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In just a few weeks I’m going to be heading off on my first ever overseas trip by myself, so while the weather is cold and wet, I am making travel plans. I’ve been travelling solo around NZ for years but it seems like a much bigger deal when you’re going overseas. This is really the first time I’ve travelled abroad as an adult (while I was in my 20’s last time, it doesn’t count because my dad took care of all the details), and I really wanted to share this with you in case you might be new to travelling as well!
The last time I travelled out of New Zealand was to Melbourne in Australia, about ten years ago, to celebrate my mom’s birthday. It seems only fitting that my upcoming trip is also to Melbourne, but this time it’s for something totally different. This time, I will be going over for Melbourne Fashion Week Plus, and I am super excited!
I’m a list maker, so when I started planning my trip, I made a list of all the really important things that I would need to do in advance so that I wasn’t stressing out about travel plans at the last minute and I could just enjoy the anticipation of my upcoming trip. Let me know if you have any tips of your own or if you think I’ve missed something out!
Make sure your passport is up to date
My passport expired while I was at uni and I never bothered to renew it because I couldn’t afford to travel while I was studying, so the first thing I had to do was get a new passport! I followed Shaaanxo’s advice and went for a makeup look that was relatively natural because I still wanted to look like myself in the photo (that’s essential if you’re going to make it through customs). The picture turned out okay, and now I’m ready to jump on a plane!
Book your flights
Organising the actual travel part of my trip was super easy – I went on House of Travel’s Mix & Match website, typed in when and where I wanted to travel and hit search. I like Mix & Match because it lets me compare prices from different airlines and meant that I got the best possible deal on my flights. I checked the seat width and leg room to make sure I’d have a comfortable trip (definitely one of my top tips if you’re flying while plus size!) and also made sure I pre-selected my seat so I don’t get stuck in the middle seat of a row.
Organise travel insurance
This one was a no brainer for me – I know plenty of people who have told me their travel horror stories and I wanted to make sure that if something went wrong while I was away from home I would be covered. I saw someone post on Instagram that they had sorted their travel insurance with Warehouse Money, so I looked into it and found that their cover was comprehensive, affordable (mine was under $40 for the ten days I will be away) and exactly what I was looking for. It was quick and easy to set up over the phone and they emailed me a copy of my policy straight away.
Plan your itinerary
Before I booked a place to stay, I thought about where I want to go and what I want to do while I’m there. Obviously I will have lots of things to do with Melbourne Fashion Week Plus, but I also wanted to check out the Degas exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria; eat delicious food; do some shopping and catch up with some of my friends who live in Melbourne. The reason I planned this out before booking my accommodation was that I wanted to make sure I was staying somewhere central to where I am going to be spending the most time.
Figure out where you’re going to stay
This is easily the biggest expense of my trip, so I had to make a decision about whether I wanted luxury accommodation (um, always!) or to be able to shop and eat while I’m in Melbourne. As much as I love luxe accommodation, a quick check of my bank account told me that I needed to keep those costs down. A few friends recommended airbnb to find a place, where I had the option of staying in someone’s spare room or renting a whole apartment, and I also used Wotif to check out what deals I could find on hotel rooms. I wanted something that was convenient to where the runway shows will be held, so I used that as the basis for my search. I ended up finding a great deal on a nice looking apartment super close by, and I’m going to share with someone else who is coming over for MFW+.
Cash or credit?
When you book a hotel, you need a deposit when you check in to secure the room and cover any incidentals. I learned the hard way when I went to Wellington Fashion Week that if you don’t have a credit card then you will need to have cash to cover the deposit. If you’re staying somewhere for a week that is a pretty pricey outlay, so I now have a Warehouse Money Visa Card to use just for this purpose! It’s also handy to have on hand for shopping or in case of emergency. I’ll be taking cash with me as well, to use on day to day things like food and travel, because using a credit card overseas means that you will have to pay an extra transaction fee.
Do you have any travel tips you think I need to know as a first time traveller?
Any “must do/see/experience” things for while I’m in Melbourne? Let me know below!
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