Traveller tips
Travelling for the first time can be a daunting experience. Those sleepless nights, worrying about needles in the bum and working holiday visas, followed by entire days of packing, and unpacking, and packing again, and…THERE'S A GECKO IN MY BEDROOM! Ruuuuuuuuun! At STA Travel, we understand your emotional journey, as much as your adventure. We regularly answer questions from nervous travellers (and their mothers!) who want to know every little detail; from exchange rates to making mates. We pride ourselves on the fact that we are highly-experienced travellers, so we can take the edge off even the nerviest of travellers.
Make it easy on yourself! Here's some quick wins for easing yourself into one of the most exciting times of your life:
Open an Australian Bank Account
Skip the queues and plan ahead by setting up your Australian bank account before you get there. While you're at it, sling a few dollars in there so that you can buy a few basics (beers) on arrival. "Too easy!" (that's Melbournian for "no worries").
BONUS! Aussie bank accounts are a requirement for most employers, so you'll have that box ticked from the start.
Book your First Week's Accommodation
Australia is one of the world's most traveller-friendly destinations, which is why it's also one of the world's most-visited countries. Avoid spending your first day plodding between pads, and book a few nights in advance. We have heaps of highly-recommended hostels and hotels, which will offer you a warm welcome, and piece-of-mind for mum.
BONUS! If you're landing in a city you'd like to work in; book yourself into a central location, dump your bag and explore the city for your favourite neighbourhood.
Don't Grow Roots!
You've maybe heard this already; but Australia is a massive country! Try not to grow roots, and make the most of your Working Holiday Visa. There's a great big country out there, begging to be explored, and myriad ways to explore it. Check out our popular Hop-on Hop-off tours, they're a great way to bounce you between Australia's most exciting destinations.
BONUS! The Australia Working Holiday Visa gives you much more time than most visa options to visit the country's more remote locations.
Double-up!
It's a little-known-fact that you can bag yourself a second year Working Holiday Visa by hitting up the Harvest Trail; Australia's famous fruit-picking circuit. You need to notch up 88-days work in a regional destination, so it's well worth planning ahead as the jobs dry up faster than a South Australian shiraz.
BONUS! Different fruits for different routes; take time to harvest the opinions of fellow travellers. One man's watermelon is another woman's mandarin.
Ensure you're Insured
This simply cannot be an afterthought. Either you buy your travel insurance before you leave; or you run the risk of being hammered with extortionately high bills. Naturally, we really, really hope the latter will never occur. We offer policies to suit every type of adventure, so make sure you leave enough time to cover your back before you leave.
Skip the queues and plan ahead by setting up your Australian bank account before you get there. While you're at it, sling a few dollars in there so that you can buy a few basics (beers) on arrival. "Too easy!" (that's Melbournian for "no worries").
BONUS! Aussie bank accounts are a requirement for most employers, so you'll have that box ticked from the start.
Book your First Week's Accommodation
Australia is one of the world's most traveller-friendly destinations, which is why it's also one of the world's most-visited countries. Avoid spending your first day plodding between pads, and book a few nights in advance. We have heaps of highly-recommended hostels and hotels, which will offer you a warm welcome, and piece-of-mind for mum.BONUS! If you're landing in a city you'd like to work in; book yourself into a central location, dump your bag and explore the city for your favourite neighbourhood.
Don't Grow Roots!
You've maybe heard this already; but Australia is a massive country! Try not to grow roots, and make the most of your Working Holiday Visa. There's a great big country out there, begging to be explored, and myriad ways to explore it. Check out our popular Hop-on Hop-off tours, they're a great way to bounce you between Australia's most exciting destinations.
BONUS! The Australia Working Holiday Visa gives you much more time than most visa options to visit the country's more remote locations.
Double-up!
It's a little-known-fact that you can bag yourself a second year Working Holiday Visa by hitting up the Harvest Trail; Australia's famous fruit-picking circuit. You need to notch up 88-days work in a regional destination, so it's well worth planning ahead as the jobs dry up faster than a South Australian shiraz.BONUS! Different fruits for different routes; take time to harvest the opinions of fellow travellers. One man's watermelon is another woman's mandarin.
Ensure you're Insured
This simply cannot be an afterthought. Either you buy your travel insurance before you leave; or you run the risk of being hammered with extortionately high bills. Naturally, we really, really hope the latter will never occur. We offer policies to suit every type of adventure, so make sure you leave enough time to cover your back before you leave.
BONUS! Travel insurance can be one of the more expensive investments for travellers; so make sure you plan this into your budget and avoid the hit.
Cure for Laziness
If the idea of implementing any of these top tips yourself, makes you weep with tiny tears then stop… right… there… and let's think of a solution. Wait! Here's one: why don't we sort it all out for you? We offer all encompassing Starter Packs, which will take the heat off you, as we handle pretty much everything! 
BONUS! Part of our Starter Pack is to find you work; meaning you won't spend your first few weeks scratching your head and leaking dollars all over the place!
Follow these tips, and you'll be travelling into a stress-free life Down Under, from the moment you land. We'll leave you with the most important tip of all… make sure it's not all work, and no play! It's easier to curl up in a comfort zone and surround yourself with familiar faces, than it is to break free and own your adventure.
Have you travelled already taken advantage of the Australia Working Holiday Visa? Ripper! Share your experience with us, and thousands of fellow travellers, on the STA Travel UK Facebook page.
