As promised, today we are continuing our feature on travelling in the ever popular Hippie Deluxe.

You can read our first 5 tips here.

Now, on to our campervan rental insider tips:

Avoid manual meltdown. The good news is, Hippie Deluxe campervans are compact and easy to drive for most. However, if you’re not used to driving with manual transmission you may want to practice by borrowing a mate’s car before you pick up the vehicle.

You may be driving on a different side of the road or in different road conditions than usual, so the more practice the better. Safety first! Check out Brock’s video below – he loved his Hippie trip, but found the manual transmission a little daunting!

Brock\’s thoughts on driving a manual campervan

Remember to recharge. Australia and New Zealand have extensive networks of Campgrounds and Caravan Parks with amenities and facilities to make your stay comfortable and safe. While you have to pay to stay at caravan parks, Hippie customers are entitled to discounts at many. Also, you will have the opportunity to recharge your batteries when you stay at a powered site. Remember, free camping is not permitted everywhere.

Be weatherproof. Whether you’re travelling in Australia (beautiful one day, torrential rain the next) or New Zealand (four seasons in one day), it pays to weatherproof your road trip by making a few simple provisions. We recommend you bring: gumboots (wellingtons), a rain poncho (much easier to transport than umbrellas), entertainment such as books and games, some great music, and some long lasting snacks.

Hydrate. Australia and New Zealand are both relatively safe countries, but both are subject to extreme weather conditions. Always take plenty of water wherever you go, whether you are hiking or even just walking. If you go on a bush walk, also remember to let someone know where you are going.

Use your discounts. If you’re travelling along the East Coast of Australia, The Hippie Camper team will give you a touring map featuring many great discount offerings for your trip. You may have even already planned to visit some of the attractions listed, so why not save your cash and use them? You can see some of the discount offers here.

Thanks for reading our Hippie Camper Deluxe travel tips! See you next time…

So, you’ve booked your Hippie campervan and are ready to tour Australia or New Zealand in style. First of all, you’ve made a great choice.

The Mitsubishi Express 7300 is a great, reliable vehicle offering 100km of road tripping per 14L of fuel – so you’ll be able to do a lot of touring on your holiday. Now, on to our special tips to help make the most of your adventure:

Room to move: Remember, your Hippie Camper is perfect for two. It has a large double bed (2.00 x 1.52m), but if you’re bunking with a mate rather than your girlfriend/boyfriend you may want to consider setting up the rear annex for a little extra space during those intimate evenings. You can also hire table and chairs for somewhere to sit outside the van.

Keep it level: Speaking of sleep, make sure you park on level ground at night. Your back and bunkmate will thank you for it. If you would prefer to roll onto your travelling companion all night (and who knows, you might!) then by all means park on uneven ground.

Baggage blues: There are heaps of nooks and crannies to store your valuables in the Hippie Deluxe – there’s even a lockable safe for your most precious possessions! However, the storage compartments in your camper may not be of the same dimensions as your luggage.

Definitely don’t bring hard suitcases, if possible use soft bags instead. This will make your life much easier. If worst comes to worst and you have to bring along your suitcase, the Hippie Deluxe does feature roof racks for your convenience.

Playing it cool: Hippie campers feature a fridge to help keep your food and drink cold while you travel. Do be aware that you need to regularly recharge your batteries at caravan parks in order to keep the fridge running.

If you’re planning on free camping for a few days, first: a) check that free camping is permitted in the area you are travelling to and b) think of bringing an esky/chilly bin with you. You can easily buy ice on the road to keep things cool.

Save your pennies: Be aware of toll roads, and always follow the road rules (including speed limits) during your travels. The last thing you want is an administrative charge for unpaid tolls or speeding fines eating into your holiday budget.

To be continued…