First of all welcome aboard to all those of you who have signed up for the experience of a life time. I know we have a few friends who have been accepted and are gathering all the information and paperwork they need to start their working holiday. We've exchanged a few emails back and forth to a few different friends and people interested and thought it'd be good to write a blog of "all that you need to know" so here it is.
1. Save!! whatever you have it's not enough! (walking into a hospital will set you back $950, catching the ambulance their an extra $650. Your travel insurance wont cover you initially you have to pay upfront; then they will re-emburst you if they accept the claim)
2. Travel Insurance this is a well discussed topic and one that you should not skimp out on. Talk to your student flight representative about your options. Compare other travel insurance companies find the best price and get your travel agent to match the price. (make sure you read the fine print & it includes snowboarding, skiing & ice skating- if you want off piste this will set you back a fortune, so if you want to save some money here stick to the designated tracks at your resorts)
3. Flights If you want to travel around first prior to arriving in Canada make sure you have all the necessary visas and on going flights so you don't get held up with the custom officers. (here's a cheeky tip: Fly into the USA and take the greyhound/AMTRAK to Canada it's cheap & if you change your travel plans your not loosing loads of cash in doing so) In regards to prices the cheapest we found was $1200 return or $850 one way, sign up to the different websites and become best friends with your travel agent to find the best deals.
4. Luggage Most airlines will only accept 23kgs checked in baggage and a small carry on bag of 10kgs + a small backpack or hand bag (keeping in mind that your going to buy loads of stuff if your are travelling the states first. We suggest you pack light as sending parcels back home are EXPENSIVE so be harsh when you pack)
5. Buying new winter gear & equipment This is one that was not only exciting to us when we first started the process but our biggest puzzle as what to do. We decided to buy it in Vancouver as they offer decent prices and quality gear (some Australian gear wont cut it in negative 15 degrees and is very expensive) to get you started our boards, bindings, boots, goggles, helmets, jackets, pants, gloves and a beanie or two set us back around $2000 each. (a ski package will set you back even more) Plus not to mention we also had to buy general snow boots for our jobs which easily sets you back $200 for a decent pair (do not skimp out here, having cold feet while working is unpleasant and you'll need them for 5 months)
General need to know.
Its a good idea to get an email address to contact someone at you local bank as the cost of calling them will generally be worth more than any issue itself.
Keep all important documents in one safe place (for your entire trip)
Get a copy of everything: passport, drivers license, LOI, flights, accommodation, visa's, including your bank cards. Leave this with a family member or close friend encase something happens to yours.
Carry on luggage- take a spare change of close & tooth brush & paste incase your luggage gets delayed/lost, or your plane gets delayed/cancelled. Trust me Im happy we did this.
Always ask before doing something if your unsure! The Working Holiday Club is there for you 24/7 use their services an ask any question relation to you working holiday throughout your season. They are well educated and always give honest fair answers to everything! Remember you are their clients and they want to look after you to ensure you have the best possible experience.
