Olinga:


8 in all bands. This will give you 20points

How realistic is this though? Hitting that score will be very challenging, just saying.

Olinga:


8 in all bands. This will give you 20points

Wow! This might be difficult oooo but will try my best. I used to think Canada's score is high but from your reply it seems Australia requires much higher score.

Thanks Olinga..

@ Bellong

Feedback on traffic fine.

I wrote them but they declined to waive it. They reiterated that driving through the red light was a grave offence and quoted all the sections in the manual etc.

So, I have no option but to pay.

GoodMemory:
@ Bellong

Feedback on traffic fine.

I wrote them but they declined to waive it. They reiterated that driving through the red light as a grave offence and quoted all the sections in the manual etc.

So, I have no option but to pay.

Welcome to Australia,

A week before Easter, we decided on a trip to Sydney. Flight tickets for a family of 4 was a record high especially because it was close to Easter holidays. The alternative was to drive. Drive 870km? We immediately booked a room in a hotel in the CBD just 2km away from the Harbour.
We set out at 4:00am and by 8:00am just before sunrise, we had covered about 400km. It is generally my practice when doing long distance trips to set out very early so I can at least cover at least half or two-third before sunrise. It helps prevent fatigue caused by heat and humidity.
There are rest areas regularly spaced along the highway. Some of the rest areas have amenities such as restaurants, toilets, enough space to walk around and stretch your legs. Etc.
We got to Sydney at about 2:00pm. The whole journey took about 10 hours with two stops of 30 minutes each. Surprisingly, we were not tired. Why should we be anyway? The road was good (Not one pothole on an 850km stretch) and car suspension was good. Then it dawned on me the reason it feels like a hammer has been used on your body joints when you travel from Lagos to Abuja(750km) is because of the condition of the road and public transport.
We immediately changed into other clothes and headed for the Harbour. It was simply breathtaking and for a moment, I was envious of my naija folks in Sydney. The Harbour dwarfs Melbourne’s Yarra River by every bit of the imagination.
After a week in Sydney, we felt we had seen enough. I think there are more to see in Sydney than in Melbourne. The Harbour, the Bridge, Seal Life Aquarium, Bondi beach, Ferry trip on the harbour etc. We also visited 4 of the wealthiest suburbs in Sydney. I wasn’t shopping for a house there oo. (Lol).
The return trip was smoother. We left the hotel at 3am and by 1pm we were in the house in Melbourne.
For those who might be curious to know, see the info below:
1. Total cost of fuel – AUD 250(To and fro, Sydney local trips inclusive)
2. There are constant warning signs urging drivers to take a powernap. This is really a great safety measure. It prevents dozing.
3. The biggest hazard were animals crossing the road. We lost count of killed kangaroos on the road. You must be very careful.
4. Get enough munchies and drinks. It might also help to play your favourite playlist of songs you haven’t listened to in a while. They will keep you awake. Before we left Melbourne, I burnt on a cd 200 oldies. So, if one is 3mins long, 200 songs would play for 600mins(10hours!).
5. There are Safe T-Cams which are basically cameras that record vehicle number plates as they pass. The system calculates travel time taken between two points.
If the actual travel time is less than the allowable time for that journey, one might find oneself in trouble. So be careful.

Sydney V Melbourne

Potential migrants are often faced with the difficult choice of Sydney or Melbourne. In my estimate, the probability of moving to either Sydney or Melbourne is 40% each. Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane share the remaining 20%.
I do not know if I am qualified to write on the difference between Sydney and Melbourne as I only spent 1 week in Sydney, but I will try and present an unbiased view of both cities. I will also rely on contributors who have lived substantially in both cities to correct me wherever my views are inaccurate.
For the purpose of this exercise, I will give a 1 to the winner and 0 to the loser. Please note the 0 point does not represent an absent of that factor in a city, rather it is only a relative score.

JOBS – Sydney 1 Melbourne 0
I am tempted to make this area a tie between Sydney and Melbourne, but I think it will not be fair to Sydney if I did so. A quick search of the keyword “accounting” on www.seek.com.au returned 5,841 jobs for Sydney and 4,052 for Melbourne. This is particularly close. A second search for the keyword “Engineering” returned 5,081 for Sydney and 4,016 jobs for Melbourne. Once again, a 0 does not represent difficulty in getting a job in Melbourne, it is merely a comparison between number of jobs in Melbourne and Sydney. Having said that, you can see the returns are close so either choice is a good one.

SALARY - Sydney 1 Melbourne 0
According to Numbeo, average monthly salary after tax in Sydney is 5,179.21 A$ while that of Melbourne is 4,556.03 A$ (April 2019). Remember, these are just average values.

COST OF LIVING - Sydney 1 Melbourne 1
This is a tie as the cost of living is a function of average salaries earned. While cost of living is higher in Sydney, salaries are higher too so it evens out. See the link below.
https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_cities.jsp?country1=Australia&city1=Melbourne&country2=Australia&city2=Sydney

TRANSPORTATION - Sydney 0 Melbourne 1
This is one area where Melbourne wins hands down. Moving from point A to B is quite easier in Melbourne as it operate trains, tram and buses as against Sydney’s trains and buses.


FOOD AND CULTURE - Sydney 0 Melbourne 1
Melbourne has on several occasions won the Most Liveable City in the world. Melbourne is known as Australia’s coffee capital. Asian and European cuisines are also everywhere. It is often said Melbourne has great restaurants but Sydney great pubs. As a Nigerian, I doubt if this will have any effect on your lifestyle as we are traditionally lovers of naija food. (smiles)

SPORTS - Sydney 0 Melbourne 1
Most Aussies claim, though ignorantly that Melbourne is the sport capital of the world! While this may be far-fetched, I think when compared to Sydney, it takes the upper hand. Formula One Grand Prix, Australian Tennis Open, AFL Grand Final are some of the major sporting events in Melbourne. So if you are a sport lover, Melbourne is the place to be.

WEATHER - Sydney 1 Melbourne 0
This is a subjective one. Some people prefer a cold weather to a warm one. Melbourne is colder than Sydney. Melburnians say there are 4 seasons in one day. In Melbourne, it’s 5 degrees in the morning, 32 degrees in the afternoon and 10 degrees in the night with lots of rain. One day, maximum temp is 35 degrees, the next, it’s a high of 18 degrees, so temperatures fluctuate in Melbourne.
Temperatures are relatively warmer and more stable in Sydney.

ROAD NETWORK AND URBAN PLANNING - Sydney 0 Melbourne 1
I wish I could give Melbourne 2 points here because it wins hands down! The roads network in Sydney are horrible. Very narrow, undulating and confusing. To me, the planning of the roads looks more like an after-thought. There are also many roads sign warnings and visible traffic cops. In Melbourne, you can drive months without sighting a traffic patrol.

SAFETY - Sydney 1 Melbourne 0
To Nigerians who are moving to Australia, you might not see the difference in this regard. Australia is safe and you can sleep with your eyes closed in both cities. However, lately there have been concerns about cyclist gangs (Middle eastern extraction) and African gang violence in Melbourne. Even though the organized African gang thing was the creation of the media, there is still some elements of violence among the Sudanese youths.
Having said that, both cities are safe, and you can walk anytime of the day without fear of being mugged.
https://www.numbeo.com/crime/compare_cities.jsp?country1=Australia&city1=Melbourne&country2=Australia&city2=Sydney

GENERAL FEEL - Sydney 0 Melbourne 1
Melbourne is pretty laid-back when compared to Sydney. Sydneysiders seem to be more in a hurry. They hardly maintain eye contacts. At a time, I felt it was good in some ways as that was different from the crazy stares in Melbourne. On second thoughts, I realized most of the people I met were tourists who do not really care where you came from. Then I went to the suburbs and the staring started. This is a subjective one, but I personally think Melburnians are generally nicer and more approachable than Sydneysiders, so my point goes to Melbourne

Total Sydney 5/10 - Melbourne 6/10

Accurate

GoodMemory:
Sydney V Melbourne

Potential migrants are often faced with the difficult choice of Sydney or Melbourne. In my estimate, the probability of moving to either Sydney or Melbourne is 40% each. Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane share the remaining 20%.
I do not know if I am qualified to write on the difference between Sydney and Melbourne as I only spent 1 week in Sydney, but I will try and present an unbiased view of both cities. I will also rely on contributors who have lived substantially in both cities to correct me wherever my views are inaccurate.
For the purpose of this exercise, I will give a 1 to the winner and 0 to the loser. Please note the 0 point does not represent an absent of that factor in a city, rather it is only a relative score.

JOBS – Sydney 1 Melbourne 0
I am tempted to make this area a tie between Sydney and Melbourne, but I think it will not be fair to Sydney if I did so. A quick search of the keyword “accounting” on www.seek.com.au returned 5,841 jobs for Sydney and 4,052 for Melbourne. This is particularly close. A second search for the keyword “Engineering” returned 5,081 for Sydney and 4,016 jobs for Melbourne. Once again, a 0 does not represent difficulty in getting a job in Melbourne, it is merely a comparison between number of jobs in Melbourne and Sydney. Having said that, you can see the returns are close so either choice is a good one.

SALARY - Sydney 1 Melbourne 0
According to Numbeo, average monthly salary after tax in Sydney is 5,179.21 A$ while that of Melbourne is 4,556.03 A$ (April 2019). Remember, these are just average values.

COST OF LIVING - Sydney 1 Melbourne 1
This is a tie as the cost of living is a function of average salaries earned. While cost of living is higher in Sydney, salaries are higher too so it evens out. See the link below.
https://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_cities.jsp?country1=Australia&city1=Melbourne&country2=Australia&city2=Sydney

TRANSPORTATION - Sydney 0 Melbourne 1
This is one area where Melbourne wins hands down. Moving from point A to B is quite easier in Melbourne as it operate trains, tram and buses as against Sydney’s trains and buses.


FOOD AND CULTURE - Sydney 0 Melbourne 1
Melbourne has on several occasions won the Most Liveable City in the world. Melbourne is known as Australia’s coffee capital. Asian and European cuisines are also everywhere. It is often said Melbourne has great restaurants but Sydney great pubs. As a Nigerian, I doubt if this will have any effect on your lifestyle as we are traditionally lovers of naija food. (smiles)

SPORTS - Sydney 0 Melbourne 1
Most Aussies claim, though ignorantly that Melbourne is the sport capital of the world! While this may be far-fetched, I think when compared to Sydney, it takes the upper hand. Formula One Grand Prix, Australian Tennis Open, AFL Grand Final are some of the major sporting events in Melbourne. So if you are a sport lover, Melbourne is the place to be.

WEATHER - Sydney 1 Melbourne 0
This is a subjective one. Some people prefer a cold weather to a warm one. Melbourne is colder than Sydney. Melburnians say there are 4 seasons in one day. In Melbourne, it’s 5 degrees in the morning, 32 degrees in the afternoon and 10 degrees in the night with lots of rain. One day, maximum temp is 35 degrees, the next, it’s a high of 18 degrees, so temperatures fluctuate in Melbourne.
Temperatures are relatively warmer and more stable in Sydney.

ROAD NETWORK AND URBAN PLANNING - Sydney 0 Melbourne 1
I wish I could give Melbourne 2 points here because it wins hands down! The roads network in Sydney are horrible. Very narrow, undulating and confusing. To me, the planning of the roads looks more like an after-thought. There are also many roads sign warnings and visible traffic cops. In Melbourne, you can drive months without sighting a traffic patrol.

SAFETY - Sydney 1 Melbourne 0
To Nigerians who are moving to Australia, you might not see the difference in this regard. Australia is safe and you can sleep with your eyes closed in both cities. However, lately there have been concerns about cyclist gangs (Middle eastern extraction) and African gang violence in Melbourne. Even though the organized African gang thing was the creation of the media, there is still some elements of violence among the Sudanese youths.
Having said that, both cities are safe, and you can walk anytime of the day without fear of being mugged.
https://www.numbeo.com/crime/compare_cities.jsp?country1=Australia&city1=Melbourne&country2=Australia&city2=Sydney

GENERAL FEEL - Sydney 0 Melbourne 1
Melbourne is pretty laid-back when compared to Sydney. Sydneysiders seem to be more in a hurry. They hardly maintain eye contacts. At a time, I felt it was good in some ways as that was different from the crazy stares in Melbourne. On second thoughts, I realized most of the people I met were tourists who do not really care where you came from. Then I went to the suburbs and the staring started. This is a subjective one, but I personally think Melburnians are generally nicer and more approachable than Sydneysiders, so my point goes to Melbourne

Total Sydney 5/10 - Melbourne 6/10

GoodMemory:


Feedback on traffic fine.

I wrote them but they declined to waive it. They reiterated that driving through the red light was a grave offence and quoted all the sections in the manual etc.

So, I have no option but to pay.

Ok. Well, at least you tried and it extends the payment period. If you want, you can choose to pay in installments like $50/month.



Good trip you had. I am hoping in the very near future, I will be able to travel round the country in a caravan. I have only done Sydney - Adelaide, Adelaide - Melbourne - Canberra - Sydney and Adelaide - Perth.

Long drive is interesting and fun with the roads except for the speed limit which I consider ridiculously too low @110km/h for the freeways. I usually do over the limit though where I am sure there are no cameras and no mobile cameras. When I want to go on a long drive, I do check the websites of all the State Police I will pass through for where mobile cameras will be stationed each day.

Hopefully I can find people who will be interested in doing the country tour to move in a group.

Do the criminal stigma attached to South Sudanese youths especially, does it rub off on other blacks?

Road Trips are definitely gonna be fun. Especially with the quality of roads. I did Sydney to Newcastle, about 165km, a couple of times between March & April. About 3 rest areas (barely had to use them though due to short distance) with restaurant and other amenities.

I was always conscious of the speed limit as there are speed cameras even on the highways and I also find the 110km/hr maximum speed limit ridiculous but the fear of fine always keeps me driving within the limit. Every time i felt the urge to exceed the speed limit, I'd almost always find a police patrol vehicle that had stopped some drivers for most likely speeding offences.

There is still plenty of time to see the country!

bellong:


Long drive is interesting and fun with the roads except for the speed limit which I consider ridiculously too low @110km/h for the freeways. I usually do over the limit though where I am sure there are no cameras and no mobile cameras. When I want to go on a long drive, I do check the websites of all the State Police I will pass through for where mobile cameras will be stationed each day.

Hopefully I can find people who will be interested in doing the country tour to move in a group.

Hello house,

My family and I have our PR and we are planning to relocate in Dec. For those living in Sydney how easy is it to secure a good school for kids of age 6 and 8 years. Wouldn't it be too late to get a good school assuming we arrive in December 15th.

bellong:
I am hoping in the very near future, I will be able to travel round the country in a caravan.
Hopefully I can find people who will be interested in doing the country tour to move in a group.

Sign me up ooo.. I will do

bellong:
Long drive is interesting and fun with the roads except for the speed limit which I consider ridiculously too low @110km/h for the freeways. I usually do over the limit though where I am sure there are no cameras and no mobile cameras..

I dey only get this kind mind when the terrain is flat enough that I can see at least a kilometer or 2 of road at a stretch - just to be sure there are no cars with suspicious looking antennas on the road ....ehen, we fit dey go 150..... Otherwise, as a NSW somebody, the fear of Highway patrol is the enforcement of speed limit

I am speechless �. This is beautiful. Well constructed and delivered. If only many of us think this way, we would have gone far. A friend of mine in Dublin told me Nigerians there love keeping to themselves. I was like, what the hell? Sh tried several times to get close to most of them in are school and she keeps getting a piss off attitude from them.
We all must learn to be there for ourselves, we are Nigerians and we should be proud of it, irrespective of the bad reputation we have. Let's be an instrument of change wherever we find ourselves, let's show foreigners that we all are not as bad as the think or say.
Thank you once again for the powerful words.

GoodMemory:

A lot has been said and written on the issue of racism in Australia. Most of the write-ups have come from non-Africans, usually Indians and Islanders and sometimes, but rarely, blacks who aren’t Africans. I believe racism/stereotypical behaviors towards these set of people might be different depending on the circumstances.
Personally, I feel Australians do not deserve the bad image which they have earned internationally as a racist country. It may have been because of the way and manner the Aboriginal people were treated or the growing concern about increased migration into Australia. In a survey, Australia, was ranked top as one of the most tolerant countries while India is ranked as the least tolerant country.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2013/05/15/a-fascinating-map-of-the-worlds-most-and-least-racially-tolerant-countries/?utm_term=.4b318d97beda

In another survey by economic and trading group, Insider Monkey, India again ranked top country where people are racially least tolerant. Australia is not even on the list of racially intolerant countries.

https://businesstech.co.za/news/lifestyle/116644/the-most-racist-countries-in-the-world/

This is not an attempt to downplay racism in Australia. It is alive and well. However, what you will experience here is different from what immigrants in Canada, the USA, or the UK experience daily. For example, you may witness commuters not wanting to sit next to you in public transport, people going back to their car on seeing you, to check if their car door is safely locked, pedestrians changing lanes on sighting you from afar etc. the number and frequency is just the same whether you are in Vancouver, BC Canada, Texas in the US , Manchester in the UK or Melbourne in Australia. These acts are not on their own conclusively pointing to racism as a second meaning might be read to them. Pedestrian changing lanes might be doing it genuinely, commuters sometimes prefer standing to sitting, etc. Please note I am not holding briefs for perpetrators of racism.

As someone who has lived in a western country for 10 years before relocating to Australia, I can tell you one thing you will witness. Supremacy mentality. Superiority complex is pervasive in any first world countries or any nation with predominantly Caucasian population.
The average white person feels genetically superior to the next black person until circumstances prove him otherwise. A homeless guy, a slowpoke and a never-do-well feel they are better than a black person who is perhaps a medical doctor. Remember we are dealing with 400 odd years, age-long mentality.
Superiority complex will daily confront you at work, during social interactions etc.


As an African, here’s my top 4 ways that will help minimize racism. Some of them are long term approach but I think they have to happen before racism can be reduced.

Awareness
The first step to defeating any problem is having an awareness of the problem. Knowing the full strength of the problem helps to access the strategy and tactics to deal with the problem. Knowing your rights is another form of having awareness.
We need to be able to recognize tell-tale signs of racism. If convinced you are racially abused, call out the perpetrator and seek justice in Australian Human Rights Commission.
https://www.humanrights.gov.au.
Unfortunately, Black people are not known to escalate issues like this as they are quick to forgive people who racially abuse them. The fact is, you can forgive and still take your abuser to court. That has nothing to do with your religious instruction to forgive.

Black people should stick together
I do not advocate black people should create their own enclave and live there. I mean black people should learn to cooperate with themselves. We are quick to say “I avoid fellow Africans wherever I go because of my previous experience with them”. What I want to know is do you also avoid white people and Asians because of your experience in their hands? I doubt, otherwise you would have moved back to naija. Why are we quick to forgive other races and hold eternal grudges against people that look like us? Why are we quick to befriend others and reluctant to be friends with our own? As an example: My kids were the only black kids in the school until this school term when another black kid, a Nigerian for that matter, joined them. The principal of the school had told us about the new kid, so we were looking forward to meeting them.
On the day we finally met, we were given a cold shoulder by the parents of the kid. We thought maybe they were introverts and were the type that reluctantly warmed up to strangers. Well, after several failed attempts to talk to them, we gave up. We hardly even say ‘hi” to each other anymore. What message do you think both of us had sent to other races in that school? To minimize racism, the culture of self-hate among black people has to stop.
When a people are united, it is hard for others to disrespect them. Are you the type who feels happy when he is told by other races “you are not like others”? If you were, then you need to know they (other races) are playing divide and rule on you.

Let’s start taking over
How do you expect others to respect us when we are constantly rocking the bottom of the social ladder of any society? How will others respect us when our target are jobs that pay minimum wages but because of exchange rate to Naira and other African currencies, we are proud to label it “good money”. Why do we always think so small? Why is it that the only business Africans run is a tiny African shop that caters for only Africans? An Indian moves to Australia. He is accommodated by his friends. He saves up money, teams up with friends and they buy 7-Eleven franchise. He employs and brings in 5 more people from India to work in the 7-Eleven shop. The white guy who goes into that Indian owned 7-Eleven is bound to respect because he knows they are visibly contributing to the Australian economy. The cold fact of life is no one respects an economically backward people. There was a time when Caucasians used to look down on Chinese, but today it is classy to go to Chinese restaurants and it is also a sign of sophistication to eat with chopsticks! Let’s start dominating wherever we find ourselves. If you have the capital or resources or know rich politicians back home, convince them to start investing in Australia. There are lots of opportunities in real estate and other businesses. Trust me, you can never imagine the impact it would have on our beautiful race and its people. Let’s cultivate the habit of selflessness.
I thank the moderator, creators and the selfless contributors on Living in Australia and A Guide to Permanent Residency in Australia on Nairaland. These platforms have assisted a lot of people and is continuing to assist thousands of people. That is what we are talking about. I benefited immensely from these threads. Ironically, some people who have benefited are the ones who are mute now after receiving the PR and are settled in Australia. Let’s us learn to share information just like other races.

Be firm and assertive
You are on the train and someone racially abuses you. What are you going to do? Sit there and smile? Hell no! Calmly but firmly give it back to him. Watch your words though so you do not in anger racially abuse him too and you know what? They will not hesitate to sue you at the drop of a pin. If possible, use your phone to record the encounter so you can have evidence that will be presented when you approach human rights commission later.
At work, being assertive is good because it is a proactive approach. If they know you don’t take nonsense, they are less likely to say things that will annoy you.

Having said all these, racism in Australia is not as bad as people say. Most Australians are friendly. On the street, no one cares what you look like and in the offices and workplaces, there are strong laws that prevent people from discrimination.
The people who complain the most are the ones who are guilty of it. They are the people whose country are ranked No. 1 on the list of racially intolerant countries.

Racism is probably worse in the US compared to Australia, so guys if you are thinking of moving to Australia, please come over and have fun!

Bnimz:


Sign me up ooo.. I will do


I dey only get this kind mind when the terrain is flat enough that I can see at least a kilometer or 2 of road at a stretch - just to be sure there are no cars with suspicious looking antennas on the road ....ehen, we fit dey go 150..... Otherwise, as a NSW somebody, the fear of Highway patrol is the enforcement of speed limit

@belong @bnimz @afosahid........
sign me up for road trips
anytime
any day
any terrain
any weather

I missed a road trip to Riverina over the easter break and i still can't get over it.
Hoping to knock it off at the nearest opportunity.

Mzally:
Hello house,

My family and I have our PR and we are planning to relocate in Dec. For those living in Sydney how easy is it to secure a good school for kids of age 6 and 8 years. Wouldn't it be too late to get a good school assuming we arrive in December 15th.

This issue of school placement, day care and preschool is location dependent. Based on my experience it can be very stressful here in Sydney. However people have reported easy placement in this same Sydney.
Families outside Sydney have reported easy pezzy placements for their kids

bellong:


Ok. Well, at least you tried and it extends the payment period. If you want, you can choose to pay in installments like $50/month.

Good trip you had. I am hoping in the very near future, I will be able to travel round the country in a caravan. I have only done Sydney - Adelaide, Adelaide - Melbourne - Canberra - Sydney and[b] Adelaide - Perth.[/b]

Hopefully I can find people who will be interested in doing the country tour to move in a group.

Thanks Bellong.

I doff my hat to you on the Adelaide-Perth trip. Google says it's 2,697 km. That's no small distance.
Count me in too for any of such long trips.

Mzally:
Hello house,

My family and I have our PR and we are planning to relocate in Dec. For those living in Sydney how easy is it to secure a good school for kids of age 6 and 8 years. Wouldn't it be too late to get a good school assuming we arrive in December 15th.

I think it depends on the date of birth of your kids.
There are some good info here:

https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/enrol-nsw-public-primary-school

grandstar:
Do the criminal stigma attached to South Sudanese youths especially, does it rub off on other blacks?

It all depends on who you meet.
To an extreme far right winger, it does not matter if you are Sudanese or Nigerian, he hates all blacks.
A liberal minded (leftist) who is well traveled might know the difference. Though that on its own makes me sad at times when non-blacks play the "You are different from the Sudanese" card. On such instances, I defend the Sudanese. I am an African after all.

Just got back from a short break in Sydney, quite liked it as it was my first time there. The city was really quiet as most people I believe were away on holiday. Toured the city as well, but the highlight of my trip lwas my visit to the blue mountains, it is a UNESCO world heritage site and really breath taking. I've attached a few pics from my trip.

A few more...

GoodMemory:
A week before Easter, we decided on a trip to Sydney. Flight tickets for a family of 4 was a record high especially because it was close to Easter holidays. The alternative was to drive. Drive 870km? We immediately booked a room in a hotel in the CBD just 2km away from the Harbour.
We set out at 4:00am and by 8:00am just before sunrise, we had covered about 400km. It is generally my practice when doing long distance trips to set out very early so I can at least cover at least half or two-third before sunrise. It helps prevent fatigue caused by heat and humidity.

Nice one. I like long distance trips. Is it dual carriageway all thru between Sydney and Melbourne?

The kind of road affects the speed limit. I love the drive between Sydney and Newcastle. It's mostly 3 lanes dual carriageway with 110km/h limit. But as expected, there is a fixed camera along the way and traffic cops are usually hiding along the way. I always used Waze app instead of Google Maps when I was driving in Sydney and surrounding areas.

After Newcastle, heading towards Tamworth, it becomes the boring single lane with overtaking lanes and 100km/h speed limit.

Btw, I don't think those Safe-T cams and average speed camera sites scattered around Nsw are turned on for light vehicles. They are for heavy vehicles/trucks.

As for kangaroos, the threat is way higher at dawn and dusk. That's one disadvantage of leaving very early in the morning on those interior single carriage highways. Apparently, the kangaroos are blinded by your headlights or they just have a special love for it. That's the reason they jump towards the light.

I would love to do Brisbane to Perth either thru the back roads/shorter route or thru Sydney.

ideamaster:


Nice one. I like long distance trips. Is it dual carriageway all thru between Sydney and Melbourne?

Yes it is a dual carriageway all through.
You are right about the Kangaroos hopping out at dawn or dusk. They are nocturnal in nature, so are very active during the night.
We saw more dead ones on the return trip from Sydney to Melbourne. They must have been killed by vehicles the night before or at the wee hours of that morning.

GoodMemory:


Yes it is a dual carriageway all through.
You are right about the Kangaroos hopping out at dawn or dusk. They are nocturnal in nature, so are very active during the night.
We saw more dead ones on the return trip from Sydney to Melbourne. They must have been killed by vehicles the night before or at the wee hours of that morning.

Hope no one is arrested for running over kangaroos? Just thinking �

rinzylee:


Hope no one is arrested for running over kangaroos? Just thinking �

I need an answer to this pls.

tyosho:
@good memory.

Since you stay in Melbourne,we have a whats app group for melbourne based nigerians where we share ideas,suggestions and try to help each other in the little ways we can.


If there is any other person who lives in Melbourne and would like to be added to the group,kindly let me know.

Alphadoor remember I suggestED whatsapp group for Nigerians in sydney? Oya na

afosahid:
Hi All,

Started searching for jobs a few days after landing. I was quite positive my experience was good enough to land me a role in no distant time. Fate had other plans. I apply tire. I was barely getting calls for interviews. I tried every trick in the book but the call backs were very few. My CV was good, my experience was quite relevant to a lot of the roles too. I had to pick up a warehouse role when he wan start to Dey RED. Did that for a month and was out on the market again. I apply taya. I write cover letter taya. I had different versions of my CV that suits different positions that were being advertised. Toned down my CV from 5 pages to 2 pages. For some applications, I had to cut down my years of experience from 9 to less than 5 years. Few call backs I got said they were impressed by my experience, but unfortunately, they needed someone with local Australian experience for the role.

Make I leave am here for now. More details later...

I am curious, what field do you work in?
Also, do you think the 5 page CV affected your applications?
Congratulations on the new job. na God win las las

Thanks. Background is Mechanical Engineering. Work experience has been in metal fabrication as a Quality Assurance and control professional. My Quality Assurance experience is also very relevant to a lot of industries like manufacturing and the likes.

I honestly can't say the 5 page CV affected applications negatively. I know for a fact that most recruiters here use ATS (Applicant tracking System) software to review CVs of hundreds of applicants. This basically searches applicant's CVs for keywords relevant to the job descriptions for the roles advertised. So whether your CV has just 1 page or 5 pages, so long as the keywords match for the roles advertised, you should be shortlisted. I was very concerned I wasn't getting as many call backs as expected. But the general advice here even from people who have been in the industry for a while is to keep your CV concise.

Key advice from me is that all new applicants should not just apply indiscriminately for jobs. Your job applications must be targeted. Read job descriptions and tailor your CV to suit the requirements of the role so long as it is in your field and you have the experience. Some people even go as far as lifting the job description from the role advertised and just make slight modifications to their CV. This will most likely help you pass the ATS screening and increase your chances of getting an invitation for interview.

These are key areas prospective migrants and new arrivals should be paying attention to. I noticed a good number of people only want to see pictures and read about the beautiful stories about holidays and the road trips. My people, your first few months in this country can be quite tough ooo. Pay attention to the key details you need to navigate the job market here. Don't let reality hit you unprepared

trastar:


I am curious, what field do you work in?
Also, do you think the 5 page CV affected your applications?
Congratulations on the new job. na God win las las

@bellong @Alphadoor @Bnimz @trastar @goodmemory

What is your take regarding the flu jabs usually given at most work places ahead/during the cold season. Not sure, but i think i remember reading an advice not to take it. Just want to sample different opinions on the subject and what is your reason for taking or refusing to take the vaccine. Thanks

afosahid:


What is your take regarding the flu jabs usually given at most work places ahead/during the cold season. Not sure, but i think i remember reading an advice not to take it. Just want to sample different opinions on the subject and what is your reason for taking or refusing to take the vaccine. Thanks

I usually get running nose during the rainy season in Nigeria. It was so bad when I served in Jos due to their round the year cold season. When I arrived Australia in May which is pre-winter season, I had this terrible running nose accompanied with headache similar to my experience in Jos. I won the war when winter was over.

The following year while working with South Australia Police, the flu jab was compulsory, had the jab and I never experienced the running (runny) nose trouble. The jab saved me. However, in the following year, I took the jab elsewhere, I still had the same challenge which means, the vaccine is not as strong as the previous one or the problem has developed resistance against the vaccine.
I didn't have a jab last year and I experienced very minimal trouble with the nose.

I do know that vaccines are designed to wage war against certain virus while killing some antibodies in the system. There have been series of allegations and counter allegations against the vaccine. Previously in a state, a particular jab gave a young girl traumatic brain injury which led to the discontinuation of that particular vaccine. The girl could have been allergic to the content of the vaccine because there was no widespread effect of the same problem.

My opinion is that each family should weigh their options and do the best for their families. The jab could be a lifesaver and it may not contribute anything to fight against the flu. The flu in this country could be very dangerous as it has killed a lot of people. The best antidote is going natural. While winter is very mild in this country, you still have to take care of yourself, keep warm, don't be stingy with heating and let the house be warm. Drink herbal tea, hot pepper soup, eat a lots of fruit and you will be fine.

Some vaccines are better stayed away from.

Good morning house.,

Please which link can I access for Australia immigration,i want to ask some questions..

Is it easier applying for Australia/Canadian immigration from Dublin or from Nigeria.. Am currently studying in Dublin and I have been denied Canadian student visa before coming to Dublin...

So Sydney Australia is the magic town where things are happening

Hephziebah:
Hi everyone, I will be sharing my story whilst trying not to repeat points already shared by others.

PHCN frustrated me out of Nigeria earlier than I planned so I was quite scattered on the day I was leaving. I flew Emirates and the flight left as scheduled with me being one of the last to check in due to my 'overload syndrome'(I just found it extremely difficult fitting my entire existence into 2 suitcases!). For people like me that can pack for Africa, 23kg is very small so you are better off focusing on things you might not get here. For the ladies, it might be useful to bring black hair products and hair extensions (though they sell expression here but its so tiny and does not come out as nice as the Naija one). Hair cream and relaxers are important as there only two places I know in the whole of Sydney that sell black hair products and one might not have the luxury of time to go there always.

Stopover at Dubai was good as IOM arranged for someone to meet and usher me to the boarding gate for the connecting flight. I was very happy and impressed because I thought they had done me enough favour already by making the ticket available at half price

We also had another stopover in Thailand which I did not like, because the ticket read DXB-SYD. This stopover was however not long (just about an hour and a half) so I finally got to Sydney after about a day of travel. I found Sydney to be a lot like the UK in many areas so things did not feel very strange afterall.

I stayed with a friend for a few days and got my own accommodation a few days later. However, I had to move out of the house after just a month because I was not comfortable. Like others have said, it is very important to ask about all the conditions before moving into any house. Do not allow any landlord to fool you by saying they will send the documentation later(after you move in), it is most likely a trap because at this point, you would have paid and will most likely be bound to fulfill the minimum lease period.

I chose to live in Sydney and the major factor that informed my choice was the availability of jobs in my field. This, and other factors like ease of travel with the public transport system (as I did not intend to drive immediately) helped me decide. In fact, I had a spreadsheet when I was still in Nigeria where I was doing a comparison between Sydney and Melbourne based on the factors I considered important to me.

As I do not drive, I use public transport and spend about $60 per week on travel. The trains are more reliable than the buses so when renting, be sure to ensure that you get a place close to the train station if not driving. You really don't want to have a lot to do with the buses because they can really test your patience.

I shared my job search strategy in an earlier post on the other thread.

I will be back to share more of my experience as time goes on.