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In particular, my brother Adam is my travel inspiration. I come from a city-based family who have successful occupations and go about their daily lives with routine. As kids, my brothers, parents and I would all be cabin-camping, beach holidays or cruises; the typical Australian family holidays that usually happened around the Christmas holidays. With Adam, the same month that he turned 19 he was off travelling the world… All on his own.
Adam has worked in summer camps for kids in Massachusetts, lived in Miami, Los Angeles, New York, Jamaica, Thailand, Israel, France, Amsterdam and the next destination will be Brazil in South America. Though he has been to these places, he has not been a tourist on holiday; he has been as a traveller exploring and absorbing the culture of the locals and their homeland. He has lived with the locals, fell in love (a few times!), driven with insane cab drivers who were not actual cab drivers, stayed in hostels, met a crazy lady called ‘Mama’, worked in downtown bars, had too many tequila shots with the Mexicans, worked on a farm dedicated to carrots, swam in the dead sea, completely run out of money and made friends he will have for life in cities around the world. He chose to travel this way and I truly think that at some stage, all of us should.
To travel with no destination and explore the natural wonders of the world is something that too many of us shy away from. Maybe it’s because we live by an all too common routine; we have the same friends, see the same family members, do the same job and fail to move out of our comfort zones. If we never bother to discover anything new, we will forever be the same. How will we be open-minded to the cultures of others, their way of life and get to know places in cities that are different to our own? We were never put here to be boring and plain but to discover, explore and become immersed in the world and all it has to offer. Many would agree that travel will open your eyes to so much more.
When Adam came home four years later from his overseas travels he took up a 9-5 day job and was over it within weeks. When he once said to me that “it is too much of a routine here, people are so caught up in themselves and have no desire to see much more than what they already have” I never completely understood what he meant. I know what he meant now that I am older and see this for myself. From his personal experiences, he put travel into my mind and now, I want to do it more than ever.
Earlier this year he scored a job as a tour guide at ‘The Rock Tour’ in the Northern Territory. Within a week of securing the ideal traveller job, he was packed up and on his way to Alice Springs – home to many of those from the Indigenous community and the famous ‘Ayers Rock’.
‘The Rock Tour’ is the perfect place for budget conscience travellers and International Backpackers visiting the Northern Territory, offering affordable tours with a great experience and lively tour guides made to match. One of the most popular tours spreads over 3 full days and 2 nights and include stops at main attractions, ‘Ayers Rock’ and ‘The Olgas’ being the most well-known. Type in www.therocktour.com.au for tour options, details, prices and bookings.
Since he has been residing in Alice Springs, I’ve spoken to him a few times when he is free from a tour group. He’s told me all about working at ‘The Rock Tour’, the friends he’s made, the weird and wonderful people he has been living with, the tour groups he has partied with, nights spent sitting around the camp fire and falling asleep under the stars. He speaks of the freedom of living free and the feeling of not knowing what day it is when he gets back from a tour, the simple life.
Adam makes me want to travel; it’s the area of myself that I feel the urge to explore. Who is your inspiration, are they a traveller, where do you want to go? Explore and enjoy life, the way it should be.
What better way to do this than to venture on a road trip with your best of friends who will guarantee you one memorable adventure. You might be a little clueless as what to do on a road trip; if you are then you should remain that way. It’s not about choosing a destination and getting there with a plan, an exact time and date of arrival.
Do the road trip kind of things; explore the scenery, shop for rare finds, mix with the locals, record everything, learn more about your friends with “the first time I…” stories, they will always get conversation going. Be creative and that will take you anywhere. Here are some points on how to make the most of your road trip experience…
1.The People You Go With – get a group of friends together who are spontaneous, willing to have fun and are up for a good time. There’s nothing worse than having one person who expects to stay in a five-star hotel every night; that just won’t work for anyone. Remember, these people will be your number one source of entertainment and you will be with them over the whole trip, be prepared to get to know your friends on a whole other level.
2.Get Together and Plan – make lists of places you all might like to visit, drives you want to take and things you want to do. Decide on what each of you want to get out of the trip and why you want to do it. Look into different places; plan your destinations, time periods, drivers, what you will need and budgets. Don’t over-plan though, that would defeat the entire purpose of the trip.
3.Choose A Place – every state in Australia is full of contrast; oceanic coastlines, wild landscapes, ancient forests, native wildlife, panoramic views, picturesque country outback, endless sunsets, colonial history, sandy beaches and remote deserts. Go online or read a book to find the perfect road trip destination for your group, read reviews and choose something for all of you.
4.Make CD’s – most of your time will be spent in the car/campervan so take some CD’s that you want to play along the way. It’s always good to make playlists with songs that have meaning and a memory attached; greatest hits of a certain decade, the songs you loved growing up or that particular song that was played at every club you went to when you turned eighteen.
5.Pack What You Don’t Want – these are usually the things you’ll need most. Keep in mind, most of the time you will literally be in the middle of nowhere and can’t rely on petrol stations, convenience stores or the help of strangers. Pack some healthy food into a cooler bag with a zipper along with some ice – the healthier you eat the more energy you will have to drive and explore, take a gallon of water and a gallon of oil, a jumper cable, bug spray, blankets, mosquito net, pocket knife, first aid kit, duct tape and at least two sets of keys – just in case.
6.Be Aware – of speed limits, restricted parking spots, unreliable GPS navigations, potholes, toll roads and anything else that can result in expensive fines in the mail, a flat tire or a moment of stress.
7.Go! – If you pass a billboard, a place you want to see or somewhere you want to stop off at, get out and do it. Take the scenic route when you can, you will be amazed at how beautifully diverse one> country can be. Don’t focus on time or plans too much; being spontaneous is a huge part of making the most out of your trip.
So if you’re planning a road trip, remember nothing but to entirely enjoy the experience; be free, don’t plan too much, be spontaneous, enjoy every moment, learn from your experience, take photos of absolutely everything and record your experience. Have fun and let the road lead the way.
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