Oz trip planned for 2017

Australia won out over the Netherlands when it came to popping my travel cherry lol. I would have done it this year but have too much crap on my plate, ha. I've been reading up on Melbourne lately and I've decided that it'll be my destination. I'll try and stretch it to two weeks, ten days at least. I have a year to make up an itinerary but seeing as how I have to get there first, I guess that air-fair would be a priority...early reservations must be cheaper, right? :smt042 Looks like I'm finally getting my ass overseas!

 

Take some photos Westie and hope you can see Tarsh soon.

 

Have a safe and great time. Qantas airlines has non-stop flights from San Francisco to Australia. Among the items you should take with you at all times are a first aid kit and a flashlight with batteries. And a pair of binoculars, they don't have to be huge like 10x 50. 8x50 is better.

 

Best of luck with the trip!

 

Damn that's pretty cool to know!!! Some of my friends just moved over there. Lucky things.

 

San Francisco is pretty expensive to live in. I can imagine the cost of auto insurance, too. And yes, there's much to see and do there.

 

Yeah it does seem expensive I was looking up apartments there and they were very expensive. Beautiful spot though. What part of America is most affordable to live?

 

Homestead is small but affordable. Apartments are being built up and a medical campus is in the planning stages. The bitch about the apartment situation is the waiting list.

North Florida is reasonable...if you're living away from town in the sticks. Interracial dating and marriage is tolerated but it's frowned upon by older adults and it is said that the Ku Klux Klan is operating somewhere in the area.

Anywhere away from the larger cities and towns becomes reasonable. But it may be in a flood zone or an area where tornadoes pass through.

Jobs are another issue. Most people commute to another city 30-45 miles away from home. A professional career is really helpful in paying the rent and other bills.

 

You picked the best city. But it's important you define what your interest are. Melbourne is very cosmopolitan..its like Paris and a hint of NY. Rated #1 city in the world many times..world class restaurants..but what do you want to do?...depending on your desires, lots of off the radar things that you can be briefed on. Can you also give your approx budget and age range. (or pm it) Are you going alone? Do you have contacts there?

 

San Francisco is my home town, and yes it's very scenic if you can disregard the tons of homeless there. I currently live not from it in San Jose. Things have changed in the entire Bay Area drastically...more and more natives are being priced out of the area. The median SF home value is now just over $1 million. Crazy af, isn't it? :smt107 The main problem stems from high demand and low supply, and lack of real estate since SF sits on a peninsula. Myself, I'm eyeing Sacramento (if I choose to remain in California). More and more Bay Area folk are relocating to the central valley, but at least there's space for developers. Houses are going up left and right up there lol.

Becca, as for your question, it depends on what you want. City or country living? If I decide to leave Cali altogether I'd look at the east coast or the south, since my folks are from Georgia.

 

I did hear about the abundance of homeless people. That's really sad. I was blown away seeing the amount of homeless people in New York. Not really something i'm used to seeing so it was definitely an eye opener. Wow! That really insane!!!!!! Same over here tho with the big cities apartments go for the same rediculous price! It certainly is a picturesque spot. I hope to see it next year. I remember how beautiful the countryside was in Nashville thought I could easily live there. I think I'd ideally be interested in the best of both worlds.

 

Hey you are not far from me, I'm from Monterey and plan to head out there for my birthday around may. When are you planning on going?

 

How bloody exciting for you!

Melbs is beautiful and as Blissimo has said, very cosmopolitan and has won the worlds most liveable city award, 5 or 6 years in a row.
Dont worry about a flashlight...our city is powered with electricity.
What do you want to see and what time of year? The State of Victoria isd a big one and theres always something happening. We love our food, wine, fashion, sport, music and festivals. Also, remember that our season's are opposite, so I'm in spring at the moment.

 

Westie,I hope you get great photos in Oz in the future.