How to Survive An Australian Road Trip with Your Significant Other

October 20, 2013April 26, 2015 ToniLeave a comment

Below is an article originally published on Traveldudes.org

A true test of any relationship.

Forget living together or investing in property as a testament to the fact that your significant other is someone that you are able to spend the rest of your life with.

The real test lies within whether you are able to spending two weeks on the road in a mode of transport that resembles a serial killers van that has been attacked by graffiti vandals.

Embarking on a successful road trip involves the following:

Break up the accommodation – don’t sleep in the van every night.

I realise that budget may be a constraint however in the outback you can easily find a caravan park that also includes cabins – these can range from $50-$90 a night and include a bathroom. How luxurious this will sound after using shared facilities and a kitchenette.

Pubs in smaller towns also offer cheap motel rooms. You will feel like you are at a 5 star hotel. Give the van a break and every few nights fork out the cash on a cheap motel or cabin – your relationship will thank you – and so will your hygiene fairies.

Eldunda Roadhouse is a good base for those heading to Uluru. It is situated at the corner of Stuart and Lasseter Highways in the Northern Territory and has a range of accommodation options including powered van sites and cabins. The pub has great food and there is even a pool and local wildlife.

Take turns driving – I have never driven a manual so all of sudden being faced with 5 gears was a baptism of fire. However splitting up the driving can stop you from splitting up full stop. A few hours stop each day is better than one person being burnt out and risking the safety of you both.

This way even if you believe your partner is a bad navigator, after experiencing using a map for yourself (or GPS) you often find yourself being more sympathetic when you mistakenly end up losing the highway. However the roads in outback Australia are fairly easy to navigate if you stick to the major highways. Stuart Highway goes straight up the middle of the country for 2,834km so all you need to do is stick the van into fifth gear and go straight.

Pack the mp3 player. Or smartphone. Prepare playlists for the drive – it helps set the mood.

Pack lots of water. For safety reasons this cannot be overlooked. Cheap water can be purchased at discount variety shops like The Reject Shop or any supermarket like Woolworths or Coles. You will be triple the price in service stations.

Stop by scenic lookouts for pictures: nothing beats local sights that are unexpected or unplanned.

Bring the Duck tape: it is like a swiss army knife – it can be used for:
– Repairing the van – our side mirror broke before we left Sydney.
– Taping torches to the van roof if the lights go out.
– Making a temporary fly screen out of mosquito net in case you want to sleep with the windows open
– Tape over the shower drain if you want to wash your clothes in the tub without a plug.

Fork out a bit extra for creature comforts in your van. My partner and I have used two types of rental vans –Spaceship Van Rentals and Travellers Autobarns – both good value. I personally prefer Spaceships as it has the added benefit of the fridge and rear awning for extra space.

Lastly, don’t overplan – sometime the best times that you have on a road trip are those that are unexpected.

For more travel articles visit traveldudes.org

Oz road drops speed limits (foxnews.com)
Australia will have 120 miles of highway without speed limits (worldcarfans.com)
World Solar Challenge: Solar-powered cars begin race across Australian outback (digitaltrends.com)

Five marketing tips I learnt from Harry Potter

September 3, 2013November 29, 2015 ToniLeave a comment

Let me say up front that I am the first to admit that I am a Harry Potter (HP) fan. The books captured my attention a little later than the hordes of 10yr olds who were glued to the adventures of Harry, Ron and Hermione from book one. I remember seeing the queues of people of all ages lined up at bookstores prior to the release of the fourth book in 2000 and decided to see what the fuss was all about. I was hooked. In 2009 I shrieked with delight on the news of a HP theme park opening as part of Universal Studios Orlando and immediately put it on my bucket list.

Four years later I finally got there! The first thing that struck me was the power of the brand. There is a certain magic (pardon the pun) behind the marketing of Harry Potter and I have narrowed it down to five simple rules.

1. Pottermore site sets the bar high for interactive children’s websites

First of all there is the security. As this site is mainly targeting children, usernames are generic and automatically generated so no user can be identified by their real name.

Rediscovering the books. JK Rowling has ensure that the user journeys through the site as if they are with the main characters experiencing what they experience.

Extra notes by JK Rowling add a freshness to the experience as you read the authors comments and thoughts behind certain scenes in the books.

Finding hidden items – as you move through each chapter through the site, you can collect secret or missing items and put them in your ‘trunk’ which you can use later to put together potions or battle other online users in a duel.

2. Brand consistency

The merchandise, movies and all related props closely adhere to the original plot. Even in the theme park, staff are all in character, most with English accents and you are not able to buy soft drink as that is not part of the HP world.

3. Emotional involvement

Fans of the books are totally immersed in the characters world, conventions are held annually, fan fiction rivals that of Star Wars and Star Trek both long-established brands, and there is even a range of Wizard Rock Groups.

4. Bringing the brand to life as a theme park

Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Florida

5. Merchandise

The HP universe that JK Rowling built incorporates clothing such as robes, scarves, t-shirts and general wizarding garb along with an array of items from the books and movies such as wands, lollies, chocolate and the usual merchandising options.

The Cost of Being the Ultimate Harry Potter Fan

by Moneysupermarket.
Explore more infographics like this one on the web’s largest information design community – Visually.

Harry Potter Gets His Own Convention! Celebration Coming To Orlando Next Year! (perezhilton.com)
Harry Potter: The Boy Who Lived, Lives On. (dnaindia.com)
The Whole Harry Potter – Twilight Thing (clareviewblog.wordpress.com)

The Digital Traveller

July 8, 2013February 2, 2014 ToniLeave a comment

It is a small world thanks to the age of digital travel. I am not just talking about the rise of social media which has led to countless holiday snaps and status updates by your friends that you always seem to read as you lie on the couch on a Friday night eating pizza and discovering wayward chips from your couch. (Otherwise known as FOMO) The digital traveller is now armed to the teeth with gadgets and apps that can transform any overseas trip into its own multimedia publishing expedition, and has made it easier than ever before to keep in touch with family and friends back home.

I have not been overseas since 2005. (I am talking long haul flights so excluding New Zealand)

The way I see it there have been three major improvements to travel due to the digital age:

1. Smart phones allow even ET to phone home.

Global Roaming Meme Source: http://memegenerator.net/instance/33551621 — Global Roaming Meme
Source: http://memegenerator.net/instance/33551621

Whilst previously I would leave my phone at home to avoid racking up thousands of dollars in global roaming charges, this time I have a range of travel sims to choose from including Travel Sim, Back Chat and Woolworths Global Roaming. These sims work in most phones including iPhones and provide discounted call rates in more than 100 countries. A call to Audtralia from Europe can cost as little as 0.42 cents a minute compared to using global roaming at more than $3 a min.

2. Ipad and other tablets

If you have an Ipad or other tablet, bring it with you on your trip – it provides quick access to look up nearby accomodation or sights using the readily available free WiFi that exists in most destinations, and is also a handy way to back up photos taken from your camera. The Apple Ipad Camera Adapter provides an easy way to import photos from your digital camera to your Ipad. That way if you lose your camera or run out of space on your memory card, you can back up to the iPad and keep snapping away!

3. Apps to keep you organised and ready for travel
There are a range of packing apps around for iPhone and ipad.

UPackingList – there are tons of packing apps around but this has been the one I have used for domestic travel the last few years and has worked great – lists can be adapted and are sorted for you into Categories such as Health, Gadgets, Shoes etc
Trip Advisor Offline City Maps allows you to download before you go so you can use it offline when you are abroad, avoiding international data charges.
Traveling around Europe by train? Download the free Europe Rail iphone app to look up timetables and check out Eurail Pass discounts near you on the go, all offline.
Skype is an obvious choice – international phone cards are no longer needed if you are able to access WiFi at your destination, Skype gives you free calls to another Skype account.
Many airlines allow you to check in before you depart using their app. So check before you depart.
Expedia, Hotels.com and TripAdvisor Hotel apps allow you to search and book places to stay as you go – these require an internet/data connection though so make sure you are in a WiFi area (preferably a secure WiFi area to avoid hackers)