The Wanderer
Travelling should be about exploring what this beautiful country has to offer, spending quality time with family and friends and upon our return, sharing stories of the memories we’ve created along the way.
The best way to start your next RV adventure is through some pre-trip planning and ensuring that you’re as prepared to hit the road as you can be. After all, your RV experience should be fun and safe.
STAYING SAFE
One of the first things you should do is make sure you have vehicle insurance. It’s vital to make sure you know exactly what your existing insurance policy will cover. Does it cover you for electrical or mechanical breakdown if you need a tow to the nearest RV repair shop? Does it offer transportation costs to return you and your family to your normal place of residence following the theft of your vehicle or the transportation costs to collect your vehicle after it’s been repaired? Is there provision for emergency accommodation costs? There are a lot of potential scenarios that need to be taken into consideration, so making sure that you have adequate insurance cover is extremely critical.
Secondly it’s vital to ensure you have sufficient Roadside Assistance cover. If you’re travelling hundreds or thousands of kilometres around this beautiful country of ours exploring the outback and break down, do you have sufficient Roadside Assistance cover to help keep you moving and get you back on the road quickly?
Before you go, cancel usual deliveries and services as well as redirecting your mail, tell your trusted neighbours where you’re going and when you’ll be home – maybe give them something little for their trouble. Batten down the hatches – lock all gates, windows, doors, set sensor lights and even buy some alarm stickers from Bunnings (they are highly visible). Don’t broadcast your holiday plans – your network of family and friend aren’t the only ones that can access information from your Facebook. Finally, before you head off, make sure your home and contents insurance is up-to-date. The last thing you want is to find out that you let your insurance slip whilst you were enjoying your holiday because you missed the renewal.
HEALTH CHECKS
If you’re managing ongoing health issues, or have any specifi c medical needs, take them into consideration before you hit the road and ensure that you’ve talked with your doctor about embarking on a trip in your RV. Plan your trip and consider if you will need to refill prescriptions along the way, mobile phone coverage, whether you will be able to call for help in an emergency, and whether you have sufficient health insurance and ambulance cover.
PLANNING
Leave a basic itinerary with a friend or a relative so that someone has a general idea of where you’ll be, in case something goes wrong. Consider taking a GPS that will transmit your location and allow friends or family to check on you. Make sure you pack lots of essential items, water, food, clothing and personal items – you never know how much you need them, until they’re missing!
Ensure that your vehicle has been mechanically safety tested and that it is in good working order before your departure. This should include your fridge and air conditioning unit. Check your vehicle’s fire extinguisher, first aid, and tool kit for those potential emergency situations where you need to DIY until safety arrives.
Be sure to do your homework and map out the proposed routes you will be taking as part of your travels. This way you’ll be sure to find the best value for money towns and parks along the way.
KNOW WHERE TO DUMP
If you’re on the road, eventually you have to dump the waste from your RV, so before you decide on where you’re going to park your home away from home, make sure you know where the nearest dump point is.
LISTS ARE BEST
So that you don’t forget anything (or at least just forget a few minor things), prepare a pre-trip checklist before you head away. In addition to the above, your checklist can include things like: cooking and food preparation equipment and utensils; clothes and personal items; kitchen and bath inventory; essential miscellaneous items for outdoor (camping). Your pre-trip checklist is your checklist and specific to your needs, so it can be as comprehensive or as brief as you need it to be.
Like your vehicle and your travels, this is unique to you, and there is no one-size fits all solution.
Category: Features
Written: Sat 01 Jul 2017
Printed: July, 2017
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