It has been about nine weeks since our last road trip you would think I would have learnt my lesson after the twenty-six hours we spent entombed in our vehicle with accompanying  dummy spitting, arguing and the odd tear or two (and that was just the parents).

Yet here I am on a lazy Sunday morning imagining what the perfect road trip might be?

There’s a competition you see, you can win 28 days in a motorhome thanks to Apollo/Cheapcampa, with added bonuses of whale shark diving, cruising the barrier reef, and visits to Tasmania and Kangaroo Island. (Holiday competition closes on 31/12/12).

So in my usual you’ve got to be in it to win it philosophy I’m having a shot at coming up with my dream road trip.

I suppose it be wrong to suggest that my ideal road trip would involve travelling solo? Yes, that would be wrong. Taking them all. Family bonding and all that jazz.

We have been talking about going to Uluru (Ayers Rock) for a long time. So I’m thinking my dream road trip might be the starting off in Adelaide – never been there – a little concerned that it’s tagline is “City of Churches” – doesn’t inspire hopes of a rollicking good time – but happy for anyone to contradict that – what is Adelaide like people?

Then taking to the road, stocking up on wine in the Clare Valley (see I have a strategy, get plenty of grog early in the trip it will help dull the pain for when the fighting begins), before finishing off for the night in Port Augusta.

The next stage of the journey goes from Port Augusta to Coober Pedy. The tourist brochures do suggest a slight detour along the way to visit Woomera – where they have established a Heritage Centre and Missile Park in recognition of the missile testing which took place there.  Considering my husband will be trapped in the motorhome with three females we should probably give him one boys outing!

Coober Pedy is an opal mining town where 80% of the population live underground, it can get to 60 degree C (that’s 140 degree F)  heat in summer.

After Coober Pedy we get to the main destination of the journey, Uluru. The family can walk the base of the rock, take a dot painting workshop and enjoy the beauty of the rock at dawn.

After Uluru there’s an overnight stay at Kings Canyon, and a helicopter ride can give you a spectacular view.

Then on to the final destination of my dream road trip, Alice Springs, where you can explore the unique beauty of the Alice Springs Desert Park, and the children can see how other kids learn at the School of the Air. A vastly different classroom to the  face-to-face variety they are used to.

So there you have it folks, my dream road trip which includes my top five tips for making it successful.

1. Buy plenty of alcohol early.

2. Give the man of the motorhome at least one experience involving machinery, technology and superdupa gadgetry.

3. Wear the children out with long, long, long bushwalks.

4. Intersperse a bit of culture so you can validate to the school why you took them away in term time. (I’m not doing Coober Pedy at the peak of summer).

5. Get somebody else to finance it. (If you manage to win the competition)

Where would you go on your dream road trip?

Not sponsored, just hoping for a prize.