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The Ultimate Guide to Aussie Slang!

G’Day Mates!

If you are on your way to Australia, you probably know the basics of Aussie slang – basically, what g’day means! The Australian’s talk in a language all of there own, there is some slang that is recognisable to the UK but others just seem to come out of nowhere.

It isn’t all drongos and galahs, even if Neighbours and Home and Away  say it is. You can still call a toilet a toilet and not a dunny, no-one ever says ‘put another shrimp on the barbie’ unless they are foreign but you will hear ‘no worries’ a lot!

So, to give you a fair go when you get to Australia and so you can speak as the locals do, we’ll give you a rundown of some of the biggest words to watch for when you arrive Down Under!

Goon

You’ll get to know this about 20 minutes after you check into your first hostel in Australia. Goon is what you’ll be drinking for the next 12 months – goon is wine in a box. You’ll get used to the sight of the silver space bags no matter where you are in Australia – the wine is cheap, sometimes it tastes ok, and it certainly does the job!

Beware the goon hangover though and take this as your official warning….

Schooner/Midi/Pot

Another one you’ll figure out pretty quickly – if you turn up at a bar and order a pint, you may get a funny look. Pints aren’t readily available Down Under, some bars have them and some don’t but the schooner is the next best thing. It is a little smaller than a pint but a nice measure nonetheless.

This is where it gets a little more confusing! If you are in Victoria you may be asked if you want a pot –  a smaller glass that has no reason to be used with beer. Same as a middy in New South Wales, they are an almost pointless drink so I’d steer clear.

In Victoria, they also offer a glass, which is smaller than a pot and equally as pointless unless you just want a taste of beer rather than an actual drink of it. In Adelaide, they call a middy a schooner and a schooner a pint which makes very little sense but go with it if you are in South Australia and if all else fails just ask for the biggest glass they’ve got!

Anything with an “-o” on the end

Whether you are enjoying an avo (avocado) in the arvo (afternoon) because your a vego (vegetarian) or you need to pop to the bottle-o (bottle shop/where they sell booze) because the relos (relatives) are on their way round – if you stick an ‘o’ on the end of a word, you’re as Australian as they come!

Thongs

Simply put, thongs are flip-flops or sandals. If someone comments on your lovely thongs, they aren’t coming on to you or being inappropriate – they are just commenting on your shoes.

Fair Dinkum

Fair dinkum is a strange one but an awesome little Australian-ism! It basically means fair enough or can be used as a statement of shock. It is kind of a statement of truth, like saying “honestly,” or a way of saying “no way!” It’s tough to explain so I’ll give you some examples:

You: Did you know more than 85% of Australians live within 50kms of the coast?

Bruce The Aussie:  Fair Dinkum!?!

*

You: Bruce, are you lying to me?

Burce the Aussie: Fair Dinkum, I swear!

Just throw a couple into conversations with Aussies and see if they pick you up on it.

Esky

Not a native of the frozen tundra but an ice-box or a cooler – whatever you call them in your home nation. It keeps your beers cool during a hot Australian summer and is one of the signs of a true ‘Strayan!

Hard Yakka

This is Australian for hard work and if you are looking to do your farm work – get used to some good, hard yakka!

Jackaroo/Jillaroo

These will come up when you are looking into your regional work too. Basically, an Australian cowboy or cowgirl, a jack or jillaroo is a worker on an Australian cattle ranch. It is a pretty cool job that you’ll never get to do elsewhere unless you plan on making a career of cattle-mustering!

Bogan

A bogan is a bit of a bumpkin, a chav, a redneck – whatever the common phrase is in your home country. Not from the city, probably has a mullet and loves the phrase ‘un-Australian’ bogans aren’t the best and you probably won’t meet that many. Just be aware of it incase an Aussie calls you a bogan and you have to think of a suitable response.

Footy

Another more confusing one, footy has a fair few connotations depending on what state you are in and who you’re speaking to. In New South Wales, it means rugby league. The NRL is a big deal in New South Wales, 10 of the 16 teams are a drivable distance from Sydney with another team a little further afield in Newcastle so it is pretty much rugby league or bust in NSW!

In Victoria, footy is AFL or Australian Rules. AFL is a crazy sport that resembles nothing else in the world, played on a cricket pitch with a rugby-shaped ball and some rugby-like rules, 18 players run incredible distances during a game of 20 minute quarters with roll-on, roll-off substitutions. You kick points through two sets of goals (6 points down the middle, one either side) and have to bounce or kick the ball every 10 metres.

In some circles footy may also refer to rugby union but not all that often. Oh, if you are talking to a Brit, it means soccer. Got all that?!

Barrack For…

Another sport-related term, this means who do you support. Wherever you are going to settle in Australia, you have to pick a team! Whether you stay in Sydney and barrack for an NRL team or you’re in Victoria and it is all about the AFL for you, pick someone and go to a game!

Heaps

Australian’s love a good heaps, which just means lots of or loads. By the time you leave, you’ll be using heaps, well, heaps!

Bloody Oath

This is an alternative to the all too cliche ‘flamin’ right,’ and is a bit of an UltimateOz motto. If you ever head into our Sydney office see if one of our travel gurus will give you a demonstration….

What is your favourite Aussie slang? Anything we have missed that you’ve picked up during your travels in Australia? Let us know on Facebook or in the comments section below!

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Surf Camp is Back!

After a winter break, the good people at SurfCamp are opening their doors once again this week to give you the quintessential Australian experience!!

The water may still be a little brisk but it’s got nothing on the water in this clip as these insane surfers travel to the Arctic for a wave!

Yes, the freaking Arctic! They are in water that is just above freezing (not by much) and have to wear some seriously thick gear to survive the cold but the footage they get is awesome!!

The Aussie SurfCamp is a little more tame but still an amazing way to experience the coolest sport in the world.

Leaving from Sydney, you head south on a two hour, air-condition and comfortable coach for a week in the water! The surf lessons are as practical as possible – you spend the majority of your time over the week in the water learning how to get up on a board, ride a wave and do it all over again!

You start on the beach and learn the basics and then it’s time to get wet! You are supplied with a bunch of awesome surf gear including your wetsuit and specially designed beginner boards to make your time in the ocean that little bit easier.

You may think that you can learn the same things on a beach in Sydney or on a day-long course. When was the last time you learned a new skill, a new sport or a new hobby in half a day? Especially one that takes place in the ocean and a skill that isn’t really related to anything you’ve done before?!

Surfing is amazing and the longer you can do it, the better you become and the frustration levels lower. The amazing coaches at SurfCamp give you so much tuition that they’ll have you standing up in no time at all!

If you haven’t got a week to spare (and who are we kidding, you probably have) then there are weekend options too which give you a chance to experience surfing with highly-qualified instructors and be back in Sydney in time for work on Monday morning.

The guys and girls at SurfCamp are serious surfers – they love the sport and they love spreading the joy to new surfers every week! Once you’ve got a taste, you will not want to stop! The feeling of standing up on the board the first time, and then getting more and more confident throughout your lessons is absolutely amazing!

During your time at SurfCamp, you stay minutes from the beach in awesome, comfortable cabins with internet and a pool. The hot showers are amazing after long day in the ocean – even at the height of summer they are a great way to wash the salt off but in the cooler months they are a Godsend!

So you’ve got awesome surf, great gear and a comfortable place to stay. Then you’ve got the food. It’s a sure-fire way to build up a massive appetite, all this ocean fun, and the food at SurfCamp is fit for a king!

The food seems to be never-ending. Plate upon plate rolls out of the kitchen in all its delicious glory. Obviously, give it an hour before you jump back on the board or you’ll get shouted at by your Mum but apart from that – gorge!

The nights at SurfCamp match the days for fun. You’ll be pretty tired when you have the first day in the surf but you’re a backpacker, soldier on! You’ll get to meet your group and your instructors over a few beers across the nights at SurfCamp and you seriously will not want to leave!

The legends at SurfCamp snap photos and videos of you and your new-found surfer buds throughout the whole week and show off the best (and funniest) every night.

Eventually, when you head home from Australia, everyone you know is going to ask you if you know how to surf. UltimateOz SurfCamp is the perfect place to learn or develop your skills, on a gorgeous, almost deserted beach with some awesome people.

This is an experience not to be missed. As the weather and water slowly heat up, you’ll want to spend as much time as possible by the beach and once you’ve been to SurfCamp, you can look as cool as any Aussie with a board under your arm.

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Should I Travel Alone or In A Group?

It seems to be an age old argument with Australian working holiday travel – should I travel alone or in a group?

Well, I’m glad I asked.

There are positives and negatives for both options and, ultimately, it is a personal decision whether you travel alone or with a more organised group.

When making this decision, that could completely shape the adventure you are about to embark on, you have to consider many things.

This isn’t a post trying to change your mind. If you are dead set on coming to Australia alone, I’m sure you’ll have an absolute blast! If you are thinking of coming to Australia as part of a group, here is why we offer a service that you won’t soon forget.

Relax!

The beauty of an UltimateOz tour is that it’s hassle free. Especially when moving to Australia long term, there’s a lot of niggly paperwork and processes to go through. If it’s your first long-term trip abroad, it is much more reassuring to have an experienced guide.

You will have nothing to worry about, we do this stuff for a living. You’ll arrive in Australia and we already have the information we need to get the paperwork you need sorted.

Booking your arrival week in Australia with us allows you to take a load off. If you are planning on staying in Australia for a prolonged period, we can help with all the boring bits that everyone would rather not have to go through. We apply for tax file numbers (which let you work in Australia), bank accounts and mobile phone numbers so as soon as you arrive in Australia you are ready to hit the ground running.

It is a strange thing moving to a country thousands of miles from home on your own. Some people thrive in the uncertainty, the not knowing what comes next. Others like a little more structure and that is what we offer.

We provide the tour, we aren’t an agency so you know what you are getting with us and you know where to look for any other help and advice that you need. There is no need for the middle man and you can contact us directly.

We are here for however long you’ll be here. If you finish your UltimateOz week and want to move to Melbourne, we are a phone call or email away. Want to head north, look for farm work or find a place in Sydney? Give us a shout. Even if you just want to come in for a chat and some wifi head to our shop and relax.

Speaking of WIFI….

It’s a tough mother to find in Australia. Aside from the fried goodness of McDonalds, free wifi is difficult to come by but UltimateOz travellers are given access to free wifi in our shop.

Of course, no-one books a life-altering trip just to spend time checking your Tweets, but it is nice to know you’ve got somewhere to fall back on wifi if you need to email your mum every once in a while so she’s knows you are still alive.

Did We Just Become Best Friends?!

UltimateOz is a great way to meet people. Whether you’re the most confident person that walks into a room or a little on the shy side, our groups are a great way to get together with like-minded people.

Having moved to Australia from England a year and a half ago, it was more difficult meeting people than I had expected. You have hostel buddies, people you make idle chit-chat with over breakfast or go out for a few too many beers with, but friendship is harder to find.

With UltimateOz, you can meet your group before you leave for Australia using our Facebook Groups. Everyone is in the same situation before they leave for Australia and by meeting the group first, you can see where people are coming from and where they have been before.

The group size of UltimateOz is kind of a perfect middle ground. The groups aren’t too big or small, you can get to know everyone during the week and spend enough time together to get to know one another well.

No two groups are the same so don’t think you are too young or old to come and enjoy an Ultimate week in Australia. As long as you are fun, open-minded and willing to meet other people then you are good to go!

When the week is over, many of our group members either travel together or move in together in Sydney. Whether you want to travel by campervan or Greyhound, we can help you and there is probably someone in your group that wants to do something similar.

UltimateOz Basecamp!

The best thing about the UltimateOz experience is that you are able to see more than just Sydney. While Sydney is an incredible city, one that has a habit of drawing you in, it is good to get a feel for somewhere else in your first week in the country.

After each group draws to a close, 9 times out of 10 the highlight has been UltimateOz Basecamp – our secret hideaway where you spend 2-nights during your first week. It’s paradise! Golden sands and crystal clear waters, dolphins playing in the water and koalas sleeping in the trees – its awesome!

While Basecamp only lasts a couple of days, it gives you a taste of what is to come on the East Coast of Australia, and it is close enough to Sydney that you won’t spend a day on the coach to get there and back.

Us Vs Them

In case you haven’t already Googled this – we aren’t the only people offering a welcome week in Australia. Let’s get down to brass tacks, why should you choose UltimateOz over competitors?

It all boils down to what we offer and how we provide the service. When in Sydney, you stay in the best hostel in the city (WakeUp!) and then head off on the amazing Basecamp in Port Stephens.

We focus on group activity. Many providers of similar tours have a heavy focus on the paperwork side of things – they help you get settled and then leave you to it. While we are fine with this if it is your choice, we want to give you a first week in Sydney that you’ll never forget and the reviews speak for themselves!

The job service we provide (more on that later) is an award winner and helps thousands of travellers a year find work right the way across Australia. We also have staff dedicated to help finding you work – they will help with your CV and applications making you the strongest possible candidate for any work you go for.

If you are just here for the fun times and travelling, we are more than capable of helping with that too – discounts anyone?!

Experience

UltimateOz has been around for 22 years and has seen the changing tourism industry in Australia. The company is not just a flash in the pan, make money quick deal, we really know our stuff.

One of the best things about UltimateOz is that we have been there, and done it all. I’m a backpacker myself and have been in Australia for just over 12-months. The rest of our work and travel gurus are a mixture of working holiday visas and sponsored workers from across the globe with a couple of Aussies thrown in for good measure!

We’ve all had to make those tough decisions – To farm or not to farm? Where to go and when to go? Where to live and how to find an apartment? How much tax should you be paying and how do you claim it back?

Our experience is here, so use it!

Whether you want to work first and then travel or vice-versa is completely fine. There is no right or wrong way to travel, Fraser Island will still be there in 3 weeks or 3 months. Do what is right for you and let other’s do the same.

A word of warning, you will get those massive pangs of Facebook jealousy. If your fellow UltimateOzers head straight up the Coast and you decide to work in Sydney for a few months, they’ll be exploring tropical paradise and you’ll be working a normal job.

Don’t let this put you off Sydney, Melbourne or any other Australian city though. Each has their own character and are filled with things to do and see – it just probably won’t sound as impressive as scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef!

Working

We help to prepare you for your time in Australia with our work and travel information talk. This gives you all the different options at your disposal, whether you want to hit the road or stay a little while, we have all the information you need.

If you’re heading to Australia looking for work, we’ll help you with your CV and job applications, and you’ll have access to our extensive backpacker job database. Many people arrive in Australia expecting work easily, and we don’t want to sugarcoat this: it is more difficult than people expect to find work in Australia, so a little help is always handy.

Don’t let this put you off, hundreds of thousands of travellers find work in Australia each year (myself included), just remember that it isn’t easy finding work. With our TAW servvice, we can help you along the way wherever you want to settle in Australia.

My Story

In the interests of full disclosure, I came to Australia without a tour group. I have family in Sydney and my interest in Australia was from a ‘living somewhere else’ mindset than an ‘let’s put the backpack on and see where I end up’ way of thinking.

I’d been to Sydney before and I absolutely love it, so I wanted to spend as much time as possible in the city. I’ve traveled the East Coast, done my farm work and am on my second year visa. I’ve been to Melbourne a few times too and I loved it there as well and a trip to Tasmania is on the horizon.

For me, with my mindset and family connections, it was a no-brainer to come alone. I wouldn’t change my decision but having worked at Ultimate Travel for over 6 months, I have seen how awesome the UltimateOz experience is. You might think that this is only a week long experience but it totally isn’t.

People stay in touch with us right the way through their time in Australia, whether they need help with travel plans or finding work or they just want to chat through their options with someone who has been in a similar position.

If you do decide to embark on your adventure alone, we’re still here to help! Come in to our shop and say hi, ask us questions on Facebook and Twitter, follow us on Instagram. We are here to help and we actually mean that!

If you arrive in Australia and all isn’t going well, don’t hesitate to contact us! We can help you with the paperwork, the tough decisions and the fun stuff too!

Whether you come alone or with us or anyone else, Australia is a great place to live, work and travel. The UltimateOz group gives you the best of all three (and wifi to boot), so what are you waiting for?!

Make a decision and get the hell over here!!

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A Weekend in the Snow at Thredbo!

It’s pretty much the total opposite of everything you expect when you think of Australia but the snow has arrived and it’s time to get the skis on!

There are ski resorts in Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory with several easily accessible from Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra.

We at Ultimate Travel want to make sure that you get the best of every experience you undertake in Australia so what better way to find out if you should embark on an Australian skiing trip than to take one ourselves!!? Well, taking two!

We hardy Ultimate Travel lot only do these things in your best interest and can honestly say that a winter weekend away to the slopes is one of the best things you can do whilst you are in Oz!

A few ski companies travel between Sydney and the snowfields of New South Wales but by far our favourites are Oz Snow and Mojo. We travelled with both of these great companies and had the best weekends possible!

As we work to the bone during the week, we travelled down to the Snowy Mountains on Friday night but if you are more flexible with your travel plans, head down during the week and save yourself some money and enjoy the slopes when they are way less crowded.

We went with Oz Snow first so we’ll tell you all about that one to start!

We left Central Station at about 5pm on Friday night and made our way down to Jindabyne, where we’d be staying for the weekend. It is a looong coach trip, about 6 hours traffic and weather dependent, so make sure you are prepared.

The coach makes two stop offs, the first one ten minutes into the journey for a quick run to the bottle shop and the second about mid way through for a McDonald’s – only the essentials!

Once you arrive at the Snowy Valley Resort, you are quickly ushered into the ski hire area to collect your boots and gear before checking into your room for a nights sleep. The rooms are pretty nice, we stayed in a six bed share but there is also an option for a private, double room too. Most importantly, the rooms stay warm and have pretty good heating for when you need it most!

The next morning, breakfast is served from 6am until the bus leaves for the slopes at 8am. You can choose between a Perisher or Thredbo lift pass and this weekend, we chose Thredbo. Once we arrived at the slope, those that had lessons headed to meet their instructors whilst the more experienced headed to the slopes!

We were there early in season and only two lifts were open to the public. This has changed over the last couple of weeks as both Perisher and Thredbo have had a huge snowstorm with over a metre of snow covering both resorts.

Whether you have enjoyed winter sports before or whether this would be your first time, a weekend in the snow in so much fun. Starting with a lesson, which ranges from absolute beginner to those with more experience with a little less confidence, you will be well on your way to mastering the art of either snowboarding or skiing.

You will fall over (many, many times) but that only makes your success even better! Personally, I’d had an hour on a snowboard before heading to Thredbo. I had a great lesson with an incredibly patient instructor and then went for it with the more experienced members of the UltimateOz crew and never looked back. I wasn’t doing backflips or anything, but I had prolonged periods of balance which I was proud of!

The snow fun may be the reason you choose Thredbo but the River Inn is why you stay. Ah, the joys of aprés-ski! We head for lunch at the River Inn and some of us make it back onto the slopes after but others just cannot get enough of the atmosphere!

Once the stragglers return from their afternoon enjoyment, the fun begins! A band starts playing early in the afternoon and, it might be the booze talking, but they are really good. They play some solid hits and the drinks flow into the evening.

Sadly, our bus is leaving for our trip back to the resort. That merely puts the fun on hold as we get back, get some food and clean ourselves up before heading to the on-site club for happy hour!

A great night was had by all – or we’re pretty sure it was, we can’t really remember.

The next morning, we drag ourselves up for breakfast before heading back to the slopes. The Snowy Valley Resort has a pool and jacuzzi too, so if you need a little bit of a relax, they’ve got you covered.

The temperature dipped considerably overnight and the higher runs have frozen over which is a real shame but there is still fun to be had. The beginner slope is still open, which gives some much needed practice time! It is a stunning day though, blue skies without a cloud in them, perfect weather for an explore around Thredbo.

Some of our group head to Australia’s highest restaurant, The Eagles Nest, and the spectacular views on offer.  After a heap of photos and some Frozen inspired fun, we meet the rest of the group in the River Inn for a final beer.

It is back on the bus for the dart back to the Snowy Valley Resort, a quick change and a sausage sizzle and back on the bus as soon as possible for the long journey back to Sydney. The way back is a lot quieter than the way down as sore heads are rested before we arrive back at Central at about 10pm.

The snow, the trails and the runs might not be as spectacular as the Alps or Aspen but it is a seriously fun couple of days away. We took some absolute beginners and some seasoned pros and both loved the trip with no injuries to report – apart from some serious hangovers.

Australia may not be famed for its snow but for a traveller based in Sydney or Melbourne the winter fun of the ski slopes should be taken into serious consideration. The Oz Snow crew are amazing and if you are interested in booking a trip – get in touch with us and get ready for one of the best trips you’ll have in Australia!

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