After booking an initial three night stay at a Travelodge chain in the Docklands area - we began to realise that maybe we'd been a little ambitious.
Arriving in the midst of some freaky storm weather, the miserable, grey skies began to reflect our dampened spirits as we were on a bit of an anti-climax. I guess, a big part of the adventure is building up your expectations prior to your arrival. But, without a real plan - no permanent home, no job and not an awful lot of money behind you - the scale of what you've got yourself into begins to dawn on you.
The first day (Wednesday 7th) was spent tracking down a Medicare centre, where we could each apply for a Medicard - this is the Aussie's equivalent to our NHS access, it would seem. Waiting in line, along with a bunch of other travellers; expats and migrants, we were pleasantly surprised at the high level of service on offer; this was definitely not like the local benefits centre back home! After only an hour of waiting, this was all in order and we could even organise for this to be sent to our hotel.
Afterwards, we made our way to the Commonwealth bank, where we had set up bank accounts, prior to our arrival. All you need is the welcome letter they e-mail you, along with your ID and the cash card is ready to collect! Unlike home, they do not require proof of address and the whole process is super simple (providing you have a relevant visa granted.)
Health and banking = check
Accommodation = pending
Travelodge double room - $103 per night (not expensive in Melbourne CBD terms but extortionate on our budget - still, only a little more pricey than staying in a hostel.)
No comments:
Post a Comment