After spending the past few weeks mostly reading and writing, it's time to focus on my preparations for Australia again.

The only thing I've been doing consistently for several weeks now is sending job applications to Australian companies. I have a small hope that some company might be planning far enough ahead to offer me a position for a few months. Things aren't looking too bad actually - I've already arranged an interview in Sydney, and at least five recruitment agencies and companies want me to contact them as soon as I arrive in Australia. I also need to call two more HR managers this week.

With the interview and phone calls lined up, I decided to take another look at my todo list and tackle the next items. I decided to focus on accommodation next. As mentioned in my post about "Problems with the Campervan for NZ", I need two places to stay in New Zealand - one in Auckland and one in Christchurch. I also want to book somewhere for my first few days in Sydney.

Auckland

I need accommodation in Auckland for three days. Since Sam also needs a place to stay in Auckland for the first few days, we decided to search together.

After looking around, we settled on the Pentlands Backpackers Hostel for several reasons. One major factor was their great deal where the third night is free.

It's also a family-run hostel, which usually means higher quality. While it's a bit outside the city center, it should be easily accessible from the airport by bus. We each booked a bed in a four-bed room. I'm only paying NZ$51 (about €34) for all three nights, which is super cheap. I hope the hostel lives up to its consistently good reviews!

Christchurch

In Christchurch, I had a different selection to choose from. I narrowed it down to three options:

1. The Kiwi Basecamp in the city center
2. The Haka Lodge which is a bit outside the center
3. A converted prison called Jailhouse Accommodation

In the end, I chose the Haka Lodge over the jail because they offer something rare - a dorm room without bunk beds. Plus, the lodge is well-positioned at the edge of the city, making it easy to access the southeastern regions. Other travelers also mentioned they have free internet, which will be essential for my job search. The three nights will cost me NZ$84 (about €56), which isn't quite as cheap as Auckland, but still reasonable.

Sydney

Sydney has a huge selection of hostels, but the quality seems to vary widely. Since I only need somewhere for the first few days, I focused on finding a place with the most included amenities. I ended up choosing Balmain Backpackers.

This hostel offers lots of free extras, including WiFi and free calls to Australian landlines and mobile phones.

Thanks to their phone service and Skype, I'll be able to call Germany affordably. They also provide free breakfast, and on Sundays, they have a BBQ for all guests. Six nights in a six-bed room costs AU$126 (about €102), which is fairly reasonable.

The Balmain Backpackers is also a bit outside the city center, but I have feet to walk with, and there's a local ferry stop nearby. I just hope the ferry isn't too expensive!

So that's another few items checked off my todo list. Next up: sorting out my postal address and bank account in Australia.