Don't hit the road without these 3 items!
So your planning your trip around Australia, how exciting! Taking the time out to travel our wonderful country is a dream for most of us. And if you are in the planning stages of your big trip, you will have surely come across a tone of advice, tips and things needed. It truly can be overwhelming!
You've joined all the groups, talked to friends and you've read some books but what do you really need to take on your adventures that will make your life more comfortable?
Packing smart is essential. You don't want to take everything including the kitchen sink! Make a list on what you think you'll need, then halve it. YES halve it... We think we need all the bells and whistles but really, you don't. Besides finding a home for everything you take, you will also need to be aware of weights if you are towing a caravan or trailer, you can become over weight very easily!
Essential #1 Easidry Travel Mat
Stay dry and comfortable on the go!
An Easidry Travel Mat is essential for the showers while on the road. You will find that most showers in caravan parks and camp grounds are small and often have wet floors after you shower. This makes getting dry and dressed in a shower cubicle a struggle. Not to mention the germs! ekkk! Regular shower mats soak up water, making them heavy, wet and often take forever to dry! The Easidry Travel Mat is lightweight, quick drying and rolls up to the size of a newspaper, so fits effortlessly into your shower bag. It also has a loop for hanging on hooks in shower cubicle, so it stays clean and dry until needed after your shower! Easidry Travel Mats are made from a towelling front and plastic backing, ensuring comfort under your feet without your mat soaking up water! Handmade in Australia and comes with free postage! Winning!!
Essential #2 First Aid Kits
Be prepared for any situation!
Accidents can happen anywhere, whether you're in the outback, hiking in the bush or even in towns, its best to be prepared. Having an extensive First Aid kit in your van and a basic one that you keep in the car is ideal. Also having an up to date first aid certificate is essential. Having a First Aid kit and First Aid certificate can provide peace of mind, knowing you are prepared for any situation that may arise.
You can make your own First Aid kit but St John Ambulance do great extensive First Aid kit, that takes all the hassle out of knowing what you need. Remember to check and replace things regularly so that you always have what's needed. Go with knowledge and confidence that you are prepared for any emergency that may arise no matter how large or small.
Essential #3 Stay Connected.
Don't let the open road disconnect you from the world. Stay in touch, stay safe!
When hitting the road it's important to make sure you're connected as best possible. This is can be tricky in some places in Australia with some places being so remote. Safety is one of the main reasons to stay connected, if you're broken down or need help it can be a hard to contact help if you haven't put plans in place.
Having your phone connected to Telstra is a good idea as it has the best coverage of all mobile services in Australia. Optus is fair but quite often doesn't work in as many places as Telstra. If you are travelling in the outback it is suggested that you buy a satellite phone as you will be able to call from anywhere in Australia. They are a little costly but well worth the money if needed. It is a good idea to have charges in the car so phones can be plugged in while driving, it would be terrible if you were in trouble and ran out of battery! You may even want to consider taking a charging station with you also.
Find my phone is a good one to share with family, if anyone is concerned about where you maybe, they can check in.
Starlink has been a game changer for people on the road, you can take your internet coverage with you. In emergencies you can hook up your wifi and make calls from there if needed. It is also great for people who work or study online or if your like me and don't mind watching a Netflix movie of a night!
Some people have social media that includes family and friends and is set as private, this lets others stay up to date on where you are, if you have internet coverage you can also be contacted through here, others use their socials to promote their travels and are open to the general public.
Safety is paramount when travelling our great country, sit down and figure out what things you can put in place to stay connected before you go. If you're not heading off the bitumen, mostly your phone coverage will be enough, but some places like the Northern Territory will have long distances between towns and have no coverage at all, so ensure you have a back up plan.
Safe Travels