How to arrive and

Motels/Apart-hotels

Motels/apart-hotels in Australia are popular with middle class Australians and are a viable option for short-term stays for newly arrived immigrants. Motel/apart-hotel ‘rooms’ usually have 2 bedrooms, a fully-equipped kitchen, TV and video, laundry facilities and a bathroom. There is often communal use of a swimming pool, play area for children, and parking (sometimes garaged) for a vehicle. However, such establishments tend to be quite some distance from city centres and without a car or nearby public transport, their location may become problematic.

The biggest difference between hotels and motels in Australia, is that motels don't have room service, restaurants and other facilities. Very few have an eating area that you can order a breakfast or lunch. If they do, you might have to order the day before. They are largely used for business people in transit in town or by families on short trips. Depending about how long you plan to stay, long term prices can be arranged. Nowadays there is a blurred line between motels and what can be called ‘serviced apartments’.
A typical serviced apartment or ‘apart-hotel’ doesn’t offer any room service besides maintenance for fixing something that has broken. They are strictly self-catering food-wise. There is also nobody to change your linen, clean the interior or do any kind of house keeping work. In tourist hotspots like Surfers paradise on the Gold Coast, there is a plethora of apart-hotels. They are a cheap option when something is happening in the town such as the Indy Cart race, or the ‘schoolies week’ which is a party for high-school graduates which lasts for a week. During this period (end of November to beginning of December) it is almost impossible to find a vacancy. ‘Apart-hotels’ are an excellent option for people travelling with family or in groups.
With a typical motel, every day someone will clean the room, bathroom, change the bed line, and vacuum the carpet. Some motel owners in the larger cities (or very remote locations) may even pick you up at the airport or at a nearby bus or train station. They will usually drop you off when you leave.
They are usually very clean, friendly introductions to a new life in Australia. Such establishments are usually run by husband-and-wife owner/operators. They can be very well located, with local facilities such as a neighbourhood shopping arcade (of varying quality) to buy things you need. It is relatively easy to find motels with vacancies but, like anywhere else in the world, availability can be affected by conferences, sporting events, school holidays, public holidays and religious events.
Prices for both types can start from A$50 per day up to A$200, with the average price around A$85 per day.
Communications
Having means of communication is very important, especially in the first few days after your arrival. You may want to contact a few people after arrival to let them know that you landed safely. You may want to contact a few friends to meet up with them. You may want to start the hunt for a job or place to stay within hours after clearing Immigration control.
All your needs and wants will be fulfilled through your being able to contact and be contacted by other people. Most people's highest priorities initially are work and accommodation. These needs can only be satisfied through communication with other people. Fortunately there are several ways in which this can be achieved in Australia.
INSIDER INFO: Do not make a reverse charges call unless in an emergency. The rate doubles for the person receiving your call. Get your number to them and then have them call you back. Much cheaper that way for everyone.
Local calls are charged at a flat rate regardless of the duration of the call or the time of day it was made. Public telephone boxes can be found on streets, in shops, bars, etc. Telephone boxes accept either coins or phone cards which come in units of A$2, 5, 10 and 20. Some of the more modern phone boxes in the cities also accept credit cards.
Mobile/cellular phones have become increasingly popular in Australia, with GSM 900/1 800 networks currently in operation. Coverage is far-reaching and extends to all of Australia's major cities. Access elsewhere is limited, especially in remote areas. You should be able to find coverage maps on the mobile network providers websites.
United States cellphone handsets and other cellphone accessories are not compatible with Australian mobile/cell phones. UK mobiles can be used in Australia, but please be aware that roaming charges from your UK network provider can make this cost very prohibitive. If you plan to be in Australia for longer than 3 weeks then it is recommended to purchase an Australian SIM card.

The Internet
Having access to the Internet is a matter of life or death to some people. Others can get by without it. In Australia it is a part of life, like it or not. In your first few days in Australia having access to the Net can help you greatly. You will be able to make contact with agencies, whether for work or for accommodation. You will be able to write to friends and family. You can send the same message to several people at the same time, thus saving you time.
Setting up a web-based email service like HotMail, YahooMail or GMail is a good idea for several reasons. Your service provider, wherever you are, may change, but the Web will always be there. You can access your email on the go, whether at home, work or travelling. You can keep your address book or contacts list there. You can email sensitive documents to yourself in advance for safekeeping.
Most importantly, the people you most want to contact you will able to do so. Almost all Australian employment agencies and estate agents are online. They will tend to try and phone you first and even if they've left a message for you, many will still send an email saying they have some news for you.
INSIDER INFO: Email this guide to yourself, referring to it when the need arises or printing out the sections relevant to you at any time.
Internet cafes and so-called "cybercafes" have sprung up all over Australia and are to be found in heavily pedestrianised areas in cities and popular backpacker areas. They charge by the hour for Internet access and per page for anything you may print out. With the gradual uptake in broadband facilities, some cybercafes even offer facilities to make voice calls over the Internet. It may even be possible to use webcams in some cases, but this is far from the norm.
Some public libraries in cities offer free or very low cost Internet access. Don't expect the best or latest technology though. If you need help using their equipment, do not expect too many of the librarians to be able to help you in any way either.

- Chapter 4 -