Okay, so in the summer next year me and my boyfriend plan to travel various different countries around the world together. We thought we would start off in Australia, travel around the different places first before finding a place to settle down for a few months to get a job. I qualify as a veterinary at the start of the year and my boyfriend is a qualified chef so we're hoping it won't be too hard to get a job out there. Our main concern is how much money we should bring out with us, obviously we'll be travelling around after Australia and in most countries we won't be getting a job so we need money to rely on. Originally we were thinking about £12000 each so that we could live quite comfortably and not have to worry about our finances. Also, we're unsure on what visa's we will need to have to work in Australia/America etc.
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9371 posts
Your main problem will be getting a work visa. You can't just go to another country, stay as long as you like, and work. You don't say where you are a citizen, but it is extremely unlikely that you would be able to get a US work visa. The second issue is that it's impossible to determine your money needs without an idea of where you want to go. The cost of someplace like Switzerland would be very different than someplace like Thailand. We also have no idea of your travel style - how you want to eat, where you want to sleep, what kind of activities you plan. The more specific you can be about those things, the better answers we can give you.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
I'm from the UK, we've looked into the flights and we're aware they're expensive from Australia. Our plan was to stay in Australia for 6 months working full time and then move around and volunteer in animal conservation parks. We're not the picky type, we're more than happy to stay in hostels in shared mixed dorms as long as they are clean.
After Australia our plan was fiji, China, Thailand, Vietnam, America etc. we haven't really got our choice of countries set in stone quite yet due to not really knowing which visa's to get.
Posted by
New York, NY, USA
11294 posts
In addition to any replies you get here, be sure to look at the Thorn Tree Gap Year and Round The World forum, as it's more geared to your specific situation: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forums/gap-year-round-the-world-travel
Posted by
Indianapolis
247 posts
You might follow the YouTube channel for a girl from the UK who has lived and worked in Australia and traveled extensively.
She has an entire playlist dedicated to travel tips for backpacking/staying in hostels in Australia. I believe a few of her vidoes also address the "how much money do I need" question.
https://www.youtube.com/user/PsychoTraveller/playlists
Hope this is helpful!
Posted by
NSW Australia
703 posts
Lucy-hill, to give you some assistance, as australians we find that there is very few things worth buying in europe, the UK or Dubai or even some of hong kong as our prices in Australia for things like food, clothes electrical goods cameras etc are cheaper. ( having spent more than 15 weeks in the last two years tripping around in Europe/UK) even though the Ausssie dollar has dropped against the US it remains steady against the Euro. ( and not too bad against the UK) eg: an item in Europe costs about half as much again for us. so no bargains for us to buy. ( however the range of goods is larger in Europe)
I mention this to let you know that your money should go reasonably well. Living in the big cities eg: Sydney Melbourne will obviously cost more for rent etc. cheaper domestic flights ( to trip around) can be found if you search the net. particularly the east coast flights. perhaps consider a more regional city with good transport links?
one question to answer is ( coming from the UK) what temperate weather do you like, ( for Australian winter) as this will affect where you are likely to base yourself.
I hope this helps
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
Guidebooks like Lonely Planet can help you estimate budgets for the areas they cover and some countries are certainly cheaper overall than are others. Within reason, I think you can tailor a trip to the budget you have. Allow yourself the most generous budget you can, then spend it wisely. Dining out, alcohol, and souvenirs are all on the "limitable" expense list. Don't skimp on the attractions that make each place special.
Sleeping accommodation takes a large portion of your budget. Rick says, "As far as I'm concerned, spending more for your hotel just builds a bigger wall between you and what you traveled so far to see. If you spend enough, you won't know where you are." In New York City, the budget may only allow for a hostel, but you could afford more comfortable options in some smaller towns you visit. See related tips at http://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/sleeping-eating.
Posted by
Tel Aviv
15794 posts
I hope you don't really mean "how much money we should bring out with us" but rather how much money we need to have in the bank before we leave. You don't want to carry large amounts of cash with you. You want to have it in a bank to withdraw using an ATM card. Best to have 2 accounts so if something goes wrong with one card, you have a back-up until you get the problem sorted out.
You will need to check on visa requirements before you leave. You will probably need to apply for a U.S. visa in advance. You almost certainly will not be able to get a work visa without jumping through a great many hoops. You probably won't be able to get into the U.S. unless you have a valid ticket out (flying out of Mexico or Canada will work). China usually (always?) requires obtaining a visa in advance. Visas obtained in advance may only be valid for a specific time period. For instance, if you get a Chinese visa before you leave home, it may expire 90 days after issue. To get my Chinese visa, I had to relinquish my passport for a week or two. So you need to do your homework. Don't depend on advice you get here or other travel websites. Use each country's official websites and/or go to the embassies at home to get information.
Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam are pretty cheap. Hong Kong is more expensive. Singapore is very expensive. Generally Eastern Europe, Turkey, and the far south (Iberia, Greece, Sicily) are cheaper than the rest of Europe.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32367 posts
lucy-hill,
If you have U.K. citizenship, you should be eligible for a Working Holiday Visa in many countries, but certain conditions apply. You may already be aware of these, but a few examples of the conditions.....
- between the ages of 18-35
- have sufficient funds to support yourself whilst looking for employment
- have adequate medical insurance coverage
If you're also planning to come to Canada, you must have the necessary work permits in place when you arrive at the border. That's one of the things that CBSA checks for, and those without all the proper documentation in hand will be sent packing! I believe the situation is similar in the U.S. and Australia.
Posted by
London
6 posts
Hello lucy-hill,
Well, you will not believe how easy it is to get a job or create a business in Southeast Asia. There are companies who actually helps expats to look for work in Asia. Since it is cheaper to live in Asia in general, you will not have a problem to go on day by day.
Hope this helps.