It’s funny, we had dreamed of this trip for so long and the planning it took seemed to take on a life of its own. Not the planning you would think like the logistics of taking such a trip but the question of whether it was even feasible. However the reality of it surpassed the expectations that I’m not sure I can envisage life as ‘normal’ again. Travelling reminds us not to take things for granted, it opens our eyes to others & our own fate, and even misfortunes, and challenges us to be more tolerant and appreciative of what we have in our own backyard. It has the power to bond you closer as a family and provide the opportunity to have experiences of the momentous type.

Yes, it is not all rosy all of the time but without sounding contrite it is pretty close if this is what type of life you are looking for. Travelling is not for everyone. There is limited space, constant travel, lack of privacy, but they are far outweighed in my mind of all the benefits and wonderfulness of the experiences. The memories created will last a lifetime and as an added bonus it is such an educational tool for the kids too. Every town we stopped at so far has something to be remembered by, be that a famous attraction/ landmark or just the experience or people.

But some things we would share….top tips we have learnt so far or had shared with us…..

• You seriously don’t need everything including the kitchen sink. We over packed big time and that was thinking we had done well. I always knew we had gone a little overboard on the towels and clothes but it turns out we did on most other things too and alot of stuff has come along just for the trip! Really what was I thinking, I mean we were going places where there were shops for goodness sake!
• Try before you buy. Take the time to have a look around and don’t be afraid to look at your accommodation before you pay. If it is not what you had expected or isn’t as described then move on.
• Be spontaneous some of the best experiences are the spur of the moment ones.
• Be open to new experiences and ideas
• Cook your own. It may take a little time to get organised but it is more cost effective and often can be more delicious
• Have snacks & plenty of water. Sometimes there are long car journeys, even with the best of planning it is unavoidable in Australia, so having snacks and plenty of water can be helpful as you never know what might occur or even when you may find the next appropriate stop.
• Don’t be afraid to make new friends. They can share the parts of the trip and can also share some tips. We met so many lovely people along the way and the kids made new friends.
• Invest in roadside assist. The amount of people that we spoke to that had and actually used it was amazing. It certainly gives you piece of mind and ease of knowing that it will easily pay for itself if you need to use it. I would have to say that if you can’t afford this then wait to go till you can.
• Ask questions of fellow travellers experiences when chatting. You’ll find they are generally willing to share tips and tops spots which can make the difference on the accom or the town or both and the experiences you get.
• Buy the Camps Australia books- they have a free stay one and a caravan park one. The free stay is a fantastic concept and there are some great ones out there.
• Research national Parks and don’t be afraid to stay in them. They are cost effective and some have splendid views.
• Be prepared for roughing it. A battery or solar powered light is worth its weight in gold. We would also recommend buying little single burner gas stove that holds the cartridge gas as it is then it is a small portable item.
• Take the time to go off the beaten track sometimes as there are lots of hidden treasures.
• Trip advisor is a good website to get reviews from others who have been there and done that.

We bid farewell to our beloved caravan ‘Sunny’ and the girls were devastated but it was a decision we made for the wellbeing of Sunny. While we had had a fantastic trip in her so far, we had to admit she was old and would not necessarily make the trip to the west (although I bet she would have tried hard to get there in one piece as she really was workhorse type of caravan) and so we made the choice to sell her in Cairns before we head out west. We still talk about the ‘ol girl as if she is still a part of our family……funny isn’t it that we have given life to the caravan and our Landcruiser “Ander”?!

Anyway, we know she (Sunny) has gone to a family who is going to have good times as well. We spent the last 2 weeks in a tent (and I call it that loosely- follow the bad advice at one camping shop proved detrimental to us) only to become quite disillusioned by the amount of packing and unpacking we find ourselves doing. Before we set off my sister had commented that she had met a family with 2 young kiddies (younger than ours) travelling Australia in only a tent but also scoffed at the idea we would take too much stuff to be able to do that. Well, she was right in some ways, yes, we did take too much stuff (surprising what you can store/stuff into a little caravan) and found ourselves downsizing but my hat goes off to that family for commitment to the travel as it certainly has worn thin for us to continue to travel in a tent.

We are now on the lookout for a new ‘sunny’….one a bit more hardy….would love your views and comments on the best one…..