Your auntie’s next door neighbour’s son spent £2000; your best mate’s older sister spent £5000; and the guy in the coffee shop said you’d only need £3000. So how much money do you need to travel Australia and New Zealand, for three months?

There’s never going to be a firm answer. Some people will eat more, drink less, give hitch-hiking a go, refuse to share a dorm, hire a campervan. Everyone will have their own — and very different — expectations of what they want from a trip to Australia and New Zealand, but we believe it’s possible to calculate a rough budget guide.

I’ve broken down the three months into eight weeks in Australia, including two weeks in a campervan, and four weeks in New Zealand. Remember, this is just a rough guide, and prices can (and do) fluctuate. If you have some information on the cost of travel in this region, add to the conversation via the comment thread below this post.

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Before I go any further, let me say this: Sydney is AMAZING. It’s a legendary traveller hole – people come here and kind of get stuck, they love it so much they find it hard to tear themselves away.

Yes, you must climb the Harbour Bridge, yes, you must take in the view of the Sydney Opera House from the Manly Ferry and yes, of course, you must learn to surf on Bondi Beach. A trip to Australia would feel a little unfulfilled if you didn’t do those things.

That said, there’s so much more to New South Wales than just Sydney. So whether you’re flying in, or just passing through, whatever you do, make sure you hang around long enough to explore, otherwise you’ll be kicking yourself when you hear everyone else’s stories later on – trust me.

The ‘Other’ Best Bits to be Found in New South Wales

If you’re still hankering for some Sydney action after reading this, then make sure you check out our tips for making the most of Secret Sydney. It will show you an entirely new face of what is undoubtedly one of the best cities in the world. Can you tell I’m a fan?

Now, back to what you came here for, here are 10 amazing things to do in New South Wales that will take you beyond Sydney…

The Blue Mountains offer amazing views of dramatic landscapes just a few miles north of Sydney.

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This world is pretty crazy, but that’s all part of its charm, and only goes towards fuelling our desire to get out there and soak it all up. As travel lovers, we’re begging to be shocked, inspired and introduced to new things – and there’s plenty out there to help us achieve it.

One person that knows more than most about some of the weird things this world has to offer is Cat Mills, creator of Wicked and Weird… Around the World so we’ve asked her to share her expertise and some of her favourite examples of some of the more weirder events that you could come across on your travels – if your timing’s right of course…

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Ever dreamt of packing up your backpack and heading off around the world for a month, 3 months, 6 months, hell, even a year or longer?

Who hasn’t dreamt of that? A Round the World trip is what it’s all about. Heading off into the big wide world, that feeling of excitement and anticipation that starts at the airport stays with you at every turn. Each day brings a new experience, as each week sees you in a new town, city or even country. You’ll meet people from all over the world, and form friendships that start in hostel dorm rooms, but can stay with you for life.

It’s a dirty rumour that a Round the World trip costs big bucks. But guess what? It doesn’t have to! STA Travel flight guru Ali Dale has put together seven pretty awesome routes you could travel, all starting at under £1000.

And remember, there’s no time limit on these routes – you could be away for 2 weeks or 12 months. The only condition is you have to be back in the UK within a year.

Hit the road on a Round the World trip and live The Dream | Image courtesy of Alexander Pekour

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A Round the World trip is The Dream. Ask anyone who’s ever thought about strapping on a backpack, and they’ll tell you that if they were handed a Round the World ticket, they’d be off in a flash. And it’s easy to see why.

A jaunt around the world is the ultimate journey; your opportunity to travel through countless countries, experience different cultures, and see what this big ol’ globe of ours has to offer.

It’s the kind of trip where you could be lazing on a beach in Thailand one week and trekking through the Amazon the next. You could find yourself munching on an In-N-Out burger in LA on Monday, and chowing down on nshima in Zambia on Thursday.

From deserts to mountains, beaches to backwaters, savannas to skyscrapers – a Round the World trip can pack them all in, and then some.

This could actually be you. Yep, you. Right there.

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