Travelling in Melbourne

Travelling Essentials

Melbourne International Airport

Tullamarine Airport is the airport in Melbourne that serves international and interstate flights. Web site : www.melbourneairport.com.au

A luggage storage facility is Located in T2 Arrivals, through SmarteCarte. Rates are per 24 hours per piece: Hand luggage $10, Suitcase/Backpack/Golf bags $14 and Skis/Bicycles/surfboards $20. SmarteCarte operates from 5am to 12.30am, 7 days a week. Photo ID is required for storage. (If desk is unattended at any time, pick up phone located at the desk). Web site: www.smartecarte.com

From February 1, 2005, the duty free purchase allowances in Australia have increased. You can bring A$900 (for adult travellers, 18 years or over) or A$450 (for travellers under 18 years) worth of general goods (excluding alcohol and cigarettes). These goods can be obtained overseas or purchased in Australia on a duty/tax free basis before departure, or for which a refund of tax has been approved through the Tourist Refund Scheme. Note: Family members are permitted to pool their allowances. Web site: http://www.dutyfree.com.au/

Cash amounts of $A10,000 or more needs to be reported on arrival to Customs officers (excluding travellers cheques). It is important to remember that if you have any animal or plant item with you, or packed in your luggage, you must declare it on your Incoming Passenger Card. Please note that unaccompanied baggage may attract inspection charges. Web site: www.customs.gov.au and www.aqis.gov.au

Take the Skybus - To get to Melbourne city, the Skybus offers a shuttle service to Melbourne CBD and city hotels. These buses are available every 10-15 minutes throughout the day and every 30-60 minutes overnight serving passengers 24 hours, 7 days. If you are leaving for the airport, Skybus Hotel Shuttle will be at your service from the city 0600-2200 Monday to Friday and 0730-1830 Saturday and Sunday. You can obtain Skybus Metcards at the MetShop on the corner of Little Collins and Swanston streets and from the Skybus ticket booths at Melbourne Airport and Southern Cross Station. Pricing : Adult one way tickets cost $16 / $26 return; family tickets are available as well to save you some money. You can also purchase and print your ticket online. The advantage of using skybus is that it has a free Hotel shuttle service to transfer you between the city terminal and your city hotel or motel. The service is available to all Skybus passengers using one-way or return tickets during hotel shuttle hours of operation (refer below) and subject to availability. No booking is required and the mini-buses are available during operating hours. However, on departure, you need to ask your concierge to call Skybus on 9600 1711 to reserve your seats. Web site : http://www.skybus.com.au/.

Public Buses operate from the terminal, to various areas in Melbourne. Information on destinations and schedules can be obtained from the websites below :

Ballarat Area
www.airportshuttlebus.com.au
Bendigo Area
www.bendigoairportservice.com.au
Dandenong Area
www.airportbusdandenong.com.au
Frankston & Penninsula Bus Service
www.fapas.com.au
Geelong Area Gull Airport Services
www.gull.com.au

Before you leave the Airport, please visit the Travellers' Information Service is located on the ground floor of International Arrivals. Make good use of the centre to find out about the latest events, tours and must-see destinations in Victoria and Tasmania.

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Planning a Meaningful Zoo Trip for Kids

Going to the zoo can be an enriching experience for your kids. They can learn about how animals behave, where they come from, their eating habits and sounds they make. They can make comparisons between adult and baby animals and animals within the same family. Here are some tips to plan a meaningful zoo trip with your kids :

1. Before visiting the zoo, visit the zoo website with your kids to help create interest. Some zoos may feature on-line activities or printables for kids.
2. Learn about the history of the zoo, its mission, and the direction it is heading.
3. Check the calendar of events for the zoo.
4. Print out zoo newsletters, if any.
5. Print out pictures of the animals and have your kids identify them at the zoo.
6. At the zoo, get your kids to count the animals.
7. Bring along drawing papers and encourage your kids to draw the animals.
8. Learn about the programs which the zoo offers. Some zoos allow you to feed the animals at allocated times.
9. Take your kids for an animal show. Animal shows are always interesting and often include audience participation games, keeper chats and animal demonstrations.
10. Bring a camera to capture shots of animal movements.
11. Encourage your kids to make a scrapbook of the zoo trip.
12. Pick up any worksheets at the zoo, or design some worksheets yourself.
13. Learn about the zoo's conservation projects.
14. Visit the Kid's Zoo. Usually, the Kid's Zoo will have many interactive activities, animals, storyboards, and other opportunities for kids to be creative. Kids can experience touching, creativity, play and fun-filled learning.
15. Some zoos allow kids to be zoo-keepers for a day. This interesting program allows kids to have a close encounter with the animals.
16. Join a zoo camp. Campers can enjoy the tours, animal demonstrations, crafts and activities.
17. Stay overnight at the zoo with the zoo's Snooze Program. Zoo Snooze Programs usually include an up-close animal encounter, craft activities, night tours and games.
18. Compare zoos. Every zoo is different. Get your kids to discover their differences and similarities.
19. Observe zoo manners. Teach your kids what they must not do at the zoo (e.g. no littering, no smoking, do not climb over the fences, do not provoke the animals, etc.).
20. Learn about the zoo's adoption programs.
21. Write suggestions to the zoo on how to provide better facilities and services.
22. Be a zoo volunteer. Sometimes, zoo will advertise the kind of help that they need at different times. Zoo volunteers may assist in animal food preparation, educating visitors and school children during zoo camps, etc.
23. Teach your kids to support the zoo by making a donation. Some zoos have special programs which require funding. You can also help to sponsor an animal.
Have a nice trip at the zoo !

Planning a Meaningful Aquarium Trip for your Kids

Visiting the aquarium is definitely one of the most enriching experience for your kids. Capturing their hearts are highly interactive galleries with touch tanks, video presentations, wildlife tours and diving with the sharks, just to name a few. Bring your kids to the aquarium and learn about aquatic life through exploration and discovery and bring back fond memories of the aquarium.

1. Before visiting the aquarium, get your kids to visit the homepage of the aquarium. Sometimes, the aquarium may feature on-line activities or printables for kids. You may also get a chance to view the animals right at home through the many web cams facilities provided by the aquarium.

2. Find out the history of the aquarium, its mission, and its future tasks. Learn about the aquarium's adoption program.

3. Print out aquarium e-newsletters, if any.

4. Print out the pictures of the amazing underwater animals from the homepage and get your kids to identify them at the aquarium.

5. Check the calendar of events of the aquarium. Aquariums are likely to have some daily events and seasonal events. Do not miss their training sessions where you can watch aquarists feed and train the sea animals.

6. Find out the programs offer by the aquarium. Some aquariums allow you to feed the animals at allocated times.

7. Occasionally, aquariums do offer special programs such as swim with the dolphins or sharks. Such programs allow participants to get close to the mammals and learn about their behavior.

8. Interestingly, many aquariums are setting up their own clubs such as kids club, dive club and snorkeling club. Get your kids to experience a new adventure or acquire a new skill this season.

9. Enjoy a cruise with the aquarium. Some aquariums do organise whale-watching cruises.

10. Visit the touch tank of the aquarium and learn to be gentle with the animals.

11. Bring along drawing papers and encourage your kids to draw the sea animals.

12. Take your kids for an animal presentation, where you can see the natural behaviours of the underwater animals.

13. Bring your camera to capture shots of animal movements.

14. Encourage your kids to make a scrapbook of the aquarium trip.

15. Pick up any worksheets for kids. Or make worksheets yourself. Join the crafts sessions at the aquarium.

16. Learn about the aquarium conservation projects.

17. Some aquariums allow kids to be aquarium-keepers for a day.

18. Join the aquarium camp ! Campers may get to enjoy some of the exclusive behind-the-scenes activities, excursions, daily field trips to wildlife habitats, and an enjoyable overnight camp.

19. Join the aquarium's overnight program ! It is a rare chance to explore the aquarium after hours, and you can get to participate in a variety of activities organised by the staff. With an expert guide, you may get to visit the aquarium's behind-the-scenes areas and the food-preparation area to learn how the animals are cared for and fed.

20. Compare aquariums ! Every aquarium is different. Get your kids to find out their differences and similarities.

21. Be an aquarium volunteer. You can help to reach visitors and students, or work directly in the conservation research projects.

22. Write suggestions to the aquarium on how to improve their facilities and services.

23. Teach your kids how to support the aquarium by making a donation. Some aquariums have special programs which require funding.

24. Learn about 'Seafood Watch'. Some aquariums have this special program which provides regional seafood guides and teaches you how seafood can affect your health.

Have a nice trip to the aquarium !

Planning a Hot Air Balloon Adventure

There are many places where you can enjoy a memorable hot-air balloon flight in Australia. To have a successful flight, there is much work to be done and the experience of the pilot to understand the appropriate wind direction is extremely important. Besides maneuvering the balloon, he has to keep in close contact with the members of the hot air balloon crew, whose task is to collect the passengers and the equipment. During the flight, the pilot will look out for a possible landing site with sufficient space to lay out the balloon. If you are planning for a balloon adventure, the following are some considerations to note :

1. What are the regulations and safety precautions in place ? Balloons are required to be a fully registered aircraft with the country's civil aviation and safety authority and they must be subjected to regular airworthiness checks. Pilots need to have sufficient experience before they are allowed to fly with larger balloons. During the flight, the pilot will rely on the radios links to keep in contact with the chase crew as well as with Air Traffic Control and other aircraft flying in the vicinity. You will be given a passenger safety briefing prior to the flight and get a chance to prepare the balloon with the crew.
2. Are there any restrictions on children ? Different operators will have different age restrictions. Sometimes, children as young as 5 years are allowed to fly; while others only accept a minimum age of 12.
3. Are there any health restrictions ? You need to inform the operating company of your health problems such as knee, leg, hip or back pains. This is important as it may affect your safety during the flight. Women with more than 12 weeks of pregnancy may be ineligible to fly. You must be able to get in and out of the basket without much effort.
4. How many passengers are allowed for a flight ? The number of passengers permissible usually depends on the size of the balloon. Balloon operators can carry from two to 10 or more passengers at a time. There are compartments in the balloon baskets, and there will be a specific number in any one compartment.
5. How should I dress for the occasion ? You are advised to dress warmly and casually. Don't forget to bring a sweater or a jacket as it gets colder by about 3.5 degrees colder for each 1,000 feet of altitude. You should wear shoes with flat soles, and your top clothing should be made of cotton rather than man-made fibers. Tall passengers should wear a hat to protect themselves from the radiant heat from the burners.
6. What else must I bring ? You must bring your camera with lots of film. Do bring along a suitable soft case to stow the camera during the landing. 7. What if I am afraid of heights ? If you are afraid of heights, please inform the pilot prior to the flight so that he can stay low until you are comfortable. There should be no turbulence as the balloon moves with the wind.
8. Under what conditions will the flight be postponed ? A good flight is always worth the wait. Be prepared for the flight to be postponed if weather conditions are bad. You are always welcome to rebook another date. If a cancellation is likely, the operator may notify you either the evening before, or on the morning of the flight.
9. How long is the entire adventure ? Generally, the flight takes an hour to complete.
10. Other things to note : There are no toilet facilities aboard and please observe the non-smoking rule. Sometimes, the operator may be able to arrange breakfast, a champagne toast and refreshments on the balloon.

Planning A Budget Vacation

Going for a vacation is always a big expenditure. However, with careful planning, your vacation can be fun and enriching without compromising on its quality. If you are on a budget and planning for a vacation, here are some useful tips for you.

Flight Planning

1. Always compare flight deals. Look for lowest rates and understand what they are offering. Do note their cancellation policy before you make your reservation.

2. Look for a flight and hotel bundle which will save you money.

Transport Planning

1. Grab a rail pass to make travelling easier and hassle-free. Some countries offer family passes too. Usually, rail companies will have discounted packages with admission to attractions or accommodation deals.

2. Go for sightseeing buses to minimize transfers and maximise sightseeing. Sightseeing buses provide interesting commentary, unless you want to miss it.

3. Look for free airport transfer from hotels or free transport around the city. Some cities and attractions provide free city tourist shuttle.

4. Always look for sightseeing passes. There are a number which includes transportation. These passes can save you tons.

5. Get a local transport bus pass if you intend to adventure out on your own.

6. If you are planning a self-drive vacation, compare the terms and conditions of different car rental companies.

Activities and Attractions Planning

1. It always pays to look into local tour operators for activities and tours. They are often able to provide better or competitive deals than the rest.

2. Spend wisely and work on a budget by pre-booking your tours. Identify activities which are 'must do', attractions which are 'must visit' and those which are optional.

3. Visit the homepage of attractions to secure on-line specials, early bird specials or download coupons.

4. Look for combo packages. These packages allow you to enter a few attractions at a discounted rate.

5. Some attractions offer free entry on certain days or after certain hours; while others may have discounted entry after certain hour or during weekends.

6. Get coupons provided by tourism businesses or restaurants. Look for visitor cards with discounted admission to attractions or dining privileges.

Accommodation Planning

1. If you are working on a budget, hotels with free nights or hotels where kids stay free will be a good option. Do consider staying in a hostel. Many hostels offer freebies such as free breakfast and free airport pickups.

2. Always read hotel reviews before you book your accommodation. You know what it means to make a wrong choice.

Travel Ideas

1. Read travelogues or blogs to find out more about the destination. It's worth to find out how other travellers made it in each destination. Travellers are likely to comment on their experiences for each activity, tour and provide excellent travel tips.

2. Participate in travel forums. Usually there are experts for each destination to answer all your questions. So don't be shy to post your questions.

3. If you do not have an idea of where to go, you can begin with travel deals. Also, suggested itineraries from tourism boards offer excellent ideas. Check the events calendar for your desired destination would be helpful too.

Other budgeting tips

1. If you are planning a self-drive holiday, check the petrol prices of the destination.

2. To find out the cost of living of your desired destination, visit the homepages of its major supermarkets and fast food chains. You can have an accurate estimation of the cost of living and plan a budget for your meals.