The 6 golden rules to remember for every girls' trip.

You know what they say.

You don’t really know someone until you’ve travelled around Australia to 10 different cities on a live podcast tour with Toyota Kluger.

You learn that someone sure has a lot (too much) to say before 7am.

You learn that someone starts speaking in tongues and spinning their head 360 degrees if they go a couple of hours without eating.

You learn that another nameless person is incapable of remembering a phone charger, toothpaste and their wallet all on the one trip.

(Me. That nameless person is me.)

This year, Mia Freedman, Holly Wainwright and myself have travelled around the country performing our Mamamia Out Loud Live podcast tour, all made possible by our tour partner who got us where we needed to be on time in absolute comfort, Toyota Kluger.

We had the privilege of taking our show – which discusses all the things Australian women are talking about – to thousands of women. It’s been one of the most epic trips of our lives, with much of it spent on the road.

From those moments, I learnt six invaluable lessons that could apply to any girls’ trip.

1. Space. The key to still liking each other at the end is space.

Nah, seriously though.

If we’d all been crammed in the backseat, our arm hairs awkwardly rubbing against each other for the entire trip, while our knees seriously bruised the knees of the person next to us every time we went around a corner, we’d have never even made it to our first show.

No one should ever be touching. Or breathing on one another. They’re the rules.

So if you can find a car with enough space for everyone to be clear on where their body ends and where another body begins, then it’s a good start.

We had a seven-seater Toyota Kluger Grande SUV, meaning we had a little more than two seats each… do you understand how special that is?

I climbed into the back if Mia’s (bad) singing was getting out of control, or Holly was practising parts of the show under her breath.

It meant I had time to miss them.

2. Oi. Get off your phone.

Nothing ruins a girls' trip like being on your phone the entire time.

Check it when you're in your hotel room alone, or if there's an emergency.

But our unwritten rule seemed to be that if there's a conversation going on, even if it's just about whether or not Holly should get a fringe (she shouldn't), then don't be mindlessly scrolling through Instagram.

Looking at my phone in the car makes me feel carsick anyway. Better to just wind down the window, and moo at some unsuspecting cows.

3. There will be times you don't feel like talking anymore. And there's a solution for that.

So.

There's an exception to the phone rule.

You see, if you're spending an extended period of time with people, you'll inevitably run out of things to talk about every now and then.

In these moments... accept it. Don't try for small talk. People need a break from constant conversation, especially while travelling with big groups.

Choose a podcast or a playlist and chuck it on, like we did. Our Toyota Kluger had Bluetooth^® capabilities¹, so any of our phones could connect, regardless of where we were sitting.

Mostly, we listened to recent episodes of Mamamia Out Loud and nodded in agreement with all the wise things we were saying. Oh. And I made Holly and Mia listen to the podcast I host, True Crime Conversations to spook them.

And if you're feeling downright antisocial, just watch something. Don't worry about getting "phone neck" staring at your phone - the Kluger Grande has a rear-seat entertainment screen. Unless you're the designated driver, in which case... no screens for you.

4. Stop for snacks. Like every few hours. 

Someone is always hungry at all times, and one of the most important features of a girls' trip is that you must respect other people's hunger.

You. Need. Snacks. If you think you have too many, buy more.

Stop every few hours because a) it's advised by scientists/experts/road safety advocates, b) because you need fresh snacks and c) because of... bladders.

Toyota's safety features helped us get off big highways and in and out of carparks safely thanks to their Lane Departure Alert², Blind Spot Monitor³ and Rear Cross Traffic Alert⁴.

And safely we engorged ourselves in chips and soft drinks, the ultimate road trip snacks. No Holly, they don't need extra salt.

5. Everyone's happier if you put extra time into packing.

We've had people forget underwear, bras, toothbrushes, socks, shoes, medication, and phone chargers.

We've travelled to Victoria in spring... expecting it to be warm... and found ourselves shivering in a t-shirt.

We've also travelled to Cairns, and stared at a massive, refreshing pool for an entire afternoon, wishing that we'd packed our swimming costumes.

There's nothing worse than realising you only packed one of your runners or left your make up bag sitting in the bathroom sink.

Our Kluger had plenty of boot space, so we could literally pack our pets and a desktop computer if we needed.

6. Say yes.

Go to dinner.

Go to the wildlife park.

Go to the museum.

Always say 'yes'.

Except when Holly has a suggestion for a place to lunch.

Always say no. Because otherwise you'll spend the next nine hours walking around in circles, whispering under your breath, "Holly... I don't think this cafe is in the middle of the bush..."

It's been a wild ride, and yes, I'd do it all over again.

From July to November 2019, Mamamia Out Loud went on tour, driven by Toyota Kluger. The team brought their award-winning podcast to Melbourne, Hobart, Brisbane, Perth, Darwin, Adelaide, Cairns, Orange, Geelong and Sydney. Thanks to everyone who came and had a laugh with us!

The car shown in these photos is the Toyota Kluger Grande model.

¹ Compatibility and functionality varies depending on device. Bluetooth® is a registered trademark of Bluetooth SIG, Inc.

^2,3,4 Driver Assist feature: Only operates under certain conditions. Check your Owner's Manual for explanation of limitations. Please drive safely.

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