Formulating my plan...

[Jononz]

Hi all,
My name is Jono, I've lived in Christchurch New Zealand my whole life [19 years].
A few of you will probably know about the earthquakes that have effected our city. Fortunately I got through okay and still have a job, however there is no way forward for me here anymore.
Have spent the last few weeks perusing these [and other] forums and blogs etc...
I'd like to ask for a bit of advice, but here is the situation for a start.

I've just moved out of home, to attempt to prepare to make a shift to Melbourne [Australia] for a bit of a fresh start.
Fortunately I work in the airline industry and am pretty well qualified, so I will be able to find relatively easy work when I get there.

I'm intending to use Melbourne as a home base to work, save money for travelling/exploring.
I've set a mental date of January 22 to be leaving for Melbourne, which gives me approximately 7 months to clear some debt, [hopefully will offset this by going to live with my parents].

For any of you who have made a permanant shift to a completely new place, how have you done it?
Is it possible on a slim budget? I'm talking in terms of basically packing living stuff into a pack, and flying over there with my life in 1 suitcase.

Assuming this all goes fine, where would anyone most reccomend I start out my travels?
I've travelled on family trips/school trips to Japan, Thailand, Rarotonga, and Australia..

Hope I'm not asking too much

[Greg]

Cheers Jono!

Sounds like you've got a pretty travel-worthy line of work. There are airports nearly everywhere, so I can imagine that you could find work in lots of places while traveling between.

Good call on getting rid of the debt...just do your best to keep your dream alive, save some cash, and get out of the pit others flail around in their entire lives. Lucky, you are getting a nice, young start!

A good friend of mine just did the same thing, she packed up and moved blindly from LA to Portland, Oregon...I'll ask her for some advice.

-G

[Jononz]

Thanks, Greg.
Thanks pretty much the plan, at least as far as earning to fund my travel goes...

My one main gripe is that I have no idea realistically how much money I'm going to need to be able to get myself set up in Melbourne. Flights arent an issue, but how much would you reccommend for setting up base in a new country. I'm earning NZDollars, so theyre of less value in Australia :\

The one advantage I can see is that I can pretty much pick up a job before I even get there...

Aside from that, what would be your ideal reccommendations for my first trip? I'm thinking a month or 2 in thailand, I really like the idea of Bangkok - Chiang Mai on scooters or similar... [Have been to both these cities about 8 years ago, when I was younger]

Thanks for all your help, this is going to be my base while I sit around waiting for January to come!