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I've been home for a few weeks, flat out getting caught up as well as spending time with overseas visitors, and can now breath a bit easier (until the thought Christmas isn't far away arises).  The van is nearly unpacked (not important, not urgent task), thus I haven't started doing the things I want to it.

Looking back on the travels, it all went well!  10,900 kilometres were covered, and most of this only in the lower half of Queensland - this is a big, open country once you get away from the coast and big cities!   The trip home was a straight run from Brisbane to Tasmania (Lanceston) and that was 1,740 kilometres, requiring 202 litres of petrol at a cost of $291.77, with one night only in a caravan park at a cost of $17.  Fuel for the entire trip was 1208 litres, costing $1,771, for an average consumption of 11.36 L/100Km (24.9 miles/Imp.Gallon).

Has it been successful?  My word it has!  It is a unique lifestyle and while a lot of different types of people are wandering about out there in a great variety of rigs, they generally agree it is the freedom that attracts them most.  There was Kev, with a caravan and ute, which represented his major assets after a particularly unpleasant divorce late in life:  He said he could probably get a housing commission unit somewhere, but preferred the freedom of the road - he often had to stay for periods in a long term free park area to save enough money to continue traveling.  There was an elderly lady on her own in a campervan slightly larger than mine (remember, mine is very basic) which gave her just enough room to have a shower & toilet; she'd been traveling for years, for the main reason, apparently, that if she were at home she was overly imposed on by her children and grandchildren! 

Then there are retired or semi-retired people who can take extended trips but return home for part of the year.  One couple from rural Queensland had a farm, left it in their son's capable hands for long periods and hitched their sizable van to their 4WD, setting off for pleasant settings where they enjoy the very relaxed lifestyle, meet lots of different people and swap stories.  They are also full of advice from their wealth of experience but at the same time always looking for new ideas and better ways to do things. 

One couple had a large converted bus pulling a medium sized caravan; they'd (he?) gutted the caravan & turned it into a workshop.  They would do repairs, make craft items for sale at markets and they go where the spirit takes them.  There are many people with larger units they live in and their intention is to live on the road for as long as they can:  Given you could spend nearly a lifetime and not see all of this country, they do intend spending the rest of their life trying.  One chap I met, very helpful and obliging when I needed my starting battery charged, informed me that after he fitted out the large Mercedes bus for living in, he and his wife went on a trial run:  On returning home, he started planning his next trip, whereupon his wife informed him she wasn't going traveling anymore, "...so I found a woman who would..",  he informed me! 

There are numerous free camps, reduced price camping, E.g. in showgrounds in some towns and caravan parks throughout the country.  Thus, traveling is very flexible and well accommodated at various rates, according to your affordability or comfort level.  As for my preference, I like free camping as much from an affordability point of view as well as my preference for my philosophy that camping is roughing it to some extent (reduced 'roughing' with increasing age). 

In choosing my 'unit', I opted for maximum flexibility but reduced comforts (bearing in mind some units have all the comforts of home).  The small vehicle means I can get into nearly all carparks and when finished 'nomading', I can keep it for a runabout vehicle for daily use, it can get me to Brisbane economically (with cargo!),  plus have the odd gettaway to the lakes, seaside or??  The main limitations are once set up you have to pack up again to go anywhere (I.e. if you run out of coffee and have to run to a shop to get more), lack of off road capability but at my age I'd rather not - or go on a tour - and limited space.  Any unit is a compromise, with many factors to consider depending on your preferences; I'm happy with my choice.

As for the future, I intend returning to Brisbane in February 2012 and setting off for the Top End from there when it starts to cool off to do The Big Lap around Australia.  Meanwhile at home, I've put a few thousand Km on the car with overseas guests (great time, they've now returned home), Christmas with the family, getting the van ready for the next trip, a pleasure cruise on a motor yacht around Tassie's East Coast and - in my 'spare time' - weeding weeding weeding. 

So I will close this blog with this entry:  I intend starting a new one for The Big Lap.  Thanks to all who have been following, it has been interesting to note the location of some followers, including Alaska - if that's you, Mike, I'd love to hear what you've been up to since the Uhlmann days. 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!