An Aussie in New York - Getting There - A Survival Guide for a Long Haul Flight from Western Australia to New York

Photos by Maria Ngo

Bunbury to Perth 

After all the months and weeks of planning I was finally going to be on my way to New York! My big trip as a female solo traveller.

A very comfortable bus ride on South West Coach Lines (Photo copyright Maria Ngo)

It was not going to be a straight forward trip because I was coming from a country town in Western Australia. This was not my usual exit point for travels. I was there because of my sister’s 40th birthday celebration. The whole journey, from Bunbury to New York, door to door, would take about 42 hours or more.

In summary, I was going from Bunbury to Perth, Perth to Sydney, Sydney to Los Angeles (LAX), Los Angeles to New York (JFK) and then finally Manhattan.

Trip summary (Photo copyright Maria Ngo)

The drive from home to the bus terminal in Bunbury Bus Depot in the city was about 15 minutes. The bus trip from Bunbury to Perth took nearly 2.5 hours.

South West Coach Lines operate a fleet of very comfortable modern buses. You can check in with the driver with your device or on paper. It was straightforward and hassle free. The storage space under the bus is capacious and sufficient for your 23 kg suitcase. You are allowed 5 kg hand luggage inside the bus. 

The roads between Bunbury and Perth are well graded and smooth. The first part of the bus trip through Australind is quite scenic. After that it is pretty much the kind of view you'd see along major highways. 

Bunbury to Perth on the highway (Photo copyright Maria Ngo) 

Between bus timetables and flight departures, and allowing for international check in times, I had nearly 7 hours between when I arrived in Perth by bus and when my flight departed from Perth to Sydney. Luckily for me, I had cousins in Perth I could spend some time with. To cut a long story short, as events would have it, due to the kindness of an aunt and an untimely incident, I was able to spend a few very memorable hours catching up with my cousins before proceeding on to the next part of my journey.

In Perth International Airport (Photo copyright Maria Ngo) 

Perth international airport is quite comfortable to wait in if you have hours to pass. It is clean, modern and well maintained. But at the time of the night, none of the shops were open. The check-in and baggage drop off was smooth and uneventful. I had been stressed the night before because I could not do electronic check-in all the way through. I later found out that this was not uncommon with code-sharing flights. The Virgin app I was using on my phone only allowed me to check in from Perth to Sydney and then LAX but not past that. I did feel a little reassured however because I had a print out of my itinerary to refer to.

Sydney

Arriving at 6.05 AM in Sydney meant that the first item on my agenda was breakfast. I found a crowded busy food space where I was fortunate to be able to find a seat with power plugs to recharge my devices. Sydney International Airport is well set up to cater for the modern traveller's needs. I even found one spot with a shower. Yes, just the one.

Plenty of power for the modern traveller (Photo by Maria Ngo) 

Later as I was walking towards my departure gate, I found another eating area with several options that I could have availed myself of if I had known earlier. This was much quieter and would have been my preference. So if your departure gate is numbered in the high 50s, you might want to check out this food space.

The 4 hour flight to Sydney at close to midnight was not quite sufficient for a proper sleep. But, I did manage to catch a bit of shut eye on the red eye to sustain me sufficiently to get on the correct plane for LAX. This had been one of my worries of travelling alone - being so overcome by my need for sleep and missing my connecting flights.

Sydney to LAX 

There's this fine balance of being caffeinated and staying awake and being too caffeinated that you can't sleep later when you have the opportunity to do so. The next flight was going to be nearly 14 hours long (13 hours 40 minutes) and leaving late morning. This meant that lunch was going to be served a couple of hours into the flight - there was no point sleeping before then.

Sydney airport (Photo copyright Maria Ngo) 

After a pleasant chat with my travelling companion who was headed for Mexico, I picked a movie to watch while she settled in with a book. There were plenty of movies to pick from but I had intended to make sleep now a priority even if I'd only get broken sleep - better that than no sleep at all. I still had a 5 hour layover in LAX and a 5 hour 30 minutes flight from LAX to JFK and another hour and a bit for cab ride and possibly another 40 minutes or so for immigration security etc.

I consoled myself with the fact that if I had been travelling a century or two ago, I would have taken 3 to 4 months on a dangerous sea voyage. I suffer from travel sickness quite badly and that would have seen the end of me. Speaking of travel sickness, that was another thing I had to manage, the timing of my travel medication as well as my prescription meds.

Another thing that was somewhat related to my sleeping comfort was being vertically challenged. I had been theorising about how to keep my feet elevated. My solution? Fill up my backpack so that it could double up as a footrest as needed. Well, I was very happy that my theory worked in practice. Sure I had to compromise with feet space, but it was a small price to pay to be able to sleep a little more comfortably.

It's not hard to fill it up when you carry a neck pillow, spare long sleeve shirt, water bottles, parka (because it could be 10 C in NY), cameras, an iPad, a few snacks, small toiletry items, small change of essential clothing, as well as a beach towel. Don't laugh about the beach towel because, I was going to be ready for anything including long camp outs at the airport due to cancelled or delayed flights. So thus the neck pillow and beach towel. Remember, I was travelling on my own.

Back pack cum Footrest (Photo copyright Maria Ngo)

Other things I had learnt from previous trips to include in my carry on luggage related to sleep and comfort were an eye mask, ear buds for watching movies (I don't like headsets as I wear glasses and the added pressure against the spectacle arms pressing against my head always makes me very uncomfortable), ear buds plane audio adapter, ear plugs to muffle out the sounds and compression stockings. I also carry a spare spectacle case and spectacles for seeing things close up. My eyes get dry during long flights so I also carry eye drops, and for my dry skin, moisturiser. I recently also added a small spray of breath freshener which claimed to kill over 90% of the bacteria that caused bad breath. I also thought it might be handy for killing sore-throat germs - perhaps.

Another thing I did to take care of myself was to make sure I stayed hydrated with my favourite beverage - tomato juice (!). I also moved my limbs as often as I could when I was awake. The ear buds worked alright up to a certain extent but there were three people to my right across the aisle who were determined to stay awake while others slept.

As the hours rolled on and the view outside got darker and shades began to be drawn and the cabin lights dimmed and a quiet hush settled through the cabin, I settled down to catch a few Zzz-s. The hours ticked slowly along and I eventually heard the captain make the oh so welcomed announcement that we were going to be arriving in LAX soon.

Los Angeles

We arrived in Los Angeles without much ado in good weather. In truth, the whole flight had been very smooth. I was even able to delay taking my usual travel sickness tablet at the "prescribed" time.

I didn't feel rushed or anxious going through customs and immigration in spite of queues of people as I had 5 hours before my next flight. I found the process was quite efficient.

Last time I was at this airport I had encountered people who had not allowed sufficient time for flight transfers and missed their flight. I had no intention of adding to my stress by being one of these. I felt quite relaxed as my lengthy layover gave me plenty of time to go through immigration, pick up my luggage, find the correct place to drop off my bag for the onward flight, get a proper boarding pass for my flight, find some breakfast and wander back to my departure gate wherever that might be. The 5 hours was a little on the generous side, but my options were either that or an earlier flight that gave me just a bit more than an hour with all the potential for all kinds of unwelcomed eventualities.

I arrived at Tom Bradley International terminal and my departure point was Terminal 3. As it turned out the terminals are all within walking distance to each other. So getting from one terminal to the other was a breeze. 

After collecting and dropping off my luggage at the Delta counter, where they were able to print me a proper boarding pass, (finally!) I took my time to work out where I needed to go to next. 

To get to the other terminals, you need to head through the exit doors of the terminal you arrive in to walk a short distance to the next entry of the terminal you want. From the Tom Bradley exit to the furthest terminal entry/exit took me about 10 minutes only along a narrow pathway. However, getting out of Tom Bradley itself  took me a few minutes because it wasn't clear to me that I had to make my way all the way to the exit to get to the other terminal. 

LAX terra firma! (Photo copyright Maria Ngo)

After chatting with a friendly staff near one of the entries/exits, I decided to walk the full length to an open space where share rides were located to get some fresh air. There was nothing particularly exciting about this large parking lot (except for a food truck that sold blueberry smoothies and coffee) but it was very pleasant to be on terra firma, breathing in fresh air rather than recirculated air. It was cool and very pleasant in the morning. I sat there for quite a while delaying returning to the airport terminal as long as I could.

Share ride parking lot at LAX - but the air is fresh (Photo copyright Maria Ngo)

Feeling sufficiently revived, I felt able to tackle the security check for my next terminal. I hear that the whole area is being revamped which is to be welcomed, because the current security check in process needed some serious improvements in efficiency. I have a feeling that the space and set up was pre-9/11 which would explain why it didn’t seem to be coping with the necessary screening that is now required. Just as well, I wasn't dashing for a flight. 

The departure gate that I was at didn't have a lot of power sockets. I found one and parked myself next to it. I had packed my international power adapter and took this out to use along with my multi USB charging adapter.

Los Angeles to JFK New York 

The five and a half hours flight from LAX to JFK was fairly smooth. We taxied down the runway at the scheduled time of 11:05 AM. I settled into my now well developed flight routine.

One thing I observed that time and later on my JFK to San Jose flight, was that those carrying hard cased bags with wheels were being off loaded when space could not be found for them on board the main cabin of the plane. They were being taken to be placed with check in baggage. This would have been a great inconvenience for some people. I was glad I was travelling with a soft backpack that could be squished easily into the over head cabins or under my feet as necessary.

Gate 34, Delta Airlines (Photo copyright Maria Ngo) 

Finally, I'm here! JFK New York! 

I got more and more excited as the plane got closer to New York. It landed as scheduled after 7:35 PM. There is a time difference of 3 hours between the two cities. 

I could not relax yet though, what if my luggage had gotten lost? What if the pre-loaded SIM card on my phone didn't work? Then how was I to get to my AirBnB? Would the cab/Uber be able to drop me off right at my accommodation? 

Waiting for my suitcase JFK (Photo copyright Maria Ngo)

As it so happened, my luggage came out rather later than other people's so this only increased my worry. And for that reason, I usually carry a small quantity of essential meds with me and my prescription meds in my hand luggage along with essential changes of clothing to get by. 

Eventually I got my luggage and made my way to the exit to catch either a taxi or an Uber. Taxis from JFK to Manhattan charge a fixed rate. There is an additional fee for the toll. I considered the suggested Uber price and the taxi fare and opted for the flat fee option. When it came time to pay for the taxi fare, the sneaky machine added an automatic 20% tip. There is an option to change that before you pay though. The taxi didn't drop me in front of my accommodation as promised (his excuse being that he was unable to turn left after having to go the long way after street closures, although in fact, if he had been on the ball, he would have been preparing for his turn earlier and been in the correct lane rather than being four lanes off to the right), so as you can guess, he didn't get his full tip from me. 

A lengthier than expected ride (Photo copyright Maria Ngo) 

I was dropped at a street corner and walked the last 100 meters under streetlight to my AirBnB. I had been in contact with my hostess from the time I arrived as my US SIM card had kicked into action the moment I arrived. I was able to keep her updated on my progress and trip and she was ready to greet me on my arrival. (Due to road closures, the last 15 minutes by taxi could have been completed in the same time on foot according to Google Maps. No wonder the taxi driver was keen to drop me off where he thought convenient.) 

I was extremely glad to finally arrive at my destination. Finally! I was in New York! I had been on the go for more than 42 hours.

AirBnB in New York (Photo copyright Maria Ngo) 

This was my first long haul overseas trip on my own. I was extremely tired, but very pleased with myself. After the plesantries with my hostess, it was around 11 PM by the time I was able to stretch out my tired body horizontally and utter a silent prayer of thanks for the safe smooth trip with no hiccups and good weather.

Sweet dreams (Photo copyright Maria Ngo) 

I had left early Friday 1 Nov in the afternoon from Western Australia and it was now just an hour from being Sunday. As I drifted off to sleep I mulled about what I would do on my first full day in New York.

Australia - A driving holiday - what you need to know about driving in Australia

G'day mate! Welcome to Australia - the Land Down Under, the Great Southland.

Melbourne city - mid left is Flinders Street Train Station; steepled building is St Paul's Cathedral
Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

So, you've decided to visit Australia and now you've got a ton of questions. For instance, what's the best way to explore and experience this wonderfully diverse and vast island continent? If you intend to stay in the CBD (central business district) of the capital cities, you might find that public transport might be quite sufficient. But, if you want to get out of the city centre to see the sights a little further out, coach tours might be your go.

Flinders Street Train Station 
Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

However, if you want to really explore and take things at a slower pace, there's nothing quite like hopping into a car and feeling the breeze in your hair.

So, if you intend to do a bit of driving in Australia, I've written this post just for you.

Open country road 
Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

I've also included other helpful information including travelling by air, weather apps, credit cards, mobile phone SIM cards, navigation tools and accommodation in this post.

Driving in Australia - in the city 

Driving in the city with trams 
Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

Here are some things you need to know if you plan to drive.

1. We drive on the left hand side of the road in Australia.

Drive on the left 
Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

If you are accustomed to driving on the opposite side of the road, this video (Giving way at intersections) will give you a helpful visual for what to do at intersections.

2. You need to give way to pedestrians at zebra crossings. (Australians are on the whole very law abiding citizens and are accustomed to use pedestrian crossings. This is for the safety of all concerned - pedestrians as well as drivers. Jay walking - crossing roads wherever one likes - is highly discouraged in Australia.)

Use the pedestrian crossing
Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

3. If you are turning into a lane in which a pedestrian is about to cross the road, you have to give way to the pedestrian. However, this is not the case at roundabouts.

4. There are trams that operate in Melbourne city. This has given rise to what we call a Hook Turn which operates in the CBD. Here's a video produced by the VicRoads to explain how to navigate it: Performing a Hook Turn. 

Bike riders also observe the Hook Turn rules.

Melbourne is the only city with its peculiar hook turn rule. IF you wish to avoid a hook turn altogether, you can always chuck a left in the next street and follow that with two more left turns to land you where you would originally want to have made that right hook turn.

Stop behind trams 
Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

5. There are also certain things to be aware of when you are driving with trams. Driving with Trams, another video produced by VicRoads explains the important things you need to know.

Trams on Bourke Street Mall 
Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

6. We also have particular road rules regarding driving with buses which might be different to your city of origin. Here's a useful video that VicRoads has produced called Driving with Buses. 

7. Australians are considerate of cyclists who share the road. Here are two helpful videos about it. This is the first video. This is the second one.

Cars, bicycles and motorbikes in the city
Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

8. What about merging onto the freeway and you encounter a ramp signal? Here's a helpful video.

9. We also have rules about merging safely. Here's a useful video to watch.

10. U-turns. Do you know what our rules are? Here's a video on just that.

11. Roundabouts. Do you know who goes first? Here are two helpful videos. The second one is by the RACV.

Thankfully, there are no four-way stop signs unlike in certain parts of the US. So a stop sign is simply that. You stop and give way to the main road that you are approaching.

12. Side roads that are not marked with speed limits are assumed to be 50 km/hr in metro Victoria. I believe WA has also followed suit in that rule.

13. Roads in Victoria with designated school zones require traffic to drop to a maximum speed of 40 km/hr in the morning and usually from 2.30 pm to 4 pm in the afternoon which is considered peak school pick up time. These zones are clearly marked and signed.

14. It is illegal to do a U-turn across a solid white line in the centre of the road in Victoria. You can cross it to turn into a street however, but not do a U-turn.

15. You cannot cross or overtake on a double white line. You may only overtake on highways/freeways where you see a broken white line on your side of the road - and only if there is no oncoming traffic and it is clear.

16. If you are parking your car on a road, make sure that you are not too close to a solid white line in the middle of the road. You need to allow a clearance of at least 3 m from your car to allow garbage trucks, trams, buses and emergency vehicles especially to pass safely and easily.

Melbourne tram on Swanston Street
Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

17. You might not be aware when driving in Melbourne city centre that Swanston Street and Bourke Street Mall are no-go zones for private cars. DO NOT under any circumstances drive here. Only authorised vehicles are allowed here.

Swanston Street - trams and bicycles only
Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

18. Be sure to use your indicators. And give plenty of warning that you are about to change lanes. Sudden lane changes that cause drivers to brake abruptly would have cost you dearly in our driving exams because it is not considerate nor safe driving behaviour.

19. Remember also that the left lane is the slow lane on multi-lane highways if you are going lower than the speed limit. Where the driving speed is 70 km/hr or above, it is expected that you will be driving no more than 10 km/hr below that. And definitely NOT above the posted speed limit. Victoria has a zero tolerance policy. And that's why I find the cruise control so indispensable when driving.

20. Last but not least. Wear your seatbelt and don't touch your phone. If you do, it can be a very costly act. And of course, if you intend to drink any alcoholic beverages, just be aware that we do conduct random breath testing.

If you want to watch some of those videos produced by VicRoads in Mandarin, Arabic, Dari and Vietnamese. You can find these on the VicRoads channel on YouTube.

Granted, those links are Victoria centric. However, I believe these will provide a good launch pad for your research to stay safe while driving in Australia.

Driving in Australia - in the country 

Road classification 

In Australia, motorways and freeways mean pretty much the same thing. They are restricted access multi-lanes roads with higher speed limits (from 80 km/hr upwards to 130 km/hr). The most common speeds on freeways are 100 or 110 km/hour. Motorways and Freeways do not have roundabouts or traffic lights. Fences and barriers are often provided to prevent animals from entering them.

Australian speed limit sign 
Photo copyright Maria Ngo

Highways are another major public road and is the next grade down from freeways/motorways in Australia. These do not have fences to prevent stock from entering them. Speed on these can vary from 70 km/hr upward. These can be multi-lanes.

Well graded roads 
Photo copyright Maria Ngo

If you are curious about the numbering system of our highways, Wikipedia is a good source of information.

It also offers a good explanation of the grades of roads you are likely to encounter in the country:

"In the alphanumeric systems, a letter denoting the route's construction standard and function is prefixed to the route number, creating an alphanumeric route designation. One of four letters may be used:

• "M" routes are primary traffic routes, called motorways in some states. These are typically dual carriageway, freeway-standard highways, but may also be used for rural roads that are nearly at freeway-standard, or at least are dual carriageways.
• "A" routes are other primary highways, including urban arterials and interstate or interregional single carriageways.
• "B" routes are less significant routes, either as an alternative to an "A" or "M" route, or linking smaller population centres to larger regional centres, but without being a major through-route in the region.These are the major road links in areas without "A" routes.
• "C" routes link smaller settlements and towns to the rest of the major road network.They are used for roads without the significance of an "M", "A", or "B" route, but where numbering would assist navigation." 

Eucalypt lined roads - watch out for kangaroos at dawn and dusk 
Photo copyright Maria Ngo

I personally find that if we have time on our side and we are not in a hurry, I enjoy taking the C grade routes as it feels more intimate - the farm fences are sometimes just a stone's throw away from the edge of the road and you are so close to the homes that you can almost see the prints on the curtain. 

Close enough to see the curtains?
Photo copyright Maria Ngo

Wildlife 

Most tourists who visit Australia want to encounter and experience our famed marsupials. It is one thing to meet them in a zoo or spot them in the distance but no driver ever wants to have a close encounter with them. Dawn and dusk are the two times when you are most likely to encounter them as they forage near the edge of roads. Take extra special care driving during those times. Drop to a slower speed if possible.

Gorgeous tree lined country roads 
Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

Taking the scenic route 
Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

Straight and windy (as in full of twists and turns) 

Australia is quite flat, but it would appear that our popular tourist spots are often found in mountainous hilly zones or windy coastal roads. So do allow yourself time to cover the distance safely. Remember, we drive on the left hand side of the road. Pay attention to the suggested speed limits (coloured deep yellow) especially at bends - they have been put there for a reason. It is not unusual to see some that suggest you drop your speed to even 25 km/hr in order to navigate hair-pin bends.

Do observe the road signs and drive safely 
Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

Travelling by air 

At a glance, using thetruesize.com for comparison, Australia's landmass is bigger than the combined landmass of the countries from UK through to Ukraine and from Sweden down to Spain and Greece.

Australia's landmass is also comparable to that of the USA's 48 contiguous states.

So if you are planning to cover both the east and west coast of Australia, you would most probably be taking a domestic plane at one stage or another. The main airlines in Australia are Qantas, Virgin, Jetstar and TigerAir. The latter two are the budget airlines. Virgin is often slightly less expensive than Qantas. From personal experience, the budget airlines are less reliable than the first two.

The budget airlines also do not include meals in their fare but offer refreshments which you can purchase. Be sure to check if your fare includes check-in baggage (and whether it is one or two pieces) when you book  your flight on any airline. The included luggage varies between airlines and is not assumed to be included. Some airlines are also very strict about your carry-on luggage size and weight - don't assume that you will not be checked. This applies especially to budget airlines.

Airport 
Photo copyright Maria Ngo

The domestic and international terminals in the major cities here are not right next to each other except for Melbourne. You might have to get on a shuttle bus to get from an international terminal to a domestic one. So if you are transferring from an international flight to a domestic one, do allow sufficient time to clear immigration, collect your bags, get on a shuttle bus and recheck your baggage and get yourself to the appropriate departure gate for your next flight. A shuttle bus trip can take 10 to 15 minutes if all goes smoothly - I've found that traffic on the tarmac can add quite a few minutes to the travel time. So plan accordingly. I once found that a two hour transit time was just barely sufficient for my flight transfer from international to domestic - if the domestic flight had not been delayed I would surely have missed my flight.

If you are taking a budget airline, be prepared to walk on the tarmac in which you will be exposed to the elements - so dress appropriately. It helps to also check the weather forecast ahead of time.

Weather forecast

I've found the AccuWeather app to be quite accurate most of the time - it does have an hourly forecast. But you do need to get the right suburb to get more accurate weather. Melbourne as a city is very widespread.

For weather at the airport in Melbourne, enter 'Tullamarine' as the location.
Sydney airport is located in Mascot.
Perth airport is in Redcliff.
Brisbane airport is in Brisbane Airport.

There are shuttle buses that operate from the major airports to the city.

Cyclists enjoying another beautiful day in Melbourne city
Photo copyright Maria Ngo  

Credit cards 

The three most common credit cards used in Australia are Visa, Mastercard and Amex. Most retailers do not apply a surcharge for the first two cards. Some stores have a minimum purchase before you can use a credit card to pay for your purchases. You can find this information at the retail counters.

The airports have free WiFi as do major shopping centres.

Driving through another Australian town 

Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

Mobile phones and SIM cards 

It is quite easy to get prepaid SIM cards in Australia - even the major supermarkets (Coles, Woolworth and also Aldi) are getting in on the act. But if you prefer to pick one up from a mobile phone retailer, the major suppliers are Optus, Telstra and Vodafone. Stores can be found in the CBD. If you are planning to use it in the cities, any of these will be fine. But if you plan to go into the country, Telstra offers the best coverage.

Navigation 

There are a number of mobile phone navigation apps that I've tried in my travel around Australia. I've found Google Maps to be very reliable and quite accurate in the city and major country towns. I would suggest downloading an offline version however because of spotty mobile coverage in the hills. Here is another mobile phone app that offers offline usage - it is quite good most of the time but if you want the shortcuts and quickest route in the city, I've found Google Maps to be my preferred option because of its search capabilities as well. It doesn't hurt to have alternate apps in case one fails for whatever reason.

You can also pick up dedicated satellite navigation devices like Tom Tom etc from stores like KMart quite easily. You can usually pick one up for around AUD100 to AUD 150. If you plan to do a bit of driving around the country, I would recommend investing in one of the above - but if you are sticking to the major cities and nearby towns, it might not be necessary.

Drive left and watch for heavy vehicles also 
Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

Accommodation 

For accommodation, apart from hotels and motels, a popular Australian website called Stayz is worth checking out. And of course, AirBnB which needs no explanations.

See ya later mate 

I hope this post has been helpful in pointing you in the right direction as you research your trip to Australia. Stay posted for future articles on this beautiful country of mine. I can't wait to share more of it with you in future posts. 

Thanks for stopping by. Do visit soon. Better yet, click the subscribe button.

Scenic stop on the Great Ocean Road 

Photo copyright Maria Ngo 

#Australia #travel #vacation #car #driving #scenic