What To Know Before Going to Australia
before you head to The land down under, read this
I went to Australia in March 2018. It was my first international trip and it will be extremely hard to beat. That country really has it all together! Each city has it’s own vibe, history and unique culture. I completely fell in love with it. Even the stereotypes about Aussies are true - all of them are beautiful, especially the ones that hang out on the beach. It made me want to dye my hair blonde and become a surfer.
Surprisingly enough, I - the one who is always prepared, was in fact not prepared for everything we encountered on this trip. Maybe it’s because it was my first international trip, maybe it’s because I didn’t do as much research as I could have before going, or MAYBE it’s because I didn’t have a travel agent, as the man at the airport was shocked to hear when he told me I needed a VISA for my flight that was leaving in three hours. Either way - I learned a few things, and I will share those with you below!
The outlets are different than the US. Maybe this is a duh thing, but definitely invest in a universal charger. We didn’t even think of the possibility of the outlets being different until we got to our Airbnb and tried to charge our phones
They don’t expect tips at all. They are getting paid whether you are there or not. We had one bartender tell us “this isn’t the place you want to be right now, go down the street to the ___ bar for happy hour where all the other young people are, you’ll enjoy it a lot more!”
Bring more sunscreen than you think you’ll need. The sun doesn’t quit, lather that shit on. Otherwise, you will burn
Get your VISA, people. Apply for your Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) here - it’s only $20 and it take about 10 minutes to be approved but do it in advance anyway - don’t be like me scrambling at the airport check-in
We walk on the opposite side of the sidewalk than they do in Australia. Think of the way traffic is going, they drive on the left side of the street so people will also walk on the left side. Speaking of, look BOTH WAYS before crossing the street because you will not get used to the traffic going the opposite direction right away
I noticed they don’t have shower curtains - it’s just an open space in the corner. It made me wonder, do we have it figured out here or do they? (Personally leaning toward us having it figured out because water and steam would get e v e r y w h e r e)
Their toilet has 2 buttons - left is small, right is large. It took us longer than I would like to admit to figure this out. It’s great because it saves so much water than the one big flush we have in America
Looking for a coffee? Order a “long black” - its basically an espresso with hot water and Paul still raves about it being the best coffee he’s ever had. A “flat white” is comparable to a latte
They call breakfast “brekky” but it just sounds a lot better when they say it
Their avocados are unreal. They’re HUGE and definitely some of the best avo in the world. They also put avocado on nearly everything. An avocado is approximately $4 AUD, so a bit pricier than here (around $2.50 USD)
By the way, Aussie’s really like to abbreviate everything - so they call avocados “avos”
Try the hollandaise sauce. It’s so good. Their eggs benedict ruined all other eggs benedict for me
Australia is expensive. All cocktail drinks are $20 AUD, even during happy hour! Which was about $14 USD. But I suppose you don’t go to Australia expecting some cheap vacation anyway so drink up!
Speaking of cocktails, try the espresso martinis! LIFE CHANGING! I hate coffee but I could drink those martinis for breakfast, lunch and dinner
Try the wine! It is so good. I would love to go back and do a winery tour throughout the country.
Jugs = pitchers of alcohol, and you will see them everywhere. They are usually a better deal than just ordering a few by the glass so why not just go for it
Aussies love happy hour, so expect to see a full house at the happy hour bars - even on Saturdays!
Sydney - beaches, landmarks, beautiful weather and beautiful people. Melbourne - culture, food and drinking! Also, they both think they’re the best city in Australia - it’s up to you to decide which one is your favorite
Just so you know, we pronounce most of their cities incorrectly
Bondi - “bon-die”
Melbourne - “Mel-bin”
Brisbane - “bris-bin”
Cairns - “cains”
You’ll see a lot of American sports team apparel but majority of people are just wearing it as a fashion piece. We learned this the hard way when we said “Rock Chalk!” to a guy in a KU shirt and he was so utterly confused that we looked like idiots. They especially seem to love wearing the big-name American basketball jerseys, but most people do not watch the sport. However, we did find one die-hard Packer fan up in Cairns who happened to be our Uber driver!
Aussies have a solid work to live mindset compared to America and it really shows in their overall happiness. They are living their best lives over there and we should really be taking notes!
So there you have it, just a few tips and tricks we learned on our amazing vacation to Australia! I learned so much just by talking to the locals and immersing myself in their culture the best that I could. If it’s not on your bucket list, add it. You will never look back on your trip and regret it. If you want to read my itinerary or my experience diving the Great Barrier Reef, they might help you get a head start on planning your trip.