Tips and advice for a friend heading to Australia.

[Spoonrobot]

Since we have at least one out-spoken poster from the Australia lets have some advice for my (girl)friend heading down there. Also, any good advice for international flight is well appreciated, she'll be spending 16+ hours on a plane.

She's going on a 10-day business trip, spending half her time in Angaston and the other half in Melbourne. Most of the accomodations are paid by her company but there are still a lot of questions about what to do with her free time.

How much money should she bring, expecting her to buy a few items for herself and at least one meal per day?

What kind of clothes should she bring? She's looked online at some travel guides but advice from those that are there is always nice.

Does she need a plug adapter for using her computer and cellphone at the hotel?

Any required sites to see in the cities she's visiting?

Other?

[Sea Monster]

Since we have at least one out-spoken poster from the Australia

Man, I know what you mean. That Carthas guy never shuts up!

Does she need a plug adapter for using her computer and cellphone at the hotel?

No, All Australian plugs are the same 

Oh, you mean if she's bringing appliances with her. - Beats me, What kind of plug do you use?

Melbourne has far too much culture for my urban, office-working lifestyle, and I don't even know where Angaston is.

I wouldn't know what there is to see there, I do most of my traveling to mountains and lakes and other outdoorsy National Park areas.

What kind of clothes should she bring?

I recommend a (Do you say "Thong"? or "Bikini"?) Anyway, one of those 

You might want to come with her though, us Aussie blokes are pretty cookin'. Do you trust her? 

[Grant Lamontagne]

This is a standard 110v outlet in North America:



Def

[Benner]

Not sure about the Plug thing, but an adapter will only change the size and shape of the plug.  You will need to check that voltages are the same.

Tell her to take something to help her sleep on the plane!  I flew to Australia from here in the UK and the flight was a killer.

[Anthony]

This is a standard 110v outlet in North America:

(Image removed from quote.)

Def

99% of the outlets I've seen are the other way...ground prong under the two blades

[Sea Monster]

110v?

Wance.

240v 4 eva.

Braaah!




Australian Wall outlet.

Bristling. BRISTLING with 220/240v of FURIOUS POWER.


Oh, and another hot tip - Drive on the Left. Things get messy pretty quick elsewise.

Smoking is banned on public transport, in many offices and public buildings, cinemas and theatres.
Hotels and bars rarely restrict smoking. Restaurants now have no-smoking areas, some are smoke free.

This is no longer true. Our tax dollars have seen to it that snipers line rooftops.
While in many ways it is cleaning up the country, we have unfortunate accidents on cold days when breath is steamy.

Even Snipers make mistakes sometimes.

[BIG-TARGET]

To save oneself the hassle with customs,,,,buy a new multi-tool when you arrive.  And spend a mfew extra sheckle by engraving on it "Austrailia winter trip 2008".

And the day before you leave,,,mail it home!!!!

[Carthas]

How much money should she bring, expecting her to buy a few items for herself and at least one meal per day?

Good question. It depends on the items and food she buys. Prices for food can vary, depending on where she gets her food from. Bear in mind that I live in the sticks as it were, so my idea of food prices may be totally different to someone who lives in the city. I'd say anywhere from $10AUD for a pub meal to $30AUD (or more) for a resteraunt meal. If she were to eat at McDonalds or Subway I'd say about $5 - $10, depending on how much she eats. Do you know what she plans on buying over here? Here is a web page from Tourism Victoria that may help:

http://www.visitvictoria.com/displayobject.cfm/objectid.00098D82-5C45-1D50-AC1680C476A90000/

What kind of clothes should she bring? She's looked online at some travel guides but advice from those that are there is always nice.

I wish I could help, but I live in a town called Woodford, which is about 80km north of Brisbane, Queensland, which is on the east side of the country. Adelaide (Capital City of South Australia, 77km NE of Angaston?) and Melbourne are in the south. About the best I could say is that it's summer here at the moment, and in Adelaide it can get over 30 Degrees C (86F), so I guess Summer clothes, depending on what you consider to be hot. A light jacket is always a good idea in case it gets "cold". If the travel guides have been written by people who live near you, I'd stick with them.

Does she need a plug adapter for using her computer and cellphone at the hotel?

Yes. As Nomad has said, we used 240V power here, and our 3 pin plugs are different. Does her phone have international roaming?

Any required sites to see in the cities she's visiting?

I've never been to either place, so I can't say I'm afraid . About the best I can do is point you to this site for Angaston:

http://www.walkabout.com.au/locations/SAAngaston.shtml

And this site for Melbourne:

http://www.visitvictoria.com/displayobject.cfm/objectid.0001D480-B585-1F03-94F080C476A903B7/

Other?

Always good to know what information Australian Customs has for incoming travellers, they can be smurfs at times:

http://www.customs.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=4443#know

Hope this helps

[Carthas]

Man, I know what you mean. That Carthas guy never shuts up!

Oi!

[Carthas]

To save oneself the hassle with customs,,,,buy a new multi-tool when you arrive.  And spend a mfew extra sheckle by engraving on it "Austrailia winter trip 2008".

And the day before you leave,,,mail it home!!!!

Bugger that! You could probably buy 2 Multi's in the states for the price of one here. Better to buy 2 multi's and have twice as much of a chance of getting one through

[Sea Monster]

I'd say anywhere from $10AUD for a pub meal to $30AUD (or more) for a resteraunt meal.

Great Burrowing Cockroaches! You do live out in the sticks.

Of course, compared to my urban Sydney locale, central Melbourne or a Brisbane Mall is still the sticks.

a burger (the real kind, with pineapple, beetroot and bacon) costs $13 around my area.

Restaurants start at around $75!

Melbourne is the next closest thing Australia has to a Metropolis, but I doubt the costs are quite so bad.

As with everywhere - whatever you do, don't act like a tourist.

[Carthas]

a burger (the real kind, with pineapple, beetroot and bacon) costs $13 around my area.

Restaurants start at around $75!

Bloody hell! $13 for a burger? I hope there's chips and coke and a colour TV set with that!

I'd expect to pay $75 for a dinner for two with wine! Wow, no wonder all you southerners keep moving up this way

As an afterthought, I hope Spoon's (girl)friend isn't into quail eggs with gold leaf:

http://www.smh.com.au/news/restaurant-reviews/astral/2006/06/13/1149964510973.html

[Sea Monster]

Bloody hell! $13 for a burger? I hope there's chips and coke and a colour TV set with that!

If by "Chips" you mean "Brown Paper Bag" and by "Coke" you mean "Serviette."

[hawkchucker]

13$ burger. Holy crap you could never eat out on my Pay.

What does Mc Donalds charge? 

[Carthas]

I think a Big Mac costs about $3.20, or at least, it used to. Of course, if Nomad's idea of a real hamburger matches mine, then there's no comparison really. I'm thinking something that is at least twice the size of a big mac. Has lettuce, tomato, bacon, beetroot, egg, onions, and maybe some cheese. None of that pineapple though.

$6.95 got me 2 pieces of thick raisin toast and a cappochee-, chaposh-, coffee with froth on top. I might see if I can score a hamburger from the local greasy spoon to compare the price of Nomad's $13 one.

[flapjackboy]

A few language differences:

Australian english is very similar to British english, with a few notable exceptions.

Link to page indicating differences

[Carthas]

One thing that we apparently tend to do is become "efficient" with the english language. Things like spaces and some pronunciation get left out. So "How's it going?" turns into "Owsigoin?" and "Good day" turns into "G'Day".

Oh yeah. Very few of us ever, EVER say "Crikey". Please don't ask us to say "Crikey".

[Mike, Lord of the Spammers!]

One thing that we apparently tend to do is become "efficient" with the english language. Things like spaces and some pronunciation get left out. So "How's it going?" turns into "Owsigoin?" and "Good day" turns into "G'Day".

Oh yeah. Very few of us ever, EVER say "Crikey". Please don't ask us to say "Crikey".

We never say Crikey either, except in moment's of extreme stress

[Sea Monster]

Australians Swear fabulously.
Our "Board Of Censors" (they're not called censors, they're called something else, but anyway) is more or less set by Yankee standards, but "In the real world" we'd put just about any obscene movie you like to shame.

Specially the "C" and "T" words (I've pushed my luck too recently to type it out here  )

They're top favourites, and guaranteed to make American travellers cringe (not poms so much, specially irish, since they're the forefathers for our brusque ways)

Things like spaces and some pronunciation get left out. So "How's it going?" turns into "Owsigoin?" and "Good day" turns into "G'Day".

And that's when we're talking slow so foreigners can understand!

N.B - I don't know what Brusque means. I hoped I used it right and that it is not a deli sandwich filling.

[ducktapehero]

One thing that we apparently tend to do is become "efficient" with the english language. Things like spaces and some pronunciation get left out. So "How's it going?" turns into "Owsigoin?" and "Good day" turns into "G'Day".

That's similar to people who have Southern accents here. The most famous one being "Y'all" as opposed to "you all".