6 tips for caravanning with friends
As Autumn break inches closer, you may be struggling to figure out what you want to do with your family or friends. One popular option is to go caravanning around Australia. This way, you’ll have the ultimate flexibility over your accommodations, your amenities and your schedule. If you find a cool town you want to stay in for more than what you accounted for, you can! Beyond the essentials of caravanning, if you decide to go on this holiday with friends, you will want to think about how to deal with any potential problems that come up. By prepping in advance, if any arguments start, you’ll already have an idea of how to deal with it and come to a compromise or solution. Use these tips for caravanning with friends or family to ensure relationships don’t turn sour on holiday.
Tips for caravanning: driving
The gist of most of these tips is to keep a fair and balanced environment as you travel around Australia. It’ll keep tempers even, and people happy while you’re on the road. One of the biggest potential sticking points for this is splitting up the driving evenly. Maybe some people like driving and others don’t. Chances are, even the fanatical drivers will want a break or two on the road. Come up with a schedule to make sure everyone gets a turn behind the wheel, and to be sure no one is sleep-deprived and driving. It’ll keep you safe and happy while on the road.
Tips for caravanning: food and snacks
If you’ve ever lived with anyone, you know that people can get touchy about their food. Some people like sharing everything they buy, and others prefer to supply themselves and no one else. Be sure you know, before you leave, what the food and snacks situation will be so you can avoid any tense situations or arguments over something as menial as snacks. Again, basic consideration for your friends can keep everything happier and calmer as you navigate the roads together.
Tips for caravanning: fuel costs
Beyond the cost of renting your caravan and its maintenance, your biggest cost is likely to be fuel. Did you know that if you travel counter clockwise around Australia, you will save more fuel than simply going clockwise (but you’ll still get to see all of the awesome Aussie stopovers)? The tailwinds will improve/decrease your fuel efficiency, respectively. Look at fuel costs around the country, and plan ahead for when, where and how much you will have to spend on fuel. That way, each traveller can budget appropriately and no one will get stuck with the majority of the costs.
Tips for caravanning: safety
No matter how well laid your plans are, things will invariably come undone from time to time. The caravan park you want might be booked. Your warm, tropical week in northern Australia might be windy and rainy. You might blow a tire or your vehicle might suffer some other type of mechanical problem. Be prepared and stay flexible with travel cover from youGo.
Tips for caravanning: schedule
As we mentioned above, one of the best parts about caravanning is being able to shift and flex your schedule as you go. If there’s one spot that calls to you, you can stay for longer than planned. If a town isn’t as interesting as advertised, you can move on quickly. As you shift and change the schedule, remember to check in with everyone on the trip—it’s only polite to make sure everyone is on-board with the changes before deciding it will happen. Do travel research beforehand to save time and money—it will help you know when the trip schedule can be easily changed, and when it can’t.
Tips for caravanning: cramped spaces
Autumn break holidays can span from a long weekend to a full-two weeks away from home. No matter how much time you will be spending with your friends, after a day or two, the space available to you is sure to feel cramped or smaller. Off-set this feeling by planning plenty of stops where you can stretch your legs, enjoy the sun, grab a meal, and spend a little time away from each other. You can also create faux-space by bringing headphones, so whenever you need to tune out of the conversation or want to listen to music of your choosing, you can!
Overall, time spent caravanning with friends, is time well-spent. It’s your holiday and you can do whatever you’d like for it. If you choose to go the caravanning route, remember how important travel insurance is—even if you are just driving domestically. That way, if something big goes awry, you can count on youGo for help and support.