Travel Tips | Transfercar Blog

Wwoofing around the world

The concept of working for your food and accommodation while travelling is not a new one and many a budget conscious traveller has walked this well-worn path.

Wwoofing however is a little more specialised. Originally an acronym for “Working Weekends on Organic Farms”, the definition changed over the years to “Willing Workers On Organic Farms” as the need for assistance over longer periods arose. Due to the word “work” however causing some problems, the name finally settled to being “World Wide Opportunities On Organic Farms”.

Sue Coppard, in 1971 was the first to recognise the need for people like herself, who did not have the means or the opportunity, to access the countryside and support the organic movement. It was here in the suburbs of London that Wwoofing set its roots, now growing as a movement with more than 50 WWOOF groups worldwide. Continue reading Wwoofing around the world

How to make a great travel journal

If you are a traveller like me and plan to continue traipsing around the world in your free rentals, then you are likely to have loads of little reminders of your journeys. Little things such as tickets to shows, a bus pass or an entry to visit some iconic artifact or concert line your travel bags, draws or hand bag well after the journey is complete.

Even though you have photos galore to back the stories, these little items are tangible reminders of epic life journeys that will eventually get lost, torn or destroyed. I wish I had made more of an effort to keep all these reminders in some order as I travelled, but I didn’t. So with that in mind, this little blog is to help anyone else out there with the same dilemma:

Here are a few tips I have found floating around that will help get you started: Continue reading How to make a great travel journal

Fun things to do when camping in the rain

As winter creeps up on us, the sun shines a little less and the rain falls a little more. This is fine if you are snuggled up in a nice warm house, but what if you’re camping or in a campervan or motorhome? Not always so much fun, especially with children on board.

It’s not all that bad though, especially if you have a few winter ideas up your sleeve and some extra coins in your pocket from the savings of travelling in a free rental: Continue reading Fun things to do when camping in the rain

Moving To Melbourne? Consider a Trip First

When tourists think of Australia, they tend to focus on the urban delights of Sydney and its famous opera house or the wild spaces of the Outback or the Great Barrier Reef. However, there are plenty of other interesting and trendy Antipodean locations which are worth a visit, including the regional cities. The state of Victoria is home to Melbourne, the country’s second most populous metropolitan area and the ‘garden city’ of Australia on the southern coast, so why not investigate flights to Melbourne, Australia for your next city break. Continue reading Moving To Melbourne? Consider a Trip First

The Great Barrier Reef Australia

Australia is a land filled with unique natural wonders and the Great Barrier Reef is one of the most famous. As the world’s largest coral reef system (2600 kms) and the only living structure visible from outer space, it is assuredly one of the most stunning 300,000 square kilometres on earth.

Sitting in the aptly named Coral Sea off the coast of Queensland (beginning at the tip of Cape York Peninsula in the north and extending down to Bundaberg in the south) the Barrier Reef is host to an unusual array of plant, bird and marine life. Nestled amongst its almost 3000 individual reefs, built from 360 species of hard corals, and 880 islands, are a variety of dolphins, dugong, 6 different types of turtles, over 175 bird species, approximately 2,200 native plant variations, approximately 2,000 fish species and is a safe breeding ground for Humpback and other whales. Continue reading The Great Barrier Reef Australia

What to do when visiting a Marae in New Zealand

When travelling around New Zealand, it is highly likely you will be taken to visit some of the local Marae. These are sacred meeting houses for Maori and are symbols of tribal identity. Considered by Māori as tūrangawaewae – (standing places or places of belonging), they facilitate public discussions and debates, funerals and celebrations and other local gatherings. They are often elaborately carved and designed community spaces equip with a dining hall and cooking area and the marae ātea (sacred space in front of the meeting house).

When visiting a Marae, it is important that you are prepared. Before the visit: Continue reading What to do when visiting a Marae in New Zealand