Road trips are one of the best ways to explore a country, or for that matter even a continent. There are many spectacular routes that provide their own unique challenges and experiences.
One such route is the Iceland Ring Road, which encircles the entire nation, covering 1,333 kilometres of road. Then there is Pakistan’s Karakoram Highway, one of the highest paved roads on the planet that offers jaw-dropping mountain views.
Or perhaps America’s Route 66 might take your fancy, the most iconic road trip on the planet.
Not to be outdone, Australia has a legendary road trip that allows the traveller to visit all the places that are worth seeing.
Known as the Big Lap, it is essentially the world’s biggest ring road.
The 9,000 mile (14,500km) Highway 1 connects the capitals of Australia’s states (except Hobart and Canberra) by joining Perth (Western Australia), Darwin (Northern Territories), Brisbane (Queensland), Sydney (New South Wales), Melbourne (Victoria) and Adelaide (South Australia).
Although the record for the Big Lap is a remarkable 6 days, those with more time could enjoy the journey over the course of 3-6 months.
Mik Simons is one adventurer who has undertaken the road trip and has written about his experiences in a blog, offering great advice.
« Expect a lot of driving in Australia as distances are long, » he writes.
« However, if you wanna see the beautiful beaches in Western Australia, the stunning landscapes in the Northern Territory, the tropical rainforests in Queensland, or admire the charming waterfalls in Victoria, it’s all worth it. »
He continues: « A piece of good advice is to take your time, prepare yourself and enjoy every day of your trip.
« You will face unexpected challenges such as a breakdown, a flat tyre, closed roads, bushfires, or even a global pandemic but those are the things that will make your trip unique. »
Mik bought himself a 2001 Toyota Landcruiser Prado for the trip, building a bed in the back with underneath pull-out drawers and a kitchen.
And he was in no hurry to complete his trip of a lifetime, taking two years to circumnavigate Australia.
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