Have been a member for a while and have been quietly navigating the forum, hoping to learn plenty before we took the first step into travelling this great country. I read many posts I was tempted to comment on and now realise it was a good decision to say nothing. Not because I was worried of getting into discussions, but because I now realise with my inexperience I didn't know the difference between the proverbial crap and clay. I was hoping we were reasonably prepared after reading other peoples suggestions and trying to avoid their documented shortfalls.
After 3 months on the road staying in both c/parks and free camping we are now back home in cold Victoria after having the best holiday experience ever. Fortunately this trip wasn't a holiday. It was the first of many travelling experiences we hope to have in the future as work is now just something I thought I liked, but now realise I was OH SO WRONG. Next trip is in the planning stages.
Many things we read about on this forum helped us tremendously and Camps 6 was also of great assistance, but nothing could compare to the informative "chats" we had with fellow travellers along the way. More prevalent in free camp areas than parks. The people there just seemed to be friendlier.
We have found our shopping and mods list has grown again after seeing what others do/use/change to make their "mobile houses" more efficient. Some options are very expensive but most of the best ideas are very cheap.
You don't need the biggest van or motorhome, nor the most powerful or latest tug. You don't have to have all the latest gadgets nor carry a designer wardrobe of clothes. Our van and car are both several years old but provided comfort and reliability. Nobody else cares what you have. Its just important that you are happy with what you are doing and what you have got. Preparation and preventative mainternance eg: regular servicing and research, do however help in making things run smoothly. Cheap insurance really. Smooth sailing also helps with domestic bliss.The first thing I learnt on reading this forum was to keep S.W.M.B.O. happy.
To others like us who read this forum but can't decide whether to take the plunge, DO IT! If you use a combination of caravan parks and free camps when possible and try not to travel long distances over short time frames it is a very affordable lifestyle. We started with a tight budget due to early retirement but came in well under expectations. We didn't skimp on necessities but only paid for tourist activities we really wanted to see/do. Your living costs with regards to food etc. are not much different to being at home and if you have kept your house as we have, those costs are reduced while you are away.
Sorry to ramble on a bit (a lot really), but I hope all people out there who haven't yet decided to take a gamble on this type of lifestyle listen to others on this sites advice and JUST DO IT! You hear stories of people who decide after a few weeks on the road that it isn't the lifestyle for them. They obviously didn't research it enough. That's their loss. You hear many, many more stories though of people who finally make the plunge and forever lament the fact they didn't do it sooner. Don't be one of them.
Happy camping to all and we hope to catch up with you somewhere down the track.
Marilyn and Rob
Navara and Windsor Rapid combo.
sucastja said
02:20 PM Aug 10, 2012
Thank you Marilyn and Rob - we've been wishing for years now - a couple of more years work to go and then hopefully we'll be hitting the road too
Duh said
03:42 PM Aug 10, 2012
Thanks for your thoughts Marilyn and Rob, they are very profound and will help a lot of those thinking of hitting the road and it gives a good insight into a good mindset to have.
Look forward to future posts from you and your experiences....
gypsy rover said
04:07 PM Aug 10, 2012
Well done Marilyn & Rob, glad to hear you have joined the band of "happy campers". May you have many years of roamin' the roads and discovering every nook and cranny of this great country of ours.
Safe travels.
Cheers!
Chris
jetj said
10:06 PM Aug 10, 2012
Great post Marilyn and Rob, yes I don't think many people look back and wish they'd worked longer. Enjoy!
neilnruth said
02:26 AM Aug 11, 2012
Welcome Marilyn and Rob. I agree wholeheartedly with your post. I too was a little hesitant about doing freecamping - we've been caravanners for over 35 years - but the last trip put that fear to bed for me. And I agree. A campfire at a freecamp and you'll find the friendliest people. Can't wait to go again. Two more trips planned for this year.
nomadic1 said
04:44 AM Aug 11, 2012
Great post - thank you. You reinforce what I've always believed - if you wait until the time is right to do something then you'll never do it. And I've lost way too many friends that were still planning their own great 'adventure' but never got around to doing it.
I hope you have many more year of happy travelling.
deadlyprincess said
05:04 AM Aug 11, 2012
here here, know where you are coming from, i do likewise, sit and glean, and add and change my list as I learn, Can't wait till we leave the front gate and turn left, or is it right??
milo said
08:18 AM Aug 12, 2012
I agree about not having to have the best rigs , like those million dollar units like we have seen on tv recently.. its nice if you got the money. I know I have been spoilt by the tardis (which is now on the market by the way)
I have seen people with the weirdest set ups, but in all fairness whats weird for us is perfect for some one else
I also have seen those tear drops which im quite keen on so i can keep my little car , I know some would say try the avans but its what will work best for me..
same for you , you have to decide what works for you, what doesnt , while we take on board suggestions its up to us for our own experiances and after all its about the adventure of getting there, not just the destination
Duh said
10:54 AM Aug 12, 2012
milo wrote:
I also have seen those tear drops which im quite keen on so i can keep my little car , I know some would say try the avans but its what will work best for me..
Don't forget the Avan Weekend Teardrop Milo, you can get the tent bit for the rear too if you want more space for a longer stay somewhere, see this one here, although all Avan Dealers can get them in;
-- Edited by Duh on Sunday 12th of August 2012 11:05:37 AM
milo said
05:18 PM Aug 12, 2012
i like the insulated avan weekender, would have to modify the door, i cant believe how heavy it is the tear drops are timber i think although some maybe fibre glass... theres also this one too which is almost a carbon copy of the weekender
have that mounted some where and use that when i want to close the door
wind it it down like you do with a boat, or is there an alternative ?
or power method some how??
-- Edited by milo on Sunday 12th of August 2012 05:41:48 PM
milo said
07:50 PM Aug 12, 2012
ive had a look at those Vic , but only problem I have with that is the door is very heavy to pull to close i had a heck of a job trying to close it, i kind of like these
also you dont even need a motor home , camper trailer or what ever , just jump in your car and go, stay in a nice caravan park cabin etc
JRH said
07:53 PM Aug 12, 2012
milo wrote:
ive had a look at those Vic , but only problem I have with that is the door is very heavy to pull to close i had a heck of a job trying to close it, i kind of like these
also you dont even need a motor home , camper trailer or what ever , just jump in your car and go, stay in a nice caravan park cabin etc
Staying in A CP Cabin you must have money to burn Milo.
Duh said
08:10 PM Aug 12, 2012
The A van alternatives look nice too Milo, I would check them out with a tape though especially the bed sizes inside.
The Avan Weekender looks better insulated, if it is fibreglass it will be, also seems better finished to me and not so much wood to rot as the others. But in the end it depends on what suits your.
Those shelters can be bought at big camping stores the alternatives are using, could also use one of them on the Avan weekender instead of their annex and would probably be cheaper.
Cabins might be ok for a couple of days away Milo, but if you are going to do a long trip you need to be able to afford it (or sleep in your car or tent occasionaly).
Do some sums and see whether you can afford the cabin option, if you can great, providing there are vacancies etc.
Good luck with whatever you are doing,
Vic
Duh said
09:21 PM Aug 12, 2012
Thanks for the link to the Guppy Milo, very interesting and fringing on copyright of the Avan Weekender.
Seems better in terms of layout and gear, such as the fridge, stove and sink. Although it is heavier than the weekender, you would have to take in account the extra's (60litre Waeco 12/240V Compressor fridge, I have the 80 litre and they are very good) which would account for the weight difference along with other things.
I would have like to have seen the height dimensions in the specifications from ground to the top of the dome at the back, to see if it would fit under a carport etc.
Did you get a price on them?
PS: On the Avan Weekender, would a strap pull down on the inside lift up door help with both starting the pull down from outside and also pulling down from the inside. I have seen these on modern VW campervans on the rear lift up doors.
-- Edited by Duh on Sunday 12th of August 2012 09:24:34 PM
milo said
11:40 PM Aug 12, 2012
god if i was rolling in money id by my own motor home oh well loto tickets are on the fridge
Duh said
11:47 PM Aug 12, 2012
Hope you have a win Milo, in the meantime you are doing the right thing taking your time and doing your research.
Better to make sure what you get is going to suit your purpose than have to sell it later because it doesn't.
No rig is perfect, there is always something you wish you had in it or had done differently, part of the lifestyle, but best to get it as right as possible the first time!
milo said
06:06 AM Aug 13, 2012
Duh wrote:
Thanks for the link to the Guppy Milo, very interesting and fringing on copyright of the Avan Weekender.
Seems better in terms of layout and gear, such as the fridge, stove and sink. Although it is heavier than the weekender, you would have to take in account the extra's (60litre Waeco 12/240V Compressor fridge, I have the 80 litre and they are very good) which would account for the weight difference along with other things.
I would have like to have seen the height dimensions in the specifications from ground to the top of the dome at the back, to see if it would fit under a carport etc.
Did you get a price on them?
PS: On the Avan Weekender, would a strap pull down on the inside lift up door help with both starting the pull down from outside and also pulling down from the inside. I have seen these on modern VW campervans on the rear lift up doors
-- Edited by Duh on Sunday 12th of August 2012 09:24:34 PM
i dont know about the copy right and it would be heavier than the standard model...
there must be an easier option for the door?
Duh said
09:35 AM Aug 13, 2012
The copyright is not our problem Milo, they can fight it out with Avan if it comes to that. Avan have taken others to court before for copying their copyright designs, so wouldn't be surprised if they did, I just noticed the similarities in the designs, albeit a few distinct differences.
I notice the Guppy lift up door has struts, so maybe that may be the answer? May be easy to put up though and not so easy to pull down.
milo said
05:20 PM Aug 13, 2012
i have gas struts on the back door, tailgate on my mazda wonder if i could get them changed over?? to a lighter set??
Duh said
05:32 PM Aug 13, 2012
milo wrote:
i have gas struts on the back door, tailgate on my mazda wonder if i could get them changed over?? to a lighter set??
There are companies that deal just with gas struts Milo, google for your area, some do mobile visits.
Why would you want your mazda struts changed to a lighter set?
This might be better posted in the Tech section, we are getting a bit OT here.
milo said
09:43 PM Aug 13, 2012
Duh wrote:
milo wrote:
i have gas struts on the back door, tailgate on my mazda wonder if i could get them changed over?? to a lighter set??
There are companies that deal just with gas struts Milo, google for your area, some do mobile visits.
Why would you want your mazda struts changed to a lighter set?
This might be better posted in the Tech section, we are getting a bit OT here.
yeah sorry about the ot, i also said the mazda struts as a comparison to how they were on the avan
Hi to all.
Have been a member for a while and have been quietly navigating the forum, hoping to learn plenty before we took the first step into travelling this great country. I read many posts I was tempted to comment on and now realise it was a good decision to say nothing. Not because I was worried of getting into discussions, but because I now realise with my inexperience I didn't know the difference between the proverbial crap and clay. I was hoping we were reasonably prepared after reading other peoples suggestions and trying to avoid their documented shortfalls.
After 3 months on the road staying in both c/parks and free camping we are now back home in cold Victoria after having the best holiday experience ever. Fortunately this trip wasn't a holiday. It was the first of many travelling experiences we hope to have in the future as work is now just something I thought I liked, but now realise I was OH SO WRONG. Next trip is in the planning stages.
Many things we read about on this forum helped us tremendously and Camps 6 was also of great assistance, but nothing could compare to the informative "chats" we had with fellow travellers along the way. More prevalent in free camp areas than parks. The people there just seemed to be friendlier.
We have found our shopping and mods list has grown again after seeing what others do/use/change to make their "mobile houses" more efficient. Some options are very expensive but most of the best ideas are very cheap.
You don't need the biggest van or motorhome, nor the most powerful or latest tug. You don't have to have all the latest gadgets nor carry a designer wardrobe of clothes. Our van and car are both several years old but provided comfort and reliability. Nobody else cares what you have. Its just important that you are happy with what you are doing and what you have got. Preparation and preventative mainternance eg: regular servicing and research, do however help in making things run smoothly. Cheap insurance really. Smooth sailing also helps with domestic bliss.The first thing I learnt on reading this forum was to keep S.W.M.B.O. happy.
To others like us who read this forum but can't decide whether to take the plunge, DO IT! If you use a combination of caravan parks and free camps when possible and try not to travel long distances over short time frames it is a very affordable lifestyle. We started with a tight budget due to early retirement but came in well under expectations. We didn't skimp on necessities but only paid for tourist activities we really wanted to see/do. Your living costs with regards to food etc. are not much different to being at home and if you have kept your house as we have, those costs are reduced while you are away.
Sorry to ramble on a bit (a lot really), but I hope all people out there who haven't yet decided to take a gamble on this type of lifestyle listen to others on this sites advice and JUST DO IT! You hear stories of people who decide after a few weeks on the road that it isn't the lifestyle for them. They obviously didn't research it enough. That's their loss. You hear many, many more stories though of people who finally make the plunge and forever lament the fact they didn't do it sooner. Don't be one of them.
Happy camping to all and we hope to catch up with you somewhere down the track.
Marilyn and Rob
Navara and Windsor Rapid combo.
Thanks for your thoughts Marilyn and Rob, they are very profound and will help a lot of those thinking of hitting the road and it gives a good insight into a good mindset to have.
Look forward to future posts from you and your experiences....
Well done Marilyn & Rob, glad to hear you have joined the band of "happy campers". May you have many years of roamin' the roads and discovering every nook and cranny of this great country of ours.
Safe travels.
Cheers!
Chris
I hope you have many more year of happy travelling.
we have seen on tv recently.. its nice if you got the money.
I know I have been spoilt by the tardis (which is now on the market by the way)
I have seen people with the weirdest set ups, but in all fairness whats weird for us is perfect for some one else
I also have seen those tear drops which im quite keen on so i can keep my little car ,
I know some would say try the avans but its what will work best for me..
same for you , you have to decide what works for you, what doesnt ,
while we take on board suggestions
its up to us for our own experiances and after all its about the adventure of getting there, not just the destination
Don't forget the Avan Weekend Teardrop Milo, you can get the tent bit for the rear too if you want more space for a longer stay somewhere, see this one here, although all Avan Dealers can get them in;
http://www.awrvworld.com.au/index.php/new-in-stock-caravans-for-sale/355-avan-weekender-for-sale
The odd 2nd hand one comes up for sale too now and then.....
See this one also with rear tent/annex set up;
http://www.tradingpost.com.au/Automotive/Caravans/AdNumber=D4392101327143;pgid=H8dkqA02Xvo000c5AkM74ykv0000C-AAcAuJ;sid=9GMoxJT_rTEox8TY9HEiZZ_eXvXxoyUFdzN0Gj1xqL2BSiUFdzO9677_omlUJQ==?HotlistView=true&ExternalHotlink=1
-- Edited by Duh on Sunday 12th of August 2012 11:05:37 AM
i like the insulated avan weekender, would have to modify the door, i cant believe how heavy it is
the tear drops are timber i think although some maybe fibre glass...
theres also this one too which is almost a carbon copy of the weekender
http://www.chevronrv.com.au/
just had a thought, what about a boat winch?
have that mounted some where and use that when i want to close the door
wind it it down like you do with a boat, or is there an alternative ?
or power method some how??
-- Edited by milo on Sunday 12th of August 2012 05:41:48 PM
ive had a look at those Vic , but only problem I have with that is the door is very heavy to pull to close
i had a heck of a job trying to close it,
i kind of like these
http://travelbugteardropcampers.com.au/models.html
http://www.hansvans.com/index.htm
ive also had a look at one of these too
http://www.littleguyaustralia.com.au/
also you dont even need a motor home , camper trailer or what ever ,
just jump in your car and go, stay in a nice caravan park cabin etc
Staying in A CP Cabin you must have money to burn Milo.
The A van alternatives look nice too Milo, I would check them out with a tape though especially the bed sizes inside.
The Avan Weekender looks better insulated, if it is fibreglass it will be, also seems better finished to me and not so much wood to rot as the others. But in the end it depends on what suits your.
Those shelters can be bought at big camping stores the alternatives are using, could also use one of them on the Avan weekender instead of their annex and would probably be cheaper.
Cabins might be ok for a couple of days away Milo, but if you are going to do a long trip you need to be able to afford it (or sleep in your car or tent occasionaly).
Do some sums and see whether you can afford the cabin option, if you can great, providing there are vacancies etc.
Good luck with whatever you are doing,
Vic
Thanks for the link to the Guppy Milo, very interesting and fringing on copyright of the Avan Weekender.
Seems better in terms of layout and gear, such as the fridge, stove and sink. Although it is heavier than the weekender, you would have to take in account the extra's (60litre Waeco 12/240V Compressor fridge, I have the 80 litre and they are very good) which would account for the weight difference along with other things.
I would have like to have seen the height dimensions in the specifications from ground to the top of the dome at the back, to see if it would fit under a carport etc.
Did you get a price on them?
PS: On the Avan Weekender, would a strap pull down on the inside lift up door help with both starting the pull down from outside and also pulling down from the inside. I have seen these on modern VW campervans on the rear lift up doors.
-- Edited by Duh on Sunday 12th of August 2012 09:24:34 PM
Hope you have a win Milo, in the meantime you are doing the right thing taking your time and doing your research.
Better to make sure what you get is going to suit your purpose than have to sell it later because it doesn't.
No rig is perfect, there is always something you wish you had in it or had done differently, part of the lifestyle, but best to get it as right as possible the first time!
i dont know about the copy right and it would be heavier than the standard model...
there must be an easier option for the door?
The copyright is not our problem Milo, they can fight it out with Avan if it comes to that. Avan have taken others to court before for copying their copyright designs, so wouldn't be surprised if they did, I just noticed the similarities in the designs, albeit a few distinct differences.
I notice the Guppy lift up door has struts, so maybe that may be the answer? May be easy to put up though and not so easy to pull down.
wonder if i could get them changed over?? to a lighter set??
There are companies that deal just with gas struts Milo, google for your area, some do mobile visits.
Why would you want your mazda struts changed to a lighter set?
This might be better posted in the Tech section, we are getting a bit OT here.