Hey anons. I have never been out of the United States and this summer I am going to the land down under. Specifically, Melbourne, Victoria.
Any advice on how to do this with a budget in mind?
Any tips on how to travel more cheaply?
Been looking into hostels.. but I have a bit of social anxiety.
Thanks/trv/.
Melbournian here. I can't give much advice on travel seeing as I've never needed to stay in a hotel or anything, but I'm happy to answer any other questions you might have.
>>1071880
Honestly the only bad thing about Australia is Australians. Incredible nature, breathtaking scenery, incredible beaches and big beautiful clear skies. What will amaze and astound you, they consider pests. If you like wildlife prepare to have your mind blown.
The people however are unfathomably stupid, violently aggressive, boneheadedly arrogant, and thick as all get out. You'll have an incredibly difficult time to find anyone who can speak or reason beyond a third grade level. Add some ridiculous slang to the mix ("cunt" can be positive or negative for instance) and ugly koi fish tattoos everywhere, and you have the general picture of aussies. Imagine American dudebros in lifted trucks x1000.
However, you'll never meet them because you'll be stuck on the tourist tract. They call it "backpackers" but you're just tourists. Maybe a little younger. You'll shuffle around to various bars and hostels, meeting obnoxious Brits and humorless aspergian Germans all convinced they're doing something unique and grand. You'll get bilked into stupid "pub crawls" and "bus tours" where you'll be wrung dry and shuttled around with the other Germans and brits. When you go broke, you'll call your mom for help and get another grand to piss away on dumb drinking activities. Some people get jobs fruit picking where they and other Germans and brits will work for half the wage that an Australian would get, others get suckered into "wwoofing" where you literally don't get paid.
You'll get laid two or three times and come back broke, a few kilo lighter, indebted and you can tell all the bumpkins in flyover America what an exotic, mind blowing, completely original and unique time you had down there, and they'll believe it...
Until they go.
>>1071983
Melbourne guy here. You basically summed up what I hate about my own country, which amuses me because I can list the same sort of obnoxious shit about other countries.
Melbourne is a lot better than any of the other major cities for this reason, a lot less bogans if you stay away from the shitty suburbs.
>>1071983
haha fuck off cunt
>>1071919
What are some fun things to do there without them involving pubs?
Any national parks nearby?
>>1071983
>The people however are unfathomably stupid, violently aggressive, boneheadedly arrogant, and thick as all get out.
Confirmed for never having left the tourist trail or associated with Australians who don't drink in backpacker bars or pick fruit for a living. Run along now kid.
>>1071989
Being aggressive And thick are we?
>>1072002
Yes, that is plainly what I'm doing.
>>1071988
Closest national park to Melbourne is the King Lake national park. King Lake is a pretty little town.
What are some of your interests? Melbourne has a lot of sites. Melbourne Zoo comes to mind. Lunar Park. The Melbourne Musesum. Immigration Museum. China town if you like Chinese food. Maybe go to Eureka Tower for the southern hemispheres tallest sky deck. The Royal Botanical Gardens and the war museum are nifty too.
Are you interested in maybe doing day tours around the rest of Victoria?
>>1071983
>However, you'll never meet them because you'll be stuck on the tourist tract.
So why are you talking about it?
How did your arse get this blasted?
>>1072032
Wow! There's so much to do...
I'm going to visit my friend, t b h. I'm so excited! I just wanted to really make sure to plan ahead of time. Going to go in August to avoid the heavy heat.
I'm big into nature so this was incredibly helpful to me. Thank you so much!
I also like coffee and art. Any good galleries or museums?
I'm so glad you came on this thread, Anon.
>>1071880
Avoid the abbos.
>>1071983
>being this asshurt coz the aussies didnt like you
>>1072168
Abbos?
>>1072163
If you're willing to travel out a little but, consider Healesville sanctuary, it's an Australian wildlife zoo outside Melbourne. Also consider the werribee zoo. Like I said, Melbourne Zoo and the Botanical Gardens are lovely.
As for art and coffee, Melbourne is the perfect place for you. Craft Beer and Coffees are the two things we are never short of here. Consider looking on Zomato for coffee places.
As for art, I admit I'm not an expert but if you look up art galleries in Melbourne and the like, you'll find plenty. Melbourne is consider cultural capital of the country.
>>1072212
Aboriginal Australians. You won't meet many in Melbourne. Generally they are poor and the things that go with that. I don't want to get involved with racism in this thread, but as an American I'm sure you're familiar with drunken native stereotypes and poor black stereotypes.
>>1071983
> i went to australia one time and it was too hot and the taxi driver didn't say thanks so therefore the whole country is shit.
Fuck off mate, we'll be nice if you'll stop being such an buthurt assblasted american.
>>1071880
prostitutes are legal. go ham
>>1072520
>american comes to my country
>decide to be his m8, call him a cunt
>starts bitching behind my back about how shit my country is
Fucking Americans are so ungrateful
>>1071880
>never been outside of the states
>first place you want to go to is fucking australia
Trust me anon. Go to europe or asia. Somewhere where you dont have everyone around you that speak english
>>1072548
Wait. Really? I definitely will learn different phrases in other languages to travel in other countries but.. I guess I just wanted to go to an english speaking country first. See how it goes.
>>1072507
I know this sounds like a tumblrite thing but Melbourne seemed the safest for traveling alone as a female.
Is it? Or am I just being an idiot?
And thanks! I'm definitely excited about it. But I dont want to go on a tour or anything. I just want to gain my own experience from it.
I know I sound like a contradiction but I really have to do this for myself.
>>1072664
You'll always get one Real Traveler™ fag who got lost from the Japan General. Ignore this nerd, >>1071983
Is right about Australia but that doesn't mean you have to go tour northern Uzbekistan by horseback to get the travel experience.
What do you know about New Zealand? It does have a tourist track but its like Australia with 100x nicer and more intelligent people. It's also way way cheaper.
>>1072677
>its like Australia with 100x nicer and more intelligent people
>mfw people who have obviously not travelled enough to realise people are basically the same everywhere still insist on giving advice
>>1072678
There are different societal norms. For instance, the Australian societal norm is to show up somewhere dressed head to toe in ricurl and billabong , $300 douchebag sunglasses, and proceed to be steaming drunk, shirtless, dancing on the table, calling random people cunts, being racist, throwing punches, and trying to jump girls bones by 7:30.
>>1072032
Dandenong Ranges is closer than Kinglake and it's easily accessible from the Belgrave train line.
Please provide accurate information on my fine city from now on madarchod.
>>1072665
MELBOURNE
E
L
B
O
U
R
N
E
>>1072665
Melbourne is in general very safe, assuming you avoid certain suburbs which I doubt you'd go to anyway. Obviously watch out for danger signs and all that, but it's probably safer than a lot of major American cities desu.
>>1072684
Yeah, we're talking about Melbourne not western Sydney.
>>1072729
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinglake,_Victoria#Attractions
>>1072731
Also this
first thing to do is find a pub. go in and find the dude with twelve upside down glasses. I'd wager he'll give you his wallet if you ask
>>1072806
This might actually work because the dude's so drunk.
>>1072684
Societal norms have nothing to do with intelligence. And you are just confirming that you never left the tourist trail as you are describing people who travel within their country with the sole purpose of getting wasted, fucking Euro sluts and picking fruit to get by. It would be literally impossible to find that kind of behaviour in most places.
>>1072806
Idk if i could do that t b q h. I'd feel bad. Plus, I don't really drink.
>>1072799
Okay nice. Thank you, f a m! You have been so helpful!
>>1072677
My father went to New Zealand in 2006 and i was enamored by the pictures of it. I might stop by, if i have the extra cash, and explore.
Told me about the locals and all. So beautiful.
>>1071880
I'm a Melbournian, and like a lot of us cunts, I love this place, but seriously you only need to spend a weekend here. There's plenty of good bars and restaurants but if you're not into that, then you can see all the main things in a few days.
If you're going to be here a while, you should get a car and go out and see what the rest of the state has to offer. Here's some suggestions; The Grampians, Phillip Island, Wilson's Prom, Bright, Beechworth.
As for doing things cheaply..stay in hostels, don't drink the booze and don't eat out. We have adequate public transport across the whole state, so doing that would be cheaper than hiring a car.
>>1072665
Safe for women, yes.
Not as safe for guys.
>>1073023
Other Melbournian guy here again.
I agree with this guys that you should definitely check out the rest of the state, he made some great suggestions.
>>1073029
Oh, and if you make any other tourist friends, consider splitting the cost for such things. Probably better to do so with other girls of course.
>>1071880
don't go to frankston m8
you are now aware that our summer is Australia's winter.
>>1073292
Oh yeah, on this note
Melbourne weather is notoriously volatile. I take this for granted as I'm the sort of person who checks the weather on my phone multiple times a day. Apparently in other countries you just look out the window and make up your mind from there. Just the other week we went from a 42 degree day to a 17 degree day with the rain in a 24 hour period. So keep that in mind.
>>1073309
I always thought this was normal, until I went around the world and discovered that most people just have the same weather week in week out. Pretty weird.
>>1073245
How do you know it's a nice area?
t. Melbournian
Do Luna Park Melbourne!
As an amusement park enthusiast, I can tell just by looking at it that it's a real treasure. It's extremely rare for a park to not only be open for over a 100 years, but also hold on to that historic charm. Its main roller coaster encircling the park opened when the park opened, and is actually the 2nd-oldest working roller coaster on Earth. It also has a century-old carousel from an American company, and is the only example of a carousel built by that company to be sold outside the US. Rare on top of rare on top of more rare.
Also, one of the best heritage railways (a.k.a. old-timey steam train rides) in Australia is located in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne in Belgrave. It's called the Puffing Billy Railway, it was first opened in 1899, and has around 9 working steam locomotives, which is a very high number for any steam railway these days.
>>1073334
On average the min is around 6ish and the max is around 17ish.
The minimum (including over night) shouldn't go below 0 unless its freaky cold. Max rarely goes below 10 desu.
I'm not sure where you're from in the US, I imagine if you're from the north you'll be fine, but if you are from a warmer climate it might throw you a bit.
>>1073382
Derp, just reread your post and realised you are from NJ. You should be fine. Only downside is it will probably over cast most of the time, but that's not so bad. Better than unbearable heat imho.
>>1073309
I moved house on the 42 degree day (wednesday, right?). It was all planned ahead and I couldn't change it.. Almost died.
>>1073364
Luna Park is fucking shit, mate.
UK backpacker here, currently living in a house share in St Kilda. Nice city, hard to make friends I find. Been to the Gaol, was cool. is moun Dandenong worth doing?
>>1071983
This guy is talking about bogans and uneducated trash. They exist in every country. Stay away from them. Melbourne is a particularly cool city and part of it's cool is that the best stuff is kept out of view / isn't advertised. People value understatement. If you make an effort, you can find this stuff.
Also, if you're so naive and nervous about traveling, you'll probably be just fine with the backpacker circuit of party hostels and organized events. It's very easy to pass time and meet other people, though personally I think that stuff is pretty dull.
If you want to have a really good experience, do something like take up bushwalking (hiking seriously). From Melbourne, you can do great walks in Wilson's Prom, the Grampians, and the high country. Learn to be independent and to understand the sounds, smells, and colors of wilderness areas. Explore Tasmania a lot. Work with a wildlife refuge for a while. Volunteer in an Indigenous community. Learn to surf. Maybe even buy an old van and explore the surf areas from Eden to Torquay. Get insanely fit by running and hiking a lot. Read plenty of Australian literature in your spare time (try all the novels of Patrick White, Peter Carey, David Malouf, and Miles Franklin, for starters).
Don't drink much at all. The beer is overpriced (though sometimes tasty from the small breweries). Never drink spirits (the tax levels are insane). Wine is your best option, though not at restaurants. Eat ethnic food (it's always the cheapest). And most of all, see if you can travel without being a tourist. It's tough and most people fail at this, mainly because we get lonely and isolated, so gravitate towards the easiest consolation we can find, which is usually alcohol, parties, and similarly confused tourists. Good luck and have a blast!
>>1073023
Also, since you like coffee and art, you'll find there is a lot to explore in Melbourne. Definitely go to Heide (a former artist's colony where a modern approach to Australian landscape painting was basically invented. Also, they had a lot of sex there). The National Gallery is worth a few days of serious studies. It has the best collections of old masters in Australia (important Rembrandt and Poussin, for example). Visit the Melbourne Museum especially for the Indigenous stuff. And the Ian Potter Gallery is worth a couple of days of serious study too (and I'd recommend reading Robert Hughes's The Art of Australia. It's a great narrative and he was a tremendous writer). Try some galleries on Brunswick St for contemporary stuff for sale too. For coffee, mostly hang out in the inner northern suburbs (Fitzroy, Carlton, Brunswick).
>>1072163
>I also like coffee and art.
Melbourne is the city for you.
Best coffee in the world.
Plenty of music, art, and culture.
>>1071983
>not going to backpacker bars and picking up drunk foreigners who are keen to try some local cuisine
That being said, I'd avoid spending a lot of time in big cities and probably hire or buy a vehicle and do a road trip to see some of actual Australia
>>1071880
Let me give you some advice OP and don't listen to what >>1071983 said or others are saying
Australia is great but like every country has its cons, if you're going to be in Melbourne and not see other cities and states you won't get a real Australia experience, Melbourne is just like any world city 3m+ people with noticeable populations of Africans Asians Indians and all kinds of European people (white) and Aussies. So if you want to know what real Australia is like best to see as much of the country as possible. Real Aussies are pretty laid back and like a good laugh at others expense or at themselves.
Enjoy your stay!
>>1073701
>if you're going to be in Melbourne and not see other cities and states you won't get a real Australia experience
Yeah, you haven't seen "real" Australia until you've ridden a XXXX powered kangaroo across the Nullarboor right?
I've been through every state and territory of Australia and Melbourne is as good a place to start as any, it's a great city.
>>1073701
Imho Melbourne is different to other Australian cities. More cultured and intelligent people, as a very broad generalisation. Of course like any city in the world we have our fair percentage of morons.
Also
>wanting to me real aussies
With that attitude you might as well head up to Bendigo and protest a mosque or somethi
>>1071983
Actually Australia sounds boring to most flyover midwesterners as it is. Every being a homer you have to admit this kid can literally go anywhere in the world so what does he do he goes to another boring ass canada of a country instead of somewhere more challenging and different from where he is from.
>>1073350
I've been chatting with someone that lives there for a couple of months. ... uhm. Is... is it not?
>>1073364
I'll take a look into it, thanks!
>>1073382
>>1073383
Yeah that's what I was thinking lol. I'm used to unpredictable climate but not used to Australia heat. I thought about it and knew I wouldn't be able to handle it, lel. Thanks for the info!
>>1073471
Woah. That's the kind of stuff I was looking for! Yeah, i dont get lonely very often so, tbqh, I'd rather not deal with other tourists and travellers. Luckily, I've got a friend that lives in Melbourne to show me around.
Plus, I'll only be there for 4 or 5 days maybe? Wish I could do all the stuff you're talking about. I love hiking.
>>1073477
Screen shot this post. Will definitely try and get to at least one of these places!
Thanks!
>>1073630
That's what I've been hearing. I'm pretty excited!
>>1073701
I definitely will travel there again one day. There's so much to do! Tho, I've got my years planned out with travel, now. Tired of not getting out there and doing things.
Thanks!
