I'm a two-faced GN. I don't own real estate or furniture. My van is my full-time home, and where I'm parked is where I live. I'm parked up in a park on a powered site. Then I go camping, for work or recreation. My vehicle is set up for work complete with camping supplies. I really love coming "home". I'm just so versatile. My work gives me the opportunity to travel, see some country new or revisited. I meet lots of people, and I can earn a few bucks while I'm doing it. I don't think there's a rule book about being a nomad. You could be a young person, taking a trip during annual leave with the wife and the kids. You could be a retired pensioner packing up and taking for a few weeks year or full time. Solo or couple or family? Is there a rule? I'm a bit confused about those who just pack up and go to the same place for the same weeks, with the same group of people, year after year, compared to those who pack up and take off for a couple of weeks to a new destination or revisit a favourite for the experience. I don't consider those annual campers to be nomads. They are just seasonal relocators.
-- Edited by Cruising Granny on Wednesday 5th of October 2011 11:24:01 PM
goinsoon said
11:36 AM Oct 6, 2011
NO NO CG
That makes you a true GN, more power to you
Gerty Dancer said
02:05 PM Oct 6, 2011
Thank you everybody for your interesting and thoughtful replies.
I feel much better now after a roast dinner last night, the first we've had in 5 months. Our caravan is pretty basic, maybe we should have an oven in it!
Beth54 said
02:56 PM Oct 6, 2011
Gerty Dancer wrote:
Thank you everybody for your interesting and thoughtful replies.
I feel much better now after a roast dinner last night, the first we've had in 5 months. Our caravan is pretty basic, maybe we should have an oven in it!
My sister and b-i-l eat very well while they're away. Delicious meals...even better, b-i-l does most of the cooking! Roast is done in the camp oven, yabby mornay..he's the best yabby catcher I know! They have a 'pig' which they use as a outdoor heater and often cook on it. The stove inside the caravan is generally only used for cooking veggies etc. That way the stove and walls don't get so messy.
And CG, I agree about people who go back to the same place every year. I don't get it. We met a couple in Charters Towers who go from Victoria to Karumba every winter. Apparently there's a whole mob who do the same. The wives do craft or whatever while the men fish. Each to their own I suppose, but it sounds very boring to me.
-- Edited by Beth54 on Thursday 6th of October 2011 02:59:44 PM
lilly31 said
04:20 PM Oct 6, 2011
And CG, I agree about people who go back to the same place every year. I don't get it. We met a couple in Charters Towers who go from Victoria to Karumba every winter. Apparently there's a whole mob who do the same. The wives do craft or whatever while the men fish. Each to their own I suppose, but it sounds very boring to me.
-- Edited by Beth54 on Thursday 6th of October 2011 02:59:44 PM
I dont get it either isn't they whole idea to see different place's meet different people and enjoy new adventures .......... I worked in a roadhouse on newell highway for 11 year's and every year you would see same people going same place and yes they expect you to remember what they had to eat last year Lol . ..... There is so much to see and do out there why would you go to same place every time ...
pauline said
04:53 PM Oct 6, 2011
I feel the same way, when we were camped at the pump hole outside of Muttaburra in July, a very nice couple from Echuca pulled up set up there camper trailer, and then joined us for a very enjoyable bbq and a few drinks, next morning they were up early pulled it all down again and gone. they were in a rush to get to Karumba also and they do it every year too. Sounds too much like hard work to me, just shows how different we all are, me personally would rather go to a fish shop then all that effort.
beiffe said
10:25 AM Oct 11, 2011
I think many people loose the urge because they dont relax and enjoy their live.
See many pull in after dark and leave before dawn. They are seeing Australia HAHA.
I spend 3 days every week in one spot an then the weeks starts the next day. I stay in an area while I am enjoying that area. Might be sitting alongside a river watching the world go by.
never hit the road before 10 and prefer to be setup by 2. Set several sites in the GPS and start checking after lunch and when I find a good one I stop. Day finished except to setup my little cooker get a bit of wood and cook tea. Go for a walk with my cameras and if possible set up a few yabby pots etc.
Remember enjoy your surrounds and your neighbors and if you don't like what you have then move on. The only way to see this country is SLOWLY.
Do voluntary work if you want and get to know an area well and get much satisfaction as well. Just like work but no pay but the gratitude you receive is worth it.
We are all different and that's what makes the world go around.
Regards Brian
Beth54 said
10:40 AM Oct 11, 2011
All very good advise beiffe. I'll have to get into that habit next time I go on the road.
03_troopy said
02:41 PM Oct 11, 2011
I agree totally beiffe. In our last trip from Newcastle up to Alice we did about 8,000KM in the 21 days that my Mrs could only get off for a holiday. Because we went there for the Finke Desert Race and had to be there by a certain time, we took only 4 days to travel up and spent 6 days between Alice (5 days) and Finke (1 night overnight). This left the remaining 11 days to do whatever else we wanted to do as well as the traveling back home. After the race we decided to head out to Uluru (where we spent 3 days) via the West MacDonnell Ranges and head back home from there. It got to be a bit of a chore really, and not having time to relax saw some frayed tempers at times (lets not mention the map reading episode). Next time we hope to have a much more relaxed trip, and it was an improvement on my previous trip at least (without the mrs) which took 11 days total there and back for a total of 6500Km.
Boroma577 said
03:31 PM Oct 11, 2011
Working only allows you what I call 'snapshot' trips.....gives you some idea of what is about and then you can decide if you want to go back to a particular location/area.
Beth54 said
06:03 PM Oct 11, 2011
03_troopy wrote:
I agree totally beiffe. In our last trip from Newcastle up to Alice we did about 8,000KM in the 21 days that my Mrs could only get off for a holiday. Because we went there for the Finke Desert Race and had to be there by a certain time, we took only 4 days to travel up and spent 6 days between Alice (5 days) and Finke (1 night overnight). This left the remaining 11 days to do whatever else we wanted to do as well as the traveling back home. After the race we decided to head out to Uluru (where we spent 3 days) via the West MacDonnell Ranges and head back home from there. It got to be a bit of a chore really, and not having time to relax saw some frayed tempers at times (lets not mention the map reading episode). Next time we hope to have a much more relaxed trip, and it was an improvement on my previous trip at least (without the mrs) which took 11 days total there and back for a total of 6500Km.
My story might beat yours Troopy. Same amount of time, 3 weeks. Headed west from Brisbane, Charleville, Quilpie, Boulia, Tobermorey, Plenty Highway, through the Hart Ranges, Alice, Ularu, one of the Gorges, can't remember which, back to Alice, Oodnadatta Track, Maree, Birdsville Track, and home to Brisbane. In a Troopy! My ex was a rally driver, but this was no rally, he just drove like that all the time. Boy was I p*#ssed off! I could write a book on that trip!
Ron and Shirley said
06:21 PM Oct 11, 2011
Back in 1999 on our trip north a couple of days out of Melbourne we came across this elderly couple with a large tinnie on top of the vehicle (large outboard inside) towing a large old van up to Karumba. As they got out of the vehicle and began to set up for the night you could not help but notice that both were somewhat doubled over and having difficulty moving about setting up camp.
We spoke with them later and they were on their annual 6-month pilgrimage to Karumba. We mentioned that we would be there in a couple of months and it turns out to be the same Caravan Park. The Park was known as Barry & Lorraines back then and featured on an ABC TV show called the Grey Nomads.
Well we caught up with them two months later and hardly recognised them. They were walking around with a totally new lease on life. The fishing, the art and crafts, the warm weather, catching up with their friends from previous years, plus the daily organised activities and socialising encouraged by that park clearly rejuvenated them. The Park put on two free fish evening meals (BYO salad) plus desert, followed by a 2-hour show during our 4 days there.
Though not our thing, it was an amazing experience to visit that park at that time. We could certainly see why some people would want to spend the southern winter there.
BTW
With tenting and then our Campertrailer (wind-up then pull out the beds) we always stayed at least two nights wherever we pulled up. The only exceptions were the first and last night out of Melbourne. We still follow that practice with the Caravan.
jimricho said
06:52 PM Oct 11, 2011
MikeMin wrote:
We sold our home two and a half years ago, never having owned a caravan in our lives! Mad? Stupid? Maybe, but we have now been on the road since March 2009 and I can honestly say we have not regretted one moment. We have more or less identified those spots we absolutely love and those are the places we return to for months at a time. We fish, walk, swim, cook and meet the most fabulour people. We have done the huge 20,000 plus trip and will never do it again.
We are currently slowly making our way down the east coast from Mission Beach and will spend two months in Melbourne awaiting the birth of our first grandchild before moving off to South Australia to catch a few Pink Snapper! After that ......................... Far North Queensland again.
Make sure you're back at M. B. next year for Keith's 90th birthday, I think it's in August on or about the 16th. Rumour has it he may be doing a parachute jump, he did for his 80th.
(Keith is the father of the owner of MB Hideaway CP)
-- Edited by jimricho on Tuesday 11th of October 2011 06:59:54 PM
lilly31 said
07:16 PM Oct 11, 2011
Beth54 wrote:
03_troopy wrote:
I agree totally beiffe. In our last trip from Newcastle up to Alice we did about 8,000KM in the 21 days that my Mrs could only get off for a holiday. Because we went there for the Finke Desert Race and had to be there by a certain time, we took only 4 days to travel up and spent 6 days between Alice (5 days) and Finke (1 night overnight). This left the remaining 11 days to do whatever else we wanted to do as well as the traveling back home. After the race we decided to head out to Uluru (where we spent 3 days) via the West MacDonnell Ranges and head back home from there. It got to be a bit of a chore really, and not having time to relax saw some frayed tempers at times (lets not mention the map reading episode). Next time we hope to have a much more relaxed trip, and it was an improvement on my previous trip at least (without the mrs) which took 11 days total there and back for a total of 6500Km.
My story might beat yours Troopy. Same amount of time, 3 weeks. Headed west from Brisbane, Charleville, Quilpie, Boulia, Tobermorey, Plenty Highway, through the Hart Ranges, Alice, Ularu, one of the Gorges, can't remember which, back to Alice, Oodnadatta Track, Maree, Birdsville Track, and home to Brisbane. In a Troopy! My ex was a rally driver, but this was no rally, he just drove like that all the time. Boy was I p*#ssed off! I could write a book on that trip!
That wasnt a hoilday it was a nightmare ..think i would have let him out somewhere ...LOL
-- Edited by lilly31 on Tuesday 11th of October 2011 07:18:20 PM
Gerty Dancer said
07:23 PM Oct 11, 2011
Geez, I'm feeling much better now!!
Beth54 said
08:09 PM Oct 11, 2011
Lilly, I had no say in the matter whatsoever. One of the many reasons he's been out of my life for 10 years now.
Lifes good now!
jimricho said
08:45 PM Oct 11, 2011
Gerty Dancer wrote:
Geez, I'm feeling much better now!!
That's great!
Maybe think through the disappointments so you can plan another trip that suits you better. Maybe you were away a litte too long? Perhaps a little more time in caravan parks and a bit less free camping. I enjoy the occasional bush camp away from caravan parks but free camping on the side of a busy (noisy) highway in a crowded rest area has no appeal to me at all. (neither do caravan parks on the side of a busy highway)
Many inland towns are interesting, less crowded, more friendly, and the parks less costly.
I've stayed at places that I would not go back to and in some cases if they were my only experience of the GN lifestyle I'd give up too.
BTW re the oven in a caravan; Most caravanners I know only use their oven to store a few pots and pans and rarely/never use it for its intended purpose. A couple of alternatives are a turbo oven (brilliant!, but requires power) or Cobb (haven't used one but I believe are good too)
Jim
jonathan said
07:26 AM Oct 12, 2011
I think when life becomes 'routine' again, it wont be long before you get that niggly feeling of your experiences as a GN .. and you'll be back out here Gerty in a way that better suits you ..
I'm still adjusting myself after 2 full years on the road .. but wouldn't trade it in .. absorbing life's problems .. and always looking forward. Its good for me !
Jon
(Currently back in the Sydney area)
goinsoon said
04:16 PM Oct 12, 2011
Gerty Dancer wrote:
Thank you everybody for your interesting and thoughtful replies.
I feel much better now after a roast dinner last night, the first we've had in 5 months. Our caravan is pretty basic, maybe we should have an oven in it!
We use a turbo oven ($35.00 KMart) for powered sites and a camp oven for free camping
03_troopy said
02:02 PM Oct 13, 2011
Beth54 wrote:
03_troopy wrote:
I agree totally beiffe. In our last trip from Newcastle up to Alice we did about 8,000KM in the 21 days that my Mrs could only get off for a holiday. Because we went there for the Finke Desert Race and had to be there by a certain time, we took only 4 days to travel up and spent 6 days between Alice (5 days) and Finke (1 night overnight). This left the remaining 11 days to do whatever else we wanted to do as well as the traveling back home. After the race we decided to head out to Uluru (where we spent 3 days) via the West MacDonnell Ranges and head back home from there. It got to be a bit of a chore really, and not having time to relax saw some frayed tempers at times (lets not mention the map reading episode). Next time we hope to have a much more relaxed trip, and it was an improvement on my previous trip at least (without the mrs) which took 11 days total there and back for a total of 6500Km.
My story might beat yours Troopy. Same amount of time, 3 weeks. Headed west from Brisbane, Charleville, Quilpie, Boulia, Tobermorey, Plenty Highway, through the Hart Ranges, Alice, Ularu, one of the Gorges, can't remember which, back to Alice, Oodnadatta Track, Maree, Birdsville Track, and home to Brisbane. In a Troopy! My ex was a rally driver, but this was no rally, he just drove like that all the time. Boy was I p*#ssed off! I could write a book on that trip!
That is pretty impressive. It must have been a turbo Troopy like mine.. LOL
I'm parked up in a park on a powered site.
Then I go camping, for work or recreation. My vehicle is set up for work complete with camping supplies. I really love coming "home".
I'm just so versatile.
My work gives me the opportunity to travel, see some country new or revisited. I meet lots of people, and I can earn a few bucks while I'm doing it.
I don't think there's a rule book about being a nomad.
You could be a young person, taking a trip during annual leave with the wife and the kids. You could be a retired pensioner packing up and taking for a few weeks year or full time. Solo or couple or family? Is there a rule?
I'm a bit confused about those who just pack up and go to the same place for the same weeks, with the same group of people, year after year, compared to those who pack up and take off for a couple of weeks to a new destination or revisit a favourite for the experience.
I don't consider those annual campers to be nomads. They are just seasonal relocators.
-- Edited by Cruising Granny on Wednesday 5th of October 2011 11:24:01 PM
NO NO CG
That makes you a true GN, more power to you
I feel much better now after a roast dinner last night, the first we've had in 5 months. Our caravan is pretty basic, maybe we should have an oven in it!
My sister and b-i-l eat very well while they're away. Delicious meals...even better, b-i-l does most of the cooking! Roast is done in the camp oven, yabby mornay..he's the best yabby catcher I know! They have a 'pig' which they use as a outdoor heater and often cook on it. The stove inside the caravan is generally only used for cooking veggies etc. That way the stove and walls don't get so messy.
And CG, I agree about people who go back to the same place every year. I don't get it. We met a couple in Charters Towers who go from Victoria to Karumba every winter. Apparently there's a whole mob who do the same. The wives do craft or whatever while the men fish. Each to their own I suppose, but it sounds very boring to me.
-- Edited by Beth54 on Thursday 6th of October 2011 02:59:44 PM
I dont get it either isn't they whole idea to see different place's meet different people and enjoy new adventures .......... I worked in a roadhouse on newell highway for 11 year's and every year you would see same people going same place and yes they expect you to remember what they had to eat last year Lol . ..... There is so much to see and do out there why would you go to same place every time ...
See many pull in after dark and leave before dawn. They are seeing Australia HAHA.
I spend 3 days every week in one spot an then the weeks starts the next day. I stay in an area while I am enjoying that area. Might be sitting alongside a river watching the world go by.
never hit the road before 10 and prefer to be setup by 2. Set several sites in the GPS and start checking after lunch and when I find a good one I stop. Day finished except to setup my little cooker get a bit of wood and cook tea. Go for a walk with my cameras and if possible set up a few yabby pots etc.
Remember enjoy your surrounds and your neighbors and if you don't like what you have then move on. The only way to see this country is SLOWLY.
Do voluntary work if you want and get to know an area well and get much satisfaction as well. Just like work but no pay but the gratitude you receive is worth it.
We are all different and that's what makes the world go around.
Regards
Brian
All very good advise beiffe. I'll have to get into that habit next time I go on the road.
Working only allows you what I call 'snapshot' trips.....gives you some idea of what is about and then you can decide if you want to go back to a particular location/area.
My story might beat yours Troopy. Same amount of time, 3 weeks. Headed west from Brisbane, Charleville, Quilpie, Boulia, Tobermorey, Plenty Highway, through the Hart Ranges, Alice, Ularu, one of the Gorges, can't remember which, back to Alice, Oodnadatta Track, Maree, Birdsville Track, and home to Brisbane. In a Troopy! My ex was a rally driver, but this was no rally, he just drove like that all the time. Boy was I p*#ssed off! I could write a book on that trip!
Back in 1999 on our trip north a couple of days out of Melbourne we came across this elderly couple with a large tinnie on top of the vehicle (large outboard inside) towing a large old van up to Karumba. As they got out of the vehicle and began to set up for the night you could not help but notice that both were somewhat doubled over and having difficulty moving about setting up camp.
We spoke with them later and they were on their annual 6-month pilgrimage to Karumba. We mentioned that we would be there in a couple of months and it turns out to be the same Caravan Park. The Park was known as Barry & Lorraines back then and featured on an ABC TV show called the Grey Nomads.
Well we caught up with them two months later and hardly recognised them. They were walking around with a totally new lease on life. The fishing, the art and crafts, the warm weather, catching up with their friends from previous years, plus the daily organised activities and socialising encouraged by that park clearly rejuvenated them. The Park put on two free fish evening meals (BYO salad) plus desert, followed by a 2-hour show during our 4 days there.
Though not our thing, it was an amazing experience to visit that park at that time. We could certainly see why some people would want to spend the southern winter there.
BTW
With tenting and then our Campertrailer (wind-up then pull out the beds) we always stayed at least two nights wherever we pulled up. The only exceptions were the first and last night out of Melbourne. We still follow that practice with the Caravan.
Make sure you're back at M. B. next year for Keith's 90th birthday, I think it's in August on or about the 16th. Rumour has it he may be doing a parachute jump, he did for his 80th.
(Keith is the father of the owner of MB Hideaway CP)
-- Edited by jimricho on Tuesday 11th of October 2011 06:59:54 PM
That wasnt a hoilday it was a nightmare ..think i would have let him out somewhere ...LOL
-- Edited by lilly31 on Tuesday 11th of October 2011 07:18:20 PM
Lilly, I had no say in the matter whatsoever. One of the many reasons he's been out of my life for 10 years now.
Lifes good now!
That's great!
Maybe think through the disappointments so you can plan another trip that suits you better. Maybe you were away a litte too long? Perhaps a little more time in caravan parks and a bit less free camping. I enjoy the occasional bush camp away from caravan parks but free camping on the side of a busy (noisy) highway in a crowded rest area has no appeal to me at all. (neither do caravan parks on the side of a busy highway)
Many inland towns are interesting, less crowded, more friendly, and the parks less costly.
I've stayed at places that I would not go back to and in some cases if they were my only experience of the GN lifestyle I'd give up too.
BTW re the oven in a caravan; Most caravanners I know only use their oven to store a few pots and pans and rarely/never use it for its intended purpose. A couple of alternatives are a turbo oven (brilliant!, but requires power) or Cobb (haven't used one but I believe are good too)
Jim
I think when life becomes 'routine' again, it wont be long before you get that niggly feeling of your experiences as a GN .. and you'll be back out here Gerty in a way that better suits you ..
I'm still adjusting myself after 2 full years on the road .. but wouldn't trade it in .. absorbing life's problems .. and always looking forward. Its good for me !
Jon
(Currently back in the Sydney area)
We use a turbo oven ($35.00 KMart) for powered sites and a camp oven for free camping
That is pretty impressive. It must have been a turbo Troopy like mine.. LOL