Travel Tips/OE Tips etc

Post all your travel tips or tips for living around the world here...

1. When moving to the UK, open up a bank account at least three months before you leave. To get anything in this country from cellphone contracts to landlord references you need to have held a bank account for three months.

2. Get a Under-26 railcard from any train station. You get 20-30% off all national rail prices! Definately worth it. I think its about £18.

Do not i repeat DO NOT, open a bank accoutn with any of the scottish banks, there all CRAP..!!

Apply that to Lloyds TSB as well. I have never encountered such incompetance!

Yep HSBC all the way..!!

When sightseeing, especially at historical sites etc (eg castles) phone ahead and make sure they'll be open when you're there...
reputable guides such as Lonelyplanet and the rough-guides have misled us plenty of times with opening hours/months etc.

Nice work guys.... some good helpful tips.

I have an acct with Lloyds

will it be easy to open an acct with say, HSBC when I get there as I have a history with lloyds ????

I'm with HSBC too. Richy, if you get here and ring HSBC and say you are with Lloyds but they are shit (which is so true) and you've heard that HSBC are good....bam!...accounts open practically on the phone!!

lloyds lick dog arse!!!

From what I hear, if you have an account with HSBC in NZ, they will organise your account in whatever other country you want within about 24 hours.

nice, done!

I will go into an HSBC when I arrive and say I want to go with them cos I heard they rock and Lloyds licks dogs balls!

also, is it hard to have a flat account in England?

my friend over there said it was real hard to open a flat acct but here we used one at our place and it was good, my girlfriend handled all the shit cos she works in banking and we never had to worry about a thing, no late bills ect...everything was paid on time.

whats the guts ?

There sister bank in NZ is the ASB, and it is very easy to set up an account before you arrive, do ut as far in advance as you can, the longer you have money in the bank before you arrive, the better your credit rating is here

ASB? Thatd have to be a good reason not to setup an account

There is HSBC in NZ as well...

don't eat no yellow snow.

HSBC bank account used to be able to be setup through thomas cook..not sure if still do.

stay away from NZ and AUSSIE haunts in london if you actually want to met some english people etc... you'll have much more fun and get in the know alot quicker...

do as much as possible in terms of travelling as its alot harder to get back there and do it again...

check out vienna - great city
check out india - awesome country but need at least 3 months

dont keep your head buried in the lonely planet guide or you will just end up following the same trail as everyone else.

keep a diary - even if its a just a few words

buy postcards not to send but to keep - they may seem touristy but at the end of the day they are usually better photos than most can take and are cheap.

nice one assid..... your've done your OE I take it?

yep, you can still open your HSBC bank account with Thomas Cook. I did mine (only a month ago) and found it a very efficient service.

nice...all good stuff

I'm also interested in living costs vs salary over there, especially in London. Is it really so expensive there that you have to flat with 8+ people even with a pretty decent job?

you dont have to, but its a lot more fun that way....

Mutant...I earn average money and I only used to live with 3 people....very comfortably. Its not as bad as everyone says!

I live with my lady in a one bedroom flat, we get along fine financially..!!

mind you housing here in scotland is a lot cheaper than london i think

Tip - If you wanna use the internet for free....

GO TO THE LIBRARY!!!

For everyone's information...

I just went into Thomas Cook on Lambton Quay here in Wellington and got at application form for HSBC Regent Street Branch of London's West End.

there's no turning back now addict!

you'll be a pommie bastard before you know it

Did it cost you $150? What are the fees setting it up from here.

Anyone know the perks of working for HSBC (out of interest )

no bank fees??? id assume

You can open an London HSBC bank account with Thomas Cook in NZ...but you have to make a deposit of $1500.

My LAdy works there, and the perks are quite substancial....but if you only have a 2 year work permit, they wont hire you

in fact they wouldnt hire me and i have a 4 year permit..!!

I'm asking because I'm looking at a role with them in aussie. Just want to know what they're like as an employer etc...

I did it via the asb in auckland, didnt cost me a penny.!! you do have to have a minimum balance..

mind you that was some time ago..!!

make sure you set it up well in advance, its good for your credit rating if the money sits in your account for a while before you arrive..!!

She loves it..!!!

Good to hear.

Hopefully I'll be in a position to choose between them and another company or two as to which would be more enjoyable, better paying, better lifestyle, and a better future with.

ta

This is a great idea for a thread for us people planning our OE in the very near future.

living with 8+ people is one of the highlights i my experience. there are the messy weirdo brotherdad girls from the lower south that you get here and there but theres always different people with different experiences and from different places that make it a enjoyable place to live. i watch the simpsons most nights and dvds etc on munter sunday and thats it because theres always some to talk shit to or go out and hang with. lived with up to 15 in a four bedroom and it was like a party everynight. just have to lay down the law when it needs to be and try not to let the little things get to you and make the most of what yourve got while yourve got it.

safe travels