AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND - Some Essential Tips.

SOME ESSENTIAL TIPS FOR YOU TIME IN AUSTRALIA:

1 -  Do it Yourself.
Get your own set of wheels and make your way around Australia at your own pace. Numerous car companies specialize in backpacker deals and their cars can be rented or bought outright. Many even come complete with tents, sleeping bags, and cooking utensils. All you need to do is organize insurance, fuel and a route around this amazing country.

2 -  Catch Movies on Tuesday.
Cinema tickets on “Super Tuesdays” are 50% cheaper than on any other day of the week. This offer applies in all the main commercial movie theaters throughout Australia and in the smaller independent ones too.

3 - Book Your Bus Seats in Advance.
If you are traveling by bus, always book your seat at least one day in advance. There is nothing worse than having something planned at your next destination, only to find you can´t get there because the bus is fully booked.

4 -  Claim Your Tax Back.
If you intend to stay six months or more in one town/city, compile evidence of this. Once you can prove that you are living the same way as an Australian citizen – example: name on lease, bills in your name, etc…) you are entitled to be taxed in the same way. Then when filing your tax returns you will receive a much larger refund than your everyday working holiday maker. For more information about claiming tax back, visit: http://www.taxback.com/.

5 -  Plan Road Trips in Detail.
Put simply, Australia is huge! So when planning any road trips, research all stages in detail before you set out. The longest distance between some fuel stops is 200km, so it could be quite a hike if you happened to run out of fuel. Remember to stock up some water and spare parts before you hit the road, too. Finally, driving at night is a bad idea too, thanks to all manner of wild animals which roam the highways, so your driving in daylight if at all possible.

SOME ESSENTIAL TIPS FOR YOUR TIME IN NEW ZELAND.

1 -  Flying in New Zealand.
Fly into Christchurch and out of Auckland. Most of what to see is the South Island, so if you plan on going on a shopping sphere before you leave, do so in Auckland before you get to your next destination. This way, you won´t have to haul around lots of extra luggage.

2 -  Get your outdoor equipment when you are there.
Tramping ( walking ) and ski gear is much cheaper in New Zealand than it´s anywhere else. Plus, if you buy it in the destinations where you are going to use it, you won´t have to bring it all around the world before you get there. And shop around, as you may find that it´s more economical to rent equipment.

3 -  Book you Mltford Sound Trip in advance.
Milford Sound is a 22 kilometers fjord and it one of the high-lights of the South Island. The best way to see the fjord is on an overnight trip. To ensure that you get to experience this amazing natural attraction, book your overnight trip well in advance.

4 -  Looking for Work.
If you´re planning on working in New Zealand, rather than looking in the most popular places such as Queenstown and Auckland, try out some other places which are not as popular with backpackers. Other towns such as Nelson and Wanaka have thriving industries but not as many people looking for work, so your search for employment should be a little easier.

5 -  Travelling from the north to the south Island.
When travelling from the North to the South Island book you ferry approximately a week in advance. Also, the night ferry are cheaper than the day ferries, while if you are driving you can travel across the Cook Strait on the freight ferries.