How's life in NZ/Aus?

Feelgood

emma82 wrote: »

Are there drawbacks we just aren't seeing? We're not the type of people who take huge risks or have ever been presented with this type of situation before.

Hi Emma it sounds like a great opportunity!. You should be excited, but yes there is a lot to think about. Firstly while the wages are a lot higher, the cost of living out here is pretty high too. Not too sure about Perth though rent is very expensive, food and generally just living day to day is very expensive!. Its generally on par if not a lot more expensive than home on most things so you should factor in all these things in when thinking about it. It really depends on what you are moving out for, financial gain or better quality of life?.

I think the best thing both of you could do is to do a dry run!. Come out on hols for a couple of weeks, see the place and get a feel for Australian life. I was always baffled at how people came out to Oz with the intention of staying here for a few years without even seeing the place.

Its definitely not for everyone, some people love it, some people hate it.
If you are thinking about moving out for a while and renting you house, I would say definitely try it out on holidays first before giving up everything back home

Zambia

Emma just go ... I suspect not being in Ireland for the next four years could be a good thing. If you can support the house via rent. Go now

Rebel Boy

I've been in Melbourne for over 3 weeks now, moving on to Sydney next Saturday. Looking forward to that. I've went out in St. Kilda and the city a few times. IMO Melbourne night life wise is quite poor. All the clubs don't seem to leave in a group of lads. There excuse is too many guys we need girls in here. I just think its very bad the way they go about it. Have many others experienced this in other cities in Australia? If u were told back home that you weren't allowed into a bar or a club cause of your gender you could have them up for discrimation. I'd recommend Melbourne in terms that its a lovely city and very multi cultured but I wouldn't recommend it if you plan to go on the lash there.

Mackman

Rebel Boy wrote: »

I've benn in Melbourne for over 3 weeks now, moving on to Sydney next Saturday. Looking forward to that. I've went out in St. Kilda and the city a few times. IMO Melbourne night life wise is quite poor. All the clubs don't seem to leave in a group of lads. There excuse is too many girls we need girls in here. I just think its very bad the way they go about it. Have many others experienced this in other cities in Australia? If u were told back home that you weren't allowed into a bar or a club cause of your gender you could have them up for discrimation. I'd recommend Melbourne in terms that its a lovely city and very multi cultured but I wouldn't recommend it if you plan to go on the lash there.

All? me thinks that might be a bit of an exaggeration.
Ive had some of the best nights of my life in Melbourne, went to a bunch of places and never had an ounce of trouble. Some of the best nightlife ive experienced.

Could it be that they refused a bunch of drunk, loud blokes?

Rebel Boy

Mackman wrote: »

All? me thinks that might be a bit of an exaggeration.
Ive had some of the best nights of my life in Melbourne, went to a bunch of places and never had an ounce of trouble. Some of the best nightlife ive experienced.

Could it be that they refused a bunch of drunk, loud blokes?

Nope. One place in St. Kilda refused us cause there were too many guys thats exactly what they said. There were 5 of us there. Another night there was only me and another guy and the bounser said to us that we need girls with us to go in. Very annoying when all we want to do is have a good night and a few drinks like.

Mackman

Rebel Boy wrote: »

Nope. One place in St. Kilda refused us cause there were too many guys thats exactly what they said. There were 5 of us there. Another night there was only me and another guy and the bounser said to us that we need girls with us to go in. Very annoying when all we want to do is have a good night and a few drinks like.

So thats 2. There are hundreds and hundreds of pubs/clubs in Melbourne. So yer got refused. Move on to another place, its not like ya can run out of time, most places dont close till 6am, if at all.
Bouncers will use any excuse if they dont want you in, and dont give a crap what ya think about it. They're the same everywhere. Melbourne isnt on its own here. You will find the same in Sydney.

Rebel Boy

Mackman wrote: »

So thats 2. There are hundreds and hundreds of pubs/clubs in Melbourne. So yer got refused. Move on to another place, its not like ya can run out of time, most places dont close till 6am, if at all.
Bouncers will use any excuse if they dont want you in, and dont give a crap what ya think about it. They're the same everywhere. Melbourne isnt on its own here. You will find the same in Sydney.

Suppose I don't know the main spots yet around here lol. Prob trying all the wrong places. what places would you consider to be the best around Melbourne?

Mackman

Rebel Boy wrote: »

Suppose I don't know the main spots yet around here lol. Prob trying all the wrong places. what places would you consider to be the best around Melbourne?

oh man, i cant remember the names :pac:.(a little bit too much to drink,:D and it was over a year ago now) Maybe some Melbourneans on here can help a more. I remember 'Section 8' as a great daytime pub

Rebel Boy

Mackman wrote: »

oh man, i cant remember the names :pac:.(a little bit too much to drink,:D and it was over a year ago now) Maybe some Melbourneans on here can help a more. I remember 'Section 8' as a great daytime pub

Is that in the city centre?

Mackman

Rebel Boy wrote: »

[/B]

Is that in the city centre?

yep, near china town, Its down an alley off little bourke st. i think.

Feelgood

Rebel Boy wrote: »

IMO Melbourne night life wise is quite poor.

I'm with you on that, loved Melbourne too but the nightlife was a fair poor.

My first night out I Melbs, I went to an outdoor bar (the bar itself was a chippy van), can't think of the name of it!. Anyways was meeting mates I hadn't seen in ages and I was talking to them about their travels. A mate of mine was talking about travelling through Asia and just said he thought Vietnam was a kip and that he didn't really like it. The barman heard him say it and threw us all out because his girlfriend was Vietnamese?!. Apparently you aren't allowed opinions in Melbourne bars, wasn't impressed with that.

Second night out we went to an ice bar which was pretty cool, drinking shots through ice!. Really good fun but it shut really early, when we left there was NOWHERE open only some casino. So we ended up getting savage grub in Lord of the fries and heading home at 1am, think it was a Thursday night?.

Last night out was the best for the simple reason that we went to P.J O'Briens and Brendan Gleeson was in having a pint at the bar. Had the craic with him and a couple of pints!

I wouldn't be crazy about Melbs at all, everything is way too spread out and the bars and night life actually bored me to be honest. The highlight really was the chips at lord of the fries, burgers were class too. Sydney I reckon has a lot more to offer and isn't as stuck up.

Rebel Boy

Feelgood wrote: »

I'm with you on that, loved Melbourne too but the nightlife was a fair poor.

My first night out I Melbs, I went to an outdoor bar (the bar itself was a chippy van), can't think of the name of it!. Anyways was meeting mates I hadn't seen in ages and I was talking to them about their travels. A mate of mine was talking about travelling through Asia and just said he thought Vietnam was a kip and that he didn't really like it. The barman heard him say it and threw us all out because his girlfriend was Vietnamese?!. Apparently you aren't allowed opinions in Melbourne bars, wasn't impressed with that.

Second night out we went to an ice bar which was pretty cool, drinking shots through ice!. Really good fun but it shut really early, when we left there was NOWHERE open only some casino. So we ended up getting savage grub in Lord of the fries and heading home at 1am, think it was a Thursday night?.

Last night out was the best for the simple reason that we went to P.J O'Briens and Brendan Gleeson was in having a pint at the bar. Had the craic with him and a couple of pints!

I wouldn't be crazy about Melbs at all, everything is way too spread out and the bars and night life actually bored me to be honest. The highlight really was the chips at lord of the fries, burgers were class too. Sydney I reckon has a lot more to offer and isn't as stuck up.

Thats an unreal chipper lol. P.J O'Brians is a nice ol bar. Looking forward now to what Sydney has to offer. Anyone stayed in Wake Up hostel on Pitt Street Sydney? I'm staying there for 3 nights. Hopefully it will be good.

Traq

Feelgood wrote: »

I'm with you on that, loved Melbourne too but the nightlife was a fair poor.

Really good fun but it shut really early, when we left there was NOWHERE open only some casino. So we ended up getting savage grub in Lord of the fries and heading home at 1am, think it was a Thursday night?.

The nightlife in Melbourne is excellent so I think the problem here is that it was your second night out so you didn't know where to go. Believe me, at 1am on a Thursday night there will be a huge amount of bars open.

Feelgood

Rebel Boy wrote: »

Anyone stayed in Wake Up hostel on Pitt Street Sydney? I'm staying there for 3 nights. Hopefully it will be good.

Yeah I lived at the Wakeup for my first 3 weeks here tis a good hostel and a very good location though maybe slightly overpriced for what it is?. Walking distance pretty much everywhere really.

Sidebar is a good spot too and there is usually something going on every night in it. Theres the cafe attached to it that has possible the best dirty fryup breakfast in Sydney and is fairly cheap.

Mellor

Can't stand sidebar myself. I only ever go there when I'm meeting somebody just landed and they are staying in wake up

Feelgood

Traq wrote: »

The nightlife in Melbourne is excellent so I think the problem here is that it was your second night out so you didn't know where to go. Believe me, at 1am on a Thursday night there will be a huge amount of bars open.

Nah Traq, it was the whole ethos really, I was in another couple boozers too one with stuffed giraffes?. All the pubs I was in In Melbs have these arty bohemian type barmen which is absolutely fine by me only they were swanning around the place as if working behind a bar required a Phd in Food Science!.

As I was saying one guy threw us out for having an opinion, in one bar I asked for a rum and coke and the barman gave me the history of rum and explained to me that coke was never supposed to go with white rum in the first place and why. Like STFU and gimme me drink will ya!!

BUT the best one was that place with the giraffes and the barman trying to explain to us that he wasn't a barman, he works in the "hospitality" industry and that there is a lot more to it than just serving drinks and we wouldn't understand!.

Fcuk that like!. Maybe I was just unlucky, but I just found the whole experience pretentious. Sydney's just not like that, sure there are the hobnob bars but 90% of them you can enjoy a drink in and have the craic.

boredatwork82

Thinking about heading off to New Zealand.
Is there many jobs in NZ at the minute or has it been hit by the global economic crisis.

By the way, I will be a qualified accountant and my friend is a van driver.
We'd be planning on heading over when the rugby season is over here, March/April.

Fill the void in the New Zealand propping department!

Any opinions welcome.

Mellor

Feelgood, it was prob just the bars you were going to, there are plenty of those knobhead bards in sydney (I do agree that Sydney>Mel though )
Next time have a few in Pint on Punt, The Elephant and Wheelbarrow etc and see how many arty arsehole barmen you find

Mellor

So, its the world biggest, and best retirement village.
Thanks for the heads up.

Adelaide, that's a place that's neglected. I'd love to go, but only because nobody else does

jonnybravo

boredatwork82 wrote: »

Thinking about heading off to New Zealand.
Is there many jobs in NZ at the minute or has it been hit by the global economic crisis.

By the way, I will be a qualified accountant and my friend is a van driver.
We'd be planning on heading over when the rugby season is over here, March/April.

Fill the void in the New Zealand propping department!

Any opinions welcome.

I'm a qualified accountant and working in Auckland at the moment. Took me about a month to get a job and I was even lucky to get one at that. There didn't seem to be a whole pile around except lots of auditing jobs. Trying to get the recruitment agents to put you forward for them is probably one of the hardest parts. I was willing to do AP processing jobs etc etc but they wouldn't put me forward for them.

Suppose alot depends on what kinda of experience you have and what your willing to do. Take a look at Seek - thats the main jobs site over here.

BurritoQueen

Has anyone shipped overseas using an NCO (non refrigerated container)? Is it better/wiser to use a professional moving company OR can one pack a container, insure all to the sky and then ship? Is it true Lloyds of London (& others) have a max. coverage of £500 per 'package' and they consider a 'container' a 'package'? Finally has anyone shipped their car along with their furniture? We've a 2008 Kia Sportage paid off but wondering value of bringing it w/us verus buying. Thanks for ANY snipetts of help at all!

sar23

Heya!

Got my WHV and am planning on heading out to Melbourne at the end of Jan/start of Feb, just wondering what the work situation is like over there at that time of year as they'll be heading into Autumn down there? will mainly be looking for cafe/restaraunt/bar/retail/clerical jobs..basically anything that will keep things going!

Appreciate any info as I am getting slightly worried because this is the only time I can go, I cant put it off until June/July, and am afraid i'll end up jobless!!!?! :0

Thank you!!

Zambia

We can all end up jobless... bring a bit of cash to tide you over. You should be fine

The Aussie

sar23 wrote: »

Heya!
will mainly be looking for cafe/restaraunt/bar/retail/clerical jobs..basically anything that will keep things going!

Appreciate any info as I am getting slightly worried

As long as you are willing to take on any job you will be fine, im still of the opinion that the people who struggle are the ones who think that a job is below them. if you have to get your regional work out of the way early if your thinking about 2 years, there is a few months of work for you.

The only thing i would get worried about is going from 4 degrees to anything into the high 30's with white skin:D

Zambia

Like it is in North Melbourne today. I swear I saw a ginger ninja burst into flames earlier...

tibor_imo

lol at people saying the nightlife in Melbourne is poor. There's something on every night of the week, great club scene and always somewhere open no matter what time (Can't believe you couldn't find somewhere open at 1am on a Thursday).

I think a lot of bouncers in the Backpackery areas are wary of Irish lads due to most of them being inbred hicks who like wrecking ****, just don't act the dick and you should be fine.

Do a bit of research, pick up beat magazine or get on their website to see whats going on around the city and don't limit yourself to ****holes like the elephant! Theres plenty of other places to go, wander the lanes off Bourke st, go down Chapel st etc etc etc

Cliffs: Melbourne is banging imo

Rebel Boy

I'm in Sydney at the moment. Searching like mad for work the past 2 days. Hopefully will pick up something soon. I know its high season here but didn't think it would be any where as near as expensive as it is. Would Brisbane be cheaper does anyone know? Might consider going back 2 Melbourne if I can't get work here.

mandrake04

Rebel Boy wrote: »

I'm in Sydney at the moment. Searching like mad for work the past 2 days. Hopefully will pick up something soon. I know its high season here but didn't think it would be any where as near as expensive as it is. Would Brisbane be cheaper does anyone know? Might consider going back 2 Melbourne if I can't get work here.

Well whats your trade?

Rebel Boy

mandrake04 wrote: »

Well whats your trade?

Well my strong point is Retail work or Call centre work. Have worked in Retail for almost 4 years before I came out here. Decided to leave Ireland because I wanted to see the world while I'm still young enough.

mandrake04

Rebel Boy wrote: »

Well my strong point is Retail work or Call centre work. Have worked in Retail for almost 4 years before I came out here. Decided to leave Ireland because I wanted to see the world while I'm still young enough.

Well can you operate a shovel? I can't get you a job but I point you to a pub where a lot of Irish bosses hang out... you can go and ask around yourself although it's a silly time if the year looking for work.

I'll pm you later with details if I am on the PC ... This iPhone is playing up.