your parents, or maybe even your grandparents, you may be eligible for temporary residency in your/their country of birth—allowing you to work there. Some countries even allow dual citizenship, which places no restrictions on your working in either country. If you think you might be eligible for residency in another country, contact their embassy direct for more information. Try the embassy’s website as well. I know the United Kingdom’s embassy in


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Australia has a really good website with a lot of information on what you are eligible for: <www.uk.emb.gov.au>. If you go into the passports and visas section, and click on ‘What am I eligible to apply for?’, the guide takes you through various questions and then tells you what you are eligible for at the end of it. For example, ‘Was your father born in the UK—Yes/No’. I reckon it all comes down to luck. My dad’s brother married an American who he met when he went to uni in the USA for a couple of years.They moved back to Australia, and now have three kids. Each of my cousins has an Australian passport and an American passport, and is entitled to work and live in both countries.

In general, working holiday visas only allow you to work in casual jobs that aren’t related to your career. If you have some kind of recent ancestry from a particular country, like the UK for example, you may be entitled to temporary residency and can work in whatever job you like—even if it is an extension of your career.

Sponsorship If, like me, you aren’t entitled to any kind of ancestry-related visa, don’t lose hope if you want to work in your profession overseas— there are still sponsorship opportunities. Sponsorship is when you find a company you want to work for in the country you want to work in, the UK for example, which sponsors you to work for them. This means they have to prove that there is nobody else in that country who can do the job as well as you can. I know this sounds like a pretty tall order, but sponsorship is quite a common thing. Now you are probably wondering how you get a company to sponsor you. You have two options:


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You can find a job before you leave home that will sponsor you; either through a transfer if your current employer has an office in the country you want to work in, or through the use of a recruitment agency. You can go for job interviews while on holiday overseas, asking the company to sponsor you once you have made an impression.

The main problems with being sponsored by a company are that it is a pretty big commitment, and it isn’t really a working holiday. If you only want to work for a few months, the kind of casual work already discussed will have to be the go.


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14 Before you go Before you go

One of the hardest parts of getting ready to go overseas for an extended period is leaving your job, especially if you have been there for quite a while and really enjoy what you do. When you do make the decision to leave your job, you need to do it in the right way, making sure your boss understands the reason you are leaving is to travel, not that you don’t enjoy your position. If you have made a good impression, your employer may tell you to come back as soon as you get home to see what positions might be available. You never know, they may even hold your position for you for up to 12 months and grant you leave without pay. Either way, you don’t want to leave on bad terms and have to come crawling back begging to be taken on again 18 months later when you get home broke.

LEAVING YOUR JOB THE RIGHT WAY Resignation is where you tell your employer that you will be moving on and leaving your job, for whatever reason. It is common practice, no matter what kind of job you hold, that you put a resignation in writing.


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When you resign, you should not view it as an opportunity to be really rude and tell your employer all the things you hate about him/her or the job. Many people make the big mistake of working themselves up into an emotional state when they decide to resign. They make it personal. Once someone decides to resign they often think only about the bad parts of the job as justification for their decision, and ignore the good parts—and bring up all the bad bits when they resign. Everyone gets hot under the collar and the parting is angry on both sides. Don’t do this. Be friendly, leave on good terms . . . because you just never know—one day you might want to come back—especially if you’ve come home from an overseas trip short of cash.

My friend Amy, who I travelled with to Europe at the end of high school, is wanting to go back, and hopes to get a working visa for Ireland. The problem is that in the five years since we first went travelling, she has done a travel agent’s course, and now works in a managerial role at a travel company in Sydney. She is concerned that if she leaves her job for a year to go away, she will have to apply for jobs at a lower level than what she is doing now when she comes back. She realises that if she leaves her current job in the right way, it might be kept open for her to take it back when she gets home. The problem is that she wants to leave for her trip just after two other girls at her level plan to leave—so she would really be leaving the company in the lurch. Amy has decided to put off her trip for six months. That way her employer will have time to train up people to replace the other two girls who are leaving, and hopefully will keep her job open for her for the 12 months because she has helped them out.


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When you decide you want to resign from a job, the best thing to do is write the letter of resignation first, so you can have it with you to give your employer when you tell them you are leaving— under no circumstances should you just slap this letter on their desk. The letter should include: • • • • •

The reason you are leaving—because you are going overseas, not because you dislike the position. The date of your last working day. Thanks for your time at the company, and the experience and training that you have gained. A request for a letter of reference that includes the time you worked for them, and indicates what type of employee you were. You might also like to ask if your employer would care to be a referee on your résumé, someone whom future employers can call to find out what kind or worker and person you are.

I’ve put together a sample resignation letter you can refer to on the page opposite. If your employer is slow in giving you a written reference you must chase them! It is much easier to get a reference written now than in two months’ time when you really need it for an important job interview.

PREPARING YOUR RE´SUME´ AND REFERENCES If you are anything like me, when you arrive in an overseas city where you plan to work, and are travelling on Aussie or Kiwi dollars, you won’t be able to afford to waste time preparing your résumé when you get there. You will need to get in and start looking for work right away, not only to pump up the bank balance but also to help you move out of the local hostel and into a place of your own. Not many landlords will rent a place to unemployed travellers—having a job makes all the difference.


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Sample Resignation Letter Samantha Koch 14 Albert Street Melbourne Vic. 3000 2 June 2003 Attention: Charles Wight Wight & Associates, Accountants 111 Spencer St Melbourne Vic 300

Dear Mr Wight I am regretfully writing to inform you of my resignation from Wight and Associates, Accountants, as of Friday 27 June 2003. Thank you for the experience and training that I have gained at Wight’s. The time I have spent at the firm has been most rewarding and helpful in providing me with fantastic experience in the industry. I hope that you consider my contributions to the firm as valuable. I have decided to travel overseas in an effort to broaden my horizons and experience other environments and cultures.When I return from my travels I will again be seeking work in the accounting industry, and would appreciate it if you would consider any job application from me in times to come. I would be very grateful to receive a reference for the time I have spent at the firm to take with me into the future. If I can be of any special assistance during my final month, please feel free to call on me. Yours sincerely, Samantha Koch


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The first opportunity you have to prove that you are the right person for a particular job is your résumé—it sells you to your potential boss. The aim of a résumé is to outline your past experience or employment and to present yourself in the best possible way. It gives a potential employer the chance to ask more specific questions in an interview and it saves them needing to take notes, meaning that they can pay more attention to you and your answers. If you can have your résumé polished and tailored to where you want to work, before you head overseas, you will be surprised how much quicker it is to land a job. Take a few copies so you can start handing them out as soon as you arrive.

Step-by-step guide to constructing your résumé This step-by-step guide shows how you could put together a résumé that will help you land the job you want overseas.

Personal details Don’t put too much in this section, only what the employer wants to know. This is basically who you are and how to contact you; name, address, mobile/phone number of where you are staying, your email address.

Visa status As soon as a potential employer sees you are a foreigner they will wonder if you are legally entitled to work in their country—there is no way you will get the job if they have any doubt. You have to spell out to them what kind of visa you have, pretty early in your résumé, and when it expires—for example, whether it is a working holiday visa or an ancestry visa, and if it expires in 10 days or 10 months. If you do get the job, most employers will require a photocopy of your visa for their records. You could save some time by attaching


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photocopies of your visa and the first page of your passport to the résumé.

Education Put your most recent studies first, then work your way down to the least recent. There is no need to list the subjects you have done— this information is irrelevant in most cases, as you generally aren’t allowed to work in the area you are qualified in.

Work experience Like education, list your most recent job first, then work your way down to the least recent. It is important to emphasise the experience most relevant to the type of job you are applying for. For example, if you plan to apply for a position as a ski instructor, you would want to highlight your experience coaching sporting teams rather than the great engineering job you had. Remember it is important to emphasise your achievements in each job, and the skills you have developed from each one.

Achievements Put in any achievements that relate to the job you are applying for. For example, if you are wanting to get a job in a seaside resort, put down any first aid or life-saving certificates you have completed.

Positions of responsibility This section could include anything from being a school captain or prefect, committee member at your local cricket club, or team leader at your last position. If you have never had a position of real responsibility, omit this section; never put in the heading and leave a blank space!


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Skills In this section you need to spell out the skills you have which match what the employer is looking for. If you are an accountant at home, but are going for jobs as a tour guide, highlight your communication and people skills rather than your numeric ones.

Interests This section shows the employer that you are a balanced person who has a few hobbies. Don’t make it too lengthy; just list any genuine interests that relate to the area you are looking for work in. For example, if you are going for a job at a summer camp mention your outdoor interests and the sports you like rather than the type of books you read.

Referees Employers usually like to see two referees listed. It is a good idea to choose a personal referee and a professional one. You need to get a referee’s permission before you use their name, tell them what you are applying for, and what you would like them to emphasise if they are contacted by the potential employer. You need to make it as easy for the potential employer as possible. Assuming your referees are from home, not many businesses in London would want to call New Zealand about an applicant, for example—so it is a good idea to put down an email address so an employer doesn’t just put a cross through your name. Because some overseas employers may be prepared to call home, however, include country and area codes so they can get through without any hassles. Include any written references from previous employers; these will give a potential employer a really good insight into your work ethic and your performance.


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Formatting tips Employers read many résumés whenever they are hiring. You need to make yours clear and easy to read, otherwise it won’t make the cut. Here are a few formatting tips to help you out. • • •

• • • • •

Choose a font size between 12 and 14 points. Think about the messages you want to give, decide on the most relevant information and build your résumé around this. Develop a format that suits you, as there are no real rules about formats. A normal format order is personal details, education, work experience, activities, then referees, but you don’t have to do it this way. If your work experience is heaps better than your education, why not put it first. Allocate space carefully, and give the most important parts of your résumé the most space. Make the best parts really obvious. Make sure your résumé looks good; use good quality paper and a modern font. Design the résumé to be read quickly, for example using bullet points. Don’t go much over two pages. Employers just won’t have time to read the rest. Even one page is fine if you have never had a job before.


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Sample résumé: An accountant going for a position as a ski instructor P ERSONAL D ETAILS Name:

Simon Smith

Address:

12 Hume Lane Vancouver

Telephone: (787) 456 1122 Email:

<[email protected]>

E DUCATION /Q UALIFICATIONS •

Level 2, Australian Professional Snowsport Instructor

•

St John’s Ambulance First Aid Course

•

Bachelor of Commerce, University of New South Wales

E XPERIENCE June 2001–Sept 2001 Perisher Blue—Ski Instructor Polished instructing skills, taught 5-year-olds to adults, learnt how to control a group, along with dealing with conflict, reacting to emergencies and developing communication skills. Oct 2001–July 2003 Ferguson & Co.—Accountant Gained sound accounting skills, learnt how to manage time in a hectic work environment, along with verbal and written communication skills.


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ACHIEVEMENTS Summer 1998/1999 Lyon’s Park Cricket Team—Captain Gained leadership skills and took up great responsibility. 1995 & 1996 Southern District Junior Ski Champion

A REAS

OF I NTEREST

Sport: cricket, running, skiing and tennis

R EFEREES Alexander Ferguson

0061 2 9417 1234

Managing Director Ferguson & Co. 348 City Road Sydney NSW 2000 email: Michael Walters Cricket Coach Lyons Park Cricket Club 34 Hills St Lyons Park NSW 2222 email: <[email protected]>

0061 2 9988 4321


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15 Living overseas Living overseas

You may think you’re set now! You have your working holiday visa, you’ve organised your travel plans and packed your bags. But what happens when you arrive at the destination you plan to spend the next however many months working in? How do you set up your temporary life there?

FINDING A PLACE TO LIVE Finding a place to live as soon as possible is essential. Some people will say that you should try and get a job first, and then find a place to live as close to work as possible. But it can take a long time to get a job, and if you stay in a hostel that whole time it will burn a hole in your pocket. So you’ll need to manage both hunts at the same time—unless you are looking for a job that has staff accommodation. The first problem you are likely to face when you arrive in a new city is you won’t know what suburbs you will be able to afford. Do as much research as possible before you leave home. Ask friends and relatives who know the region you are travelling to, search for


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accommodation online to get an idea of prices (although I wouldn’t commit to anything from home—you really need to see a place before you make any promises), and read the guidebooks. When it comes to looking for a place to rent, you won’t achieve much without the newspapers of that city or town, or their websites. Get your hands on the newspapers as soon as they come out each day/week, look up the ‘Houses or apartments to rent’ section, and start calling. In choosing a place to live, consider your choice of living arrangements. There will be advertisements for whole apartments that you could rent if you are travelling with a group of friends, already established share accommodation houses/apartments with a spare bedroom, and studios that you could live in by yourself. Each has its good and bad points—you need to work out which one suits you the best.

Finding a place with friends If you are travelling with a bunch of friends, in most cases you naturally find a place with them. This means you need to go househunting together, as you should get all your names on the lease. You look for this kind of accommodation under the ‘Apartments to rent’ or ‘Houses to rent’ sections. One of the biggest advantages of moving in with friends is the company factor, especially since you are thousands of miles away from your family. There are other people around to interact with, who you can chat to about your day and who can help you out when you are upset about something or in a jam. The area that you live in will determine how much the total rent is, and the number of people living in the house will determine how many times the rent is split—the more people you squash into a house, the cheaper your share is.


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Moving into an established household This is where you move into a place with people you don’t know. You usually find this kind of arrangement in the ‘Share accommodation’ section of the newspaper, where the ads state the particular set of attributes that are being looked for in a flatmate—female, nonsmoker, etc. In this option you get to interact socially with other people and hopefully avoid being lonely. Another plus is that you get to know a whole new bunch of people, which is a great plus when you have moved overseas by yourself. An issue to consider is personality clashes. What if you find you are the total opposite of the people you are living with? You may have cultural differences, different tastes, lifestyles, temperaments or opinions. In this situation you need to be careful, as these factors can lead to major fights or disagreements in the house. When my boyfriend Toby and I went to Canada to work in the ski fields for a season, we both got jobs in Sunshine Village, a ski resort just outside Banff. We decided that we wanted to live in town, but accommodation was really hard to get—you had to be ready as soon as the local paper came out each Wednesday. We had decided that we wanted to move into an established house, because it worked out a lot cheaper and it was a great way to meet people.We looked up the ‘Share accommodation’ section of the paper, and got interviews at two households. There were five of us in the house we chose—us, another couple and a 35year-old woman who had lived in the house for two years. Since it was an established house there were a lot of rules in place, even a cleaning roster. It was very structured, which took a bit of getting used to, and yes, we had a few personality clashes with our housemates, but in the end it worked out really well—it didn’t end up


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being the town’s party house with a continuous mountain of beer bottles and pizza boxes.

Living by yourself This is where you shop around, sign a lease and move into an apartment by yourself. If you are after this you need to look under the ‘Apartments to rent’ section of the newspaper. Living by yourself is a much more expensive option, because there is nobody to split the rent, gas and electricity bills with. But it could be a good option if you have a bit of money to spend on rent and don’t mind if it takes a while to make friends in your new area.

Staff accommodation Staff accommodation is pretty self-explanatory; it is where your employer provides you with a place to live, either at a reasonable fee or in return for a lower hourly rate of pay. I’m sure everyone has heard a horror story or two about staff accommodation, but I bet you have also heard about the great social life that it has to offer— in some cases it ends up being one big party. Jobs with staff accommodation will be advertised in the ‘Positions available’ section of the newspaper. The actual job ad will state what the job is, and what accommodation is provided. Jobs that may offer staff accommodation include working in a pub or a hotel, waiting, nannying, and being a lifty at a ski resort. The great things about staff accommodation are you don’t have to worry about looking for a place to live, you meet heaps of people, your meals are often subsidised by your employer, and in most cases it is right next door or above where you work. The downsides are you are working with the same people all day and seeing them all night, and in most cases you have very little privacy.


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When my friend Amy was in London, she got a job in a pub on The Strand, which is a street in the centre of town. She was paid a pretty decent weekly wage, her job came with staff accommodation and subsidised meals in the pub’s restaurant—each meal cost her £1 (around A$3). She had a great time, made some really good friends, and was able to walk to many of the tourist sites.

OBTAINING A TAX NUMBER At home anyone who earns any kind of income is required to have a number to identify them for taxation purposes, like the Australian Tax File Number or the New Zealand IRD number. The same principle applies overseas. In the USA it’s a Social Security Number, in Canada it’s a Social Insurance Number, in the Netherlands it’s a Sofinumber and in the UK it’s a National Insurance Number. This number distinguishes you from the millions of other people in the country who have a tax history. Although having a tax number isn’t usually compulsory, it is definitely in your interest to get one. If you don’t have a tax number you may have to pay more tax than would otherwise be necessary, and you won’t be able to lodge a tax return in that country. The taxation office of the country you are working in issues this number. You should apply for your tax number before you go jobhunting, as getting it can be a pretty lengthy process in some countries. The best thing to do is contact the taxation office pretty much as soon as you arrive, so you can get the ball rolling as quickly as possible. When you get a job, give your employer your tax number straight away so you are not taxed more than you should be on your first pay cheque. You will be asked for your tax number on other occasions—


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for example, when you do things like open a bank account. The interest you earn on money in your bank account will then be taxed at the correct rate. It would take forever for me to go through the tax number application process for all the countries where Australians and New Zealanders can get working holiday visas. After taking a quick sample of the Aussies and Kiwis I know, the two most popular working holiday destinations seemed to be Canada and the UK—so I’ll run through the application process for just those two.

Canada The Canadian Social Insurance Number (SIN) is a nine-digit number used in the administration of various Canadian government programs. You will require a SIN to work in Canada. To acquire a Social Insurance Number you must complete an application form and provide original documents that prove who you are and what visa you are on. Application forms can be picked up at the local Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC) office or you can download a form from their site at <www.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca>. The HRDC encourages you to apply for your SIN in person. This process is faster and more convenient, because you can present the original documents (like your passport) on the spot—you don’t need to post them in. It doesn’t cost anything to get a SIN the first time around, but if you lose your SIN card a Can$10 fee is charged to replace it. From the day you apply for your SIN to receiving the card in the mail will take approximately three weeks—providing that you have met all the criteria. If you get a job in that time, most employers will let you start work on the proviso that you get your SIN to them as soon as it arrives.


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United Kingdom When you arrive in the UK, contact the Department of Inland Revenue and apply for a National Insurance (NI) number. This number is unique to you and ensures that your NI contributions are recorded correctly. As soon as you receive your number, give it to your employer. They will use it to make sure the contributions you pay are recorded on your NI account. As in Canada, to receive this number you will have to be able to prove your identity and status. Showing your passport and your working holiday visa can do this.

OPENING A BANK ACCOUNT Once you’ve found a place to live, found a job and applied for your tax number, the next thing you need to do is open a bank account. Gone are the days when you got paid in cash and didn’t worry about opening a bank account; these days it is a necessity. Once you’ve decided which bank you’ll be opening your account with, you’ll have to prove who you are. This is usually done on a points system, like it is in Australia, where things such as your passport, driver’s licence, birth certificate, and credit cards are each worth a certain number of points, and you must have enough items to total 100 points. You will also be asked for your tax number, so that any interest you earn can be taxed at the correct rate. It is also good to have a letter of introduction from your bank manager at home, which states how you have been with them for ages and what a good customer you are. Remember to get such a letter before you leave home. Some banks will charge you a $5 to $10 fee, but trust me, it’s worth it. Some overseas banks can be a bit unhelpful when it comes to opening accounts for travellers, because they know you won’t be


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around for very long—and the bank won’t make much money out of you in terms of fees and flogging different products. When I worked in Canada I didn’t have any trouble opening up an account at CIBC, one of the big banks.They asked for my social security number, and to see my passport and credit card as proof of identity. In the UK it was a totally different story. I went to open an account at Barclays and they fired questions at me for about half an hour, asked for a letter from my bank manager at home, and for proof of identity ranging from my passport to my driver’s license.

When you leave your working holiday country for good, it is really important to remember to close your bank account, especially if you have only a few dollars in it. If you don’t close it, the bank will continue to charge fees and your account will go into the red. In Canada, the way CIBC ran their fee structure was that you could pay a flat $12 a month fee to cover all your ATM and EFTPOS withdrawals—instead of being charged a couple of bucks in fees every time. The problem was that I forgot to close my account when I left Canada. When I got home from my trip and was going through the bank statements I had accumulated, it occurred to me that I was still being charged $12 a month in fees. I called their Canadian customer service line reverse charges from Sydney; somehow they accepted the call and I was able to close my account over the phone. Lucky for me I had $40 in my account when I left—I had been gone for two months, so it was down to $16. If I had waited another couple of months to close the account I would have owed them quite a bit of money.


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FILING AN OVERSEAS TAX RETURN Anyone who earns an income has to fill out a tax return every year. If you haven’t paid enough tax during the year you will be required to make up the difference; if you have paid too much you will receive a refund. The tax year is based on the financial year, which differs from country to country. In Australia it runs from 1 July to 30 June; in the UK it runs from 6 April to 5 April; in the USA it is based on the calendar year, that is, from 1 January to 31 December. At the end of each financial year your employer will send you a statement of what they paid you and how much tax they paid to the government on your behalf—what is called a Group Certificate in Australia. You will have a few months from the end of the financial year to send your tax return into the tax department, along with the statements from your employer/s (group certificates). The cut-off date for this varies from country to country. The process of lodging your tax return also varies. The best thing to do is speak to the tax department in the country where you must file a return. Ask how the process works, where you get your tax return forms from, and whether you have to do anything differently because you are a temporary resident on a working holiday visa. Here are quick rundowns of a couple of the tax return processes.

Canada The Canadian financial year follows the calendar year (1 January– 31 December) and your tax return must be sent in before 30 April. The Canadian version of a group certificate is called a T4. You need to send this, along with your completed return to the Canadian Customs and Revenue Agency (their tax department). You can download forms from their website at <www.ccra-adrc.gc.ca/>.


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You need to file a Canadian tax return if you have paid tax on your income and/or if you want to claim a refund. But if for some reason you don’t file your return no one is going to come and hunt you down. I worked in Canada for three months. I left to come home for uni in a bit of rush and never got around to filing a Canadian tax return. My income was taxed each week and I had probably earned under the tax threshold, so it was really my loss not filing a return—I would have received a healthy refund. Because I was employed from November to February I worked in two financial years. My T4s for the two years were sent home to Australia by my employer—which was really nice of them. I now regret not doing anything about it.

United Kingdom The UK financial year runs from 6 April to 5 April. If you become a resident in the UK you will have to pay UK tax on all your income. You will be regarded as a resident if you: • • •

Are in the UK for 183 days or more in any tax year (6 April– 5 April). Visit the UK regularly and your visits average 91 days or more per tax year over a four-year period. Come to and remain in the UK for two years or more.

Lucky for us, the UK has one of the simplest systems of income tax in the world, with a low rate of 20% on the first £4100 of income, a basic rate of 23% and a single higher rate of 40%. For more information on the UK tax system, contact the Board of Inland Revenue when you arrive:


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The Board of Inland Revenue Somerset House London WC2R 1LB Tel: 020 7438 6420/6425 I worked in the UK for five months and paid income tax, but because I was travelling around and had a lot of other things to worry about I didn’t file a return there either! I should have thought more about it, but I was only 18 at the time and didn’t really understand the system. I should have contacted the Board of Inland Revenue to find out what my rights and responsibilities were—another big mistake when I look back on it.


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16 Job ideas Job ideas

BARTENDING To work in a bar you have to be over the legal drinking age. That’s 18 in New Zealand and Australia, but it’s older than that in other places—in the USA it’s 21, in parts of Canada it’s 19. Your duties would range from serving drinks to cleaning ashtrays, collecting glasses, serving basic meals, and cleaning the bar when the pub closes.

Pros • • • • • •

It’s a really fun environment to work in. You get to meet a lot of people—workmates and customers. You are working in a fun team environment. You get to socialise with people your own age. You get tips. There is often music playing.

Cons •

You can have problems with customers who have had too much to drink.


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It can be stressful when it gets really busy. You often don’t finish until late, because you can’t start cleaning up until the pub is closed. You may have to work in a smoky environment. You are on your feet for long periods.

Skills required • • •

•

Fluency in the local language. Good communication skills. You may need to have completed some kind of qualification. For example, in Australia many pubs require you to complete your Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) certificate. Numeric skills.

How to get it •

•

•

There are placement programs that you can enrol in before you leave home. For example, STA Travel has a program where for a small fee they find you a job in a pub in the UK with staff accommodation. Pub jobs are advertised in the papers, often in the ‘Casual work’ section—try local newspapers as well as the major newspaper of the city/town that you have moved to. For example, in the UK get hold of TNT Magazine, which is full of ads. You could also try walking into pubs where you would like to work and asking if any jobs are available—you never know your luck.

FRUIT PICKING This is an example of a seasonal job. Your duties include actually picking the fruit, sorting it into good and bad, and packing it up to be sent to the buyer.


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Pros • • •

You get to work outside. You usually work as part of a team. If the orchard is located in an isolated area, staff accommodation is usually provided.

Cons • •

You are on your feet for long periods. You are out in the elements—sun, heat, rain, etc.

Skills required •

Good work ethic.

How to get it • • •

Look in the ‘Casual work’ section of the local newspaper. Also check noticeboards in community centres and shopping malls. You could try contacting orchards/farms directly, by looking them up in the phone book. There is a pretty high staff turnover rate, so you never know your luck—they could be looking to hire!

HOTEL PORTER In this job you carry people’s bags from their car or taxi to their rooms, and back again when they leave. When the hotel is quiet you may have to do odd jobs such as running errands, taking up room service and even answering phones.

Pros • •

You get tips. You get to work in a team environment.


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You get to socialise with your workmates. You get to meet a lot of people.

Cons • • •

You are on your feet for long periods. You need to be physically strong enough to lift heavy suitcases. You have to present yourself immaculately for every shift.

Skills required • •

Ability to speak the local language. Physical strength.

How to get it • •

Most porters’ jobs are advertised in major city newspapers in the hospitality section. You could also try calling a few hotels, speaking to the person responsible for recruitment, finding out when they are next hiring and sending them a copy of your résumé.

KITCHEN HAND Helping out in the kitchen of a restaurant or café, your duties include things like chopping food, preparing food for cooking, putting together some simple meals such as salads, cleaning the kitchen and washing dishes.

Pros • • • •

Great experience if you are interested in cooking. You get to work with other people. You will learn a lot from the chefs working in the kitchen. You usually get fed during or after your shift.


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You don’t need to speak the local language, as there is no interaction with customers.

Cons • • •

The pay isn’t as good as some other jobs. You will be the lowest person in the pecking order in your working environment, and will cop the bad jobs. You are on your feet for long periods.


A good work ethic. Some knowledge of cooking and different types of food.

How to get it •

•

The best place to find a kitchen hand job is in the ‘Hospitality’ section of the paper’s employment section; try the local newspaper as well as major newspapers. You could also try walking into restaurants and asking if they have any jobs available—you never know your luck.

LABOURING This kind of job is mainly suited to guys. It is where you work on a building site, doing odd jobs around the place that involve a lot of strength. Your duties could include moving bricks, painting, drilling, digging holes, and so on.

Pros • •

You get to work outdoors. It’s a great source of exercise—a good way to keep off those kilograms you end up gaining when you travel.


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You get paid pretty well because the work is so physical. You don’t need to be able to speak the local language fluently (although you will need to know the basics to follow instructions). There is traditionally a high turnover of workers in this industry, so it is often easy to pick up work and start straight away.

Cons • •

You have to be really strong. It involves really hard work.


Physical strength. Some knowledge of building and/or carpentry.


Look for job advertisements under the ‘Casual work’ section of major newspapers. You could also try visiting building sites and speaking to the project manager about working there.

NANNY This job involves the responsibility of taking care of another person’s children, on a regular basis, in exchange for a fee. This position may also involve light housework and some cooking.

Pros • •

Often cash in hand. Great job if you love kids.


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•

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Most positions will provide you with accommodation and meals on top of your pay—some may even give you a car to use while you are working there. Relatively easy work.

Cons •

• •

It is a major commitment. Not many parents want to hire a nanny who will only be around a few weeks—they want someone who can commit on a more permanent basis, something like 6 to 12 months. There is a lot of responsibility. This job is pretty much restricted to females.


Some employers my require you to have completed a first aid certificate. Previous experience looking after children.

How to get it •

•

•

Before you leave home—look in the Careers section of the major city newspapers of your country, under the heading ‘Domestic’; there are usually a few ads for international postings, often ones in Italy and Switzerland. If you are selected your employer will fly you over, pay you, provide accommodation and meals. When you arrive in the country you plan to work in, join a nannying agency. When a parent is looking for a nanny they register with a nannying agency, the agency looks at which of their nannies fits the requirements, and sends them along to be interviewed. You could try and get a placement before you leave home through an agency. For example, STA Travel offers an au pair program. For a small placement fee, they find you an overseas family which


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will provide you with accommodation, food and between A$100 and A$300 a week.

OFFICE TEMP Office temps fill in for permanent staff who might be off sick, on holidays or on maternity leave. You may work as a secretary, a receptionist or an office all-rounder. Duties include things like answering calls, typing letters and organising meetings.

Pros • • • •

You are never in the one business too long. You are always meeting new people. You get paid by the hour, usually at a decent rate. It fits in really well with travelling because you are able to say which days you want to work.

Cons • • •

Because you are always moving from place to place it is hard to make a group of ‘work friends’. Every time you go to a new office you have to meet a whole new bunch of people and learn a whole new job. It can be hard to plan anything in advance, because your temp agency could call you at 7.30 in the morning and expect you to be at work by 9 am.


Typing. An extrovert personality which can deal with constantly changing work environments.


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Fluency in the local language. Good organisational skills.

How to get it •

•

The best thing to do is join a temp agency. When you register, the agency will get you to do a number of tests for typing and computer skills to evaluate your ability. When they have a business call up requesting a temp, the agency will call you and see if you want the job. There are lots of temp agencies out there. Ask around to see which ones people recommend, have a look in the back section of professional magazines, or look in the ‘Casual work’ section of major newspapers.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES In these sorts of jobs you work as an instructor or coordinator for a particular outdoor activity. It could be anything from kayaking or horse riding to water skiing. Lots of resorts provide outdoor activities for their guests, and they need young and energetic people to run them.

Pros • •

• •

A fantastic job if you love that particular activity. You get to do that activity in your time off. For example, if you are a water-skiing instructor in a Greek island resort, you might go out on the boat with your work mates after you finish. The job often comes with staff accommodation. Capacity to earn tips when you teach adults.


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Cons • •

You need to be at a very high level of the particular activity to be able to teach it. You need to be really patient, because some people may just never get the hang of it.

Skills required • • •

Instructing You need to be highly skilled and in most cases qualified to teach the particular activity you are working in. Coordinating You need to have a basic understanding of the activity you are working in. You need to speak the language of the majority of tourists. For example, if you do happen to be teaching tourists to water-ski in Greece, you don’t need to speak much Greek, but if most of the tourists are Italian you will need to be able to speak Italian. In some large resorts which have classes for different language groups, you might be able to teach just the English-speaking tourists.

How to get it •

• •

A few weeks before the start of the season for the activity you are seeking work in, you need to start contacting resorts and outdoor activity companies to see what positions they have available. Before you leave home, check out the employment section of the websites of the big resorts to see if they have anything available. Get the local newspaper for the area you are basing your job hunt in, and look in the ‘Casual work’ section.

ROOM ATTENDANT In this job you work in a hotel and make up guests’ rooms.


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Pros •

The shifts are relatively short, and usually in the middle of the day, between guest check-out and guest check-in (10 am–2 pm). • There is the capacity to earn tips. • You don’t have to speak the local language. Cons • Not very exciting work. • Don’t get to meet many people. • You never know what you may have to clean up.

Skills required •

Attention to detail.

How to get it •

•

The best thing to do is to look at the advertisements in the Hospitality section of the city/town’s major newspapers, under ‘R’ for room attendant. Ask around at local hotels/motels/hostels to see if they are hiring.

SKI/SNOWBOARD INSTRUCTOR You get to live near a snowfield and teach people how to ski and/or snowboard.

Pros • • • • •

A fantastic job if you love to ski or board. You get to live at the snow and ski/ride in your time off. You get a free lift pass for the season. The job often comes with staff accommodation. Capacity to earn tips when you teach adult classes.


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Cons • • •

You need to be at a very high level to be able to teach. You still have to be outside on the minus 30 degree days. You need to be really patient, because some people may just never improve.


You need to be able to ski or snowboard. In most cases, you need to have completed at least a Level 1 instructor’s course.

How to get it •

•

Some of the big resorts have stands at the international job fairs, held in capital cities around Australia and New Zealand. You can speak to people from each resort to find out more about it, and apply for jobs before you leave home. A few weeks before the start of each season North American and European ski resorts have a hiring day, where they hire all the staff that they are going to need for that season. To find out when hiring days are check out the resorts’ websites. If you organise your trip to be there on that day, you shouldn’t have trouble getting work if you have the right qualifications. My good friends Gill and Claire went to Canada a couple of months ago because they wanted to spend their ski season working as instructors. They had both achieved their Level 1 instructor’s certificate and wanted to work in the resort of Big White. They applied for their Canadian working visas before they left and made sure they were in Big White a few days before their hiring day. On the day they both got positions as ski instructors! They had to wait around for a couple of weeks till the season


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actually started, but were over the moon that they’d landed the jobs they wanted.

SKI-LIFT OPERATOR Ski-lift operators, also know as lifties, operate the lifts at a ski resort. Duties include things like lift maintenance, helping people board, making sure they queue up in an orderly fashion, and checking that their lift tickets are valid.

Pros • • • • •

A fantastic job if you love to ski or board. You get to live at the snow and ski/ride in your time off and in your breaks. You get a free lift pass for the season. The job often comes with staff accommodation. You sometimes get free lessons and discounts on hiring.

Cons • • •

It can get really boring. You still have to be outside on the minus 30 degree days. You need to be really patient, because some people may never get the hang of riding a T-bar.


Good communication skills. Ability to react well under pressure.


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How to get it •

•

Some of the big resorts have stands at the international job fairs held in capital cities around Australia and New Zealand. You can speak to people from each resort to find out more about it, and apply for jobs before you leave home. A few weeks before the start of each season North American and European ski resorts have a hiring day, where they hire all the staff that they are going to need for that season. To find out when hiring days are check out the resorts’ websites. If you organise your trip to be there on that day, you shouldn’t have trouble getting work if you have the right qualifications.

SUMMER CAMPS This is where you spend the summer holidays (9 to 10 weeks) of a Northern Hemisphere country looking after kids in a camp environment. They are usually for kids aged 6 to 16 years, and offer activities such as sport, art, crafts and more. Most camps are in the countryside, where staff and campers sleep in either cabins or platform tents. Some camps are located on lakes or rivers, allowing the kids to swim, water ski or sail.

Pros: • • • •

In most cases the job is arranged before you leave home. You get staff accommodation, meals, plus pay. A great job if you love working with kids. You meet lots of other leaders your age. I know a couple of people who became such good friends with the people they were working with that they ended up travelling with them after the camp finished.


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Cons •

In most cases you are unable to choose which camp you want to be placed in, but most organisations will try and place you at a camp that best matches your skills and background.

You have little time or space to yourself.

Skills required • • • •

You need to have some experience dealing with kids, whether it is babysitting, coaching or teaching a particular activity. Patience. The ability to take charge. A love of the outdoors.

How to get it • • • •

Camp America How to apply for a job with Camp America is discussed in detail in Chapter 13. In Europe Europe has a number of summer camps, located in the UK, Spain and France in particular. Contact STA Travel and apply for their Camp Europe program. You can also organise your own placement directly with a camp through PGL Travel (Britain’s largest provider of activity courses for kids); log on to <www.pgl.co.uk>, and go to the ‘working with PGL’ section for the latest job opportunities in Europe. The great thing about going direct through PGL is you can choose what job and camp you want to apply for.

TEACHING ENGLISH This refers to teaching English as a second language, to anyone from children in kindergarten to the elderly.


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Pros • • • • •

In most cases you find a position before you leave home—usually a 3, 6 or 12 month work placement. You get paid a competitive local salary. Most placements will fly you over there and back. You are usually provided with staff accommodation. You get to live and work as part of another culture.

Cons • •

Can get a bit lonely if there aren’t any other English speakers in your area. Some placements aren’t all that they have promised, so you need to do your homework before you leave.


Your English must be perfect. Most placements will provide you with training before you leave.

How to get it •

•

You can go through an agency, which will find a placement for you. In return you pay a placement fee for the service. For example, STA Travel has a program called Balance-Ventures, which are short voluntary teaching projects. They train and prepare you before you leave, and you are met at the airport when you arrive at your teaching destination. You have to be at least 18 years old, and interested in travel and other cultures. This is a great program, but it can get a bit expensive. For more information, contact STA Travel. You can often find your own placement by looking in the Careers section of the major city newspapers of your country, under the heading ‘Teachers’, after all of the local jobs. The ads will be titled something like ‘Teach in Asia’ or ‘Teach English in Thailand’.


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TOUR GUIDE Tour guides take groups of tourists around a particular attraction, site or city and explain the finer points to them. Don’t think you have to be a local to conduct tours—think of all those non-English speaking countries with popular tourist attractions frequented by American and British tourists. When I went on the ‘Sound of Music Tour’ in Austria, it was led by a girl from Wales; in San Francisco my uncle, who was in his early twenties, led tours of the city on those hop-on-hop-off buses.

Pros • • •

This is a great job if you are passionate about the tourist attraction—what I would give to lead a ‘Sound of Music Tour’! You get to meet a lot of people. Capacity to earn tips.

Cons •

It can get a bit boring if you are leading the same tour every day, following the same script.


Good communication skills. An extroverted personality.

How to get it • • •

Contact direct the tour companies in the area you plan to base yourself in. You never know your luck. Get the local newspaper and look in the ‘Casual work’ section. Before you go for an interview for a tour guide position, do your homework on the particular attraction so you can show off your


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knowledge in the interview. A prospective employer is much more likely to hire someone who already has knowledge of the attraction compared to someone who has to be taught the basics.

WAITPERSON When you work in a restaurant and look after people who come to dine there, your responsibilities include seating customers, taking their orders, delivering their food and drinks, clearing their table, and presenting them with the bill.

Pros • • • • •

You get to meet a lot people—workmates and customers. You are working in a fun team environment. You get tips. You are kept busy and it is surprising how fast the time flies by. You usually get fed during or after your shift.

Cons • • • •

You need to be well presented at all times. You have to be able to work under pressure. You are on your feet for long periods. Tiring.

Skills required • • • •

Fluency in the local language. Good communication skills. Coordination—ability to carry three plates at once, a tray of drinks, etc. Numeric skills.


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The best place to find a restaurant job is in the paper; try the local newspaper as well as major newspapers. You could also try walking into restaurants where you would like to work and asking if they have any jobs available—you never know your luck.


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Conclusion Conclusion

By now you should have a pretty good idea of what is involved in putting together an overseas trip—whether it involves work or not. Hopefully you are in one of two positions; you have just boarded the plane and are reading this conclusion in the air, or you will be on your way to the travel agent as soon as you finish this page. There is extra information in the back of the book on how to apply for visas, contact details of embassies and consulates, checklists to help you pack and get organised, and a thorough reference list of useful phone numbers and websites. All this planning and organisation is to help your trip run as smoothly as possible, and prevent hassles such as not having the right visa for the right country. Remember though—no matter how much you do plan, trust me, there will always be hiccups and things that you just can’t plan for—but also remember that no matter how dramatic they are, those situations end up being pretty funny stories when you get home. I never thought I would say it, but whenever Amy and I look back at those couple of days when she was in hospital in Granada in Spain, we just end up laughing. I’ve been lucky. My parents always put travel as a savings priority for our family and they opened my eyes and got me addicted. I hope


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this book inspires you to travel and explore different regions and cultures. Remember travel isn’t just for the rich and famous, anyone can do it—you just need to make some sacrifices. Saving for a trip is hard work—you will have to be the designated driver on some nights out and you can’t buy different outfits every season, but it is worth it. As they say . . . you are only young once!


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Appendix 1

Working visa applications Working visa applications

It is a good idea to keep a photocopy of all the information included in your application, just in case the embassy or consulate misplaces your application or if it gets lost in the mail.

CANADA Australians and New Zealanders

Australians For a place in the Australian Working Holiday Program you must send in an application containing the following: • •

A completed application form, which can be downloaded from <www.awhpcanada.com.au>. A bank cheque (from an Australian bank) or postal money order (from Australia Post) of A$165 made payable to the Discovery Management Group. They will not accept: less than full payment; cash; personal cheques; company cheques, or credit cards.


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Working visa applications

• •

185

A photocopy of the information page of your passport. Do not send your actual passport. A stamped, self-addressed, business-sized envelope showing an Australian mailing address.

Mail your application to: AWHP Canada Locked Bag 305 Balmain NSW 2041 Your application is then processed. If it meets the selection criteria it is then forwarded to the Canadian Consulate General in Sydney. If the application is approved, you will be sent an AWHP letter of introduction issued by the Canadian Consulate-General in Sydney and a receipt of your payment. You need to present your letter of introduction to Immigration on arrival in Canada, and you must arrive in Canada within one year of the date that the letter was issued. Upon arrival you will be issued with an employment authorisation.

New Zealanders To receive a place in the New Zealand Working Holiday Program you have to go through the following steps: •

Complete an entry form and return it by the end of January. You can pick one up in person from the Canadian High Commission in Wellington (61 Molesworth St, Level 3) or have one mailed to you by sending a stamped self-addressed envelope to the High Commission at: Canadian High Commission—NZWHP PO Box 12 049 Thorndon, Wellington Tel: (04) 473 9577


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All entries are put in a ballot box and 800 successful entries are drawn. By mid-February the Canadian High Commission in Wellington will send successful applications the full application pack for employment authorisation. The employment authorisation must be completed and sent, along with the fee requested in the entry form, to the Immigration Office of the Canadian Consulate-General in Sydney for processing. The deadline for this is usually around mid-March.

By the end of April Sydney will issue a letter of introduction, which you need to present to Immigration upon arrival in Canada. You must arrive in Canada within one year of the date that the letter was issued. Upon arrival you will be issued with an employment authorisation.

CHILE New Zealanders only Your visa application must include the following: • • • • • • •

One completed visa application form in English, which can be obtained by contacting the Consulate of Chile. Three Spanish forms must be signed and thumb printed where required. They can also be obtained from the Consulate of Chile. Three passport-size photographs. Evidence of medical and comprehensive hospitalisation insurance that’s valid for the duration of your stay in Chile. Proof of US$1800 through bank statements, credit card statements, travellers cheques or money orders. Copy of a return travel ticket. A copy of the information page of your passport.


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•

187

A self addressed envelope (prepaid postage and registration or courier pack) so your documents can be returned. You must submit or post your application to: The Consular Office of Chile 19 Bolton Street Wellington 04) 471 6270 The Consular Office of Chile 8 Spencer Street Auckland 09) 373 4602

If your application is successful the Consul will issue you with a Certifying Letter to be presented to the Immigration Office at the Ministry of the Interior in Santiago, any provincial office or the Governor’s Office in Chile. You pay them US$37 in Chilean currency and they will then issue you with a ‘Temporary Residence Visa/ Working Holiday Scheme’.

CYPRUS Australians only Your visa application must contain the following: • • • •

A completed and signed application form, which can be obtained by contacting the Cyprus High Commission in Canberra. One passport-size signed photograph (needs to be attached to your application form). Your passport. Application fee of around A$30, in the form of a money order or bank cheque.


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A self addressed registered mail envelope so your documents can be returned. You need to send your application via registered mail to: Cyprus High Commission 30 Beales Crescent Deakin ACT 2600 Tel: (02) 6281 0832, 6281 0834 Fax: (02) 6281 0860

The Cyprus High Commission takes around a week to process applications.

DENMARK Australians and New Zealanders Your application should contain the following: • • • •

A completed application form, which can be obtained by contacting the Royal Danish Consulate-General. A recent passport-size photograph. Your application fee. Proof of around A$6000 or NZ$7000 funds, in the form of a bank statement. You can lodge your application form at:

Australia Royal Danish Embassy 15 Hunter Street Yarralumla ACT 2600 Tel: (02) 6273 2195


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189

Royal Danish Consulate-General Level 14, Gold Fields House 1 Alfred Street, Circular Quay, Sydney NSW 2000 Tel: (02) 9247 2224

New Zealand Royal Danish Consulate-General 273 Bleakhouse Road Howick (PO Box 619 Auckland) Tel: (09) 537 3099 Royal Danish Consulate-General Level 7, Forsyth Barr House 45 Johnston Street (PO Box 10-874) Wellington 6036 Tel: (04) 471 0520

FINLAND Australians only Your visa application must contain the following: • • • • •

A completed application form, which can be obtained from your local Consulate-General or the Embassy. Two passport-size photos. The application fee of A$240, to cover paperwork and the cost of the visa. A bank statement proving you can support yourself for the first three months of your stay, around A$3000. Your passport.


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Deliver or post your application to: Embassy of Finland 12 Darwin Avenue Yarralumla ACT 2600 Tel: (02) 6273 3800 Consulate-General of Finland 537 New South Head Road Double Bay NSW 2028 Tel: (02) 9327 7904 You can also contact the following for an application form, or if you have further questions: Victorian Consulate-General of Finland 554 Burwood Road Hawthorn Vic. 3122 Tel: (03) 9819 4911 South Australian Consulate of Finland 6th Floor, 117 King William Street Adelaide SA 5000 (GPO Box 958, Adelaide SA 5001) Tel: (08) 8211 7771 Queensland Consulate of Finland 2 Computer Road Yatala Qld 4207 Tel: (07) 3382 0974 Western Australia Consulate of Finland 2 Brook Street East Perth WA 6004 Tel: (08) 9368 2888


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191

Tasmanian Consulate of Finland 159 Harrington Street (GPO Box 608F) Hobart Tas. 7000 Tel: (03) 6230 0300 Northern Territory Consulate of Finland Magistrates Court Nichols Place (GPO Box 1281) Darwin NT 0800 Tel: (08) 8999 7560

FRANCE New Zealanders only The 12-month working holiday visa may be obtained up to six months before you enter France, and will not apply until you actually arrive. You may apply for this visa from anywhere in the world, as long as you aren’t already in France. Your visa application can be sent to or brought into the French Embassy in Wellington: Visa Section Embassy of France 34–42 Manners St (PO Box 11-343) Wellington (04) 384 2555 The embassy is open 9 am to 1 pm Monday to Friday. Your application must include the following: •

A completed ‘Application for a Long Stay Visa’ form. This form can be downloaded from <www.france.net.nz> (this website also


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• • • • •

•

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has a list of really useful websites to help you plan your trip to France). One passport-size photo stapled to the application form. French and English declarations that are signed and dated, saying you will return to New Zealand when the visa expires. Your valid passport. Evidence of sufficient funds (NZ$4000). You can prove this by including a personal bank statement. A letter (in either French or English) describing the reasons you are applying for this visa. This is where you should make it clear that you are ‘motivated’ by the opportunity to holiday in France, and the reason you intend to work is to supplement your existing funds. A pre-paid return courier pack for the return of your passport.

If your application is accepted, you will be notified of the visa fee (which changes regularly due to fluctuations in the exchange rate) you are required to pay. You will have to pay this fee by a bank cheque (personal cheques aren’t accepted) made out to ‘Embassy of France’. You will also have to produce your travel insurance policy to prove you will be medically covered for the duration of your stay.

GERMANY Australians and New Zealanders Your visa application should include the following: • • • •

Your completed and signed application form—contact your local consulate for a form. A passport-size photograph. Your passport. A copy of your return airline ticket. If you only have a one-way ticket you must be able to prove that you have the funds to cover


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•

• • •

193

your return trip—as well as the money you are required to have to cover your stay. Proof of sufficient funds (a monthly minimum of A$400 or NZ$500) for the complete length of your stay; for example, if you are staying for 10 months you have to prove you have A$4000 or NZ$5000. You can prove this by producing a copy of your current bank statement. Proof of health insurance cover valid in Germany for the duration of your stay. A self-addressed Express Post envelope (if not applying in person). Fee to cover administrative expenses—bank cheque, postal money order or cash.

Please note that you can only apply for this visa from within your home country.

Australia Residents of the ACT and the Northern Territory apply at the German Embassy: 119 Empire Circuit Yarralumla ACT 2600 Tel: (02) 6270 1911 Residents of New South Wales and Queensland apply at the Consulate-General in Sydney: 13 Trewlawney Street Woollahra NSW 2025 Tel: (02) 9328 7733 Residents of Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia apply at the Consulate-General in Melbourne: 480 Punt Road South Yarra Vic. 3141 Tel: (03) 9864 6888


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New Zealand Embassy of Germany 90–92 Hobson Street Thorndon, Wellington Tel: (04) 473 6063 Honorary Consul Auckland Columbus House 6th Floor, 52 Symonds Street Auckland Tel: (09) 913 3674 Honorary Consul Christchurch Floor 2, Harley Chambers 137 Cambridge Terrace Christchurch Tel: (03) 379 3193

HONG KONG Australians and New Zealanders Your application must include the following: • •

•

A completed application form, which can be obtained from your local Consulate-General. A bank statement proving you have sufficient funds to support yourself in Hong Kong. If you are an Australian you have to prove you have A$4000, and if you are a New Zealander you have to prove that you have NZ$3000. Send your application to the embassy in your country.


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Australia Embassy of the People’s Republic of China 15 Coronation Drive Yarralumla ACT 2600 Tel: (02) 6273 4780 Consulate-General of People’s Republic of China 539 Elizabeth Street Surry Hills NSW 2010 Tel: (02) 9699 2216 Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China 75–77 Irving Road Toorak Vic. 3142 Tel: (03) 9804 3683 Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China 45 Brown Street East Perth WA 6004 Tel: (08) 9221 8498

New Zealand Embassy of the People’s Republic of China 2–6 Glenmore Street Wellington Tel: (04) 472 1382 Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China 588 Great South Road Greenlane, Auckland Tel: (09) 525 1588

195


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IRELAND Australians and New Zealanders Your Temporary Working Holiday Permit application must include the following: •

• • •

•

•

•

Completed application form, which can be obtained from the Consulate-General of Ireland in Sydney or the Consulate-General of Ireland in Auckland. You need to make sure that all questions on your application form are answered correctly. An incorrect or incomplete answer to any question will be taken into account when your application is being considered and could lead to a delay or refusal of your application. A processing fee of A$60 or NZ$70 payable in cash or cheque only (made out to the Consulate-General of Ireland). Two recent passport photographs, with your name written on the back of each. Your actual passport, and one photocopy of the front page of your passport. Please note that your passport must be valid for at least three months after you are due to leave Ireland. An original bank statement and one photocopy, stating your name and that you have access to either A$5000 or NZ$5500 and a return plane ticket (a photocopy of the ticket must be included in the application). Credit card statements and ATM slips aren’t accepted. If you are under 25 you should provide a photocopy of your high school qualification and any other qualifications that you have achieved since you left school (for example a degree or a diploma). If you are over 25 you must provide photocopies of any qualifications and your résumé backed up with work references. Send Australian applications to:


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197

Consulate-General of Ireland Level 30, 400 George St Sydney NSW 2000 Tel: (02) 9231 6999 Send New Zealand applications to: Consulate-General of Ireland PO Box 279 Auckland 1001 Tel: (09) 977 2252

ITALY New Zealanders only Your visa application must include the following: • • • • • • • •

A completed application form, which can be obtained from the Italian Embassy. Your passport. 1 passport-size photo. A copy of your return travel ticket. Proof of NZ$5500. You can do this by organising a bank draft and providing a copy. Proof of medical and comprehensive hospitalisation insurance for the duration of your stay in Italy. The NZ$62 application fee in the form of a bank cheque. Self addressed courier bag.

You must application must be self delivered or couriered to: Embassy of Italy 34–38 Grant Road PO Box 463 Thorndon


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Wellington Tel: (02) 474 0951 If your application is successful you must enter Italy within three months of the date your visa was issued.

JAPAN Australians and New Zealanders Your application for this visa must include the following: • • • •

• • •

• •

•

A completed visa application form, which can be obtained by contacting the Japanese Embassy in your country. A valid Australian or New Zealand passport. One passport-size photograph, taken within the last six months. Your résumé/personal history typed on A4 paper, covering areas such as educational background, work history and other relevant information. A proposed itinerary of your initial six-month stay in Japan. A letter stating why you are applying for the working holiday visa. This must also be typed on A4 paper. Proof of prepaid air tickets or a confirmed reservation. This can be done through stating dates, flight numbers, or even a receipt for pre-payment. Proof of funds to support your initial stay in Japan, in the form of bank statements or traveller’s cheques (no photocopies). Contact the Japanese Embassy in your country to find out which Consulate-General is closest to you so that you can lodge your application in person as required. Please note that you may be interviewed in the process of assessment of your application. The Japanese Working Holiday Visa is free.


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199

Australia Embassy of Japan 112 Empire Court Yarralumla ACT 2600 Tel: (02) 6273 3244

New Zealand Embassy of Japan Levels 18 & 19 The Majestic Centre 100 Willis Street (PO Box 6340) Wellington Tel: (04) 473 1540

REPUBLIC OF KOREA (SOUTH KOREA) Australians and New Zealanders Your working holiday visa application must contain the following: • • • •

• • •

The completed visa application form, which can be obtained by contacting the Korean Embassy. A copy of your return travel ticket. New Zealanders must include a signed consent to disclosure of conviction form, which is available from the Korean Embassy. Proof of A$6000 or NZ$5000 to support yourself upon arrival in Korea. You can prove this through a bank statement or traveller’s cheques (no photocopies). A copy of the itinerary of your trip. A$90 or NZ$160 fee for the visa, which can be paid in cash or money order. Your valid passport.


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A self-addressed prepaid courier bag or registered envelope. Your résumé. Send your application to:

Australia Embassy of the Republic of Korea 113 Empire Court Yarralumla ACT 2600 Tel: (02) 6270 4100

New Zealand Korean Embassy PO Box 11–143 Wellington Tel: 04) 473 9073

MALTA Australians only Your visa application must include the following: •

• • • •

A completed ‘Visa Application Form For Australian Youths Proceeding To Malta’. This will be posted to you on calling the Malta High Commission on (02) 6290 1724. Two recent identical passport-size photos. A current Australian passport, which is valid for at least six months. A police record from your state or territory of residence. A bank statement proving that you have sufficient funds to support yourself when you get there—this is a minimum of A$4500.


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• • •

201

A copy of your flight itinerary so that your visa can be issued from the day of your arrival in Malta. A money order or bank cheque of A$60 made out to the ‘Malta High Commission’. A self-addressed registered post envelope so that your passport can be returned.

Applications must be lodged (you can post or deliver your application) no less than six weeks before you intend to depart for Malta. Malta High Commission 38 Culgoa Circuit O’Malley ACT 2606 Postal address: Malta High Commission PO Box 147 Red Hill ACT 2603 Tel: (02) 6290 1573 Please note that there is a possibility that you may be interviewed, so that this program can be further explained to you.

NETHERLANDS Australians and New Zealanders It is possible to submit an application for a Working Holiday Scheme at any Netherlands Embassy in the world. Your application must contain the following: •

• •

Your completed and signed application form. To get a copy of an application form contact your nearest Netherlands Embassy or Consulate-General. One passport photo. Your valid passport.


202

•

•

• • •

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A copy of your driver’s licence (if you don’t have a driver’s licence you must provide a copy of another type of photographic identification). Confirmation that you have sufficient funds (A$2000 or NZ$2000) in your bank account—this can be shown by a copy of an up-to-date bank statement in your name. A photocopy of your plane ticket or confirmed itinerary. Proof of medical cover for the period of your stay in the Netherlands. A stamped self-addressed envelope if you want your passport returned to you by mail.

Australia If you live in the ACT, submit your application to: Embassy of the Netherlands 120 Empire Circuit Yarralumla ACT 2600 Tel: (02) 6220 9400 If you live in any other part of Australia, submit your application to: Netherlands Consulate-General PO Box 261 Bondi Junction NSW 1355 Tel: (02) 9386 0900

New Zealand Netherlands Embassy PO Box 840 Cnr Balance and Featherston Streets Wellington Tel: (04) 471 6390


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203

NORWAY Australians only Your application should contain the following: •

• • • •

A completed application form, which can be obtained by contacting the Royal Norwegian Consulate-General in person or online at <www.canberra.mfa.no>. A recent passport-size photograph. An official bank statement proving you have A$7000 available funds. A certified copy of the front page of your passport. A medical certificate from your doctor stating you are fit and healthy to travel, and you do not have any pre-existing conditions that could cause problems during a 12-month period in Norway. Send your application to: Royal Norwegian Embassy 17 Hunter Street Yarralumla Act 2600 Tel: (02) 6273 3444

You can also contact your state Royal Norwegian Consulate for an application form or further details on the program: New South Wales Royal Norwegian Consulate Level 11 189 Kent Street Sydney NSW 2000 Tel: (02) 8236 2159


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Victoria Royal Norwegian Consulate Suite 1 420 High Street Kew Vic. 3101 Tel: (03) 9853 3122 South Australia Royal Norwegian Consulate 19 Bennet Avenue Melrose Park SA 5039 Tel: (08) 8277 1070 Queensland Royal Norwegian Consulate Level 8 Concorde House 217 George Street Brisbane Qld 4000 Tel: (07) 3229 0492 Western Australia Royal Norwegian Consulate 20 Mews Road Fremantle WA 6160 Tel: (08) 9335 9155 Tasmania Royal Norwegian Consulate 688A Sandy Bay Road Sandy Bay Tas. 7005 Tel: (03) 6225 0582


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205

Northern Territory Royal Norwegian Consulate 32 Marina Boulevarde Cullen Bay NT 0820 Tel: (08) 8947 0355 Please note that you may be required to attend an interview, and allow at least a month for your application to be processed. You are advised to take out travel/health insurance to cover your stay in Norway as you will not be covered by the Norwegian health system.

SWEDEN Australians and New Zealanders You can apply for a visa as part of the Working Holiday Agreement at a Swedish Embassy or Consulate in your native country or the country in which you are presently residing. Contact the Swedish Embassy for an application form. Make sure you get your application to your Swedish Embassy or Consulate at least six weeks before you plan to enter Swenden. Your application should include the following: • • • •

The completed application form. The application fee, which is around A$200 for Australians and NZ$230 for New Zealanders. Your passport. Proof that you have enough funds to support yourself for at least the first three months of your stay in Sweden, around A$3000 and NZ$3500. This can be done by producing a recent bank statement.


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Australia Embassy of Sweden 5 Turrana Street Yarralumla ACT 2600 Tel: (02) 6270 2700

New Zealand Consulate-General of Sweden Wellington Consulate-General of Sweden Level 13, Vogel Building Aitken Street (PO Box 125 38) Wellington Tel: (04) 499 9895 If your application is accepted, the Swedish authorities in your country of application will complete the visa and enter it in your passport.

UK Australians and New Zealanders Your Working Holiday visa application must include the following: • A completed application form for the visa. Contact the British High Commission for a form or download it from <www.uk. emb.gov.au> or <www.britain.org.nz/vpass/workhols.html>. • A completed working holiday supplementary questionnaire. This asks you a number of questions that relate to the conditions of the visa, for example, ‘What type of work do you intend to take in the United Kingdom?’ Contact the British High Commission for this form or download it from <www.uk.emb.gov.au> or <www.britain.org.nz/vpass/workhols.html>.


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•

• • • •

• •

207

Refer to the WHM (Working Holiday Maker) information sheet, which goes through each requirement that you have to meet and what material you have to provide with your application. Contact the British High Commission for a form or download it from <www.uk.emb.gov.au> or <www.britain.org.nz/vpass/work hols.html>. Two passport-size photographs. Your current and previous (if applicable) passports. Your résumé—including dates, names, and contact details of two referees. Proof of funds—you need to supply a copy of a recent bank statement to prove that you can partially support yourself when you are in the UK. Remember that ATM slips are not acceptable unless your name and account number are shown. Application fee and postage (see ‘costs’ section of information sheet). Entry clearance application fees (see ‘costs’ section of application form).

Australia Post your application to: British High Commission Consular Section (Passport/Entry Clearance) 39 Brindabella Circuit Brindabella Business Park Canberra Airport ACT 2609 Tel: (02) 6270 6666

New Zealand Post your application to: Consular Section British High Commission


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44 Hill Street (PO Box 1812/DX SX 10007) Wellington Tel: (04) 924 2888 The British High Commission does not give a set time period for the processing of your visa. It officially states that you should ‘allow plenty of time for the process of your application as processing times may vary throughout the year. You should not make definite travel plan dates until your application has been processed’.


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Appendix 2

Checklists Checklists

These checklists will help you get organised for your trip. If you are anything like me, you will have scribbled notes everywhere, and will lose sleep the night before you leave wondering if you have forgotten to do anything. This way you have a clear list of the basics—just have it handy when you are getting organised—and tick things off as you go along. Who wants to be halfway to the airport and realise they’ve forgotten their camera, or even worse, their passport!

GETTING ORGANISED ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏

Credit card Debit card Traveller’s cheques Foreign currency for the day you arrive Phone card Travel insurance Renewed driver’s licence Health check-up


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❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏

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Injections/innoculations Dental check-up Organise power of attorney Cancel memberships—gym, private health insurance, roadside assistance, etc. Join YHA/HI if you plan to stay in hostels Research destination Keep up to date with travel warnings Hand in your resignation at work Visas—working and tourist Updated copy of résumé References from past employers Plane ticket Passport that is valid for at least six months after you plan to return home Photocopies of your plane ticket and passport Give notice to your landlord if you are renting Give your flatmates plenty of warning so they can organise to replace you

WHAT TO PACK ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏

Sleeping bag Sleeping bag inner-sheet/liner Alarm clock (if your watch doesn’t have an alarm function) Torch and batteries Calculator—to work out those exchange rates Toiletries Tissues Baby-wipes Washing detergent (foil sachets) Padlocks and keys Camera and film (take five rolls and buy more along the way)


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Checklists

❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏

211

Polar fleece (no matter where you are going or in what season) Thermal underwear—depending on your destination Walking shoes Thongs Travel guide Hiking socks Hat Money belt Swimmers Pyjamas Towel (shammy or quick-dry) Sunglasses Raincoat Medications—anti-malaria tablets, asthma puffer, prescriptions, etc. Sunscreen Insect repellant General clothes—shorts, t-shirts, undies, pants, etc. Passport wallet (containing: passport, ticket, credit card, debit card, traveller’s cheques, phone card, travel insurance details, etc.)

MEDICAL KIT ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏ ❏

Elastic bandage for sprains Bandaids Gauze for bigger wounds Anti-malaria tablets (if relevant) Paracetamol (e.g. Panadol, Herron) Good anti-inflammatory cream for any soft tissue damage (e.g. Voltarin) ❏ Antiseptic cream (e.g. Paraderm Plus) ❏ Anti-fungal cream for things like tinia (e.g. Resolve Balm) ❏ Cold and flu tablets (Chemist’s Own does the same job as expensive brand labels)


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❏ Throat spray for sore throats (e.g. Difflam) ❏ Anti-nausea tablets (e.g. Stemetil) ❏ Anti-diarrhoea tablets—these provide short term relief from symptoms (so you can make that bus trip) (e.g. Lomotil) ❏ Cough mixture for a nagging cough (e.g. Nial Bronchitis Mixture) ❏ Prescription antibiotic ointment (e.g. Bactroban or Neosporian) for infections like an ingrown toenail


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Appendix 3

Useful websites and phone numbers Useful websites and phone numbers

General Booking hostels <www.hihostels.com> Bus travel • Greyhound—<www.greyhound.com> • Bus About—<www.busabout.com> Summer camps • Camp America—<www.campamerica.com.au> • Europe—<www.pgl.co.uk> Conservation work <www.conservationvolunteers.com.au> Information on vaccinations <www.travelvax.net>


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Lonely Planet website for good background information on most countries: <www.lonelyplanet.com> Train travel • Eurail—<www.eurail.com> • British Rail—<www.britrail.com> • Rail Plus—<www.railplus.com.au> • CIT—<www.cittravel.com.au> Volunteer teaching <www.i-to-i.com> Volunteer work <www.ivp.org.au>

Australia Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade <www.dfat.gov.au> Freight • Australia Post 13 13 18 <www.australiapost.com.au> • Fed-Ex 13 26 10 <www.fedex.com.au> • Grace International Removals <www.grace.com.au> Online airfare research <www.travel.com.au> Phone cards <www.telstra.com.au> <www.optus.com.au>

(02) 6261 1111

13 14 42


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Useful websites and phone numbers

215

STA Travel 1300 733 035 <www.statravel.com.au> Youth hostel membership <www.yha.com.au>

New Zealand Applying for a passport <www.passports.gov.nz> Freight • New Zealand Post 0800 501 501 <www.nzpost.co.nz> • Fed-Ex 0800 733 339 <www.fedex.co.nz> • Grace International Removals 0800 447 223 <www.grace.com.au> New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade <www.mft.govt.nz> Online airfare research <www.travel.co.nz> STA Travel 0508 782 872 <www.statravel.co.nz> Phone cards <www.telecom.co.nz> Youth hostel membership <www.yha.org.nz> Rail Plus New Zealand <www.railplus.co.nz>

(04) 439 8000


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Index

A accidents 12 accommodation cheap 59 deposits 39 accommodation search 152–3 living alone 153, 155 research 152–3 share accommodation 153, 154–5 sharing with friends 153 staff accommodation 152, 155–6 Africa 8, 138 bus travel 72 camping 64 daily budget 17 work camps 138–9 aid work 133–4 air freight 54 Air New Zealand 28

air travel charter flights 28 cost 25 domestic flights 75 see also plane tickets airport taxes 26, 29 Alaska 7 American Express 39 American Institute for Foreign Study 127 Amtrak National Rail Pass 71 Amtrak Pass 71 ancestry-related visas 132, 139–40 Angkor Wat 5 anti-malaria tablets 37 antiseptic cream 10 ANZ Bank, overseas ATM charges 42 architecture 7, 9 Argentina 9, 17 Asia see Southeast Asia


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Index

ATMs 45–6 Cirrus/Plus symbols 42, 44 overseas transactions 42 au pair work 132–3 Australia, entry to New Zealand 101 Australia Post 54, 55 Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade 48, 88–9, 94–5 Austria 7, 84, 132 automatic teller machines see ATMs B backpacker hostels 59–61, 81 comparative costs 17 backpacking 3, 87 daily budget 17 guidebooks 32 packing 49–50, 53, 54 backpacks 51–3 Bangkok 5 bank account, at home 41–3 charges 42, 43 interest rates 42 manager’s letter of introduction 158, 159 online 43 power over 46 for saving 24, 41 and working visas 21 bank account, overseas closing 159 opening 158–9 Barclays Bank, UK 42, 159

217

bartending 155, 156, 163–4 battlefields 7 beaches 5, 7, 9 Belgium 7, 132 Bhutan, trekking 78 BNP, France 42 boots 51 Brazil 9 Britain see United Kingdom BritRail 70 budget, when travelling with friends 13, 14 budget planners 19–20, 22–3 budgeting, for trip 16–24 bus travel 71–3 Europe 72 North America 72 Busabout 72 C calculator 44–5 calling cards 40–1 Cambodia 5 drug trafficking penalties 10 Camp America 127–30, 177 camping 63–6 Canada 7 bank fees 159 car hire 73 medical costs 38 Social Insurance Number (SIN) 156, 157 tax return 160–1 Working Holiday Program 4, 21, 102–4 application 184–6


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Canada & America Travel Specialists 72 cancellation fees 29, 37 car rental 73–5 caravanning/campervanning 65–6 Caribbean 9 cash 44–5 cemeteries 7 Central Africa 8 Central America 9–10, 64 conservation work 135–6 charter flights 28 checklists 209–12 Chile Working Holiday Visa 104–5 application 186–7 Chinese New Year 5 CIBC, Canada 159 Cirrus/Plus symbols, on ATMs 42, 44 CIT 70 citizenship 27, 132 dual 139 Commonwealth Bank, overseas ATM charges 42 companionship 13, 153 conditions of travel 28–9 Conservation Volunteers Australia 136 conservation work 135–6, 138 consulates/embassies 88, 93 Australian 94–5 New Zealand 96–7 credit cards 44, 46, 66 security 89, 90 currencies 44–5

customs, local 90–1 cycling 76 Cyprus Working Holiday Visa 105 application 187–8 D debit card 44, 45–6 loss of 45–6 Denmark 132 Working Holiday Permit 106–7 application 188–9 dental check-up 37, 88 destination choosing 5 uninsurable 40 Deutsche Bank 42 diplomatic posts 93–7 disasters, natural 47, 89 diving 10 doctor, pre-departure visit 36–7, 87 domestic flights 75 drug trafficking 10, 91–2, 94 dual citizenship 139 E Eastern Europe, camping 64 eating see food Ecuador 17 Egypt 8 embassies see consulates/embassies emergencies 39, 88 budgeting for 18 England see United Kingdom English teaching 136–8, 177–8


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Index

Eurailpass 69–70 Eurailpass Youth 69 Europe 6–7 bus travel 72 daily budget 17 roads 66 summer camps 177 train travel 68, 69–70 weather 6 European Union 132–3 F factory outlets 51–2 family, contact with 92 Fed-Ex 54, 55 festivals 5–6, 9, 65 financial year 160 Finland 6, 132 Working Holiday Visa 107 application 189–91 first aid course 11 food 79–80 healthy eating 82–3 Foreign Affairs and Trade Australian Department of 48, 88–9, 94–5 New Zealand Ministry of 48, 88–9, 96–7 France 7, 132 cycling 76 Working Holiday Visa 108–9 application 191–2 freight companies 54–5 friendship 14 fruit picking 164–5

219

G game parks 8, 64 gear, buying 50–1 factory outlets 51–2 sales 51 Germany 7, 84, 132 Oktoberfest 65 Working Holiday Scheme 109–11 application 192–4 get-rich-quick schemes 92 Ghana, work camps 138 Grace International Removals 55 Granada, Spain 12–13 Great Adventure Tours 72 Greece 6, 7, 17, 132 Greek Islands 25 Greyhound bus network 72 Greyhound International 72 group certificates 160 guidebooks 16, 32, 87 gym membership 47 H Hanoi, Vietnam 45 Hawaii 7 health healthy eating 82–3 insurance 37–8, 39, 47 precautions 10–11 hepatitis, vaccinations 37 hijacking 39 Hints for Australian Travellers 95 hitchhiking 90 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 5–6, 45


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Holland see Netherlands homesickness 14 Hong Kong Working Holiday Visa 111–12, 136 application 194–5 Hostelling International (HI) 47, 62 hostels see backpacker hostels hotel porter 165–6 hotels 66–7 safe deposit 10, 89 hotlines 39 Hungary 6, 35 I i-to-i 137 Iceland 132 illness 12–13, 38, 86 insurance 37–8 ING Bank 43 insect repellant 10, 37 insurance see health, insurance; travel insurance International Ameripass 72 international phone card 41 International Volunteers for Peace (IVP) 138–9 International Youth Hostel Federation 61 Internet 16, 40 banking 43 country details 32, 48 plane tickets 25–6 travel agent 26

vaccinations 37 YHA 47 Iran 8, 9 Ireland 6, 132 Temporary Working Holiday Permit 112–13 application 196–7 Israel 9, 17 Kibbutz Program 134–5 Italy 7, 132 Working Holiday Visa 113–14 application 197–8 J Japan train travel 68–9, 71 Working Holiday Visa 114–16, 136 application 198–9 Japan Association of WorkingHoliday Makers 116 JCR Au Pair 133 job, resigning 142–4 K Kathmandu (gear) 51 Kibbutz Program, Israel 134–5 kitchen hand 166–7 Kokoda Track, Papua New Guinea 78 Korea see South Korea L labouring 167–8 language 84–5 learning 85–6


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Index

Laos, drug trafficking penalties 10 law, local 91, 94 Let’s Go guidebooks 32, 86 letter of resignation 145 lifesaving 129 London 6 daily budget 17 return airfare 25 loneliness 12 Lonely Planet guidebooks 32, 86 website 32, 48 long trips 15 luggage buying 51–3 lost 37, 38 stolen 40 Luxembourg 132 M magazine subscriptions 47 malaria 37 malaria tablets 10 Malaysia, drug trafficking penalties 10, 91 Malta Working Holiday Visa 117–18 application 200–1 Mastercard 46 medical emergencies 39, 88 medical kit 50, 211–12 medications 36 prescribed 87–8 Mediterranean 6 memberships 46–7

221

Middle East 8–9, 134 climate 8 daily budget 17 mobile phone contract 47 money belt 10, 89 Morocco 8, 90–1 local languages 85 mosquito coils 37 mosquito nets 37 motels 63 mountains 7 Myanmar 48 N nannying 132–3, 155, 168–70 National Australia Bank (NAB), overseas ATM charges 42 National Bank of New Zealand, overseas ATM charges 42 National Parks Africa 64 North America 64 Netherlands 132 Working Holiday Scheme 118–20 application 201–2 New Zealand 101 entry to Australia 101 Rail Plus 70 New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade 48 New Zealand Post 54, 55 newspapers accommodation ads 153, 154, 155 cancelling subscription 47


222

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travel section 16–17 World section 48 night trains 92 North America 7 autumn 7 bus travel 72 daily budget 17 National Parks 64 roads 66 tourism 7 North America Discovery Pass 72 Northern Africa 8 Norway 132 Working Holiday Visa 121–2 application 203–5 O office temping 170–1 one-way plane tickets 27 online banking 43 Optus 40, 41 outdoor activities 171–2 P packing 49 checklist 210–11 longer term 53–5 Paris 6 passports 10, 32–5 Australian application 33 lost 93 New Zealand application 34 renewing 32–3, 35 safety 89 and visas 35 pensions (hotels) 62–3

personal liability cover 38 Peru 10 Petra, Jordan 9 PGL Travel 177 phone cards 40–1 international 41 PhoneAway Card 41 photocopies, of documents 89–90, 146–7, 184 phrase books 86 pickpockets 10 pilgrimages 8 Pisa, Italy 7 plane tickets 17, 25 booking online 25–6, 75 charters 28 conditions 28–9 one-way 27 round-the-world (RTW) 26–7 shopping around 28 student discounts 27 validity 29 planning checklist 209–10 polar fleeces 50, 51 political instability 40, 47, 48, 89 Pompeii, Italy 7 Portugal 132 Q Qantas 28 return fare to London 25 R Rail Plus 70 Rail Plus New Zealand 70 rail travel see train travel


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Index

references/referees 144, 148 religious holidays 8 Republic of Korea see South Korea research costs 16–17 places 31–2 resignation, from job 142–4 sample letter of resignation 145 résumés 144, 146–9 sample 150–1 risk insurance 38 Rome 7 room attendant 172–3 Rough Guides 32 round-the-world travel 11 domestic flights 75 itinerary 26 plane ticket 26–7 S safety 12, 13, 66 camping 64 Middle East 9 protective measures 88–92 women travellers 90–1 Sahara 8 sales 51 savings accounts 41 savings plan 18, 21, 24 scenery 7, 8 sea freight 54–5 short breaks 15 ski field work 131, 155 ski-lift operator 175–6 ski/snowboard instructor 173–5 skiing 4, 7, 38

223

snakebite 11 socks 50, 51 South Africa 8 currency 44 South America 9–10 air travel 75 bus travel 72 camping 64 conservation work 135–6 daily budget 17 South Korea working visa 116–17, 136 application 199–200 Southeast Asia 5–6, 136 bus travel 72–3 daily budget 17 English teaching 136–8 food 79, 80 local customs 90 Southern Africa 8 Spain 6, 132 local languages 85 sponsorship, by company 140–1 STA Travel 27, 72, 130, 133 au pair program 169–70 Balance-Ventures 178 Camp Europe 177 pub jobs 164 staff accommodation 152, 155–6 stopovers 29 street food stalls 80 street hawkers 10 student discount airfares 27 suitcases 52, 53 summer breaks 15


224

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summer camps Europe 177 USA 127–30 work 176–7 supermarkets 81 Swaziland, work camps 138 Sweden 132 Working Holiday Agreement 122–3 application 205–6 Switzerland 7 T Tanzania 8 work camps 138 taped language courses 86 tax number 156–7 tax returns 160 Telecom New Zealand 40 Direct Calling Card 41 telephone calls, reverse charge 41 Telstra 40 PhoneAway Card 41 terrorism 39 see also political instability Tet Festival 5–6 tetanus booster 37 Thailand beaches 5 bus travel 72–3 currency 44 drug trafficking penalties 10, 91 food 79, 80 trekking 77, 78 theft insurance 38

luggage 40, 89, 93 night trains 92 pickpockets 10 thermal underwear 51 thongs 50 ticket conditions 28–9 tinea 50 TNT Magazine 125, 164 tour guide work 179–80 tourist visa 35 train travel 68–9 Europe 68, 69–70 Japan 68–9, 71 at night 92 UK 70 USA 71 transport 68 travel advice (government) 89, 94, 134 travel agents 26, 31, 32 and insurance 39 travel insurance 17, 37–40, 88 travel shows (TV) 16 traveller’s cheques 44, 45 safety 89 travelling alone 11–12, 14 budget planner 19 duration 15 with friends 13–14 with a partner 14 round-the-world 11 trekking 5, 38, 76–8 trip cancellation 37, 39 trip interruption 37, 39


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Index

Turkey 6, 8, 9, 17 typhoid vaccination 37 U Uganda, work camps 138 Ultimate Guide 86 United Kingdom 6, 132 Australian embassy 139–40 call rates to Australia 41 currency 44 hostel costs 17 medical costs 38 National Insurance Number 156, 158 tax return 161–2 train travel 70 Working Holiday Visa 123–6 application 206–8 United States 127 Camp America 127–30, 177 hostel costs 17 medical costs 38 train travel 71 Work USA 130–1 USA see United States V vaccinations 10, 36–7 Vietnam ATMs 45 cycling 76 drug trafficking penalties 10 food 79 Halong Bay 5 Hanoi 45 Ho Chi Minh City 5–6, 45

225

vaccinations 37 visa 35, 36 Visa card 46 visas 35–6 and passports 35 see also working visas volunteer work 133–4, 138–9 W waiting (job) 155, 180–1 wars 47 water bottled 10, 80, 81 in developing nations 81 water bottle 80–1 Westpac, overseas ATM charges 42 wildlife 8, 9 National Parks (Africa) 64 women travellers 90–1 work camps (Africa) 138–9 Work USA 130–1 working holidays 4, 144 bank account 43 budget planner 20 budgeting 17–18 packing 53–5 renting a place see accommodation search working visas 27, 101, 140 ancestry-related 132, 139–40 Canada 102–4, 184–6 Chile 104–5, 186–7 company-sponsored 140–1 Cyprus 105, 187–8 Denmark 106–7, 188–9


226

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Finland 107, 189–91 France 108–9, 191–2 Germany 109–11, 192–4 Hong Kong 111–12, 194–5 Ireland 112–13, 196–7 Italy 113–14, 197–8 Japan 114–16, 198–9 Malta 117–18, 200–1 Netherlands 118–20, 201–2 Norway 121–2, 203–5 South Korea 116–17, 199–200

Sweden 122–3, 205–6 United Kingdom 123–6, 206–8 Y Youth Hostels Association (YHA) 47, 61–2 Z Zambia, work camps 138 Zimbabwe 8


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Petri Kurkaa


Samantha Koch is a finance journalist for a media company that provides the business and finance content for Channel 7, Sky News, and the Macquarie Radio Network. She presents daily finance updates on Sky News and radio 2GB, and works on the Sky Business Report team. Sam has travelled extensively through Europe, Asia and North America on a shoestring budget, and has worked in Harrods in London and a ski resort in the Canadian Rockies to help finance her trips. Sam recently completed a Bachelor of Business at the University of Technology, Sydney. While she was studying she took advantage of the lengthy university holidays to travel as much as possible. Sam’s other books include The Teenager’s Guide to Money, The Teenager’s Guide to Part-time Jobs and Leaving Home: The Ultimate Guide.


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Travel and Working holidays The Ultimate Guide

The Ultimate Echo Guide

The Ultimate Trading Guide

Avengers: The Ultimate Guide

The Ultimate Trading Guide

The Ultimate Sleep Guide

The Ultimate Casino Guide

The Ultimate Memory Guide

The JasperReports ultimate guide

The Ultimate Casino Guide

The Jewish Travel Guide

The African-American Travel Guide (African American Travel Guide)

The Ultimate Sales Managers' Guide

Bipolar Disorder: The Ultimate Guide

The Ultimate Suburban Survivalist Guide

Leaving Home: The Ultimate Guide

Zombie Movies: The Ultimate Guide

Your Ultimate Inspirational Guide

Ultimate Guide to Lockpicking

Ultimate Food Journeys (Dk Eyewitness Travel)

Ultimate Guide To Drywall

Make: Ultimate Kit Guide

Ultimate Guide To Gmail

Budapest - Eyewitness Travel Guide

Dublin - Eyewitness Travel Guide

Animals and Teens: The Ultimate Teen Guide (It Happened to Me (the Ultimate Teen Guide))

Travel Companion Argentina (Travel Companion Guide)

Italy Travel Guide

Canberra Travel Guide

Ireland - Eyewitness Travel Guide

Travel and Working holidays The Ultimate Guide

The Ultimate Echo Guide

The Ultimate Trading Guide

Avengers: The Ultimate Guide

The Ultimate Trading Guide

The Ultimate Sleep Guide

The Ultimate Casino Guide

The Ultimate Memory Guide

The JasperReports ultimate guide

The Ultimate Casino Guide

The Jewish Travel Guide

The African-American Travel Guide (African American Travel Guide)

The Ultimate Sales Managers' Guide

Bipolar Disorder: The Ultimate Guide

The Ultimate Suburban Survivalist Guide

Leaving Home: The Ultimate Guide

Zombie Movies: The Ultimate Guide

Your Ultimate Inspirational Guide

Ultimate Guide to Lockpicking

Ultimate Food Journeys (Dk Eyewitness Travel)

Ultimate Guide To Drywall

Make: Ultimate Kit Guide

Ultimate Guide To Gmail

Budapest - Eyewitness Travel Guide

Dublin - Eyewitness Travel Guide

Animals and Teens: The Ultimate Teen Guide (It Happened to Me (the Ultimate Teen Guide))

Travel Companion Argentina (Travel Companion Guide)

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