It’s Week 10 at UniMelb! Studies are in full swing, footy is on, and I am still exploring all this vibrant city has to offer. One of the greatest joys of studying abroad, though, is traveling to other places that are accessible from your “home base.” While living in the CBD, I have easily been able to take day trips outside the city via train, tram, and bus. However, Australia is quite famously spread out. So, unlike study abroad locations in Europe, you basically have to fly to get to other cities or regions. However, planning trips to see this amazing country is still feasible (and highly encouraged)! In my time here, I have done trips in Sydney, the Whitsundays, and Cairns, plus Fiji and New Zealand. Here are some considerations to make as you plan your own trips:
Lunch in Airlie Beach | A boardwalk view from Airlie Beach
Before Departure
There are some things you can do before you even leave your home country to help your future travels. For one, you can try to design your schedule to have either Friday or Monday off. I was lucky enough to stack my timetable so that I have (very long) class days on Monday and Tuesday. But you may have required courses to take while abroad that do not allow you to stack classes like this. You will still be able to travel, so not to worry!
I also found it helpful to make a tiered list of places I wanted to go in Australia as I was preparing to study there. I wrote two or three “must-sees” and three to five “probably” places I wanted to visit while here. While this method was my preference, many people I know just got over here and figured travel plans out from there! The most important thing to remember is that no one can do everything in such a large country. Just by getting over here, you are already on a big adventure.
Planning Travel: Finding Friends
When I decided to study abroad in Melbourne, I did not know a soul! I knew I wanted to travel once I got over here, so my biggest hope was to find people I clicked with and wanted to go to the same places as me. I feel blessed to have connected so well with the other TEAN participants in my program, and they are often the first people I ask to travel with me. But I have also met fellow exchange students, classmates, or even fellow run club participants to travel with. Some schools even have apps for students to meet each other, which often have subgroups where people plan trips. So don’t worry about finding a buddy to travel with!
Scenes from the Bondi to Coogee walk | Opera House at night
Planning Travel: Transit
To get somewhere in another state, your best bet is often a flight (unless you want to take an overnight train or bus to a neighboring state). So once you have a good group together and have ensured accommodation is available, booking flights is key! Planning flights can be tricky with dynamic pricing. Conversely, prices constantly changing also means you can get a good deal if you track prices and book early enough.
As a side note, a key difference from my home country is that most airlines here will weigh your bags. For a short trip, I often just take a carry-on, which often leads to strategic packing to meet a weight limit. Investing in a scale is a good idea!
I always try to figure out the transit within the city I am going to before I visit. While in Melbourne, public transit connects most everything, some locations might have fewer options or landmarks might be very spread out. In that case, looking into rental car prices and figuring out who could drive (on the left) is vital!
Planning Travel: Itinerary
At this point, you should have determined who is traveling with you, booked flights, and figured out how to get around. While you don’t need to plan out everything you will do, you do need some idea of what you are doing each day so you can figure out your accommodations. On some trips, I have returned to the same place each night. But if you are traveling far distances each day, coming all the way back each night may not make sense.
You probably don’t have to generate ideas from scratch! People have done similar trips before you, so lean on their experiences. I usually ask Aussies I have met in class or other exchange students for travel recommendations. I also tend to search social media and blog posts for ideas. All of these ideas usually help me plan where I want to stay.
Lavender farm near Wanaka | Brunch in Queenstown, NZ
Upon Arrival: Enjoy
Even with planning, trips are always full of surprises! However cliché, travel really is about the journey, so remember to stay flexible and calm if plans change. Some of my favorite memories from travel were moments that couldn’t have been researched or planned. With a charged phone, working credit cards and/or cash, friends, and TEAN behind you as an additional resource, you are equipped to deal with whatever challenges you may face.
Happy trails!