Although we won’t be heading to Oceania anytime soon, I reckon our dreams of a proper Australia road-trip are getting serious. Right across the globe, down under, this massive country has been calling our name for a while. We can’t get enough of devouring epic traveler’s movies and documentaries shot in this colorful land, read every australian travel blog post out there and polishing an uncertain upcoming trip involving a wide range of adventures in the great outdoors and never-ending coastal trails.
Tons of jaw-dropping stunning pictures and mouth-watering articles later; here’s what we have gathered about this dream destination and how to make it a reality in a near future.
Aware of the multiple ways of exploring this land; we choose road-tripping over walking (which could be insane!), using public transportation (spontaneity loss), hitch-hiking (although I wouldn’t care, my partner in crime isn’t that attracted to the idea), flying (unless you score a big deal like those at Cheapflights.co.uk , it might be really expensive) or taking a cruise (sea sickness scares me!).
At that point, there are three main paths to follow: to rent, buy or relocate a vehicle. Needless to say, the latter is the more budget conscious option with prices starting as low as $1 if you are flexible. Sometimes companies will even pay for gas and ferry costs when heading to Tasmania for instance. But let’s go back to the basics. Once you cross the planet, you better make sure to spend at least a few weeks on the opposite side of the world. And then is when you have to think in terms of convenience: Renting or buying a van would definitely work for us!
Next in line is budgeting. Well-known for its pricey rates and Aussie dollar rising, Australia needs to be carefully budgeted in advance. Even traveling low-cost, sleeping in a van and cooking your own meals, involves a lot more money than we thought it would in the beginning. There are fuel costs, tolls, National Parks fees, grocery shopping and parking costs that cannot be overseen. Even taking a shower or getting wi-fi in a restaurant might cost a few bucks!
Luckily, it’s also possible to enjoy a few activities here and there that won’t cost you a dollar. Most of the National museums we want to check out as well as some parks famous for their wildlife watching opportunities are free. So if we head to a campground in Murramurang National Park we could share an afternoon with kangaroos on the beach, wallabies can be found in Bowling Green Bay National Park and Wilsons Promontory National Park is popular with wombats.
Not over planning, regularly checking the weather, filling the fridge before hitting the Outback, swapping drivers, not underestimating distances, keeping in mind mobile networks could be weak at some point, bringing some entertainment and not relying only in our daily gadgets but having a back up plan, a map and so on would complete our Australia road trip checklist.
Who else is currently experiencing an extreme urge to head to Australia? Have you ever road-tripped somewhere? Let us know in the comments below!
Photo credits: Leonrw WanderingtheWorld Mark Wassell