Travel Around Australia Map

A great way to see where you are going to travel around Australia is to trace your trip on a good sized map. It's also a great way to explain to friends and family where you are going and where you have been, or if you have grandchildren you can introduce them to maps, geography and the idea of travelling around Australia when they get older.

Travel Around Australia Map

I particularly like this map because it can easily be rolled up for storage and the detail is excellent. It shows clearly:

• the place names from cities to remote outback towns
• boundaries of each state
• lakes
• harbours
• national parks and reserves

The Scale size is: 1:6,413,000 and it measures 30inches x 24 inches in the old measurements or 76.2cm x 60.96cm. It's also a great price at only $14.99 from Amazon.

Tailgate Grills

I guess I'm not the only one in Australia to have found out about tailgate grills, but for the uninitiated they are a bit of a novelty. We all know that everything that comes out of America is fantastic, right? and this is another one of the latest and greatest inventions from our friends in the U.S.

What Is A Tailgate Grill
Basically it's a BBQ that is mounted on a swing arm that connects to a standard towing hitch. Once you arrive at your destination you just remove the dust cover, unclip the locking mechanism and the whole things swings out and away from the vehicle while remaining attached to the hitch.

They are fueled by propane canisters, which I'm not sure are available in Australia (maybe someone could leave a comment below if you know anything about propane canisters or cylinders). In any case I'm sure they could be converted to our normal camping gas bottles.

After doing a bit of research I actually think these things could become quite popular in Australia, especially for our caravan and RV community, and with families who go to sporting events on a regular basis.

From what I can gather, Americans use them a lot when going to big sporting events as a way to provide a meal in the car park before entering the stadium, and they would no doubt save a lot of money in the process. But they have also become popular with the weekend car campers in the states and with RVers who attach them to the hitch at the rear of their vehicles.

Do you think they will become popular in Australia? Please leave your comment below.

Driving in Australian Cities

Driving in Australia is a very pleasurable pastime, away from the cities that is! I am not a fan of driving in cities, especially with the caravan on behind. Unless you know where you are going it can be quite a challenge. Some cities are better than others of course with wider roads and better options available to travel on the outskirts where there is less traffic.

If you are new to caravanning in cities, and have the luxury of planning your trip without a strict timetable, I would suggest you choose early Sunday morning for your excursion in the city. There will be so much less traffic on the road before 8am. Most city dwellers will have staggered home and be sound asleep from their Saturday night out on the town by then, which gives you the perfect opportunity to 'make a run for it'.

Don't trust your GPS.
We have had some very interesting experiences with our GPS (which we no longer trust implicitly). She has taken us on some 'wild goose chases' over the years, to put it politely! But one time I remember very clearly (probably because I was traumatised), was the time she took us right into the very centre of Brisbane city.

Thankfully I had taken my own advice, and we were traveling through the city early on a Sunday morning, but even so, there were some very tight turns that were required with no room for error!

This type of situation has been the cause of many a marriage breakup, so my earnest advice would be - Don't trust your GPS!

Footnote: I have since been told that signals to a GPS can be interrupted by tall buildings which sends them a little crazy!

Downsizing

One of the most daunting things to consider when you are thinking about an extended caravan trip around Australia is what on earth are you going to do with all your stuff! Whether you are just going away camping for a few months or plan to be away on an extended working holiday around Australia, there is plenty to consider.

If you are anything like me you will be looking around wondering what to throw out and what to keep. One good way of deciding is to ask yourself 'Have I used it in the last 6 months?' If the answer is no, then it is quite likely that you don't need to keep it.

By using this strategy, you will be amazed how many of your belongings you can get rid of. But don't take it to the tip - it will cost you a fortune in dump fees, and besides I'm sure there is a local charity who could make good use of all those unwanted items that wont fit in your caravan or RV while you are away camping.

Most charities accept everything from clothes to furniture. One mans trash is another mans treasure so they say, so you will be helping them out big time.

Of course there are going to be things like photo albums and keepsakes that you wont want to part with, so you will need to look for some kind of storage arrangement. If you have decided to go on the road full time, you may have sold your house or rented it out, and you may have sold all your furniture or given it away to your children like we did.

If that's the case and you only have a small quantity left you may be able to store it with family members if they have a spare room in the house or a garage, or you might prefer to get a self storage unit that is clean and dry and locked while you are away.

It is a big job getting everything organised for the big day when you will finally wave goodbye and set out on your journey around Australia, but if you downsize bit by bit over a period of several weeks, I'm sure you'll find it easier. Good Luck!