Dear fellow travellers,
I will be in Melbourne this Friday and I wanted to know how to pack -
whether it will be hot/cold/windy??
Also, I will be arriving at late night - 12 midnight and so what would be
the best way to reach my hotel in St. Kilda East area?
Last, I am thinking of getting cash from ATM when I arrive at the airport. Can anyone
suggest it that is okay or should I get atleast some cash converted to Aus dollar from home?
Fri am 16 - 22 dge C
Sat am 15- 22 deg C
I would bring something warm, if you have been to Aust before, you will find it cold.
When I first came here, I thought 15 was cold!
Even if you find it not, it might be cold on the plane coming down.
At least have some warm clothing available.
And yes, I would swap some rupees to Aud$, just to get used to the feeling of them, and you have some time to play around with them.
Skybus is now near T4, unless you want a taxi, moot point, maybe $80 to MEL CBD give or take. Was it you who mentioned a bout the hotel in St Kilda Road or somewhere that way?
Have 2 yellow orche $50 notes to pay the taxi driver direct to your hotel, if thats you.
Skybus is good if your hotel is in the CBD, but then you will have to searching for it!
Taxi might be better first time round from Tullarmarine Airport.
Ah, it is you going to St Kilda, heh, I am getting too old.
Think you have asked a while back.
Taxi. Lots of the MEL taxi drivers are from India you know.
Edit: 32kms, 33 mins trip, $72 to $99 according to www.taxifare.com.au
FGS, wo wants to sit on a plane and play around with money? OP, Just head to an ATM when you arrive and do a withdrawal. Exchange rate will be better than you'd get before leaving for Australia.
Strangely, Australia is now advanced enough to have weather on the internet.
http://www.bom.gov.au/vic/forecasts/melbourne.shtml?ref=hdr
Equally strangely, 15-22C is the same as 15-22C in every other place on the planet so, if that's cold for you wear a jumper, if not, don't.
Our cabs are also advanced enough to accept credit cards (Though will add a 10% loading to the fare)
Skybus is cheaper, but only takes you to the city, from where you'd need another cab.
There are ATMs in the terminal, from which you can withdraw cash direct at a good rate but check with your bank that your card works here, and that they know you are coming (it is common for them to block your card if they see overseas transactions without being aware you were traveling).
Also check which Australian bank your bank has an arrangement with to avoid withdrawal fees.
I personally always get a small amount of cash before I leave just to ensure I'm not stranded if I find my cards don't work or ATMs broken.
A lot of hotels do take a preauthorisation/deposit on check in, I find a cash deposit the best policy, granted some hotels only accept credit card deposits, and some hotels don't take deposits, with cash deposits, on check out, you get the cash back, some hotels can take days to refund the preauthorisation/deposit amount back to your card.
On my every trip to NZ, I do have about Nzd$120 to pay for the hotel deposit, and other things, just as Harry said, is case things don't work.
If you do want to follow the other's opinion, and use ATMs only, ANZ seems to have a lot of ATMs at MEL (Tullarmarine).
Melbourne weather though is notoriously unpredictable. I wouldn't go there at any time of the year without being able to adjust from mid teens to high 30s and beyond and it can rain at any time of the year as well. Be prepared for pretty much anything apart from snow.
I would get the skybus into the city and it is easy to get a taxi from there to where you are staying, and it will be cheaper than a taxi from the airport direct
A taxi from Southern Cross station is probably the better option but trams run for 24h over the weekend (have we had this question before?) and you could do that if you feel confident enough.
I always take some local cash with me before I leave home - it means my first stop doesn't have to be an ATM and secondly I can make sure my card is going to work safe in the knowledge that if it doesn't I still have enough cash to get me by while I sort it with a phone call home. Sure, it has been along time since my card didn't work but that has happened a few times (twice in Oz, once in the US). If you can notify your bank you are going to be travelling then you should do that.