Getting Around
Greyhound Buses: there are many types of passes you can purchase through Greyhound. -Oz-Flexi Travel:
there are consecutive day passes and per-kilometer passes where you can
purchase 500-20,000 km passes to be used at your leisure within 6
months!
-Oz-Choice Travel:
choose from popular pre-organized travel routes to get the most sights
for your dollar, thus maximizing the experience and minimizing impact. The hop
on, hop off feature is available, allowing the traveler to stay in an
area for extra time, then picking up the next bus to come through at
the time of their choice.
-Express Travel: for the basic A to B travel, cheap and efficient. The epitome of car pooling. And they usually even pop in a movie!
Trains, Planes, Automobiles:
the other methods of traveling for the tourist. Though these forms of
travel usually include somewhat green stars for the ‘car-pooling’
aspect, they can be quite costly in Australia. However, they are quite
efficient and popular, as well as cultural and flexible! Lets start with trains.
There are train systems that tie the states together, including
the famous coast to coast duo: The Ghan and The Indian Pacific. To give a
general idea, the cost of a one-way, economy-class train ticket from
Brisbane to Sydney is around $90 AU with an average of 13.5 hrs of
travel. Listed below this section are some sites to provide information on train
travel within Australia, as well as deals for internationals,
backpackers, and students. Next are the planes. Depending
on when & where you are going, you can either save or spend when it
comes to this form of travel. Buying in advance is a great way to save,
though sites like ‘LastMinute.com.au’
are great ways to find those procrastination tickets at a low
cost...though you probably shouldn’t bank on it. The major airlines in
Australia are Quantas, JetStar, VirginBlue. However, for really great deals, check out Tiger Airways,
a company based in Singapore that offers some really great deals on
both domestic and Asia-Pacific flights from Australia! However, the
journeys are limited and so this option will not always have your
destination available, but keep it as an option from the Gold Coast to
Melbourne or Adelaide for under $60 AU, $150 AU round trip. Either way,
it’s best to shop around for plane tickets, and usually search engines
like Google will show you the competitive prices of the companies. To travel eco-friendly on a plane, you can do two things: carbon offset and pack lightly!! By purchasing the carbon offset option, you can give back the carbon you helped create in a different way. And by packing lightly, you are reducing the amount of energy it takes to keep you and your belongings flying, thus reducing your carbon output. And finally, the automobile.
The biggest problem with car travel in Australia is, like in the US,
you must be 21 to rent a vehicle. And even then, anyone under 25 is
really ripped off due to the insurance details. However, if you find a
way to make it work, here are some options! One of the most popular
versions of backpacker travel are the ‘Wicked Campers.’
These vans hold lots of people, luggage, and provide an independence
element to traveling that allows for lots of flexibility. And, they are
all completely unique and full of style. Check out the site to see what
I mean...they really are wicked. Other options are rent-a-car type
dealers which are quite popular in the cities, and Google-ing them will
provide ample results. Train Info *Check out the Australian Rail Page for Train Maps and Details* *Check out CountryLink, the Train Service for NSW, VIC, and QLD* *Site for travel advisories in effect for Australia* Eco-Travel Highlights: -Carbon Offsetting! Usually costs about $2-$30 depending on how long your flight is and helps offset the carbon you've released into the atmosphere while flying. -Public Transport! This is the best way to travel because of the eco-friendly efforts the government makes to keep them running, the fact that you are splitting the output with others, and because it's already in use you aren't adding a negative impact!! -Carpooling! Saves gas and it's a great way to make friends. -Vehicle Relocation! Sometimes people need their car brought to them, and if you're going that way you can transport their car to them for very low prices...think a buck a day! It's a great way to help someone out, reduce the amount of unnecessary travel, and save you a few dollars. -Travel Green! When planning trips or going on excursions, make sure your providers are a part of the Ecotourism movement. Below are some icons that represent levels of sustainable travel, and the Ecotourism Australia site link to check out so you can be aware of the current issues and eco-regulations. From Ecotourism Australia  Nature Tourism: Tourism in a natural area that leaves minimal impact on the environment. Ecotourism: Tourism in a natural area that offers interesting ways to learn about the environment with an operator that uses resources wisely, contributes to the conservation of the environment and helps local communities.  Advanced Ecotourism: Australia's leading and most innovative ecotourism products, providing an opportunity to learn about the environment with an operator who is committed to achieving best practice when using resources wisely, contributing to the conservation of the environment and helping local communities. ___________________________________________________________________ Getting Stuff Trading Sites:
Internet sites for trading are great ways to find any and most of your
living needs! Whether it’s a room-share, couch, bike, or books,
trading in or buying used is the best way to go. Saves you money and it
gives our earth a break. Buying used is a representation of all 3 R’s:
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Here are some websites to check out for all of
your needs. *Trading Post (a personal favorite) *Gumtree (UK based) *Simple Trade Community Boards:
There are usually places in towns and cities to read and post adds for
different types of items. They are most commonly found in the town’s
mall or shopping center. It’s a great place to find a flat or local
furniture, bikes, and even computers. There are also postings for
available apartments on the windows of real estate agents’ offices. Op Shops:
Like our second-hand shops and Salvos’, Australia has many of these
used goods stores from books to mattresses, from Halloween outfits to
hiking shoes. It’s really a great chance to recycle and reuse without hurting our wallets! And don’t be shy to donate clothes back to shops
like these on your way home. It will lighten your suitcase for some
last minute souvenirs or better yet, reduce the weight you bring onto
your flight, therefore reducing the amount of carbon emissions needed
to get the plane in motion. Believe it or not, the weighty suitcases
and luggage people travel with are half the problem of emissions, as it
takes more energy to get heavier objects into the air...so pack wisely! _____________________________________________________ Getting Settled Or not...looking for a long-term roommate, or just a place to stay while you travel to a different city? Here are some options for room-sharing, hostels, and such. But don't forget about the community boards and sites above for listings as well! Roomshare Australia!: share a room/flat with someone who's looking for some help with rent. Living with a local is a great way to get to know the city, and they will probably have a bike you can borrow! HostelWorld.com: while traveling around Australia, sometimes it is best to have your accomodation picked out ahead of time...book a hostel for a day or two, and when you get there you can decide if you want to search for a new one, or extend your stay at your present choice. Easy Roommate: a way for people to post and search for housing all around Australia...FREE! |