hello guys!
So after much deliberation and worrying, last Monday I went to STA travel to book my flights and see if they had anything interesting that they could take my money for. I ended up going from not having anything booked to feeling as though I actually have a bit of a plan now!
So my adventure starts on the 3rd of December, flying to Sydney on a very good deal with Cathay Pacific. Now for me as a nervous flyer the quality of the company that I was flying with a pretty big deal and with Cathay being the best airline in the world for 3 years now was something to relax the nerves. Jack at STA managed to get me a great window seat right next to the emergency exits – meaning extra leg room, hell yeah! Because every inch counts when you’re in the air for 25 hours!
Alongside the flights I was also advised to buy 7 nights accommodation and breakfast with STA at a hostel in Sydney. The good thing about the package was that in the first week I will also be set up with an Australian bank account and a tax number which require an address to set up so the deal seemed brilliant. Alongside this there was also a sim card set up, medicare and access to Job Search Australia. Although these are all brilliant I think the idea of being with a large group of people who are all on the same journey as you and who are probably just as excited, worried and jet lagged as you really sold it to me.
I would definitely recommend that if you’re wanting to go and work in Australia then you check out this package with STA.
I also decided to book the big cruiser which included the following:
- Hop on hop off 6 month pass from Sydney to Cairns (which is originally around £455)
- Byron: surf lesson & 1 night accommodation
- Fraser Island: 3 day/3 night guided tour
- Whitsundays: 2 day/1 night sailing trip
- Magnetic Island: 1 night stopover
- Cairns: day trip to the Atherton Tablelands
- Cairns: day trip to the Great Barrier Reef
With a 10% saving which is still available until the 19th of November the total price was around £680. A great deal when you think the bus pass alone was £450! It gave me the flexibility I was looking for but with the excursions that give me something to look forward to all the time!
Deciding to sort out my visa myself a handy little website I found was Migration Expert, it made the whole process very simple and I didn’t have to worry about getting anything wrong!
I still have very little plan but hope to find somewhere to work along the east coast for a few months – dreaming of a coffee shop with good food in Byron Bay – to then head down to Melbourne to work for a month or two. My plans are flexible and dependant on where I enjoy, where I make good friends and where I want to stay.
For now I have only booked Australia and will probably be there for 5/6 months but with the intention of visiting of New Zealand to see a friend and a few weeks surfing in Bali at the same time.
The fact that I will be there in 5 weeks gives me mixed emotions, I’m excited, apprehensive, extremely nervous and pretty sad about everyone I will miss back home especially my wonderfully beautiful girlfriend Mads and my family and friends. I know that it is a large period of time but I will come back and be so appreciative of the relationships I have here and I think that will only increase the love I have for the people at home in Leeds.
Look forward to some exciting blog posts and photos, don’t forget to check out my Instagram and keep up to date!
Stay Positive, George.
George Wade 