You know the deal…you and your best friends decide to get down the coast for a few days and forget the stresses from work / study / boyfriends and enjoy some uncrowded wave-time.

Or, maybe you’re heading off to a spa for a weekend, hiring a yacht or heading on a road trip to a much-anticipated music festival. Whatever the occasion, travelling with your mates can bring out your best…and your worst.
 
Here’s the EXP/G guide to having a great time on the road –and how to come back better friends than when you left. No matter where in the world your starting point begins.

First up: Where to go and when

As the director of www.surfingmums.com Vanessa Thompson understands how important selecting a suitable destination can to ensure everyone has a great time.

“My hot tip would be to always pick surf spots where the surfer of the least ability feels comfortable, that is no (good) taking your longboarder beginner friend to 4 foot barrelling D'bah. “There is always fun to be had in any surf break and if it means everyone can go out then there is more fun to be had surfing with friends then leaving someone on the beach”, says Vanessa.

Secondly: Make Some Rules

“We did a trip from Sydney to Phillip Island in the van with six of us and the female dog (Critter)”, recalls longboarder Leesa Laug (facebook). “It was all good for the first few hours then Critter started wanting her own space and nipping at people that put things under there feet”, she says.

To keep things calm, the girls decided on a few rules. “We decided on a pit stop every three hours to fuel up, work the muscles  and clean out our engine”, she says. Everyone was allotted an hour each to play their iPod over the stereo. “Except critter”, laughs Leesa. “We ended up having a lot of laughs on what music everyone had chosen, having a sing-along and laughing at everyone’s singing and car dancing”.

Thirdly: Keep an Open Mind

When Deborah Carlbergg hits the road with her buddies, there may be some of her husband’s cruisy music on the stereo www.malandthelongboarders.com  but she knows that there will be at least one ‘deep and meaningful’ discussion as they head down the highway in search of swell.

She’s sure there’s something about road trips that inspires confidence in friends. “If your best friend wants to talk about the relationships in her life for at least part of the trip (then listen)”, she advises. “You could tell her just where she went wrong each time. But hey, she will just come back at you and say, ‘that's why I can't talk to anyone about this’. So best idea, just listen and say uhuuum, yeah and I know. Then be sympathetic and by the end of the trip you will know all about everything. And you will still be her best friend”, says Deborah.

Fourth: Try New Things

“Make sure you are cool about being dragged out of bed at 4.30 am to do surf checks in your pyjamas at Crescent Head with your early rising friend”, laughs Sophie Kijas a member of the bondigirlssurfriders.com.au. (This is a dig at me, we’ve done a few surf trips together). “Laugh at your friends idiosyncrasies, stay happy and be glad you’re alive”, she says.

Fifth: Support and Help One Another

Brenda Miley who runs the ever-popular www.letsgosurfing.com.au surf school at Bondi Beach, agrees that it’s all about having fun.

“Try to go with girls the same level”, she advises. “If not, be prepared to encourage or be encouraged!”, she says. “Investigate where you're going so you have options, eg which beach works in different swells/winds... so you know where to go when the surf's too big/too small”, adds Brenda.

A selection of boards will also ensure there’s no ears before bedtime. “Take a couple of different surfboards if you have them so you can take advantage of different conditions; eg, if you're going to a place like Crescent Head you might take a mal and a shortboard.  Or if you know there's gonna be swell you might take a gun and shortboard”, she says.

Another thing is to bring enough gear without filling the boot to bursting.
 
“Make sure you have all the equipment you need....sunblock, wetsuits, boardies, spare legrope, hats, etc”, she says. But the most important thing she reckons is the chill factor. “Relax, enjoy, laugh and HAVE FUN!!!!!  That's what surfing's all about!” says Brenda with smile.

After many a surf safaris, alone and with gal pals, I’ve come up with the...

Aprhys Surf Sista Safari Rules:
•    Take enough $ to pay your way
•    Be flexible. So what if you’re not sticking to schedule, spontaneity is good for the soul and who knows what adventures are around the corner!
•    Change drivers every two (2) hours to avoid fatigue.
•    She who drives gets to choose the music – but don’t overdue ABBA if your friends prefer Pink.
•    If you HATE someone’s music choice, just suck it up. Chances are one of your CDs won’t be their favourite either. Or, listen to your iPod with earplugs
•    Respect the locals wherever you surf (Tribal Law)
•    Call home occasionally so your loved one’s don’t worry enough to alert the police or RedCross

•    Relax – let your hair down and enjoy yourself!

Don’t Go On Surfari Without
•    A good first-aid kit
•    Chocolate – Not only is it a great post-surf energizer, it’s the cure when you’re tired, cranky, lost or upset about that recent ding
•    An iPod with earplugs – everyone needs a little ‘me time’
•    A good book (www.surfingmums.com/BookReviews) for when you can’t sleep or there’s no surf. If you’re heading down he Great Ocean Road Torquay Surfing Acadamy has a good selection of surfing titles.
•    Playing cards for when the rain keeps you off the beach
•    Camera for recording those great waves and good times
•    Warm jumper (hoodie) – even in the tropics it can get chilly
•    Mobile phone
•    A positive attitude!

(Pacific Coast Highway, Big Sur, California, USA)

Dream Surfari Destinations

Looking for new horizons, check out these destinations:

1. Pacific Coast Highway (West Coast, US) www.us-101.com

2. Great Ocean Road (From Sydney down along the Victorian west coast, Australia)
www.greatoceanrd.org.au, www.visitvictoria.com

3. Route 1 (East Coast, US) Floirda to NY, Route 1 Info

4. The Basque Coast (France and Spain) La Rochelle to Biarritz, France and Mundaka, Spain
www.ze-bus.com, www.surfing-waves.com

5. Hawaii, Oah (Honolulu to North Shore) www.NorthShore.com

www.ExplorerGirls.com / Alison Aprhys and Courtney Crow