Hello! As promised, today I want to tell you about my travel preparations. Since a Work & Travel trip to Australia isn't exactly an everyday occurrence, you need to be extra careful with the planning. There's a lot more to consider when you're going to be away from home for several months. After all, Australia and New Zealand aren't just around the corner - they're literally on the other side of the world. So careful planning is absolutely essential.

Below is my checklist of everything I need to do to ensure my trip goes smoothly:

General Tasks

• Resign from job (done)
• Give notice on apartment (done)
• Drive car to Germany (done)
• Register car in Germany (done)
• Apply for Working Holiday visa (done)
• Book flights (done)
• Get international liability insurance (done)
• Get special Working Holiday health insurance (done)
• Get travel cancellation insurance (done)
• Check vaccinations
• Get Irish phone unlocked (done)
• Check Skype rates (done)

New Zealand Preparations

• Book camper van (done)
• Research affordable SIM cards (done)
• Get cash

Australia Preparations

• Look for jobs in Sydney or Melbourne (in progress)
• Get Australian youth hostel membership
• Apply for WWOOF Australia membership
• Book accommodation for first few days (done)
• Arrange postal address in Sydney
• Open bank account
• Research affordable SIM cards (done)
• Get cash

Upon Arrival in Australia

• Apply for Medicare Card
• Apply for Tax File Number

This is my list of things still to do. I've already completed several important tasks, but there's still quite a bit to tackle before I can check everything off. I'll keep you updated on my progress as I work through the list.

For example, I've just spoken with my landlord about giving up my apartment. In the next few days, I'll discuss the details with him about the handover process and my deposit.

In my next post, I'll tell you about my plans for driving to Germany through France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

Until next time,
Your Basti