We are half way through our 5 month trip (76 days) and thought I would give a bit of an update. 8200 kilometers travelled through 3 states. Dearest fuel $1.28 Cheapest fuel $1.01 Fuel Consumption 12.36 LPH Fuel Cost $1181.65 Accomodation costs $352 Average daily cost $59.11
So far the car has not missed a beat other than the brake switch and a few minor problems with the van, nothing major ,just annoying. We have decided that this van does not suit our needs so will be looking for a new van when we get back.
Have met a variety of people, mostly freindly others that like to brag about where they have been and what they have. A couple of ladies in a large moteor home were telling everyone at happy hour how they all the mod cons in their rig, another lady piped up that her husband had just bought her a "solar clothes dryer" immediately the braggers said " oh we will have to get one". When they left we all had a laugh as it was a piece of string and some pegs.
I am surprised that I have actually lost 6 kilos even tho I am drinking more that I do at home, Guess the extra walking offsets the grog.
Still haven't given up smoking as planned but working on it.
Overall we are having a ball and am not looking forward to going home.
-- Edited by Gary and Kerry on Friday 17th of April 2009 01:20:57 PM
dave06 said
11:20 AM Apr 17, 2009
I love the "braggers" they are always just so up themselves, I turn them inside out when I get hold of them and enjoy every second of it, mainly found on the east coast where my van is bigger than your van started, home of the "toorak tractor" brigade, and the puddle jumper mentallity
they take that attitude with them from suburbia, my house is bigger than your house rubbish, they are the ones that end up on the outside of the camp, and no-one talks to, always wanting bigger and better, or they never leave the van, may as well have stayed home
you will find that the lifestyle you are leading now is a far healthier lifestyle than the sedantry one you persued at home
grab your fags and put them and a cigarette lighter in a prominant position where you can see them all the time, tell yourself everytime you look at them that they do not rule your life anymore,
do not throw them out as this causes a "panic" situation in your brain, if you know that it is 100% "your" decision to give up and you truly want to give up then I found this was the only way that I could do it
If I threw the packet away then my brain would go into a panic and I would want them more, but having them in plain sight and being able to tell yourself that they dont rule your life anymore is the way to go, well for me anyway and I smoked for over 30 years
the brain is a very powerfull weapon and if it turns against you then you are going to lose everytime, smoking included I know because mine has turned on me a few times
jandas fun said
12:44 PM Apr 17, 2009
Great report. Keep them coming.
does your average daily cost include the cigs?
JohnW
Gary and Kerry said
01:23 PM Apr 17, 2009
jandas fun wrote:
Great report. Keep them coming. does your average daily cost include the cigs?
JohnW
Yep, can take approx. $11.65 per day off for smokes.
mike and Judy said
01:26 PM Apr 17, 2009
how close are you mate, its nice and dry up here at last
Gary and Kerry said
01:35 PM Apr 17, 2009
mike and Judy wrote:
how close are you mate, its nice and dry up here at last
I have to pick Kerry up at Roma airport saturday morning then heading up.
Someone told me about a free camp at Arcadia, if its Ok we might park the van in there and have a look at Carnavon Gorge, if no good should be there by Monday.
I was also told no free camping at Sapphire ny more, is this correct?
Will give you call as we get closer.
Cruising Granny said
04:53 PM Apr 17, 2009
Well done on the travels. What a great experience, ay?
Dave has the same attitude as I did when I gave up the fags. Cold turkey, from 30 a day to nil. If I really couldn't resist the urge I'd light one up, and just puff. After 3 puffs it was out. I made the decision on Saturday, and by Wednesday I'd "puffed" 3 fags, never to do it again. That was 1983. A packet of 30 Escort blue was $1.49 then. What a saving!
Enjoy your travels, and pick up a sapphire for me. I just love my Rubyvale sapphire which was a gift. Beautiful country too.
Enjoy.
JRH said
05:04 PM Apr 17, 2009
Cruising Granny wrote:
Well done on the travels. What a great experience, ay? Dave has the same attitude as I did when I gave up the fags. Cold turkey, from 30 a day to nil. If I really couldn't resist the urge I'd light one up, and just puff. After 3 puffs it was out. I made the decision on Saturday, and by Wednesday I'd "puffed" 3 fags, never to do it again. That was 1983. A packet of 30 Escort blue was $1.49 then. What a saving!
Enjoy your travels, and pick up a sapphire for me. I just love my Rubyvale sapphire which was a gift. Beautiful country too. Enjoy.
Yep also went cold turkey (50 a day) 16 years ago. What helped me was to picture something I loved doing that smoking made difficult if not impossible, something like that hill I used to climb for the great panoramic view from the top and because of the fags the shortness of breath made it a real chore, one I avoided like the plague, just sat down and had a smoke instead.
After 2 weeks I was far too mean to let all the good work go to waste so I eventually made it and became a non smoker.
Bridgee said
06:13 PM Apr 17, 2009
wow where have you been to get fuel at that price!! from WA to SA cheapest fuel $1.19 dearest $1.68!
Yep thats how I quit smoking, carried them with me and every tme I 'needed' a smoke I would tell myself well have one they ae there, knowing I could choose to say no made it a lot easier, if someone told me I couldn't smoke and took them away from me then I would want one, I quit ten years ago this month.........cold turkey, still can't beleive I did it after 30 odd years puffing away.
You will do it when you are ready.
xina said
07:04 PM Apr 17, 2009
Like the Ad. on TV where the guy says " I can't give up" and the Dr. says "I can't operate", if you need an op. these days, and you don't give up smoking, they won't operate.
I gave up 10 years ago, when I had to have a double by-pass, caused by smoking. Haven't gone back to it.
Cheers,
xina.
Roostertales said
07:46 PM Apr 17, 2009
Wild -agree sounds like you've done very well on the fuel cost -but is thet ltres per 100 k? not Hours ?
Definitely free camping is the way to go to eliminate costs.
Here's hoping I get the chance
Mike
Wombat 280 said
09:45 PM Apr 17, 2009
Mate you need the incentive's mine was the GST from that day on never lit another one .Most pleased was mother as she didn't smoke but I could get through 60 a day. No patches no anything just smoked the last three I had that night and that was it for me Wasn't paying a tax on a tax to keep another 6-7 of the great unwashed in unemployment payments at the pool hall while I worked.
mike and Judy said
10:40 AM Apr 18, 2009
Best incentive in the world, both my first wife , and my dad died from emphysema, left me in a hell of a pickle , used to have 50 a day habit ,b enson and hedges, even went to Gauloise, and temple bar, but I stopped cold, never felt like any since and that was in the early 70s
8200 kilometers travelled through 3 states.
Dearest fuel $1.28
Cheapest fuel $1.01
Fuel Consumption 12.36 LPH
Fuel Cost $1181.65
Accomodation costs $352
Average daily cost $59.11
So far the car has not missed a beat other than the brake switch and a few minor problems with the van, nothing major ,just annoying. We have decided that this van does not suit our needs so will be looking for a new van when we get back.
Have met a variety of people, mostly freindly others that like to brag about where they have been and what they have. A couple of ladies in a large moteor home were telling everyone at happy hour how they all the mod cons in their rig, another lady piped up that her husband had just bought her a "solar clothes dryer" immediately the braggers said " oh we will have to get one". When they left we all had a laugh as it was a piece of string and some pegs.
I am surprised that I have actually lost 6 kilos even tho I am drinking more that I do at home, Guess the extra walking offsets the grog.
Still haven't given up smoking as planned but working on it.
Overall we are having a ball and am not looking forward to going home.
-- Edited by Gary and Kerry on Friday 17th of April 2009 01:20:57 PM
I have to pick Kerry up at Roma airport saturday morning then heading up.
Someone told me about a free camp at Arcadia, if its Ok we might park the van in there and have a look at Carnavon Gorge, if no good should be there by Monday.
I was also told no free camping at Sapphire ny more, is this correct?
Will give you call as we get closer.
After 2 weeks I was far too mean to let all the good work go to waste so I eventually made it and became a non smoker.
Yep thats how I quit smoking, carried them with me and every tme I 'needed' a smoke I would tell myself well have one they ae there, knowing I could choose to say no made it a lot easier, if someone told me I couldn't smoke and took them away from me then I would want one, I quit ten years ago this month.........cold turkey, still can't beleive I did it after 30 odd years puffing away.
You will do it when you are ready.