I am going to Australia Back Packing?

Question

Any advice on clothes to take, money, safety tips, health and hygeine etc.

Answer 1

when are you going and how long for?  

clothes - it can get cold in winter especially in tazmania, victoria and new south wales so if you are going now for a few months you may want to take some warm clothes (though a fur coat isnt nessecary).  if you are going in summer just summer clothes and a jacket.  other wise just pack light and make sure you have a good mixture of items.

money - take an atm card but if you have a 12 month working visa just open a bank account when you get there and have money transfered from your home bank into it.

health - dont drink the water in north queensland, it tastes nasty and i a few people got sick from it where i was staying. otherwise just be aware of spiders etc. but most of all though, wear sun screen.

hygeine - (i dont know if your a guy or a gal), but if your female take sanitary products with you, they are expensive in auz and some products are less commonly used than in the UK.

i would also suggest to buy a roller trolly suitcase rather than an actual back pack.  backpacks are heavy, get in the way and a real pain to find stuff in.  i ditched mine and bought a roller suitcase in adelaide (the 2nd place i got to)

other than that just be sensible about stuff, ie dont hitch hike.

Answer 2

The weather is starting to change from summer to Autumn. Long sleeves and pants as well as shorts and t-shirts.

Keep money on you and don't hitch hike . it is dangerous no matter what country you are in. Have fun and don't get to spastic you might lose your stuff.

Answer 3

I went to Australia in 1996.

Clothes: I just took clothes I would wear in the UK - winter clothes for winter in Tasmania or Victoria, summer clothes (shorts, loose t-shirts etc) for summer in the north.

Money: I opened a bank account when I landed in Melbourne so I could deposit my salary there for when I worked. As and when money ran low in the account when I started travelling, I simply transferred money from the uk into this bank account.

Safety: Like in any country, you do have to keep an eye open to make sure you are safe. For example, don't get too drunk at night.

Health: again, like anywhere, watch what you eat. You don't see any dangerous or poisonous animals in the city but if you are in the rural areas, watch where you step. Make sure condoms are used when having s*x. Don't share needles. Make sure you take your shoes and socks off regularly so you let your feet get some air.

Hygiene: Australia is country with good western standards so hygiene would be similar to the UK.

Accommodation: it is cheaper to stay in youth hostels and campsites. Realistically, the worst thing that could happen is you mights catch Athletes Foot and have a camera stolen.

Insurance: You will at least need sufficient insurance to cover medical expenses - this is in case you get ht by a car or something.

Basically the approach you take to Australia is the same approach you would take if you travelling around the uK.

Answer 4

don't take many clothes, they are cheaper to buy in Aus than the UK, so stock up on what you need/want out there. Remember, the famous Billabong Clothes are all made in China! Join YHA and take advantage of all they have to offer, safe accomodation, good friends, tons of info. Get Nationwide bank account going before you leave and use aus ATM for money withdrawl. Why Nationwide - they give you the mid-rate for cash withdrawls, not the AMEX rate - you get round 5% more for your money.  Just use common sense for safety, don't hitch hike.  Hygene - exactly the same as in the UK!