This article sums up the experience of renting a car and camping in Australia into practical information, hoping to give friends who have not tried this method an easy reference.
1. Can I rent a car for a Chinese driver`s license? I hear you have to do notarization?
Australia recognizes the Chinese driver`s license. However, there must be a driver`s license translation. In the past, it was usually necessary to translate the driver`s license into English, and then get a notarized certificate of translation from the notary office, which was troublesome. Now there is a way to save trouble without running a notary office. You can apply for "international driver`s license translation" free of charge on the rental car rental platform. You just need to fill in the simple information. After the examination and approval, you can send it home, usually in about three days.
2. How do I rent a car?
This time we rent a car in Tasmania using a rental platform, a Chinese interface that lists the prices of each car store. Before departure, confirm the rental model and date, and then place the order on the platform, the order number can be picked up directly in foreign countries, which is very convenient and easy to use.
There are a few points to note when renting a car:
- It is cheaper to book in advance than to make a temporary appointment. In the peak season, there will be more car models to be booked as soon as possible.
- Returning cars in different places is more expensive than returning cars in the same city. If you want to save some fare, you should pay attention to it when planning your itinerary.
3. Insurance choice.
It looks very complicated, but a little research is actually quite simple. This was also analyzed in detail in my last article, which is briefly described here. There are three combinations of insurance:
- [经] basic insurance
- Basic insurance super supplementary full risk
- Basic insurance full insurance
The wider the scope of protection of the above three combinations in turn, the higher the premium.
- Basic risk: collision scraping, bearing no more than A $3800 in maintenance costs. The insurance company is responsible for the cost of less than A $3800 and the cost of more than A $3800. This basic insurance does not require additional money to buy;
- Basic insurance super supplement full insurance: that is, the basic insurance does not include 3800 Australian dollars in maintenance costs are covered, in addition to collision scraping to protect glass tires, road anchor and fuel. The car we chose will charge an additional 154 yuan a day.
- Basic risk full collision risk: the most complete protection, basically undrunk driving unintentional violations of traffic regulations and other acts caused by the loss of vehicles are covered. But the cost is very expensive, about 400 yuan a day. It`s more expensive than renting a car.
We chose a combination with a higher performance-to-price ratio. Deductible amount from zero, in addition to collision scratch also protect glass tires, on the road to throw and add the wrong fuel. We chose a compact SUV car with a daily premium of 15 4 yuan.
This trip also learned about some of the popular car rental methods for backpackers. I haven`t tried it yet. I can write a detailed strategy to share it after I try it later. Now share the information with you first, maybe those who are ready to travel will be able to use it.
4. Traffic rules in Australia
- Drive on the left! Drive on the left! Drive on the left! Before listening to friends remind Australia is the right rudder, will not be used to. In fact, pay a little attention, basically open for a day or two to adapt. Maybe we haven`t driven much in China, and we don`t rely on the left rudder, so we don`t have any pressure to adapt to the right rudder. And in Australia there are often keep left signs on the road, in fact, it is not easy to ignore;
- Roundabout: most intersections in Australia use more roundabout islands and fewer traffic lights. As long as everyone obeys the rules of concession, the roundabout island is really easier to use than the traffic lights. Before entering the ring island, be sure to slow down and pay attention to the right side of the car. Drive clockwise, following the principle of priority on the right side of the vehicle. If there is a car on the right, you must give way. Only when there is a safe distance in the traffic flow can we enter the ring island;
- Speed limit: Australia`s speed limit marks are very clearly easy to understand, and are very scientific;
- Make way: in short, the road to the main road, left transfer straight, right transfer left turn, around the island let the right car. The standard of letting go is that there is no need to slow down the other party`s car. It sounds complicated, but in fact the operation is very simple. The road that needs to give way will generally have obvious GIVEAWAY sign, as well as STOP sign, in this case must stop for three seconds;
- Note kangaroo: the car rental company also has a rule: between sunset and sunrise, driving on the outskirts of Australia (outside the city), if it is to avoid damage caused by animals or colliding animals, the insurance purchased is not compensable. So try not to drive all night, because there are so many Australian animals, we often encounter kangaroos running in the middle at sunset, and we can`t avoid watching you. Drive slowly at night and turn on the headlights!
5. Come on.
Australia is very suitable for self-driving, gas stations are also very reasonable distribution, basically all the way to find refueling places.
It is very convenient to recommend Fuel Map as an APP, oil search point. When renting a car, remember to confirm the type of fuel you want to add, usually plus 91.
Refueling is self-help in Australia. You need to do it yourself when refueling. Just tell the clerk pump`s number to pay directly.
It is said that the fuel charges in Australia vary widely, some remote places will be as high as 2.29 Australian dollars / L, the cheapest road section we have ever added is 1.07 Australian dollars / L, and the most expensive one is 1.29 Australian dollars / L.
If a small Tips, consumes more than A $30 at a time at woolworh or coles supermarket, he can get a discount of 4 cents per liter of fuel to the gas station he belongs to. He can keep the ticket and use a discount when he meets the right gas station.
6, what is the camp?
To put it simply, the camp is a green space without a bed. In Australia, you can only stay in a camp where you can spend the night. You will see that many parks have the logo of Only for day use, and only those who write for camping are camps where they can camp. Generally speaking, camps are divided into these categories:
- Free camp Free Campsite. There is no need to pay for it. The general conditions will be relatively simple, but at least there will be toilets, some free camps also have drinkable water sources and BBQ facilities;
- Self-help camp Self service campsite. Need to pay a small amount of my fee, about A $5 per capita, unmanaged, self-help payment, all rely on self-awareness. We lived in a self-help camp around the island, with a very good location, a minute`s walk on the beach, toilet and water, A $5 per person per night, and a mailbox to pay for it. Need to make their own fire;
- Car camp park Caravan Park. The general charge is about A $15 per person per night, and some camps will distinguish between powered site or unpower site, the former is mainly used for RV charging, and the former is generally a little more expensive. Car camp facilities are quite perfect, water and electricity, toilets, bathrooms, laundry, kitchens are generally available, and some car camps have RV retrofit house or cabins, each house charge between A $70 to A $140 per night, can accommodate 2 to 6 people, suitable for family trips or friends.
7. Several sleeping methods in the camp
- Bring your own tent: those who think sleeping in the tent will sacrifice their comfort. They must have never seen a large tent enough to party, with an inflatable mattress in it. If you don`t hate to set up tents every day, you might as well choose to try them.
- Car roof tent: this model comes with its own roof tent. During the day, the tent can be put away, and it is convenient to press the button at night to put up the tent. The advantage of sleeping on the roof is that it is easier to isolate mosquitoes and snakes than tents sleeping on the ground. The downside is to hear that when the wind is windy, it is also stable, but it will be noisy.
- Rent a RV and sleep directly in the car. RV types are also divided into many types, ABC, as well as trailers. Generally speaking, if you choose a RV, you can solve it in the car. Suitable for traveling with a small and old family, it will be more comfortable. The disadvantage is that the RV entering the city will be more troublesome, it is difficult to find a parking space, but also consider the need for convenient charging, water tank power site and dump point; to deal with toilet stolen goods.
- In the car camp park, Caravan Park.. There are usually cabins or cabins for rent at a cost of about A $70 / 140 a night. We lived on Bruny Island in a modified house, one room and one hall, can sleep four people, only A $70 a night, feel very cost-effective ah.
Our choice this time is to rent a SUV, and sleep directly in the car most of the time in addition to staying in the house once in a while. Why don`t you rent a RV in the sleeping car?
- Easy to control. I dare not drive a RV for the first time.
- It is more free to choose a camping point. (renting a RV needs to be recharged with water, be sure to find powersite, and SUV does not have to charge for water to require much less in the camp.)
- The price is much cheaper. The rent for a cheap RV is five or six hundred a day, while this car costs only in its early 200s.
