For most travellers from Europe, Australia represents something of a one-off destination that has to be savoured. The distance involved in getting there, not to mention the cost, means many visitors only make the journey once, so there’s often an element of intensity about the trip, purely because they want to see and experience everything that this incredible country has to offer.
And because of this pressing need to get the most from the odyssey, it should be a must for every traveller to incorporate some kind of travel itinerary when they visit. While no-one is suggesting that a rigid, military-style timetable should be used, a loose running order for each precious day will help everyone to get the wow factor that such a once in a lifetime vacation can give.
The vast distances between many of the major cities in Australia – almost 600 miles between Sydney and Brisbane, for example, and over 2,000 miles between Sydney and Perth – only those who are prepared to stay for a long period will have the time to see all they want to see. But with a schedule they can at least pack in as much, or as little, as they would like.
Be prepared to explore
A significant proportion of travellers will touch down at Sydney’s Kingsford Smith Airport and remain within the confines of the city throughout their stay. This beautiful city is home to a large number of wonderful attractions and iconic landmarks, and offers the visitor an excellent destination to explore, but it seems a shame when people travel many thousands of miles to get to Australia and they only see one city.
One sensible option for those who have time is to fly to Sydney and spend several days travelling around the city in order to view its many delights, and to get a true flavour of a genuinely unique metropolis, before hiring a car and setting off on an exciting road trip. Two destinations, Brisbane and Melbourne, are easily reachable, especially if you take it slowly and stop along the way for an overnight stay.
In the city centres, especially during the peak hours in the mornings and late afternoons, traffic congestion can be a major problem, but outside of these parameters driving in Australia can be a delight. The roads are well sign-posted and maintained, and they’re generally under-used. And it perhaps goes without saying that the views of this wonderful country as you drive along are simply breath-taking.
David Showell is a traveller from the UK who works for a car rental website.