Taking a road trip from Sydney to Melbourne can be so much more fun than catching a plane. But you need to make sure you are prepared or a fun holiday could fast turn into a nightmare one. Use the following checklist to make sure you are prepared before leaving for the big road trip. Otherwise, the 873-kilometre drive will suddenly feel a whole lot longer.
Hire a Car
It goes without saying, if you don’t have a car and you want to do a road trip, you will need to hire one! But on a less obvious note, plan your car hire in advance. Leave yourself time to compare car hire rates to make sure you are getting the best deal, and if you can be flexible with your dates, plan your leaving days around the cheapest car hire days of the week, which is usually mid-week.
Car Care
If you have a car and don’t need to hire one, then make sure your car is in the best possible condition before taking it on any road trip. Have a car service in Sydney before leaving to ensure the brake pads are up to standard, there is enough oil and that the engine is in good working order. Nothing ruins a road trip more than a breakdown on the highway.
Maps
The road from Sydney to Melbourne may seem like a fairly easy one to follow, as there are plenty of signs along the way, but don’t underestimate how easy it is to lose your way when you’ve been on the road for a couple of hours. Arm yourself with maps and take some time to familiarise yourself with them before leaving home. If you are lucky enough to have a GPS, program the trip prior to the leaving day so again, you can familiarise yourself with the route before leaving.
Rest Stops
Stopping for a rest and to stretch is vitally important on any road trip. Don’t attempt to do the entire drive from Sydney to Melbourne without stopping or the trip will be dangerous to not only you, but other road users as well. Make sure you have rest stops planned throughout the journey. You can either set yourself a time limit, for example make sure you stop every two hours, or you can set a distance goal instead. Either way, make sure it is planned in advance as it can be quite easy to continue your journey without realising you’ve been driving too long without a stop.
Places to Visit or Stay on the way
If your holiday is more about the road trip than it is about the destination then you will no doubt have some plans for stopping along the way already in mind. But if not, then make your rest stops fun by planning out places to visit along the way. Instead of stopping just to stretch your neck, choose some places where you can get out and go for a walk around, or stop to eat in a café. Even choose a hotel halfway to Melbourne that you fancy the idea of staying the night in. A good nights sleep will do you a world of good on the road the next day.
Author Bio: Tom Mallet is an Australian freelance writer and journalist. He writes extensively in Australia, Canada, Europe, and the US. He’s published more than 500 articles about various topics, including compare car hire and car service in Sydney
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