Lots of people want to travel to Australia, even if it was once in their lifetime. It’s an intriguing country and more than worth a visit!
You may think that going to Australia must be pretty expensive, as you have to travel around the world. It is, if you buy expensive air tickets and only stay in 4 or 5 star hotels. But you can also travel to Australia on a tight budget.
If you don’t want to lose a lot of time, you need to book a flight. But when you are careful you can book tickets that don’t cost too much. It all depends on experience and a bit of know-how of the business. I have traveled a lot already and always get my tickets for the lowest possible price (I even got them free, but that’s another story). One thing you should know is that you have to book very early, best up to a year in advance. Either you go directly to the website of an airline and there search for the cheapest fare, or you go to one of those sites which always offer cheaper tickets.
Connections is a company that always offers very cheap flights in the month of January. Another interesting fact to learn is that Cathay Pacific periodically auctions several hundred seats on New York and Los Angeles to Hong Kong runs. Another good strategy is to book the best-value, fully refundable, tickets well in advance, and then wait for a better opportunity to turn up. You then return the original tickets and go for the cheaper ones (either way, you’re assured to be leaving).
If you have enough time to spare – and that is what I’m planning to do, once I’m pensioned – is to look for a cargo ship that is going to sail to Australia. They often take on a couple of passengers, and it’s quite an experience. You have a nice cabin and share the meals with the captain and the other officers. You’ll see interesting places underway. You won’t feel exhausted on arrival because of the large time difference. There is no swimming pool or spa, but probably there is a place to work out on board. You’ll travel for instance from New York to Norfolk (VA), Savannah (GA) to Manzanillo in Panama, from there through the Panama Canal to Papeete (Tahiti), Nouméa (New Caledonia) to Brisbane (Australia) and finally Sydney. From Europe you could take a trip through the Suez Canal.
I can really recommend this trip on a cargo. My former neighbors have taken one, and from now on, they are totally devoted to traveling aboard cargo’s instead of cruise liners!
Once arrived in Sydney, you can easily find ways to also travel cheaply throughout the country. You can go on a bus tour or hire a camper (also to be recommended). And if you are even more adventurous (and young, I suppose) you can also go backpacking. It’s ideal for someone who has more time than money and you’ll see a great deal of the country doing it.
