Travel Tips
Please contact us with your own travel tips or suggestions by email at .
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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.
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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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