Travel Tips
Please contact us with your own travel tips or suggestions
by email at contact@ebigoe.com.
-
To save that valuable space in your luggage,
get some 'travel
space bags'
that will literally 'suck' the air out of
a pile of clothes, thus reducing the space
required for those items. Although reading
the customer reviews that these products
can be 'hit and miss' - it is recommended
using garbage bags instead! Should you wish
to read about or purchase the 'travel
space bags' click here
- Before you travel, get some brightly
coloured elastic to put around the outside
of your suitcase or backpack. The elastic
makes your luggage easily identifiable when
you come to collect it off the conveyor belt
and of course also 'holds everything together'.
- Upon arrival in London, get hooked up with
a mobile phone. It makes it easier
for your friends and just as importantly the
employment agencies to contact you.
- If you want other people to know that you
have arrived in London, pop into the NZ News
office and register in the visitor's book.
All names get published in the NZ News UK
newspaper.
- Register with an agency as soon as
you can - even if you are going travelling.
Jobs are getting harder to come by, and if
you're not on the books you have no chance.
Teachers and Nurses can contact our recommended
partners - QES
and Bluecare
- for assistance.
- When travelling (particularly 'off the
beaten track'), always carry some tissues
with you. They can easily double as toilet
paper - you will be surprised how often you
will need this 'backup plan'.
- Before you leave for any destination, it
is a good idea to organise some foreign
currency. You never know what time you
may end up arriving at your final destination,
or the availability of cash machines or bureau
de changes, so even if you have just the equivalent
of a few pounds, it could save you a lot of
hassle. Remember - most European nations now
use the Euro.
- If you are planning on doing some travelling
through Europe within the first six months
of your arrival - consider getting a Eurail
pass. You can purchase the pass for different
groups of countries and for varying lengths
of time. Eurail passes make traveling around
Europe comfortable and easy, with an extensive
rail network servicing most locations. If
you pay a bit extra for a first class pass
(people over 26 are required to purchase this
pass) you often have a whole train compartment
to yourself, and can truly relax.
- Italy has a reliable and inexpensive
rail network. Consider travelling around
by train (a Eurail pass probably isn't worthwhile
here), which is generally more relaxed than
driving or buses. Yellow automated machines
allow you to buy tickets in advance and without
having to risk your dodgy Italian.
- When in Venice, consider buying a multi-day
vaparetto pass. Scooting around the islands
(including outlying ones such as Burano) is
not only a great way to get around, but also
inexpensive if you buy a 3-day or weekly pass.
- No matter which country you are traveling
to, try and make an effort to learn a few
words in the native language - at a minimum
"Hello" and "Thank You".
This may sound obvious, but so many tourists
have an arrogant expectation that the locals
will automatically speak English, and although
in many countries English is widespread, it
is important to realise that locals almost
always appreciate your efforts to converse
in their tongue. They should also be more
willing to help you, particularly if you can
string a few phrases together.
- Regardless of where you are, be street
smart. Guys - move your wallet to your
front pocket to avoid been pick pocketed.
Ladies - have a firm hold of any bags and
make sure that the bag is zipped up, with
the zip facing to the front. Remember - pickpockets
target tourists, in particular those that
are 'unwary', so don't make it easy for them.
- If you are wanting to experience a ride
up to the London skyline on the
London Eye, make sure you pre-book
your tickets for the day you want. Chances
are if you just turn up to buy a ticket (particularly
on a nice day), you'll be disappointed.
- If you are a female, it is a good idea to
buy a small personal alarm to carry
around with you. These can act as a safeguard
for when you are out and about alone.
- If you are travelling alone on the tube
at night, try and get on a carriage with
a number of other people. You are less
likely to be attacked if there are others
present.
- If you are wanting to get an idea of
accommodation prices in different areas
before you leave home, look at the LOOT
website (www.loot.com).
LOOT is also a daily newspaper that you can
buy in London to find offers on all sorts
of things, including accommodation.
- Adaptor plugs to use electrical equipment
from back home are easily bought in the UK.
You can pick them up from chemists, electrical
stores, and stationers for £4-£5.
- If you want cheap access to the internet
upon your arrival, head to the nearest
easyEverything cyber café. To
locate the various cyber cafes, check out
www.easyEverthing.com.
You can surf 24/7 and it should cost approximately
£3 per hour.
- When preparing your budget for your
big OE, make sure you allow for the bond
and one months rent in advance if you
plan to move into your own flat. If you are
planning on paying £100/week then you
may need to have £800 available for
when you move in.
- If you are planning on taking a significant
amount of gear over with you to the UK, consider
travelling via the US, as their luggage
allowances are very generous. Allowances
are two pieces of checked-in luggage not exceeding
32 kg each (total 64 kg).
- When deciding on a backpack before
you leave home - be sensible about the size.
Don't buy the biggest one in order to fit
as much as possible in it. Remember you'll
be taking this around Europe and everywhere
else you decide to go, so you don't want a
pack that is going to be too heavy to carry.
A realistic capacity is 60 litres.
- When going on a trip around Europe - or
anywhere else for that matter - travel
light. Pack your bag and then try and
halve what you've packed. Most people
over pack the first trip, regret it, and spend
weeks lugging around heavy backpacks.
- Once you arrive in the UK and are looking
to do either day or weekend trips around the
UK and are 26 years old or younger
- consider purchasing a young persons rail
card. You will need a passport photo when
you purchase the card. Among other things,
the card gives you 1/3 off the price of a
number of rail tickets.
- If you are setting up your own flat and
the telephone line isn't connected
when you move in, be prepared to wait 7-14
days for BT to connect your phone.
- If you want to call home when you
arrive in the UK, consider bringing a Telecom
calling card - or something similar - to use
initially. Alternatively, join up with one
of the low cost telephone companies. See
Keeping
In Contact for details.
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