[Ozobssesed]

Hay there, wots going on wiv this site, no one seems to write on it anymore, well not in this section anyway....
um, well i'm in Oz, thanx for all the help in getting me set up etc etc, just wanned to know, how the hell do i go about meeting people here??
i'm in sydney, staying wiv a friend, but she works all day and its getting lonely, so apart from the obvious... get a job/book an activity, is there something i'm missing?

[Tim Uden]

Hey, It's good to see that you made it down here.

Staying with a friend is a great way to save money but it can be a lonely introduction to Australia. However staying in a hostel may cost you more and not be such nice accommodation but it is usually in an interesting part of town and you'll be staying with a bunch of other people in the same situation as yourself, after a few days you will have made loads of new friends and you'll have the time of your life.

My guess is that like most people in Sydney, your friend lives in a fairly boring suburb away from the beaches and the city centre. It's not such a great introduction to Australia. Visit somewhere like the city centre, an inner-city neighbourhood like Glebe or Paddington or one of the beaches each day until you get a job. Once you get a job you'll probably make a group of friends from work, although generally you will get on better with a group of other backpackers. Once you have found a job it would be a good idea to move into a hostel or a shared house with other backpackers.

If you have a job and have moved in with other backpackers and you're still not having fun then move to another city. Australia is a big country, but there is more to Australia than Sydney. Go to another big city like Melbourne, Brisbane or the Gold Coast and start over and see if it is more fun the second time around. Sydney is a great city but a lot depends on the bunch of people you're working and living with - if you don't have the right mix of people sometimes it's a good idea to try somewhere else.

[Ozobssesed]

Thanx a bunch! i think you are absolutely right! been meeting afew people off gumtree.com but i really gotta live wiv them, gonna book a 'learn to surf' camp, today, so cross fingures.

Also instead of me carrying around my passport for ID into clubs, i wanna get an international drivers licence, i heard they are around $30, but i have no clue where to go???

thanx again, this site has been a life saviour!

[Tim Uden]

Going to a learn to surf camp is a great idea. There is information on learn to surf courses on the BUG website and in the BUG Australia guidebook. Surf schools also advertise in backpacker magazines like TNT and British Balls.

An International Driving Permit is just a document that extends the time you can drive outside your home country before you need to apply for a local licence. It does not replace your existing licence and it has to be shown alongside your licence from home. You can get them from auto clubs - in NSW you will need to contact the NRMA (website www.nrma.com.au). You may need to apply through the AA or RAC back home - you should be able to download the appropriate forms from their websites (www.theaa.com or www.rac.co.uk) and apply by post.

I doubt that you would be able to use an International Driving Permit as ID at clubs and pubs. You would need photo ID such as a passport or a drivers licence with your photo (like an Australian licence).

It is possible to swap your current licence for an Australian licence, but this is generally not worth the trouble since you'll need to apply for a British licence again when you go home. I would probably just keep using your passport (unless you have a photo licence from the UK).