Deciding to take 6mths out and travel around Australia with my family - easy.
Planning a trip around Australia with my family - a little overwhelming, exciting, not sure where/how to start.
How am I doing it?
The actually trip, route, destinations
- We decided to head north from the South Coast of NSW.
- I am trying to look at a state at a time.
- Starting with towns we will stay in.
- Then looking where to stay in those towns.
- Looking a day trips from those towns.
- Reading family travel blogs for ideas, visiting tourist information websites, travel websites.
- Love Google Maps.
The Money
- A travel budget, weekly/daily costing, accommodation, food, tours, activities.
- Emergency fund, vehicle/caravan, health.
- Keeping up at home, mortgage, insurances, bills
The Vehicle/Caravan/Stuff
- Caravan and camping shows
- Visiting other family travel blogs, forums, websites.
Around and around. That is how Nick and I make big decisions and small decisions. We talk, discuss, look at options, make a decision, become unsure of that decision, discuss some more, ask other people - parents, friends, family. Look again, and finally... make a decision. Normally this is the first option we looked at in the first place! When we have made the final decision, we know it is 100% right, both of us.
We have decided on a vehicle to travel around Australia in. There were so many options. We needed a vehicle to travel Australia in, but when we come home it had to become my family car or Nick's work vehicle. I wanted a 7 seater. Nick wanted diesel. We looked at Toyota Prado, Nissan Pathfinder, Mitisubishi Pajero. Still not right. Even second hand, we were looking at high dollars and high kms. We looked at Ford Territory and Mazda 7. Not right. AWD but not 4WD, what if we get up Nth and want to go off road? or it gets wet/muddy?
We currently have a Isuzu dual cab diesel ute 2WD for Nick's business and love it. We brought it new and it has not missed a beat. So we have decided to buy Isuzu dual cab 4WD ute with canopy on the back. The current layout of Nick's ute works, but it could work better. So once we are home Nick will deck the new ute out for work.
We have also decided to sell our family car, a Ford Focus before we go. One it saves us money to not have a car sitting in our garage while we are away. Two it is not a great family car. I think I'll end up with a holden commodore when we get home, something we can go to the beach in, put the dog in, scooters - without worrying.
Now just to figure out when to change vehicles. Now or closer to the trip?
