Hi, folks

I've just today been poking around your Forum again.  I did this last February and was consumed by it.  You're all having so much FUN!  Right up my alley.

I'm a Canadian with a very old dream that's still alive ... and it's high time to live it, now.  That first one's to visit Australia (since I was 7 years old when I first read of your part of the world).  So I decided I'd do it in a camper-type vehicle.  Another dream I had was to "tour the continent".  While at the time I'm sure I was thinking of the North American continent, yours will do ... or at least part of it will.

Unlike most or all of you, I'm not looking for a campervan that I'll want to enjoy for numerous years.  At least that's not my thought today.  Who knows once I've been there for a few weeks, eh?

I'm be coming over before the end of June and coming back to N.A. before the end of September (only because I couldn't convince my group of trade-contractors clients to agree to our having our next group meeting in Australia.  Only 2 of 12 agreed with that option!)

So, this new post I've just started is to ask :

"Who do you know who has a mechanically sound campervan that will escort me all around Australia?"

I'm happy to buy it and then, ideally, would have your assistance in selling it.

And I'm open to making some sort of rental arrangement.

Thank you for all the assistance you can provide.

In the meantime, keep up with havin' TONS of FUN!

Lynne

417-717-2271

Very good descion Folks!  Australia is  second too none and I have been everywhere..Wish I could help I know my fellow Nomads will look after you....Good Luck and see you around the traps

Hi Lynne, this link may be of some interest to you.

Dave.

http://www.standbyrelocs.com/

welcome , you could try this lot
http://sydneyrvcentre.com.au/buy-back-deals.html
you could by a van from them then when you wish to sell ,
they buy it back from you

there are a quite a few campervan hire places around aus, these

might give you an idea in what you could get and what kind of prices they are ..

http://www.camper.com.au/?gclid=CM-opsGh36gCFc2DpAodcSm8qg

http://www.apollocamper.com/

hope that helps

good luck...

lynne i hope you realize that june is our winter here as you will be leaving your summer.
you still might think it is like summer depending on what part of canada you call home eh!

i came here 40 yrs ago still haveing a look around

ahhh, and here we think that of Canada!  I'm ok with that, though.  I LOVE to travel and I have heard so many great things about Australia that I know I won't be disappointed.  This forum is already proof of that, Jimbo!  Thanks to all.

G'day Lynne ,
for the ports of call so to speak , with a campervan etc, you could
hire one from say brisbane, stay with friend, then drive to melbourne,
stay with friend and then do the drive across the Nullarbor and drop the van off at perth, which is quit good..

Nullarbor

 you might find some cattle drives on the way, try at verious travel centres etc

if your comming over with a laptop of some sort

bigpond  usb internet is  the only real way to go when travelling in australia

with the best and most coverage around, you could possibley get a pre paid unit so not on any contract, which i used to have.. thats about all i can think of,

also work out when you want to come so when your hear you can get good weather, not stinking 35-40 degree heat days in summer and 12 degrees like it is during winter, so some where in between, any ways, good luck

Thanks so much, Dave!  I'll be checking it out over the weekend.

very much appreciated, Ross.  I'll check it out over the weekend.

Wow, Milo!  You're a wealth of information.  X-travel agent?  Concierge, maybe?

I'm coming in the latter part of June, through to mid-September.  We Canadians are accustomed to 12 degrees.  In fact, I'll bet this week hasn't seen 12 degrees yet.  Not like I want to sleep outside in that weather, but I'll see how it goes.  It'll certainly be an easy space to heat and sub-zero sleeping bags work wonders.  At my age, though, I'm no longer into big sacrifices when it comes to comfort.  I'll stop at hotels along the way, if need-be.

And now that I've learned a bit more about the Forum's operation today, I know I can only post one thing at-a-time.  So, I want to give a big SHOUT-OUT of GRATITUDE and APPRECIATION to

Dogbox,

DelliMay,

Cruising Granny and

Ross.

I'll definitely be checking into all of these options listed for rentals, buy-backs, internet ... again A HUGE THANK YOU everyone!

Ok, folks!!!

I know I posted earlier today my gratitude for all your help, explaining I'd be checking out the links over the weekend.  Well .... it wouldn't be a worthwhile goal if it didn't excite me, now would it?

So, after spending numerous hours on this project this evening ... it's now 1:04 a.m. Atlantic Canadian Time ... and I've pretty much made a decision.  I would LOVE your opinion on it, if you know anything about this model ... and its runner up:

The winner is ... (so far, I haven't booked it just yet) ... the Euro Tourer (Ford) from Apollocamper.com.  (For which I greatly thank you, Milo, for the recommendation.)

The runner up is ... ouch, I'm still torn, so the tying runners-up are ...

a)  the Toyota Hilux Voyager (which uses gasoline - though that's not a deal-breaker for me); and

b) the Backpacker Wanderer (sorry, I don't see the make of the vehicle).

I've decided to rent on your recommendations, for which I thank you.  Wow, this has all been made so easy thanks to a yet-to-be-met-in-person Aussie friend of me directing me to this site last February.  She's not even a member and it only came to mind for her when we were chatting about my plans.

I'm still not sure where I'm landing.  Need a few phone calls to be made for that, but no doubt, I'll keep you posted.  I look forward to our paths crossing ... soon.

Hugs ... BIG hugs ... to all,

Lynne

Glad you are happy Lynne.

I hope you arnt too disappointed when it comes time to sorting out the internet situation & I urge you to take a look at the telstra coverage map for mobile broadband.

As you know, Australia is a really big place, most of the population live in the major cities & of course the eastern seaboard is the most heavily populated one.  That means there is a HUGE SPACE away from these areas with little or no people.

So in short, internet coverage isnt that flash, some would argue that the Telstra service offers the greatest coverage areas.  In my opinion its expensive compared to other parts of the world & I hope you arent dissappointed with the amount of coverage we have (or for a better word for it, lack of coverage).

I plan to hit the road & take use of PRE-PAID mobile internet because ultimately if Im a few weeks out of range & my timing is right, I'm not paying for something I cannot access.  

If your in the centre & other remote areas, be careful what you sign up for, internet wise, its rather expensive.

telstra coverage maps here :

http://www.telstra.com.au/mobile/networks/coverage/broadband.html

http://www.optus.com.au/aboutoptus/About+Optus/Network+Coverage/Optus+Network+Coverage+Maps/NT

Thanks for your information, Jack.  I'm now so much clearer on this whole "internet while you travel" thing.  It's already nearly as clear as mud.  Before it was more like "I don't have a clue."

It seems to me that Telstra or BigPond - which seem to be affiliated - would be cellular phone service providers as well.  I already had a request for info in to them and I've already received a response, adding to helping me gain some clarity.  I've given her my specific need ... using VOIP to coach my clients in NA by telephone 6 days/month ... and I trust she'll be able to pretty much confirm whether or not that's do-able.  If it isn't, I can just check into some 5-stars for those days.   (A die-hard camper, eh?  Already looking for excuses to take luxury vacations.)

When I stopped into one of my daughter's last night to pick up my 2nd-born grandchild, 3 1/2-yr-old Makisha, to take her, with my other two grandchildren, 3 1/2-yr-old Sebastian & nearly 2-yr-old Yalilé, Makisha came running out of their VW camper-van with her Daddy.  I excitedly told her that I'm going to be living in a camper-van for 3 months, starting pretty soon ... but mine will have a shower and toilet.  My son-in-law's response was cute:  But of course Maemae needs a shower and a toilet!!

This whole trip is getting so exciting as the days draw nearer.

I was talking to a fellow from Brisbane this morning about mapping out the trip, maybe to work towards the warmer temperatures ... not sure how to explain it, but I guess to move around in a way to avoid most of the colder temps.

His recommendation was for me to start in Melbourne, move to up to Sydney, then Brisbane, go west to Mount Isa, Alice Springs, Ayers Rock, (I believe that puts me in the Flinders Ranges where I may find some cattle to drive on horseback), see Coopa Pedy (?sp?), Kings Canyon, then down to Adelaide.  Perth is also on my list of places to visit.

I'm there for 3 months and travel isn't my only agenda so I definitely won't be killing myself to tick off a list of 100s of must-sees.

If you have a recommendation, Jack, I'd love to hear it, too ... as to where you feel I should land by plane.

Thanks for all your help.

Lynne

Thanks, Wombat

Unfortunately the first link you sent is the one that I absolutely fell in love with last August when I started on this plan but I didn't realize the cattle drives only take place in July/August.  Works perfectly with the cycle of my business, though, so I planned it for a year out.  And now I've learned they only run them e/o year!

Another one there only drives cattle in Feb/Mar/Apr and not again until end-Sept/Oct/Nov.

Guess I'm meant to start on stations.  I'm reading a lengthy booklet picked up from flindersoutback.com and will see where that takes me.

Thanks SO MUCH for your assistance.

Lynne

That's brilliant, Wombat.  I would have never considered that!