In preparation of my move overseas..

Within a week of returning from India I gave my boss notice and signed up with various agencies to start some temp work (higher hourly rate and experience in other companies).  So I could save to move overseas.  To the UK it was, solo all the way.

For my UK visa, I applied online and booked a day trip to Melbourne (from Adelaide) for my biometrics.  The visa cost £208 (roughly $370 AUD) and was simple enough to follow.  I applied for the Tier 5 Youth Mobility Scheme which allows Australians to work in the UK for 24 consecutive months, allowing you to exit and enter the countries as much as you like in the meantime.  There are a few rules such as:  you must be between 18 and 31 years old, have £1,890 (roughly $3,250) in your bank account, and you must apply for the visa outside of the UK.  For an ‘Ultimate Reference Guide on the Youth Mobility Scheme’ please click here to see how Chris from ‘The Aussie Nomad’ explains it in great detail.

I did the tick list of saving my money, selling my car, informing my bank and purchasing a backpack for my trip – all standard things to do before a big trip overseas.

Prior to leaving Australia I went through 1^st Contact ‘Kickstart’ package which helped me to set up a bank account and obtain my National Insurance number once arriving in London, provided me with a UK sim card, and a few other useful bits and bobs.  For more information regarding the Kickstart package, please click here to go to the website.

I lined up a couple of tours through Spain, Portugal and Morocco before arriving in London – had to make the most of the Europe summer of course, but that is onto another story…

I made the most of my last few months in li ol Adelaide but being winter I didn’t get to spend my last few days at the beach.

Goodbyes are never easy and after three months of temp work and planning, I was off into the big wide world, alone.