Advantages: So much information
Disadvantages: Slightly bulky to carry

...+ Lonely Planet - Australia + The lonely planet Australia book is a must of you are travelling around Australia. It gives you lots of very useful information about the country, things to do and see, currently and lots more. As I was planning my trip and didn't have a clue on what there was to do and see in this large country so I decided to get this book and I was very pleased with it. + CONTENTS + This book has everything imaginable that you could need to try and plan an itinerary by yourself. At the front there is a map of Australia which gives you an idea where all the towns are, where train stations run and a key so you can work out distances. It is quite detailed and gives you an overall feel for the size of this country. Highlights - this section will give you some highlights of Australia showing some stunning... Read review

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Advantages: Anything you could possibly want in a holiday all in 1 country!
Disadvantages: Far from anywhere, long way to get anywhere

...then in this vast land! And around 90% of the population live within a couple of hours drive from the coast. Until you actually arrive in Australia you can't quite fathom the vastness of it, even though people told me it would take 2 days to drive from Brisbane to Canberra the idea just seemed so bizarre that you thought these 2 days would be packed with getting out of the car, stopping at the beach, having lunch in some nice café overlooking the beach and maybe a couple of hours driving here and there! It's not until you actually sit on a bus for 12 hours and then get out your map and realize you have only traveled about a third of the way up the entire coast that you appreciate how big it really is! In fact it is so big that there are 3 different time zones! The western side is either 2 or 3 hours behind the eastern side (depending on daylight... Read review

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Advantages: Detailed, helpful, indispensable, describes everything you could possibly want!
Disadvantages: Don't know! Only covers WA?!

...at the map and see you have hardly moved at all! Even when people tell you it would take a week to drive from Sydney to Perth, I don't think it is possible to imagine that until you actually experience the long drives and roads and nothingness that is this vast continent! Anyway..... more about the book! I borrowed the Lonely Planet Guide to Western Australia from the local library before my trip, to work out what places I definitely wanted to visit and where I could live without going - and let me tell you my first list was getting longer by the minute, I wanted to go everywhere! The book is good though in that it explains everything in so much detail and you can prioritise, for example, there are so many national parks with amazing scenery and gorges and wildlife, but after reading about them all you realise they are all pretty similar... Read review

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Advantages: Scenery, wildlife, beaches, lovely towns - pretty much everything!!
Disadvantages: Long drives to see anything (but in a way makes it good as not crowded)

...Having just had a 2 week holiday in Western Australia I thought it only right I should share it with you all! This is more an overview of the places I visited rather than an opinion on the whole state because even though I covered more than 2500 miles in 7 days I didn't cover hardly any of the state when you look on the map because it's that big! Western Australia covers 2.5million square kilometres and constitutes about one third of Australia, is well over half the size of Europe and yet it's population is a mere 1.6 million. Getting anywhere is a long drive, and hours upon hours staring at perfectly straight roads without seeing another vehicle is not uncommon. This is what adds to the character of the state though and I actually loved it because it feels so untouched and un-touristy compared to the East coast of Australia... Read review

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Advantages: You get to work in and see another country
Disadvantages: It can be stressful

...GAP YEAR Temping Work - In Australia Working abroad is definitely a challenge, well to me it has been. I decided to take a gap year and come over here to work for a year. I had just entered a new country, got an apartment so the next obvious step was to look for work. I went to recruitment agencies (see review for more detail) to help me find work in such a big city. First place I arrived was Sydney the most popular and well known city in Australia. I had already applied for a working holiday visa at home which meant I was entitled to work in the country legally. You need to have a visa which entitles you to work. Next step was to get a tax file number, without this you will not be given a job as you need it for tax purposes. This can be done online. Now all the paperwork has been done you I needed to open a bank... Read review

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Advantages: lots of free maps, free route planner
Disadvantages: route planner slow

...I first came across MultiMap.com through the use of Lycos. They must have some sort of partnetship with Lycos where the Lycos website used part of the MultiMap site and you were able to look at street maps on the Lycos website. Since then I have used this website whenever I want to find a place that I want to go. ~~The Services~~ The services that MultiMap.com offers, without sound too thick hopefully, are all to do with displaying maps for you. There are many different types of maps you can view, here is a short list of the major types of maps and services available for you to look at. ~ Street Maps and Travel Directions for the UK and Europe. ~ Detailed Maps of the Wolrd. ~ Aerial Photos of London and other UK Cities. ~ An Interactive London Tube Map. ~ Local Information to complement their UK and European Maps. ~ Links... Read review

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Advantages: Helps guide you around other countries. Easy to install
Disadvantages: None as yet

...TomTom Map of the USA and Canada Maps TomTom Maps are a 2gb SD card with route maps stored on them that are made to work with the TomTom satellite navigation system. They originally come with UK/Europe maps so these are a brilliant upgrade if you are considering taking your car abroad or hiring a car and driving over there. These are a lot easier than using a standard map when you are visiting another country and make getting around easy. We have just bought one of these as we are planning a trip to the USA and decided one of these would be useful. I have never been abroad so certainly wont know my way around. It was very easy to install onto the TomTom. We also decided the points of interest feature would be really useful as we use the UK based one on our current maps a lot. It has lots of features that include... Read review

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Advantages: Comprehensive coverage.
Disadvantages: Er! Let me think....

...Well, you can call me a geek, anorak or nerd but I don`t mind admitting that I am mad about maps! Before a visit, during a visit or after a visit, you can find me absorbed in these multi-coloured sheets of paper, studying and reading them like a book. Although I have thousands already, I always welcome one brought home for me from someone`s holiday or trip and if I`m going myself, the first item on my list is always…MAPS! So call me an anorak then! Almost every house will have maps of some description, be they Ordnance Survey , Michelin, Collins or A-Z. Most of us that travel a lot by car will have lots of them, stuffed into glove or door pockets or maybe just chucked carelessly onto the back seat. Whatever the publishers, at some time or another they are indispensable. Geographers` A-Z Company produce some... Read review

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Advantages: wicked / best zoo in the world
Disadvantages: Steve died :-(

...If you go to one place whilst you are in Australia, go to Australia Zoo it's a fantastic place, the core of Australia! Been Steve Irwin's official zoo, there is a sense that now he has passed away doing what he loved (interacting with nature), that the park has kind of lost its novelty, far, far from it! I went to Australia Zoo last summer and although Steve Irwin had not left us then, he wasn't present at that day, and are day was still immensely enjoyable, interesting and a great climax to our trip! Steve Irwin's legacy will always live on in this zoo, and he was so much of a legend there that it still seems like he is there, going to the zoo now is just as good as when Steve was there! --------------------------- There are all the 'classic' Aussie animals there, kangaroos, koalas, dingoes, wombats, camels and others like... Read review

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Advantages: The experience, The scenery, Meet new friends, It goes on...
Disadvantages: Need some money first, Travelling time

...Last summer myself and a friend ventured into Queensland Australia for 4 weeks. During our short stay, all I can say from the whole experience is that it’s breath taking, exciting and tremendous fun. What’s so good about Australia? Well read the op, if I’ve bored you already then I urge you to read. Pleeeeeaaaaaseeee :) From my own experience and 4 other friends (2 of them Australian), my (our) mission is to tell you everything that needs to be known about doing Australia. Firstly forget about your shorts and shades, the first thing I think you’ll need when heading for Australia is a sense of scale. The home to Heath Ledger, Kylie (mmmm) and, er, Paul Hogan is big. Real big. I’m talking 7,682,300 sq km, that nearly 60 times bigger than England my fellow ciaoers. And given the high cost of internal flights for the backpacker... Read review

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