Getting to Kangaroo Island.

Thursday. We left Lake Bonney, getting out through a short sandy patch OK and headed for Adelaide.
Stopped en route at to empty the toilet tank and had a nice view of the Murray River from a lookout in Waikerie.

Morning tea was at pretty Sedan, at a travellers rest stop in town near the 6-way intersection.

Then we climbed the steepest hill so far to get over the Adelaide Hills, and the landscape changed dramatically.

Much more vegetation on the west side of the hills.
Soon we were at Blackwood at the home of L and P who we met this time last year leaving Dubrovnik, and then againin Kotor, and unexpectedly in Theth in the Accursed Mountains in Albania.
They so kindly put us up for 2 nights and we had great chats and much food and drink.

On Friday, G and I went into Adelaide on the train. The station is 3 minutes walk from our friends'.
So convenient.
I don't remember much about Adelaide from 30 years ago, but I remember the market!
And this time it didn't disappoint.
But first we had coffee, chai and cake at Handsome and the Duchess, tucked away down an alley, we'd never have found it by ourselves.
Thanks goodness for Beanhunter!

I also managed to pick up a couple of books from the second hand book shops there.
It was a good job G carried my backpack as it was quickly filled.
We also had lunch in the market at a cafe at the side.

The G and I went our separate ways - I toddled off to the Jam Factory. Gorgeous art space.
And then at the other end of town, Have You Met Charlie, Relove and Urban Cow all with interesting handmade goodies.

G wandered through some of the fine old sandstone buildings, like the court house and such and the museum, where he caught up with the Australian Geographic photographic exhibition, the one A and I had seen in Sydney a few weeks back.

After a cuppa at Madam Hanoi next to the station we were fortified enough to take the train back into the hills.

Saturday morning was an early start, we left L and P's at 7am and made it to Cape Jervis in plenty of time to get the ferry to Kangaroo Island. In fact the previous ferry was still loading! So we had time to make a cuppa before we set sail - one of the advantages of having a kitchen on board

G wisely handed over the reversing of the caravan onto the ferry to the loading guys. He made it look easy!

But that was nothing compared to a B-double full of sheep reversing onto the boat.

And just like that - three quarters of an hour later we reach Kangaroo Island.

So you want to buy a caravan?....or whatever

...or a camper, or a mobile home, or a pop-up tent, or....
you just want something, but what?

So here I hope I can help you come to the right decision.

How to choose a "mobile" home.

By "mobile" I mean anything you travel with and sleep in -
tent
campervan
campertrailer
mobile home
caravan
pop-up
slide-on
roof-top tent
etc....

The choices out there are mind-boggling!
And you can ask as many people as you know and they will all give you different answers.
Our needs and preferences are as different as we are!
It's a good idea to look over your friends "mobi-home" of choice.
And to visit some camping and caravan shows, or camping and caravan shops

 But there are some questions you should ask yourself before you go shopping.

1. Budget. *
How much money have you got to spend on it?

2. How often will you use it?
It is for a once a year holiday at the beach, say in a caravan park?
Are you going to become nomads and take to the road for a long time....for ever?
Are you going to use it for lots on mini-breaks, weekends away?
Is it going to be a temporary home? a permanent home?

3. How long do you intend to keep it?
Forever?
Use it and sell it?
Update it regularly?

4. What sort of place will you stay in?
Caravan parks only?
Free camps?
National parks and informal campsites?

5. Will you be moving on every day? Or will you base yourself somewhere?

6. How many people need to fit in?

7. Are you travelling with pets?

8. What will you be towing with?
Or are you dead against towing something?

9. Will you need another vehicle apart from the tow vehicle, or motorhome?

10. Think about your own personal style.
Do you like luxurious, plush interiors? Or are you a "woody" person?
How about the modern black and white look?

11. What facilities do you need?
Ensuite bathroom?
Kitchen appliances? Fridge, cooker, oven, microwave?
Water heater? Solar panel?
TV?
Air conditioner?
Heater?
Washing machine?

12. Where will you store your mobi-home when you're not away?

13. Do you want to buy a new or used one?

OK?
Got thesee questions all answered?
...then off you go!!

If you are thinking of a caravan, there a million other questions...

What size caravan do you need?
Single of double axle?
Insulated or not?
Will you need anti-sway bars or load distribution hitch?
Do you want a full annex to go with that?
Do you want an off-road version?

It is soooo confusing, there are sooooo many choices.

Here is how we came to our decision.

We have been campers and bushwalkers for years, and have had 2-man tents, 4 man tents and a huge family tent that took one hour+ to erect.
So when we decided to take to the road for a while and especially when we realised it would be our home while we built a house (which turned out to be a year), we chose a caravan.
Also because we are campers, anything was an up-grade for us!
And because we love camping in natural places, national parks and such, an on-board toilet and shower seemed useful. We have a combo-style bathroom, which doesn't seem popular any more. But it is perfect for us.

We didn't want a pop-top van as I like the solidity of walls. And we didn't have to worry about storing it in a low carport or garage.
I wanted an oven as well as cooktop, a fridge, and comfortable seating.
Our caravan also came with a microwave which you need 240 volts to use, so we use it as storage.
Also it came with a great little TV/media player which we didn't think we wanted but have used a lot.
We forewent the airconditioner (not going to be pluggin in much) but got solar panels, which have been great.
Our hot water, the cooker and the fridge run on gas.

We didn't want a huge van, as I said any size was an improvement on camping!
So we got an 18 footer, which was the smallest one with the bathroom thingy.
It is a Coromal Elite 550, which is made in Western Australia.

Although we like getting off the beaten path we didn't go for the total off-road thing.
We got a slight up-grade, to a rural terrain package, which has slightly bigger wheels and a more solid frame.
We reasoned that if we wanted to go off-track, we'd un-hitch and take a tent for a few days.

Having a mobi-home is a good chance to down-size your life, de-clutter, and take only the important things with you.
It's tempting to buy a bigger rig than you actually need.

Our smaller van is more manouverable and will fit into a lot of camping spots.
It comes with an awning which is great in hot or wet weather. But we never felt the need for an annex, although it might have been useful the first Christmas we moved when we had 3 extra bodies and it poured with rain!

Times we have really appreciated having a caravan to shelter in -
when it's wet.
when it's windy.
when there are mozzies/flies.

Other pluses are -
caravan is easy to set up. Just park it and level it and if you are moving on the next day, you don't even need to unhitch.
Also easy to pack up and get on the road. No wet or dusty canvas to wrestle.

Minuses.
Towing.
We always travel more slowly, about 80 - 90 kph.
Fuel costs increase....a lot!

The caravan we chose has worked really well for us.
We travelled for 3 months and then lived on the land for another 9 months while the house was built.
We have been to Western Australia, up to Cairns, and roamed around Victoria for 2 months.

And we are still not sick of it!

* consider if you spend $50,000 on a caravan, say you could stay for 250 to 500 nights in cabin/hotel/motel
accommodation for that amount of money.
You would need to use your mobi-home for many years to get it to pay or itself, and that doesn't take into account
 increased fuel costs!

Travelling west - how we got there

It's 4187 kms from our house to Perth!
Such a loooong way for us dragging our little home on wheels behind us.
We don't travel very fast.
For safety and fuel economy sake we usually travel at about 80kph....sometimes sneaking up to 100 on a good straight not-uphill stretch with the wind behind us!
Yes we are those slow old annoying travellers on the road.
When we went through Queensland and the Northern Territory 2 years ago we'd do, maybe, 400kms a day...
We're not early risers and we like to get to camp in time to set up properly (OK, it doesn't take that long!), have a look around, a cuppa or "happy hour" drink and relax a bit.
Nothing worse that rushing around every day!!

In our old camping days we'd often keep travelling after dinner and arrive at our campspot at 10 at night, set the tent up by the car headlights....haha! Those days are gone!

Anyway...on this BIG journey we put in some big days to cover a lot of distance in a short time so we'd have more time frolicking through the wildflowers.
We still always have a cup of tea in bed and breakfast, we stop to make a cuppa for morning tea and also stop for lunch - all very civilised.

Day 1: Kempsey to Dunedoo
Mr google told us to go towards Newcastle and up the Hunter Valley to get across the Great Dividing range. This is something we haven't done before but it sure beats going up and up and up through Wauchope to Walcha and Tamworth (not to diss those wonderful municipalities).
Yeah, it worked well and we were ensconced in the well-serviced little caravan park there.
Plugged in to the electricity in anticipation of a cold night and morning.

Day 2: to Emmdale Roadhouse
There are not too many choices along the Barrier Highway between Cobar and Broken Hill that have powered sites.
Not the best place we've ever stayed but they do have home-made cakes.

Day 3: to Broken Hill
It was a short day to Broken Hill so that we could do some shopping.
Importantly to replace the plastic step stool that someone ran over in the caravan at Dunedoo, that is temporarily standing in for the caravan's own inbuilt doorstep which got smashed at a tight turn in a petrol station a while back.
We have stayed at the racecourse at Broken Hill before but were a bit concerned this time that it wouldn't be open due to all the rain that was apparent.
Luckily for us it was and the lovely chatty caretaker Sam was there as well.

Day 4: to Kimba, South Australia
There are 3 camping options in Kimba, 2 free and the caravan park near the highway.
It was still cold so we opted for the caravan park.
The roadhouse adjacent is run by people who really know how to make the best curries!

Day 5: to Nullabor Roadhouse
I guess the Nullabor Roadhouse is a bit of a legend.
It's a good overnight stop.
It was my birthday and we had a pretty decent meal at the roadhouse.
No complaints from me when I don't have to cook!

Day 6: to Eucla
We left the van at the Nullabor Roadhouse and drove back a little and down to the Head of the Bight to see the whales which spend winter there and mate, give birth and loll around until it's time to head south again.
There were lots of whales - several mum and baby pairs and it's a beautiful spot on the cliffs.
So worthwhile.

Then we had a short hop to Eucla, just over the border into Western Australia, where there is a nice campsite with a view down to the ocean and a drive and walk to the old telegraph station and the old pier.

Day 7: to Newmans Waterhole somewhere along the Nullabor
Another long day but we reached a nice quiet free camp near a waterhole.
Yes it was a bit chilly in the morning but we toughed it out!

Day 8: we reach Kalgoorlie
OK we're still a fair way from the west coast, about 600kms actually but we feel that we have arrived!
This is where our explorations really begin.

Our longest drive was just over 600kms, but hey, there's no traffic!

We hit the road between 7.30 and 8 most mornings and got to camp around 4pm.
We swap driving every couple of hours.
This is a good easy day for us.

A southern sojourn

It's a funny time of year to head south but we had a reason for doing it.
And actually it is rather nice.
We are camped in the caravan park at Corrimal next to the beach, it is very quiet (apart from the building work going on at the surf club next door) there is hardly anyone here.
It's like being on holiday!

There are many things to like about Wollongong.

1. There is a bike path that stretches for many ks along the coast. It weaves from beach to beach and passes many cafes and places of refreshment. It goes right next to where we are staying.

2. Beaches. Great beaches for swimming or surfing. It's a bit cool for swimming but there are plenty of surfers out there.

3. Ocean pools. It seems like every beach has an ocean pool. They are not very popular at the moment  (see above) but are a great thing for families in the winter.

4. Likewise there are many playgrounds that we have seen along the bike path. The local council certainly seems to put a bit of effort into facilities here.

5. The setting of Wollongong is quite scenic, sandwiched between the ocean and the escarpment - even if the steelworks are a bit of an eyesore. The escarpment is home to some nice bushwalks: up, down and along. Mount Keira has a network of tracks and spectacular views from the lookout.

6. Good food. A bit of a treat for us country hicks. 

7. ....shopping, coffee, fresh fish, coffee, boutique brewery, cinema, art gallery, entertainment centre.....

 

 I'm sure we'll be back!

The start of our new life and how we got here.

It was hard work, exhausting, stressful and totally crazy - but we did it!
Despite a few doubting thomases who saw our disorder and thought we'd never get away.
We packed everything up, trucked our worldly goods nearly 500kms, shoved them into storage, set up our caravan on our land and are now planning stages 2 and 3.

We so couldn't have done it without the best neighbours in the world and beautiful friends who packed, wrapped, chucked, sorted and most importantly brought coffee sometimes with cookies and muffins.
Thankyou all so so much.

Also to our favorite son who valiantly came with us to Kempsey, shared the driving, helped pack the storage unit and then drove the rental van back to Sydney. I think after that we are even for the time we helped you move into Darlinghurst in the rain! Mwah!

Big hugs to our favorite son and our favorite girlfriend of that son who have taken on our aged furbaby. I hope you all survive in your shoebox....um, I mean apartment!

An honourable mention to our favorite daughter who is babysitting the CDs and is dealing with our mail.

We also really appreciate that our mountains home will become the home of some good friends of ours and hope they will be as happy there as we have been. Thanks for helping to make the move less painful.

Having bitten the bullet and booked the rental truck and above-mentioned favorite son we were committed to the move, but as I said we had so much stuff still to sort, pack, recycle, ditch.
After many many trips to the op shop, a trip to the tip and 2 council pick-ups we filled the removal truck, the car, and most of the caravan. On moving eve we worked until about midnight and it was still not done. It became blatantly obvious that we couldn't all leave as planned at 5 am the next morning.
So a hastily hatched plan B was enacted - G and D would leave as planned and I would follow in the caravan when I was ready. Once again the best-neighbours-in-the-world came to the rescue with a supporting cast of friend-with-trailer and friend-dropping-by-and-bringing-coffee.

But finally the house was empty and I left at 1 o'clock with a little trepidation to drive the caravan all by myself up to Kempsey. I was really stressed about driving the Sydney bit along the dreaded Pennant Hills Road, not a pleasant drive at the best of times but with a seriously loaded car and van I was careful as careful could be.
I was driving mainly at 80 kph and a lot less going up hill! Mostly the drive is dual carriageway but one section closer to my destination is only one lane each way and when there was an overtaking lane no less than 3 big trucks overtook me - ooops, sorry for the hold-up guys.
I was reunited with my men at quarter to eight that evening.

It was with some relief that I settled in the handily-located motel room with dinner from the motel restaurant reheated in the specially-provided microwave. (A half decent vegetarian lasagne)

5 days later and we are nearly sorted - having taken 3 more bags of stuff to the op shop and crammed more stuff into the storage unit - it will be bursting at the seams.
We can almost utilise all parts of the caravan....just need to locate the seating.

So far so good.

Our first little adventure in our New Life. Where we go free camping.

Free camping is a big thing to caravanners - or not.

As tent campers we have free camped or cheaply camped for years - national parks, state forests, sides of roads sometimes so it is no biggie for us.
However it is for some people - they are worried (about what?) they are scared (of whom?).
And some people just feel safer and securer in a caravan park, or they like the facilities, of they like the location.
Everyone to their own I say.

We have got all the info - Free Camps Australia book, wiki camps app, the several very helpful, very sharing facebook groups....

So we set off on our first real proper caravan adventure armed with all the gen.

We have been advised not to try and travel too far in a day, so gone are the long 12 hours driving, setting up camp by the headlights of the car....we have become grey nomads - true!
"200 kms max?" What?
"4 hours driving at the most?" Say what??

"Get to camp no later than 3pm"
"Some popular sites fill up quickly" Oh! What??

It's true you cannot travel as fast lugging a couple of tonnes of stuff behind you as you can zipping along with a tent in your boot, so we allowed plenty of time to get from A to B.
In the good old days we would have travelled to northern Victoria in one fell swoop, but now we are learning to be cautious, take our time, stop at places in between that we wouldn't normally stop at.

It's all about the journey now - not just the destination.

Our first night out we headed for Jugiong a little village off the Hume Highway - it had a good rap as a suitable overnighter.

A large open area between the Murrumbidgee River and the Jugiong showgound.
There are toilets there (nicely looked after by the local community), tap water and a dump point for chemical toilet waste (this is a very important resource).
There is a donation box so that you can help the local community to maintain this great spot.

It was a pretty cold spot, a chilly 4 degrees in the morning and a foggy start to the day.
But we were off again towards the Victorian high country, but planning on camping lower down near Bright at a little place called Smoko.

I heard about this free camping spot on one of the facebook groups for camping and caravanning.

This is a really basic camping spot.
There are some old pit toilets (which I didn't even go to inspect) and it appears that some new ones are being built.
It's next to the Ovens River - OK if boiled we reckoned.

The campsite is a little hard to find - as you leave the settlement of Smoko there is a sign that says "campground" but no arrow or any other indication.
You have to turn at the next dirt track, it looks like you are going into a farm or a property.
It's a bit of a bumpy road but if you follow it you get to the little camping area.

Most of the time we had it to ourselves - a couple of nights there were a couple of other campers there.
We stayed for 9 nights as we explored the area, but then I felt like I wanted to move on to a different place.

We tossed around various options - somewhere near Wagga Wagga, taking longer to get home, going a different way home....
So we went to Rutherglen and we camped near the Murray River at Police Paddock camping area.
There are many camping spots along the Murray River.
This one has no facilities and is for fully self-contained campers/caravans.

There were half a dozen other caravanners there.
It is obviously a very popular spot and despite all the lovely big old redgums there is very little wood.
If you want to have a fire, best to BYO wood.

It would have been nice to spend a couple of days there but we decided to come home, back up the Hume Highway and broke our journey at Yass.

This free camping area is next to a sporting oval and beside the Yass River.
The access to the lower part is a bit of a rutted track and I can imagine that it would get very muddy and boggy after rain.
There is also a nice flat grassed area under the trees above the lower flats.
Not surprisingly we were the only campers there that night.

Then we came home!