SURVIVING AUSTRALIA’S OUTBACK

redback_webI was trawling the web looking for articles I thought our Transfercar drivers would be interested in and found this little beauty. Not only does it contain invaluable advise about travelling in the outback of Australia,  it’s a really good read!

SURVIVING AUSTRALIA’S OUTBACK

About three o’clock in the morning something woke me, and I lay listening. A strange rumbling came from somewhere out in the night. “Are you awake?” Cristi whispered softly. I whispered back that I was. “There’s something outside,” she said.
The northern Australia night was stifling. Beneath our flimsy tent we had gone to sleep in the coolest possible costumes – nothing at all. Now I got to my feet and tiptoed to the entrance to the tent. Gently I pulled open the flaps an inch apart and peered out. It was pitch black, and I could see nothing. I parted the tent flaps a bit more. There, not twenty feet from the tent, was a large crocodile.


By now Cristi was up and standing next to me. We stood there, stone-like, with nothing but a thin sheet of canvas between us and a twenty-foot crocodile.


The rumbling continued. It came from the crocodile’s stomach. It was tearing up the food we had left away from the campsite. It was a lesson of the Outback that I was happy to have learned: don’t store your food near your campsite.
Slowly it worked its way through the food, ripping apart a barbecued chicken with uncomfortable ease. Then it scurried away, toward the Herbert River, silhouetted against the horizon, immense, its red eyes gleaming in the moonlight. Finally it left, and as we went back to bed, I recalled a sign we had seen along the roadside earlier in the day. It warned travelers succinctly: “Beware of Crocodiles.”

Read the full story thanks to hackwriters.com.

TRAVEL AUSTRALIA – TRAVELLING TIPS

If you’re planning a trip around Australia, there are plenty of helpful tips that can make your journey safer and easier. Here is the first of a series of travel tips and articles coming your way to make your journey in one of our free Transfercars and campervans an experience worth remembering.

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When planning your trip, keep in mind that Australia is as big as western Europe and about the same size as the 48 contiguous U.S. states. Melbourne and Brisbane are a long day’s drive from Sydney, and driving from Sydney to Perth takes the better part of a week.

WEATHER

When it is winter in the Northern Hemisphere, Australia is basking in the Southern Hemisphere’s summer, and vice versa. Midwinter in Australia is July and August, and the hottest months are November through March. Remember, unlike in the Northern Hemisphere, the farther south you go in Australia, the colder it gets.

Read the full article at Travel Australia

What’s the right Australian visa for me?

sample_australia_visa_600x336If you’re planning on travelling to Australia this summer, and taking our free transfercars and campervans for a drive, one of the first things you need to sort out is your visa. There are so many different types, so it’s important you find the right one for you.  The best, and safest way of gaining the correct information is visiting the Australian Department of Government and Immigration‘s website. It’s accurate and easy to use, so be smart and make use of it and have a great and hassle free trip in one of the most spectacular places in the world.

Driving in Australia

Thinking of driving one of our Transfercars in Australia? Well, fine.roadsign_428x269_to_468x312

If you’re a visitor and hold a valid driver’s licence (in English) from your own country, fine, you’re allowed to drive throughout all of Australia. (But an international driver’s licence, if you have one, does not by itself give you the right to drive in Australia.)

If your driver’s licence is not in English, a translation may be necessary and you may also need to have an international driver’s licence.

Read the full article here….

What you need to know about New Zealand visa requirements

nz_visaIf your are intending to travel to New Zealand (and of course drive one of Transfercar’s fantastic free relocation vehicles), or in fact anywhere, the first thing you need to know is what the visa requirements are for that country.

To enter New Zealand you must have a passport valid for 3 months after the date of your intended departure.

You must also be carrying an onward/return ticket to a country you have permission to enter.

British Citizens and passport holders are entitled to enter New Zealand for up to 6 months and do not require a visa or visitor’s permit.

Citizens of Australia are also exempt from having to obtain visitor permits when holidaying in New Zealand.

Passport holders from the following countries do not need to apply for visitor visas or permits, and may visit New Zealand for up to 3 months:

Read the full article at Fourcorners.co.nz

Driving in New Zealand

I’ve had many questions from our Transfercar drivers about what licence they need to drive our vehicles. Here is aroad great article about New Zealand driving regulations that will answer many of your queries.

International Driving Licences and Permits

You can legally drive in New Zealand for up to 12 months if you have either a current driver’s licence from your home country or an International Driving Permit (IDP). After 12 months you are required to convert to a New Zealand licence. This applies to each visit to New Zealand.

In New Zealand all drivers, including visitors from other countries, must carry their licence or permit at all times when driving. You will only be able to drive the same types of vehicles you are licensed to drive in your home country. The common legal age to rent a car in New Zealand is 21 years.

Read more at newzealand.com