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Post Info TOPIC: Welcome to the Solo's Forum
Cruising Granny


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RE: Welcome to the Solo's Forum
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Hi Veronica.  Your name sounds very SA. Safe and happy travels and I hope to meet you on the road some time.  Put the kettle on.  Another way of making contact with fellow travellers is ozcaravantagalong.com.  A free website.
Cheers Cruising Granny

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20ft Roma caravan - Mercedes Benz Sprinter - SA-based at the moment.
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Management makes the decisions, but is not affected by the decisions it makes.
Cruising Granny


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Cruising Granny does it alone
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Hi everyone.  Nice to meet you all.
I've been on the road towing my 20ft van for about 2 years on and off.  I've met quite a few solo travellers, but I am disappointed when they don't come out of their van to say g'day. Whether it's men or women, they seem to keep themselves secluded, which kind of defeats the purpose of travel. However, to each his/her own. I enjoy the chat, comparing travel notes etc. I've never felt threatened or at risk, but I haven't done any free camping to date for security reasons.
To find fellow travellers check out the free website ozcaravantagalong.com.
I'm in Cairns at the moment, after treking around the country from Broome, via the south.  Tassie is my next destination in Feb, if all goes according to my non-existent plan.  If you see Cruising Granny on the road, say g'day on the UHF 40. See you on the road.  Cheers Granny

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20ft Roma caravan - Mercedes Benz Sprinter - SA-based at the moment.
Transport has no borders.

Management makes the decisions, but is not affected by the decisions it makes.
waltzing matilda


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RE: Welcome to the Solo's Forum
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Hi Christine, What do you prefer to be called? Thanks for the message. Right now I'm in Gundagai cruisin' up to Sydney Town to visit family. On the beautiful north shore near Dee Why. And look at that rain. It's been raining right through Victoria and now still raining. Your life sounds great too. Way to go, kid. smile

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nancyhector


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Hi Cruising Granny,

Please look me up in Greenvale, if you decide to head south on the Kennedy Highway/Gregory Development Road. We have had 2 inches of rain in the past few days, so that is a consideration. Check with our policeman before heading this way, as the edges get very soft and you have to get off the road for the road-trains. They are full-on at the moment, too.
After all that, we have a beautiful caravan parks, the poinciannas are in full flower and the bird-life is unbelievable. Also our famous 'pub with no beer' The Three Rivers Hotel has such a pretty garde.
Ring me, or call in.

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mausie


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hi
this is mausie
looking to tag along on a trip to nt.or w.a 2009 going to kununarra in feb/march
this is my first adventure and bit scary. but i have dreamt about this for years and now i must go
hope to hear from someone
cheers mausie

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m.p.bradley
pawsoz


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 Hi Everyone
 I just joined The Grey Nomads Forum last week-end and would like to chat with you here in the Solos Forum as well.
 You all sound so very friendly!
 I travel with Clancy in a Hi Ace but since I hope to hit the road full time in a year or two am considering somethin a little bit roomier.  Not   sure which way to go - a bigger camper/motorhome or a small caravan and tow vehicle to suit.
Like others I still have to work a bit but I know from my travels thus far there is a fair bit of work 'out there'!
Most others seem to have families they can fall back on in times of emergancy - I think I am right on this - I don't, how do you all feel about that sort of situation if you have NFA and no family, does that worry you?
A general invite to anyone heading way up North to the Top End at any time, I may be able to help out with a night or two parked up here (not my house though so depends a bit on my mate Bob) but definately can show you around a bit and all that....could take care of any friendly 4 legged pals if you want to do National Parks too, as long as they would be nice to Clancy and old Carlin!

Looking forward to 'meeting' you all,

Annie

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Annie - after my 2nd cup of coffee I'm almost human!
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twobob


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Mausie
You will like Kunanara, lots to see, if you like water and agriculture. May wish to read up on the "Duracks", as that was a home base for them. The Ord River Dam is such a site to see.
If you do not find a travelling companion, do not worry, as there are plenty of people doing that trip. Just talk to those travelling and you will find others to touch base with as you go. This is one of the best things about travelling, meeting new people, doing the same adventure.

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Bubs


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Hi Mausie and Annie!
Sorry I only just read your posts, but welcome all the same.
I am heading off in a couple of weeks, on my own as well. I know how scary it feels, but all you need to handle at one time is 'today'. The future is an illusion, so worrying about it is a total waste of good energy, and you ruin today by doing so. Let the fear go and just do it. From reading posts on this forum and hearing all the stories I know that there will be all the support, good company, travelling tag alongs etc that I need. I am in Melbourne Mausie, so unfortunately heading the wrong way for you. I will be heading to WA in Jan. Maybe I will see you when you hit Perth. Like you ladies, I will be working to supplement my travels. I know the work will be there when I need it. It's all about trust. Trust yourself and your instincts first, the rest will fall into place.
Take care,
Dianne

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mausie


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disbeliefhi bubs
thanks for the words of encouragement i hope to keep in touch through this nomad site
merry xmas
mausie

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m.p.bradley
nancyhector


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Anybody in the Greenvale Area?
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[spoiler]M
Merry Xmas and safe travelling to you'all.

Call me if in the area.

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Road Ranger


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RE: Welcome to the Solo's Forum
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What! you can't be serious...... a fifty year old woman traveling around on her own Har Har..
No it can't be done....
No way, stay home and turn into a vegi.
Only joking.... you get your buns out there girl and give it all ya got, we only live twice, so make the most of it, and if ya don't ya need ya buns kickin down the road, why did you even doubt your own potential.

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waltzing matilda


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Hi RR. Welcome to the Grey Nomads and the solo Forum. Your rig sounds perfect. Forgive my ignorance but what's a "pan"?

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NannyMon


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Road Ranger wrote:

What! you can't be serious...... a fifty year old woman traveling around on her own Har Har..
No it can't be done....
No way, stay home and turn into a vegi.
Only joking.... you get your buns out there girl and give it all ya got, we only live twice, so make the most of it, and if ya don't ya need ya buns kickin down the road, why did you even doubt your own potential.


Lol Ranger, you are way behind the times, I'm sixty and have been travelling around now for 6 months alone, except for last week when I had my Toyboy with me and our two dogs and we had a ball. 



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NannyMon


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waltzing matilda wrote:

Hi RR. Welcome to the Grey Nomads and the solo Forum. Your rig sounds perfect. Forgive my ignorance but what's a "pan"?


Hi Von, how are you going, I have been in for a while, I hope everything is ok with you.  Last time I heard you were in the Flinders, are you still there.  Take care ... Mon 




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waltzing matilda


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HI Mon,
Yep - I'm home again. Had a great time in the Flinders, then headed down to Hahndorf - delightful - and continued on to the Coorong. Loved every bit of it. I'm headed off for a brief time next week. Just down the Great Ocean Road to Wye River for a bit. Good to hear from you. When are you heading off again?

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Road Ranger


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waltzing matilda wrote:

Hi RR. Welcome to the Grey Nomads and the solo Forum. Your rig sounds perfect. Forgive my ignorance but what's a "pan"?


Hells bells sorry I did'nt get back to you sooner.

A Pan me dear is truckies slang for Pantech, usualy made of alluminium for light weight, so as to lower the net weight to get more freight on to make more brass, I used it back in the dark ages to cart produce to market, their worth bugger all now so I converted to the worlds longest motor home, all up with both trailers and dolly, it goes around 120 foot.
Now, a dolly is a turntable over a bogey set up with an A frame to connect one trailer to the other, via a ring feeder.
Now a bogey is a set of eight wheels on two axels, and a ring feeder is a coupling that the dollys eye feeds into and is secured by a pin, blah blah blah! and it' all pulled with a Kenworth I don't pull two trailers any more as the cost of rego is a real hoot, and you are very restricted to where you can go, So I leave one traler in Qld and the prime mover and camp (other trailer" Home") in Victoria

 Ask me another question if ya like reading.



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waltzing matilda


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Hi RR. Thanks for the response. Now I know. Sounds very impressive. And I do love reading (and writing) so have backed your book forum but I think it needs to be out here in the general forum rather than the solo's forum. I wonder if the "webmaster" can move it.

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Road Ranger


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Thanks, I'm still tryin to work the system out, I may no be the sharpest knife in the draw, but we keep trying.

Have you read any good books lately? (Dont mention Mills and bloody Boon) 

I've a passion for hunting down old maritime books in little old shops and came accross a ripper in Hobart at the old wharf yum yum.

I was single handed on a 50ft Ketch at the time, cruising from Hobart to Cook Town back and fourth, (5 years) so every port I called into the hunt was on, I collected a lot of good old books  but everyone is into it now and bargins are getting hard to find, markets are not much good any more.

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waltzing matilda


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Jim, Have you come across Patrick O'Brian's Master and Commander series. Great seafaring stuff but you need to like delving into the past too. He's an excellent writer and you're right there when the wind is blowing, the masts are groaning and the guns are blazing. There are 21 books in the series at last count and it's worth starting with the first one.

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Road Ranger


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Yes Veronica.
Collected all that series along Alex Kent and a few others, and loaned them all to a (friend) and he didn't like them, so took them all to the tip, couple of thousand dollars gone, and four complete series that took me 12 years to complete, I don't lend stuff any more.

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waltzing matilda


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Jeez Louise! Jim, no wonder you don't lend books. I'd have killed the bugger.

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Tango & Me


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Hi All,

First post...............Long time reader.
What a great and informative bunch you are! I have been travelling solo for about 3 years but only a week or two here and there. I am planning to go to Uluru and surrounds via Broken Hill and then up through SA from Sydney. After spending some time exploring around "The Rock" I plan to head up to Tennant Creek and back home through Qld.
Is now a good time to go (I plan on leaving next week or the week after)?
Is a month going to be long enough?
Do you think Tango (my far too intelligent lorikeet and constant companion) will be  a problem in the N.P?
Is the Plenty Highway 4WD only and/or would I be silly to attempt all that dirt in a Hiace on my own?
Any tips, hints or advice would be very welcome as every time I think too hard about this trip I scare myself silly!
Thanks, Jan.

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Cruising Granny


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And a welcome from me too.
If you know where you can get fuel and supplies from along there, maybe.
But I'd give it a miss if you're on your own and don't have all that survival information.  It can be isolated and dangerous out there.
You could try to find tagalong company to share the road with.
It should be dry enough now, but ask locals along the way.  Maybe contact a community or station on the way to find out all you need to know.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Enjoy the adventure.  Cheers Chris.

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20ft Roma caravan - Mercedes Benz Sprinter - SA-based at the moment.
Transport has no borders.

Management makes the decisions, but is not affected by the decisions it makes.
solotravelguy


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Hi I'm setting off on my own round Nov this yr and need to ask a lot of question from people that have done it before me as I'm a bit nervous.

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solotravelguy


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If I leave my present rented home I will have no fixed address, how do you get on with that situation for mail from the queensland transport for car rego, and info for Pension etc. Help would be appreciated.

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jimbo


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My son Stephen....Who is 26 Yrs old Is borrowing my Van and travelling To Qld hoping to find driving work...I think I have convinced him that Queensland is the place to go...I really believe Melbourne is not a very nice City....So much racial problems surfacing

he has the Grey Nomad sticker on the back....So if anybody see's him....Say hello....he is very approachable and does not bite.

I will post a picture of him soon...



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Cruising Granny


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Well I for one wish him all the best in his work hunt.  If he gets as far as Cairns I'll give him a Nomad wave.
Pass it on.  Cheers Chris

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20ft Roma caravan - Mercedes Benz Sprinter - SA-based at the moment.
Transport has no borders.

Management makes the decisions, but is not affected by the decisions it makes.
waltzing matilda


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Hi Solo Travel Guy. In answer to your question about mail and bills:

The wonderful book "The Grey Nomad's Guidebook" has just been published in its second edition fully updated. A great - dare I say - indispensible book for all of us. It has a chapter on Managing your Affairs - internet banking being one way. Or having mail forwarded by family or friends to particular Post Restante sections of Post Offices in towns you know you're going to be in at certain times.

They also write about a postal re-direction industry that has sprung up because there are so many Grey Nomads  "doing it".  Check out
www.mailaway.com.au
www.passthepost.com.au
www.posthasteaustralia.com.au

But I'd really recommend buying the book. There is just about everything you need to know in one small volume.

Hope this helps.

Happy travels.
V.

-- Edited by waltzing matilda on Sunday 21st of June 2009 04:23:14 PM

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Pops


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Hi everyone, I am a Newbie to your forum and I like what your about.
I am a 62 year old married Grandpop, My wife likes to stay at home close to the Grandkids and our two small dogs Gracy & Wilma and let me go vaning.
I am going to start to travel more and more as my working week gets shorter and shorter.
I had July off and traveled up the Newell Hwy to Ballina NSW then down the coast back to VIC, Next year I will take 4 to 5 Months off and do halfway round the block, then the other half the following year God permitting.
I dearly hope to catch up with you fine people somewhere along the track for a cupper or a beer depending on where the shadow is over the yard arm.
Untill then I will keep and eye on the forum.

Thanks for your time, Neil.
 PS I will add some images when I learn to drive the computer, And believe me thats another story.

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dave06


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G'day Neil and welcome to you, good to see another in here, nothing hard about the computer just keep the mind open to trying new things, love to meet up for a beer one day. look forward to it

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