Recently, my wife and I took a two-week holiday to see what the lifestyle had to offer.
Living ‘house free’ is not for everybody.
In 2010 good friends set out from Newcastle on a journey that was supposed to take two years. But when they reached Mallacoota the wife sat down for a heart to heart talk with her husband.
“Darling,” she said.
“When I married you for better or worse I didn’t think that would include breakfast, lunch and tea.”
Despite a handful of dissatisfied customers, the dream of endless travel continues to attract more and more people every day.
There are currently one million recreational vehicles registered in Australia. This includes everything from the luxury caravan to the humble pop-out trailer.
In Cowra I spoke to a man who was fascinated by my Winnebago.
He asked a series of questions that would soon become familiar. How much did I pay for it? What did it cost to run? Who did I insure it with?
These conversations always ended the same way.
He was retiring in 12 months. Then he was travelling north where the sun shines and the weather is always warm.
In Wollongong we camped next to an elderly couple who struck up a conversation.
“We moved out of our house to give our daughter and her kids a place to live,” they said.
“That was five years ago, and we won’t be returning anytime soon.”
My wife and I travelled 2997km over 14 days. We camped in 10 different locations and during that time I learned five important lessons.
Lesson 1
Up-to-date information is not easy to come by. You can ask Google, Facebook and even ChatGPT, but on three occasions we were turned away by ‘no camping’ signs.
Unfortunately, local councils are getting tough on overflowing bins and the stench of rotting food.
Ultimately Wikicamps Australia is the best of an ordinary lot.
Lesson 2
Not all offers are great. Country pubs have been quick to tap into the grey nomad market. In Holbrook we camped behind the local pub. Dinner cost us $62. The local caravan park charged $30 for a powered site and it came with a hot shower and a washing machine.
Lesson 3
Your relationship with time will change on the road. Deadlines and agendas give way to the ebb and flow of nature. The big questions of the day become “Is it going to be windy, wet or cold?”
Lesson 4
Grey nomads still need a place to call home. The idea of sitting in deck chairs watching the world go by has a certain allure. But ultimately we all want a place to come home to, where we can see grandchildren grow and touch base with friends.
Lesson 5
Eating healthy is a big challenge. My Winnebago took up three car spaces at the local supermarket. The temptation to buy takeaway when you fill up at the petrol station is real.
All in all, three and a half stars.
Ultimately, we drove too many kilometres and didn’t give ourselves time to de-stress from work.
The confined space of the Winnebago for two people, and the cooler weather, which kept us inside, did not help.
However, I am willing to give it another shot.
