Tagged: big lap

Twenty years of fixing rigs taught me most breakdowns interstate come down to picking the wrong workshop. Here's how I vet one in an hour.

Real fuel figures for towing a van around Australia, state by state, and why your consumption changes more than you'd think once you leave the coast.

Crossing three time zones with no daylight saving in some and half-hour offsets in others causes more missed calls and confused kids than any tech problem on the road.

Twenty years of fixing rigs taught me routines fail the same way engines do — under load, not on paper. Here's what actually keeps road-schooling running.

Most rest area rules are pinned to a board most tourers walk straight past. Here's how to actually read one before you set up.

Clockwise or anticlockwise around Australia? For families the direction you choose decides your seasons, your school terms and your fuel bill.

Not every dump point is built the same. Here's how Trev Sanders reads one before he commits his cassette, and the mistakes that get free camps closed.

Free camp or powered site tonight? A practical decision method for families, built around water, dogs, dark arrivals and what your kids actually need to sleep.

Free council rest areas and paid national park sites look similar on the map. They're run under completely different rules, and mixing them up costs tourers money or a fine.

Should you take the kids out of school for the Big Lap, or work around term dates? Here's the real trade-off in cost, crowding and learning.

Ex-demo or genuinely used off-road van? Trev breaks down where the real savings sit, and where a "near-new" deal can bite you later.

Apps have made free camp hunting lazy and crowded. Here's how I actually find quiet, legal sites using maps, radios and old-fashioned local knowledge.

Denise reckons I service the van more than the car. Here's the actual schedule we run for bearings, brakes, tyres and the annual once-over.

How to work out what fuel will actually cost on a lap of Australia, including the remote premium most budgets miss entirely.

Planning a Big Lap around school terms takes more than a calendar. Here's how to time each leg, avoid peak-season prices, and keep the family sane.

Six years into the Big Lap, Trev Sanders reckons the best thing he did was stop counting kilometres. Here's how to actually slow down on the road.

Three months or twelve? Marto Kelleher breaks down realistic Big Lap timelines — by rig type, pace and budget — so you can plan one that actually fits your life.

Torn between a hybrid camper and a full off-road van for your big trip? Trev breaks down what actually matters — weight, access, comfort and cost.

Clockwise or anticlockwise — the direction you drive the Big Lap shapes your seasons, your budget and your whole experience on the road.