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MadDog
One of the goals I've set for myself is to travel to Australia before I turn 30. Knocking on 28 right now, and so it's time to get everything set in motion.
I'm going to aim for Feb/Mar 2009. I plan to go along the Boomerang Coast... Sydney, Melbourne... may start at Brisbane. I've a few friends there.
Any must-sees along the way? I've never been out-of-country before. Do I need any vaccinations? How long does it take to get the visa cleared, and how much does the visa cost?
Answer
One must see and not too far out of your way is the Great Ocean Road running west of Melbourne. You could probably get a coach trip but it might be good to hire a car in Melbourne and drop it off at say Mt. Gambier, or you could head north from there through the wine growing country of South Australia.
The other thing is that you should spend 2 or 3 days in Canberra. The War Memorial & Museum is only beaten by the Imperial War Museum in London, they say. Also take a look at the Parliament House, built partially underground (!) in 1987 - 88 and open to all comers. Security checks apply but you can take all the photos you want - not while the houses are sitting of course.
An International Drivers Licence could ease the hiring of a car quite a bit. I looked into car hire recently and the larger companies actually did offer the best rates I could find.
We use Mastercard, Visa, American Express, Diners Club cards and a few others and there are plenty of automatic teller machines around the place and most of them are cross - compatible.
There are no endemic diseases here so vaccinations are not really a problem, we might be more worried about things you can bring with you! (Just kidding) A flu shot might be worthwhile.
Visas, well I've never had to get one but I'd allow a good 8 weeks, best to have it stashed rather than get worried whether it was going to arrive in time. A travel agent can advise you, but Australia has several consulates in the USA for instance and you can find them on the net.
If you are coming from the USA, don't bring electrical appliances, Australia uses 240Volts which will burn out US stuff before you can blink. Small dual voltage stuff like electric shavers are OK, but you will need an adapter plug. Your portable battery operated AM/FM radio will work fine. Some chargers for laptops and cell phones will work on 100 to 250 Volts without needing to set a selector switch, look at the charger. Hotels/motels offering internet connection are getting a lot more common even in rural areas but they tend to be at the higher end of the market.
Your cell phone might work if you get an Australian SIM card - check with your supplier. Cell phone coverage is good in the capital cities and larger towns, not so good in the small towns and along highways. Telstra has the best coverage.
Look at this site for electrical and phone information -
http://www.kropla.com/
http://www.accesscomms.com.au/Reference/powerplug.htm
Many Australian hotels/motels have hair dryers hard wired into bathroom walls and some have a 110 volt socket too. You can usually borrow a clothes iron and board from reception for free or a small fee and there is usually a guest laundry with auto washer and a drier.
One must see and not too far out of your way is the Great Ocean Road running west of Melbourne. You could probably get a coach trip but it might be good to hire a car in Melbourne and drop it off at say Mt. Gambier, or you could head north from there through the wine growing country of South Australia.
The other thing is that you should spend 2 or 3 days in Canberra. The War Memorial & Museum is only beaten by the Imperial War Museum in London, they say. Also take a look at the Parliament House, built partially underground (!) in 1987 - 88 and open to all comers. Security checks apply but you can take all the photos you want - not while the houses are sitting of course.
An International Drivers Licence could ease the hiring of a car quite a bit. I looked into car hire recently and the larger companies actually did offer the best rates I could find.
We use Mastercard, Visa, American Express, Diners Club cards and a few others and there are plenty of automatic teller machines around the place and most of them are cross - compatible.
There are no endemic diseases here so vaccinations are not really a problem, we might be more worried about things you can bring with you! (Just kidding) A flu shot might be worthwhile.
Visas, well I've never had to get one but I'd allow a good 8 weeks, best to have it stashed rather than get worried whether it was going to arrive in time. A travel agent can advise you, but Australia has several consulates in the USA for instance and you can find them on the net.
If you are coming from the USA, don't bring electrical appliances, Australia uses 240Volts which will burn out US stuff before you can blink. Small dual voltage stuff like electric shavers are OK, but you will need an adapter plug. Your portable battery operated AM/FM radio will work fine. Some chargers for laptops and cell phones will work on 100 to 250 Volts without needing to set a selector switch, look at the charger. Hotels/motels offering internet connection are getting a lot more common even in rural areas but they tend to be at the higher end of the market.
Your cell phone might work if you get an Australian SIM card - check with your supplier. Cell phone coverage is good in the capital cities and larger towns, not so good in the small towns and along highways. Telstra has the best coverage.
Look at this site for electrical and phone information -
http://www.kropla.com/
http://www.accesscomms.com.au/Reference/powerplug.htm
Many Australian hotels/motels have hair dryers hard wired into bathroom walls and some have a 110 volt socket too. You can usually borrow a clothes iron and board from reception for free or a small fee and there is usually a guest laundry with auto washer and a drier.
When John McCain Was 20 Years Old. Can you relate ?
rwpete63
1956 the increase in living standards and the focus on education helped to fuel the increase in college education with 1 in 3 high school graduates now going off to college. TV shows included "As The World Turns" and "The Price is Right". Mothers could now buy disposable diapers and tefal non stick Frying Pans. Elvis Presley appears on the Ed Sullivan show and enters the music charts for the first time, with "Heartbreak Hotel".
Cost Of Living 1956
How Much things cost in 1956
Yearly Inflation Rate USA 1.52%
Yearly Inflation Rate UK 4.7% 4.7%
Average Cost of new house $11.700.00
Average Monthly Rent $88.00
Average Yearly Wages $4.450.00
Cost of a gallon of Gas 22 cents
Average Cost of a new car $2,050.00$2,050.00
Ground Coffee per LB 85 Cents
Below are some Prices for UK guides in Pounds Stirling
Average House Price 2,280
What Events Happened In 1956
Suez Crisis caused by the Egyptian Nationalization of the Suez Canal
Suez Crisis causes petrol rationing in Britain.
The First C.N.D. Marches take place at Aldermarston
Rock and Roll Dance Craze sweeps the World
Prince Ranier of Monaco marries Grace Kelly
Pakistan becomes Islamic Republic
Alabama Bus segregation laws declared illegal by US Supreme Court
Continued independence granted for colonies in Africa from Britain and France
US Carries Out H Bomb Tests Bikini Atoll
Warsaw Pact troops invade Hungary during the The Hungarian October Revolution .
Elvis Presley releases his first hit
Premium Bonds introduced in England to encourage saving
British naval diver "Buster" Crabb Found Dead following covert diving operation on Russian Cruiser
The Summer Olympics are held in Melbourne, Australia
Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 signed into law on 29th June for the construction of 41,000 miles of interstate highways over a 20-year period
16 year old Pelejoins Brazil's Santos team
Eight Negro students refused entry to Sturgis High School in Sturgis Kentucky,
52 people die when the Italian passenger liner S.S. Andrea Doria collides on July 25th off Nantucket Island, Mass. with the Swedish liner S.S. Stockholm.
The Winter Olympic Games are held in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy
Popular Culture
Rocky Marciano retires as the only undefeated Heavyweight Champion of the world with a perfect record
Elvis Presley enters the US music charts for the first time, with " Heartbreak Hotel. " the first of 170 hit singles
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show for the first time
Elvis Presley's first movie, "Love Me Tender" opens in New York
Diamonds Are Forever is published by Ian Fleming
"My Fair Lady" opens on Broadway starring Julie Andrews as Eliza Doolittle and Rex Harrison as Professor Higgins.
The first half-hour serial "As the World Turns" begins on CBS.
Popular Films
Guys and Dolls
The King and I
Trapeze
High Society
Around the World in Eighty Days
Popular Musicians
Elvis Presley
Bill Haley and the Comets
Chuck Berry
Jerry Lee Lewis
Johnny Cash
Ella Fitzgerald
Dean Martin
Technology 1956
First hard disk (5MB) invented by IBM.
Black-and-white portable TV sets hit the market
The first Transatlantic Telephone Cable goes in operation
The first commercial videotape recorder the VR-1000 from Ampex Corp goes on sale.
Tefal starts producing non stick Frying Pans
Oral Vaccine developed against Polio by Albert Sabin
Sony exports it's first products to Canada a Transistor Radio
Inventions Invented by Inventors and Country ( or attributed to First Use )
Nuclear Power England first power station at Calder Hall
Video Tape USA
Video Recorder USA
Answer
I was sweet sixteen that year....oh how i remember everything you had on your question.
we had a coal heater, no running water, but we did have electric and TV. There were 11 of us kids and we had the best life. we may have not had lots of money but we had great Christmas's and play with each other all day..today kids don't play out side together.
and dinner was at 6 PM with everyone sitting at the table.
I was sweet sixteen that year....oh how i remember everything you had on your question.
we had a coal heater, no running water, but we did have electric and TV. There were 11 of us kids and we had the best life. we may have not had lots of money but we had great Christmas's and play with each other all day..today kids don't play out side together.
and dinner was at 6 PM with everyone sitting at the table.
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Title Post: Headed to Australia in about 1.5 years... advice on preparations?
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Rating: 92% based on 925 ratings. 4 user reviews.
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