Traveling to Australia is an interesting experience, in the first time there are many things you should know about culture, people and customs here to avoid problems. Here we will give you some of the most common things in Australia for visitors who have never come here before.
Australia Is Huge And Extremely Diverse
Unless you are planning to spend 6 months traveling around the country, you are not going to see it all. It may look small, but looks are deceiving. You will need a lots time to getting around.
A flight from East Coast (Brisbane) to the West Coast (Perth) will take you 5 .5 hours. If you were even considering a road trip across, you may want to reconsider.
The majority of the Australia population lives along the coast, so unless you are road tripping along the East Coast, prepare to be traveling for days on end without any interesting sites or towns to check out along the way. It’s a whole lot of nothingness out there.
A road trip from Cairns to Brisbane is practically impossible in less than 3 days. And even then it’s really rushed. Same goes for road-tripping from Brisbane to Sydney. It will take you over 9 hours to drive from Sydney to Melbourne.
Australia Is Really Expensive
Budget at least $100-$200 USD per day for accommodation, food, and activities. Transportation will probably be on top of that. If you are looking for Australia travel tips for ways to save on your trip to Australia, consider the following suggestions.
- Jetstar and Scoot Airways, instead of the full-service airlines like Qantas and Virgin.
- Buy a Greyhound hop on/hop off bus pass instead of individual tickets to get from city to city. It is affordable and one of the greenest ways to see the country.
- Opt for B&B Type of Accommodation
- There are lots of great restaurants in Australia, but this isn’t Vietnam or India where local food is incredible and cheap. You should cook your own food. Free public BBQ in the Park is a good choice.
Bring somthings with you when invited to a BBQ in Australia
If you are invited to a BBQ in Australia, don’t turn up to a BBQ with emty hands whether at a house, Park or beach. A good idea is bring with you a a bottle of wine or champers. Other options such as bring some meat for BBQ, make a salads dish or bring desert. Always turn up with a little of somethings as a helping hands and thanks.
Learn some local Language
As we know, Australia speak English but they often use their own slang. Here are some common words that you should remember:
thongs = flip flops;
togs/swimmers/bathers = bathing suit;
tomato sauce = ketchup;
chuck a u-ey = make a U-turn/turn around;
do you want to join us for tea = do you want to join us for dinner.
Chips = fries
Lollies = candy
Bushwalking = hiking/trekking
Boot = trunk
Bonnet = hood of a car
Gas = petrol
Ute =pick up truck
Fortnightly = every 2 weeks.
Smoking isn’t cool
Whether you smoke or not is up to you, but in Australia, it’s not a cheap habit at all. With a legislation soon to be passed charging $40 for one packet of cigarettes, you won’t want to get into the habit over here, unless you’re prepared to say goodbye to that dream holiday, car, house, and the list goes on.
Mind the sun!
We don’t want to sound like your parents telling you to cover up or don’t spend too much time in the sun, but don’t! The sun is really strong there, so stock up on sunblock and respect the fact that you may get burned a LOT faster than you would back home, or anywhere else in the world.
So balance your time in the sun with time in the shade, wear sunscreen, cover up, and don’t forget to stay hydrated to avoid heat stroke. And no, hydrating yourself with beer/cider/goon isn’t good enough.
Learn To Be Ok With Being Offline
Internet in Australia is slow and expensive. Wifi may be available in hotels and some cafes throughout your travels, but more likely than not, the connection will be terrible. Libraries and Mcdonalds do have free wifi, so if you are desperate to get online, go there.
You will love the trip here. You will see the most amazing sunsets, trek through lush green rainforests, swim in the most crystal clear waters and sunbathe on the most beautiful beaches. You’ll meet great people, hear great stories, and go on amazing adventures. You might even jump out of an airplane, learn how to dive, learn how to surf or fall in love with sailing. Australia will be amazing destination for you.