Lil Big Sister Travel Co. 

When my little sister said she wanted to come to Oz, after I broke down what a company proposing to help your move would do I started with a list of what she needed to do. Here it is!

1. Save some cash!

Flights are around £500/600 depending on when you fly and who you fly with. I always use the skyscanner app or website.

Travel Insurance is a must! Ours cost around £300 for two of us 18 months with Alpha Travel Insurance. It’ll cost different depending on how long you need cover and what the cover…covers.

Oz officials say you should have £2,500 in your account when you enter the country…this is to cover living expenses before you get a job and a return flight in case you are stuck.

Visa is $446 including the card charge which is around £250.

Plus money if you want to buy a car. You can always save up for one here though.  I honestly don’t know how I’d manage here without one but some people use the greyhound buses or get lifts and travel in groups. You never know who you’ll meet!

2. Download useful apps, music etc and get inspired.

Read some travel blogs for inspiration just to get an idea of what you want to do and other useful things.  Basically do some research.

I recommend downloading the app ‘Currency’ its a green circle with lots of money symbols in it.

The reason you need to get your tech and stuff sorted before you go (and well in advance) is because before you get a sim card you will be stuck for internet here. Free wifi is limited and it’s even worse in the countryside!

Journeys are long here. Don’t get caught out without entertainment.

3. Before you apply for your visa…

Check your passport is in date and has at least two years on it. If not, get a new one. 

You are also better off paying for your visa with Australian dollars and you’ll need a travel cash card anyway.  So you might as well get one asap. I have a caxtonfx card. It’s dead easy to apply for.

When you get your card load some cash onto it in Australian dollars and then you can apply for your visa.

You might need a medical but you don’t really need to worry about any other kinds of travel jabs or malaria pills and that sorta stuff if your only going to Australia.

4. Get your flights booked!

It’s a really long flight so you might want to stop over somewhere, Singapore airport has a swimming pool!!

Like I mentioned I use Skyscanner most of the time.  

Here would be a good time to mention that you should sign up to frequent flyer points or airmiles. I don’t expect you to 100% understand ‘travel hacking’ just yet but it’s good practice and you should give that term a quick google. You’ll be kicking yourself you didn’t start it when you first started travelling. I do. 

5. Choose your insurance!

Do NOT I repeat do NOT travel without travel insurance.  If you think you can get in a plane without it please first read some of the personal horror stories online. If God forbid something terrible happens, you will have enough on your plate without having to worry about the cost. It’s just not worth it. 

You saved up your money to buy your insurance in step 1, so now buy it. 

It may be the most boring thing on the planet and seems like a punishment from the devil himself but it’s actually important to read through your policies. Know what you are covered for. It’s also your responsibility to make sure you understand them.  If you don’t read through them with someone and work it out together. That or call the company.

6. Pack your bags!

Don’t worry too much about this one. I’ll write you a packing list to help you start thinking about the things you might wanna take soon enough. You should really start with step 1 at least 6 months prior to when you want to travel anyway so we have time to come back to this. 

So in very basic terms:

1. Save some mulah.

2. Download inspo and stuff.

3. Get visa.

4. Buy flights.

5. Get insured.

Now, there may be other things your thinking about that aren’t on this list including TFNs, mobile phones, getting a job and what to take with you. We’ll come back to those things as soon as you’ve finished these 5 steps as there’s no point knowing about Medicare cards etc if you haven’t already been granted a visa and booked your flights etc.

Your on your way though! And congratulations and being brave enough to start!

P.s

My next post will help you with step 1. Saving money. A lot of people don’t travel because they think it’s unaffordable. I will help you overcome that thinking with another step by step plan.