Seeking advice please on planning for a big lap. Where to start ? 1 ) Have the rig ( new ) 2) Have all the accessories 3) Have the finance / income 4) Planning to start on long term travel from ( Sydney ) Autumn next year and assume heading Northwards at that time
Please all advice / experiences welcome. Nothing to trivial !! What other major factors should I be looking at. Do you plan a route short /medium / long term or do you ' go as you please '. Tanks for your advice guys
Sensible veh, reliable.
sensible size van.
Toss a coin and roll.
If you going long term You'll see all you want ,eventually. irrelavant of direction.
Maybe pick seasons if working.
and service everything regularly.
You'll never see it all (We've been doing it over 40 yrs in this country.)
Just leave something behind so you have a reason to go back sometime.
and doing 1000km per day or 50km per day.
Don't really matter much.
Have GOOD insurance.
and if you've never towed anything b4.
PLEASE... PLEASE....
Spend a few dollars on a towing course.
You're missus will live longer.
Have fun
it's a great life...
Are you set up for free camping - or are you going to use caravan parks/showgrounds? Do you have your solar set up? Do you have a generator for those times you may need it (five or so rainy days in a row). Is your 12v system ok -i.e. can you charge computer, phone,etc., via 12v? Do you have Camps Australia Wide (Issue 8 is the current - Issue 9 out next February), do you have wikicamps on your smart phone or tablet - two essentials for finding the best camping spots.
When you get to a camp - park, and walk around, see where you think you would like to park, then drive in and park up.
Take your time, smell the Aussie bush, sit in a camp for a few days to relax, and think about your next leg. We are in a camp at the moment where we have a lot of pea****s - it is wonderful to watch them grow, develop their feathers, and become more, and more friendly. We can hand feed the older ones, now the younger ones are also coming close and eating out of my hand - love it, they are beautiful birds.
As Macka17 says, if you haven't towed before (and that means backing as well - saw a bloke who had no idea how to back scream at his wife to "get back in the bl....dy car" - she didn't get the door shut, and he took off, never to return).
Enjoy this beautiful country - and as where to first - wait till the day you leave home, at the end of your street - decide - right or left!
My take on travelling long term all over this great country - hope you have fun!
__________________
jules "Love is good for the human being!!" (Ben, aged 10)
It is a huge country out there. Hope you are not constrained for time.
When we took early retirement and went full time travelling, I drew a rough map of Australia. Circled a target area for each northern dry season (winter). Was north Qld and Cape the first year. Central Aust and Top End the second year. Kimberley the third year - and so on. Then I circled large areas that had a good rationale to be at other times of the year - like Tasmania in one summer, SW WA in spring wildflower season - and so on. Did that as a five year plan then joined up the areas in the most logical way - and that became our rough travel outline. Made the details up as we went along.
I like Wendyv's idea if time is of no consequence. Otherwise just pick a direction and start heading that way. Drive around the little towns along the way, go into tourist information centres, pick up some brochures on the local area, look at the postcards on display for photos of things you might like to see. Talk to the local behind the counter. Interesting things to see are not always in the glossy brochures or an easy find on the web. Read signposts as you travel; if something catches your eye, go have a look don't put it off till next time. Just relax and enjoy and don't get stressed. PS: Have a look through the PICK THIS PLACE photos on this forum for interesting places fellow Grey Nomads have visited.
Thanks Wendy Sounds a great to plan where to be at the right times of the year rather than driving aimlessly. I will be taking your advice on board Barry
Thanks Macka Van ( New Age ) and tow ( challenger ) are both brand new. CIA insured and Have done a towed course and have a caravan mover fitted to the van !! Thanks mate
Thanks Jules. Yes set up for free camping though no generator yet. Have both CAMPS and PARKS books. Yes have wikicamps on phone. Tow course done as never towed before and have had a mover fitted so as yet have not needed to reverse onto a site. Just unhitch and get the remote out !! Time not an issue as both taken early retirement. Thanks for your advice it is very much appreciated. Without realising I suppose we have been planning and I suppose just now hit the road and learn along the way. Cheers Barry
keep talking to your partner, discuss everything. dont plan too much just go with the flow. But don't expect your partner to be having your same experience so keep talking.
Make sure you train the feminine half to do the black and grey water dump, its worth a load of dishes every now and then
We found that the summer school holiday period was the hardest to manage. One does not really want to be too far north, then. All the great sea and river front areas are crammed full - and one needs to book a horribly long time in advance anyway. We tended to look for inland places for that 6 weeks or so. Toowoomba/Stanthorpe. Ballarat. Bendigo. Hobart - one year.
Can Carol drive the rig? When we travel, mostly we see the men doing the driving and the womenfolk in the passenger seat and that is the case with us as well in our motorhome. Hubby is a fidgety passenger but I can and do, do a bit of the driving out on the open road. We've not had an emergency or any real need for me to drive but it's good to know how and how the vehicle etc will handle just in case. Just a thought.
Always check the events happening at your next destination. We have been caught out a couple of times with unexpected crowds . Even small towns often have events on. Always fill a thermos every day. Traffic accidents on the road, crazy weather, and even power outages ( in van parks) , if you are a tea/coffee drinker you are prepared. If not just having hot water is always a safety precaution. Basic info but helpful I hope.
I think that the above posters have given you plenty of ideas to think about
The only thing that I can add is be flexible, try not to rush to be somewhere, and talk to others when you camp, as they will have plenty of information, if you ask them
I hope that you have a good time on your lap, and enjoy yourself
