What time do you leave camp in the morning?

Gerty Dancer · Guru

What time do you leave camp in the morning?

Firefly · Guru

Depends on how we travel Gerty. On a few occasions, we have had a deadline to be in Darwin on a certain date so we get up around 6am and packed and gone by 7am. Our rule of thumb is to pull up around the 3pm mark in the arvo.

Before light is a bit rude, we have had the same happen. If we have to go really early we try hard to be as quiet as possible though. smile

pricey43 · Guru

Unless we have a long days travel ahead of us, we don't rush. Usually leave around 9.30 a.m. Can't understand the need for people to leave at dawn and get to the next place by lunchtime. Perhaps theiy get their enjoyment out of sitting and watching everybody else arrive and set up ??? As long as we're set up by Happy Hour we're happy...

Ma · Guru

Certainly it was no intention in mind but we have found ourselves most mornings pulling out around 8.30 or so, but then we don't have breakfast either and looking to pull up in the arvi around 2.30. That way if we don't feel comfortable then we still have enough daylight hours to find somewhere else. Of course we free camp most of the time. Find caravan parks to be very noisy places at the best of times. I know not everybody likes to free camp but it's a personal choice

Firefly · Guru

They seem to be later rises too Ma. smile

Ma · Guru

When you free camp you can leave at almost anytime you want to as you wouldn't be really disturbing anyone unless they have camped up right on top of you.

I find the best part of the day is early morning when you can watch the sun rise and listen to the birds waking up. The serenity sets you up for another wonderful day.

Hylda&Jon · Guru

We're on permanant down time so on waking up sometime after 7am we lazely pack up after a nice cuppa & breakfast & finally dawdle off about 10am to then only drive at the most 5 hours but normally try to stick to 1 1/2 to 3 hours a day. I think we have only driven 6 or more hours a day twice so far.

Why rush, this country isn't going anywhere (though some may say it's going to pot).

Cheers

Jon

NeilandRaine · Guru

We try not to leave early because with luck we wont travel more than 100/150 k in a day
If for some reason we have to leave early we pack up the day before, even hitch up if possible.
Dont matter if your in a popular free spot or a caravan park, its just like living in a street, every one have different agendas and you have to live with it.

blaze · Guru

I am currently night manager at a cp in albany and 3 or 4 times a week we have a camper with a tent or a van come in well after dark. most have griven a long way or over estimated their drive time. The couple tonight got lost. Over easter I had one call at 11.45 one at 3.30 am and one at 4.30 am and anothe at 6.00am, all after cabins, all asians (not a raciast comment, just fact), we were fully booked for a month prior to easter and had signage to indicate as much.
cheers
blaze

blaze · Guru

Forgot to add I like to get away by nine but by the time my wife does her walk and does her bits its normally closer to ten. If I was solo I would be on the road before the sun comeup as its the most enjoyable part of the day
cheers
blaze

jack biggles · Senior Member

Ma wrote:
Certainly it was no intention in mind but we have found ourselves most mornings pulling out around 8.30 or so, but then we don't have breakfast either and looking to pull up in the arvi around 2.30. That way if we don't feel comfortable then we still have enough daylight hours to find somewhere else. Of course we free camp most of the time. Find caravan parks to be very noisy places at the best of times. I know not everybody likes to free camp but it's a personal choice

You said it perfectly Ma.

I'm never in a hurry when travelling, afterall my next deadline is with my maker and let me tell you thats one appointment I don't mind avoiding for as long as I can

jack biggles · Senior Member

NeilandRaine wrote:
We try not to leave early because with luck we wont travel more than 100/150 k in a day
If for some reason we have to leave early we pack up the day before, even hitch up if possible.
Dont matter if your in a popular free spot or a caravan park, its just like living in a street, every one have different agendas and you have to live with it.

I certainly like your driving days and I keep similar distance in my mind but regularly travel less. Actually some days I even seem to go backwards but that mainly happens when I forget which way I came from & head off in the direction in which I came from......don't laugh, it will happen to you one day

Firefly · Guru

smile smile smile

Great one Jack, thank goodness I have Tom. Spin me around twice and I have no idea where I am.

Once we no longer have deadlines in our travel, things will slow down but for now, we are limited to four or eight weeks at most, at a time so have to jam as much as we can in. wink

Zoomtopz · Guru

We just Go , when we get there?? we find a place to live .

Next morning we go , times?? who cares when ya havin fun .

We get up have a shower,pack up & go . Find somewhere to

have breakfast , then keep going . Only once we were on a

mission - Camoweel to Douglas Daly in old Inter , she only

did 80k , so through to Elliot the up to th Hot Springs , but

we just meandered to Mt Isa to start with.

Richo

Firefly · Guru

Richo did you stay on the Camooweal river bank in the free camp there? We have heard its pretty nice there and are going to try to get there in July. smile

sandsmere · Guru

Leave anytime from daylight on .

Rarely travel more than 200kms. in a day unless way outback . Often don't move camp for a few days , depending what there is to see around the area , or how the fish are biting .

Usually like to be settled by midday if we are going to hang around overnight . Gives time to have a butchers hook around the place .

Prefer free camping areas . If you are in a CP and people leave very early and make a bit of a racket with it , you just have to wear that .

Another reason to camp away from too many other people .

Landfall · Guru

It depends if we have a destination planned. (Rarely)

We like to get up and have breakfast at a leisurely pace. We then tend to have a distance or place in mind (usually within a 100-200km radius) but we don't mind if something takes our fancy just 30kms up the road. Who cares, I'm not in a hurry to get to the cemetary.

Whatever your routine, have a nice day.

Dusty

Beth54 · Guru

I don't have a time, just when I've had a good sleep and ready to get up. As I'm a solo nomad, I do all the driving, so need to feel well rested.

If I'm travelling with others, I'm sorry but they have to go along with me. No use driving off early only to find I need to pull over for forty winks within an hour!

It was a different matter at Easter. The younguns wanted to leave at 3am, to meet the low tide, and I wasn't driving, so didn't bother me. But...my sons didn't go to bed! So they woke the rest of us at 1.30am to say, let's go! *groan*

jonathan · Guru

.. If travelling on a certain day, I like to be away early .. even pre-dawn (first light)depending on direction of travel and where the sun might be ..

Love the early travel and early arrival .. don't like arriving at destination late in the day .. then settle back and watch as 'late' arrivals scratch around as they nest for the night.

People watching is such an education !!

Jon

(currently still in Broome 'til the 6th May .. then east across the top)

rosco · Senior Member

You people are lucky... It seems in most instances time is your own.

Me? I get two weeks annual leave twice a year, plus the odd weekend away in the van. Of the two lots of two weeks, one lot is going to a C/P on the beach somewhere for the two weeks, the other is a touring trip for the two weeks.

Generally if I'm travelling south from home at Newcastle I like to leave earlyish so I can get through Sydney before the peak hour. In these cases I leave home no later than 4am.

Otherwise, its get up and go whenever, bearing in mind the C/P's generally like you to be gone by 10am. Would not travel more than 400 klms in the day, and more often than not it would be around 200/250 k's.

As long as we're out there somewhere............

Cheers
Ross

petengail · Guru

I'd be gone at the crack of dawn.... Management though unfortunately operates the daily roster....

DellieMay · Senior Member

Most "Management" get it right . 'Aw, Come on. 'Ya gotta admit it Pete!!!!!!!!
Cheers Dellie

milo · Guru

we are usually on the road by 9.30am ish,
and mostly do about 300-400 k's a day , depending on where were going..
If its just me I can do about 500 k's aday if I need to but rather not and also
depends on the weather ,if its crap you dont feel like being on the road long..

jimricho · Guru

If I want an early start I usually attend to tasks such as packing the van, having breakfast, showering, contemplating the meaning of life (you know what I mean) etc before doing the outside chores so as not to disturb the park. Those who whinge about being disturbed at 8.00 am or later however I think are being a bit unreasonable.

If I've only got a short run ahead of me it's usually 9.00 or sometimes later before I'm on the road.

I've found neighbours who run air conditioners all night to be more annoying than early risers.

I wouldn't be able to get any sleep if I free camped beside a noisy highway (goes for roadside caravan parks too). I do "bush camp" from time to time however and I enjoy that.

-- Edited by jimricho on Friday 29th of April 2011 06:42:09 PM

Ma · Guru

Had the airconditioner mob all night x 2 when we were in Katherine last year.

Don't think they stopped to consider that they didn't need the aircon on all night if they only opened some windows.

Wombat 280 · Guru

Hate leaving early. I live on a main road out of Port Macquarie and it seems that the the road is full of vans all rushing to the highway from about 6.30 am, meaning they are trying to mix it up with the local worker traffic and like pot holes are in every buggers way . I normally leave after 9 am and find I have the road mostly to myself without doing battle with those rushing off to work or the next camp spot. Must admit I do plan the trip and book ahead the day before

jimricho · Guru

Ma wrote:
Had the airconditioner mob all night x 2 when we were in Katherine last year.
Don't think they stopped to consider that they didn't need the aircon on all night if they only opened some windows.

I think they only run it because they get the electricity for free (well for no extra if not free) and they paid for the air con and they're determined to use it. (It's a bit like finding a crutch and breaking your leg so you can use it, there a meanies like that out there)

-- Edited by jimricho on Friday 29th of April 2011 06:46:29 PM

old briney · Senior Member

i like to sleep in, we dont leave to around 9am and still do about 300k aday

goinsoon · Guru

Well I guess I have earned a reprieve from the rock Ma, been forced to sit here with the child bride and MIL since 4pm watching the bloody wedding hmm hmm

Di-n-Gary · Veteran Member

Just returned from 6 weeks touring Victoria from Central Qld., we did the early morning thing (7:30 anyway) to get to Vic where our holiday really started and after that definitely the relaxed start, not too far between towns in Victoria