OS Advice now EK's Canada trip log

Need a hand with a home project, how to fix that bloody roof leak, hang a door etc...
User avatar
Exar Kun
Sensible Mick
Posts: 11324
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 4:46 pm
Location: Canberra

OS Advice now EK's Canada trip log

Post by Exar Kun »

Hey all - I'm lucky enough to be heading overseas a couple of times in the next few months and since this will be the first time I've done so since my one and only trip with my parents in my teens, I thought I would ask a few general questions.

I'm off to Auckland in mid May for a work conference (all paid for by work - score!) and then to Vancouver in July for 3 weeks also for a conference but am sneaking a holiday in there too. I actually won the trip to Vancouver for the North American version of the same conference all expenses paid but decided to make the most of it and bring Giselle and extend our stay.

- What's the best way to deal with money? I'd prefer not to be carrying around huge wads of cash and I'd assume traveller's cheques aren't the done thing anymore. Do people use pre-paid Visa cards or what?

- What do you do with your phones? I'm on Telstra and obviously don't want to deal with huge roaming charges but also want to be able to text and call home and maybe use the 'net sometimes.

- Anyone else been to Auckland or Vancouver lately? Suggestions for what to do? I'll also be dropping by Seattle for a few days whilst in NA so hints there.

- Any general suggestions for flying & travelling overseas? I'll be Qantas for New Zealand and Air Canada for the other trip. The Air Canada one should have built in TVs and stuff I guess?

One of the biggest issues for me will be following F1 when I'm in America. I'll be there for two races and I haven't missed an F1 race in 15 years so wouldn't like to start now. I guess I'll just have to hope I can get decent internet and follow it on my laptop as I'm not sure what the deal will be with TV coverage.
Last edited by Exar Kun on Sun Jun 30, 2013 2:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
"If we can hit that bull's-eye, the rest of the dominoes will fall like a house of cards. Checkmate!"
User avatar
Vilante
Master artist
Master artist
Posts: 9336
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2006 9:32 am
Location: Sydney - Australia

Re: Travelling OS - General Advice

Post by Vilante »

Exar Kun wrote:- What's the best way to deal with money? I'd prefer not to be carrying around huge wads of cash and I'd assume traveller's cheques aren't the done thing anymore. Do people use pre-paid Visa cards or what?
The couple of times I've been I've used a Commbank Travelcard. It's like a normal Master Card but is separate to all of your other accounts. They give you 2 cards so if you lose one you have a backup. There are several major currencies supported and you don't get charged for your initial deposit. Cash withdrawals attract a very small (if not free, can't remember) fee and the fee for topping it up and withdrawing are smaller than many other forms of exchange. Worth checking out.

Exar Kun wrote:- Any general suggestions for flying & travelling overseas? I'll be Qantas for New Zealand and Air Canada for the other trip. The Air Canada one should have built in TVs and stuff
You should be able to find out about the entertainment and which flights they offer it on their websites but most should have some sort of TV in the back of the chair thing for decent length flights these days.
User avatar
r8response
Cry baby
Cry baby
Posts: 8565
Joined: Fri Dec 17, 2004 6:51 pm
Location: Sunshine Coast, QLD

Re: Travelling OS - General Advice

Post by r8response »

Exar Kun wrote:- What do you do with your phones? I'm on Telstra and obviously don't want to deal with huge roaming charges but also want to be able to text and call home and maybe use the 'net sometimes.
Buy a pre-paid sim whilst over there. Roaming charges aren't worth the trouble.
User avatar
Shaun
Posts: 3619
Joined: Fri Apr 29, 2005 9:24 pm
Location: Adelaide

Re: Travelling OS - General Advice

Post by Shaun »

Also did what Vil did with the Commbank Travelcard. Worked a treat could use it at ATMs in the USA aswell.
Hello :aussie:
User avatar
Exar Kun
Sensible Mick
Posts: 11324
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 4:46 pm
Location: Canberra

Re: Travelling OS - General Advice

Post by Exar Kun »

Thanks guys - had a quick look and it doesn't seem as though St George offer a similar product. Only the regular Visa debit which is a $5 fee everytime you need to get cash out!
"If we can hit that bull's-eye, the rest of the dominoes will fall like a house of cards. Checkmate!"
User avatar
r8response
Cry baby
Cry baby
Posts: 8565
Joined: Fri Dec 17, 2004 6:51 pm
Location: Sunshine Coast, QLD

Re: Travelling OS - General Advice

Post by r8response »

You could get the pre-paid visa from the post office. They can be loaded up to a maximum of $1000 and have a bunch of security crap to go along with them.
wabbit
Posts: 3348
Joined: Mon Oct 24, 2005 6:36 pm
Location: Brisbane

Re: Travelling OS - General Advice

Post by wabbit »

I just went to India for 2 weeks. As for money I used a Cash Passport (just a master card really), chuck on what you want and can load separate currencies ahead of time. Come top up use just Paypal or transfer from your own bank account. That can take upto 3 workings days so plan ahead in that regard.

For the phone I planned on using a prepaid sim but once there I couldn't be stuffed and used Wifi for those needs.
ysu
Smooth Lubricator.
Posts: 12070
Joined: Sun Jun 26, 2005 7:48 pm
Location: The wet central coast

Re: Travelling OS - General Advice

Post by ysu »

for money:
28 degrees mastercard
http://www.28degreescard.com.au/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

get it online, very good rates, apparently close to the xe.com rate(!) and no fees for transations or exchanges. This is what I'm using - currently in hungary :)
it's better than pre-charged cards, as you don't risk your own money.
( just dont' forget to pay up after the 50 days - it has pretty darn high rates for long term credit )

I'd also take some cash, it's still the best way to deal with incidentals & as a backup.

Phone: get a local sim card if you're there long enough - otherwise roaming (yes it costs a lot, but if it's important to be contactable and to be failsafe...)
Surprise, no sig. Now there is. Or is there?
User avatar
DexterPunk
Busted ARSE
Posts: 15218
Joined: Thu Apr 21, 2005 11:18 pm
Location: SE Suburbs, Melbourne
Contact:

Re: Travelling OS - General Advice

Post by DexterPunk »

For money is suggest a credit debit card (sounds like you might need to use a different bank) and get yourself a credit card for emergencies. I made sure the credit debit and credit cards were different. A MasterCard and a VISA. Get yourself some cash ($500 or so) organised with your local bank before you go... You often need a week or so to order the money. Don't get all large bills, you're going to need plenty of small bills for tipping, and if you want a bottle of water somewhere, they may not want $50 notes.

Get a slim traveler bum bag style thing that straps around you. They are thin enough they can be worn under a tshirt and not seen. You're not really going anywhere dodgy, but you wanna be on the cautious side when traveling, especially with your passport and cards. All that can be stored in that bum bag thing. You can get those at Kathmandu etc.

Photocopy your passport and ID etc (it's also a good idea to bring your drivers license as a second form of ID). Leave photo copies in your bags as well as back home with someone.

Take photos on your phone of your bags, if they get lost, you have actual images of them to show rather than a vague description. Keep essential items you can't be without in your carryon in case bags are lost. Buy anti tamper cable ties instead of locks. US etc and possibly Canada will cut locks off your bags. The tamper ties have a receipt thing so you can tell customs if your bag has been opened and show them the receipt tag.

You can often select your seats on a plane long in advance. Check out seatguru.com and find out exactly what planes you're going to be on. Seatguru gives great tips on the best places to book on all planes.

For international flights get to the airport well in advance, usually 3 hours before your departure time. The wait can be annoying but trust me you don't want to be held up in some massive cue somewhere and feel the stress of not knowing if you're going to make a flight.

You will be fine but it's good to be over prepared. Remember that almost everything can be 'fixed', the most important thing is your money and access to money and your passport.

If you need to buy anything for overseas remember that you can claim back your GST if its something purchased within 30 days of travel and over $300. You need to get the retailer to add your details to the receipt.

Not sure if any of this is helpful, but just a few things that came to mind. If you have any questions give me a yell, I have quite a bit of recent experience.




Sent from Han Solo using TK-421's phone.
User avatar
durbster
The Whack Wasp Warrior
Posts: 5219
Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2005 8:29 am
Location: Nottingham, Mother England

Re: Travelling OS - General Advice

Post by durbster »

You can buy luggage locks for the US that have a special key for the customs officers to use, so get one that's TSA approved.

If you use another lock they'll just break it. We had one of our cases searched on the way back from the States last year and the lock was put back on so they do work.

We also put copies of our passports and documents online somewhere, such as Dropbox or even in a draft email if you use something like Gmail. Never needed it but it's a handy backup that can't be nicked or lost.
User avatar
Exar Kun
Sensible Mick
Posts: 11324
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 4:46 pm
Location: Canberra

Re: Travelling OS - General Advice

Post by Exar Kun »

Lots of handy tips for stuff I hadn't even thought of. Thanks heaps guys. Will check out those cards and get copies of my documents online and with people.
"If we can hit that bull's-eye, the rest of the dominoes will fall like a house of cards. Checkmate!"
9ra55h0ppaH
Master artist
Master artist
Posts: 1032
Joined: Tue Dec 14, 2004 12:26 pm
Contact:

Re: Travelling OS - General Advice

Post by 9ra55h0ppaH »

My parents found most hotels & cafe's to have free WiFi, so internet access shouldn't be too difficult...

worst case scenario, find the closest Maccas!
Now with Added Flickr
nutty
Spam King
Spam King
Posts: 5800
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2005 11:43 am
Location: Brisvegas

Re: Travelling OS - General Advice

Post by nutty »

Just shop around for your travel cards, most have SHIT rates.. On my US trip I lost ~400 USD just on poor conversion rate..

Also, with America/NZ dont be afraid to carry around cash too, when I go to NZ most times I get most of the money I would need converted in Australia and carry around $500 cash (tho I only do short trips for work)

While its off topic, for Bali/Thailand I basically go over with as much AUD as I need, then get it changed there.. way better rates
nutty
Spam King
Spam King
Posts: 5800
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2005 11:43 am
Location: Brisvegas

Re: Travelling OS - General Advice

Post by nutty »

9ra55h0ppaH wrote:My parents found most hotels & cafe's to have free WiFi, so internet access shouldn't be too difficult...

worst case scenario, find the closest Maccas!
Thats 100% the case in America, most hotels/shops/coffee places all have free wifi, NZ is about the opposite.. I end up spending ~$20 a night for wifi when im over for work.. its a joke.

Recently I started using Vodafone NZ "ipad" simcards for $20 for 2gb that I get most times and throw into my phone and use viber to call home..
User avatar
durbster
The Whack Wasp Warrior
Posts: 5219
Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2005 8:29 am
Location: Nottingham, Mother England

Re: Travelling OS - General Advice

Post by durbster »

Yeah we only used free wifi in the US. Most of the hotels had it and where they didn't, we'd just pop into a coffee shop or somewhere.
User avatar
DexterPunk
Busted ARSE
Posts: 15218
Joined: Thu Apr 21, 2005 11:18 pm
Location: SE Suburbs, Melbourne
Contact:

Re: Travelling OS - General Advice

Post by DexterPunk »

Wow... I'm amazed NZ doesn't provide it. Even the poorest and most basic places I've been had wifi lol. Apart from places like the amazon of course.


Sent from Han Solo using TK-421's phone.
nutty
Spam King
Spam King
Posts: 5800
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2005 11:43 am
Location: Brisvegas

Re: Travelling OS - General Advice

Post by nutty »

Internet in NZ is quite expensive, I mean most Hotels in Australia charge for it too.. its a fking sham
User avatar
durbster
The Whack Wasp Warrior
Posts: 5219
Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2005 8:29 am
Location: Nottingham, Mother England

Re: Travelling OS - General Advice

Post by durbster »

The UK is rubbish for that too. You sometimes get 15 minutes free or something but I haven't stayed in many places where it's completely free.

Mind you, I don't stay in hotels very often so I might have just been unlucky :)
User avatar
Exar Kun
Sensible Mick
Posts: 11324
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 4:46 pm
Location: Canberra

Re: Travelling OS - General Advice

Post by Exar Kun »

So what's the deal with taking bottled drinks on board international flights these days? I know there's a 100ml or less thing but does that only apply to what goes through security? ie - can you buy a bottle of coke or something in the departure lounge and take it on the plane?

I'll be on a plane to NZ in 5 days. Exciting for someone like me that has barely travelled at all. I've never even left the eastern mainland besides the one trip to the states a long time ago. :tilt:
"If we can hit that bull's-eye, the rest of the dominoes will fall like a house of cards. Checkmate!"
User avatar
DexterPunk
Busted ARSE
Posts: 15218
Joined: Thu Apr 21, 2005 11:18 pm
Location: SE Suburbs, Melbourne
Contact:

Re: Travelling OS - General Advice

Post by DexterPunk »

Yeah you can grab a drink once you're through security and take it onto the plane.

You'd have to drink it before going through customs in NZ though.


Sent from Han Solo using TK-421's phone.
User avatar
durbster
The Whack Wasp Warrior
Posts: 5219
Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2005 8:29 am
Location: Nottingham, Mother England

Re: Travelling OS - General Advice

Post by durbster »

Will you get chance to see anything EK, or is it work, work, work?
User avatar
Exar Kun
Sensible Mick
Posts: 11324
Joined: Wed Dec 22, 2004 4:46 pm
Location: Canberra

Re: Travelling OS - General Advice

Post by Exar Kun »

Thanks Dex!

Pretty much work all the way, durbs. I get in at 3pm on Wednesday arvo and the conference kicks off Thursday morning, finishes Saturday night and I'm on the 8am flight on Sunday morning (my airport shuttle leaves at 4:30am!!). I plan to skive off one afternoon, however, just to walk around the city a bit and maybe find a present to bring home for the little man that's not a crappy airport thing.
"If we can hit that bull's-eye, the rest of the dominoes will fall like a house of cards. Checkmate!"
User avatar
DexterPunk
Busted ARSE
Posts: 15218
Joined: Thu Apr 21, 2005 11:18 pm
Location: SE Suburbs, Melbourne
Contact:

Re: Travelling OS - General Advice

Post by DexterPunk »

Hopefully you get to see a little bit. The airport in Aukland is nice, but I was stuck there for 7 hours. I was tempted to yell bomb just to escape the boredom.


Sent from Han Solo using TK-421's phone.
User avatar
durbster
The Whack Wasp Warrior
Posts: 5219
Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2005 8:29 am
Location: Nottingham, Mother England

Re: Travelling OS - General Advice

Post by durbster »

We only had a day in Auckland while we prepared to fly out so can't suggest anything to do. I think we just walked around down by the water, which isn't very exciting :)

And hello to all the secret service people who are now adding Dex to their watch list by the way. :wave2:
User avatar
DexterPunk
Busted ARSE
Posts: 15218
Joined: Thu Apr 21, 2005 11:18 pm
Location: SE Suburbs, Melbourne
Contact:

Re: Travelling OS - General Advice

Post by DexterPunk »

Haha /me waves.


Sent from Han Solo using TK-421's phone.
Post Reply