Oz Intro

First off, I think it's important to say that yes, it's totally possible to move to Australia alone, without the help of a tour company. It is much cheaper and you're still able to make many friends. That being said, I don't regret participating in Oz Intro whatsoever, as the security, all of the bases and planning being covered, plus the life-long friends I've made (not to mention the ridiculous amount of fun I had!) have made it worth the price.

Oz Intro does a really good job of preparing participants for their time in Australia, whether this is to work, to travel, or a mix of both. On top of this, our leaders have still kept in contact with us (even with it being 9 months later and both of them having moved on from their time with Intro Travel, this says something about the kind of people working there and it not just being about numbers). This week was incredibly fun, with a lot of great group activities and some wild nights out. Adele and Greg were wonderful leaders!

It is important to note that you're going to need a fair bit of spending money to cover the meals not included in the program price, and to cover the (crazy!) cost of alcohol in Sydney. With this, it's good to know that this trip is a bit of a big party for young people. With a party bus to the bar and free drink tickets thrown in here and there, it's good to expect a week long bender (and is probably not a suitable trip if you're looking to relax and quietly explore the city).

I do hate noting this, but as another important tip: at the end of your week, the Intro Travel team is able to plan your travels for the rest of Australia and you can book all excursions and some hostels with them. It's a difficult situation, as you don't want to have plans made before you do this group (as you will meet plenty of new friends and may want to travel with them, as we did), but if you are uninformed about travel in Australia, could end up spending a lot of money and not knowing what you're getting into. Look into the best parts of the East Coast (like the Great Barrier Reef, the Whitsundays, Fraser Island..) and have an idea of the kind of trip you'd like, before just saying "yes" and booking it all through them. ALSO - highly recommend you avoid the Loka bus service and go with Premier or Greyhound, as they are MUCH cheaper with the same level of service.

All in all, I don't regret the group at all. I'm still very close with a lot of my group and look forward to our reunions. Pack some Advil and stay hydrated!