My work had me such where, from a young age, I "had" to go to many places. I did not see it as anymore than "what i had to do".

Having seen a fair bit of Aussie, and then going O/S, I can comfortably say, Aussie has all the sites available anywhere in the world. The only problem, as I saw it, was historic value. But my readings of early Aussie history, has return my interest to travel.

My problem is, I did it, and cannot see, why other have not, and why at the later part of life it is seen as "SO" important.

So the question, tell me why you wish to travel, what you expect from it, and why by road over a long time frame - Grey Nomading

why do I wish to travel, well I get the wanderlust, I have travelled this fantastic and wonderous land over and under and around and through, I have worked in most parts and travelled the rest, I have been a wanderer for better than 30 years by my reckoning, now it is only short breaks (1 and 2 weeks at a time) after a short break I absolutely pine to get out again, I start to go stir crazy, I do the usual things needed to get the house in order ready for sale, concrete the driveway reconcrete the front verandah, build a spear and arch fence for "street appeal" repaint every bloody room, tidy up the garden. but I will stop halfway through a job and just sniff the air like a big old caged lion or tiger or whatever, I will poke my nose westward and remember the bungle bungles after a hot day and the first rain of the wet season, I will look north and wonder if the floods have hit kakadu yet and whether it's raining on the rock, east and I wonder if the last cyclone has hurt the daintree too much, south and I wonder about cradle mountain and the west coast and how hard the wind is blowing, I am a caged animal when I am home, set free when I am out, you ask why would one travel I ask why would one not travel, home is a prison, freedom lies half an hours drive away, that mystical piece of neverending road leads to king solomons treasures, freedom

For me, it's a physical ache, my whole body wants to be on the road, in another landscape, in another country, in another culture, in another space. Beam me up, or out, or anywhere, Scotty. Just constantly experiencing change and acceptance. No expectations on me. People accept me where I am for what I am because there is no baggage. Don't get me wrong, I love friends and family but there are roles and expectations even with the most valued of them - often with the most valued of them! And I too love history. Ordinary people (and even the greatest are usually pretty ordinary), doing extraordinary things. Hey, how about Ernest Giles. the forgotten explorer. Covered more territory than any other explorer on Australian Terra Firma. Or Matthew Flinders who gave us the name Australia!! And all the other wonderful people in between. Stand at the mouth of the Vasse River in W.A. and try to imagine how the shipwrecked Vasse felt, waiting for his mates to rescue him, refusing help from the Aborigines. But his mates never returned and he died in that lonely place. I won't go on. I'm sure you get the picture. Journeying through time and space, just standing still in a new place.

P.S. But I've discovered we are in a minority.

I am leaving home because I've been here, there and everywhere and seen nothing. 

I've been to Finland, Germany, Italy, France, England, Thailand, Indonesia...I don't think I need to go on.  I travelled to all these places because of work and was constantly being shuttled around with agents, living out of a suitcase and after a while all hotels and all airports begin to look the same.

In Australia I have lived in WA, NSW and now VIC but still seen next to nothing of this wonderful land.  For the last ten years I have been yearning to take a trip around Australia by road.  I find myself now with the opportunity and the means to do just that but have decided to do so full time and find those beautiful places I see and hear about and who knows I just may find myself as well.

I am in the process of kitting out my new home and can barely wait until I get to hit the road.

I agree with TwoBob, Australia has everything in it you could want to see and for me this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to get out there and really see it all.

Best regards
Valderi

Well, I have managed to work, save, prepare and am ready... Retired and now ready for a re-charge, have located the combination to the treasurers purse, and found the key to the front door... So I guess once I get moving there will be no stopping me until some sweet little spot catches my eye and urges investigation with the likes of a small camp fire, a stick to poke the hot coals while peering into the flames and being contented with a belly filled with camp tucker, maybe sipping some amber fluid, and then have a big sigh and pinch myself ,is all this for real. Everyone is welcome to sit and poke the coals with me...cheers