Advertisement
Published: March 17th 2008
Edit Blog Post
Neil:
Hello everybody!! We have now left Sydney and made our way down the south coast towards Melbourne and we're having a really good time. Once we'd left the Sydney area we headed into the Royal National Park to find our first campsite in our little van. The area was stunning, very lush and green with rolling hills - not what I expected any part of Australia to look like. We arrived at our first camp site at around 5 in the evening but the warden had allready left so we had to park outside the gates of the camping area - which was fine. It was right on the coast so we had stunning views across the bay. The next day we drove for around 450km along the most stunning roads with golden beaches on one side and rolling green countryside on the next - it was very picturesque. We ended the day at a camping ground in the middle of nowhere where we met a chap called Jarrad. Jarrad was cycling on his own from his home in Queensland to Melbourne and then across to cycle around Tasmania! He was sleeping in the smallest tent in the world
- infact it was more of a body cover that raised no more than a foot off the ground. He cooked all his food on home made fires and was catching fish to eat - proper camping. He'd cycled around 1000km when we met him and probably had another 1500km left. When he's finished cycling he's going home via the sea!! Kayaking back up the coast. The reason i mention all this about a random bloke is because it just shows what we are able to achieve it we want to. Jarrad had never cycled more than 30km before and has never been in a kayak!
Nicky seems to be enjoying the camping side of things. We're eating really well (Lamb stir fry, sausage mash and beans etc..) all cooked of a single gas burner. I'm certainly enjoying it - driving and camping is a great combination. There is loads of wildlife as well. However, in the 8 days we've been in australia I still haven't seen a kangaroo!! Everybody else has - including Nicky, but i think she just saw a drunk Shiela in a bush. I will keep you posted on this one.
Nicky:
Hey
guys! I hope everyone is well, I am absolutely in love with Australia. I dont think it has dipped below 30 degrees, even at night, since we arrived. The scenery is stunning - we have seen golden beaches, dense forests, barren hills and mountains just in the last few days. It has been pretty tough going driving 5/6 hours a day to get to melbourne in time for the grand prix so we are looking forward to slowing down when we get back near sydney and seeing some more of the coast.
Melbourne was lovely, although I didnt enjoy it anywhere near as much as sydney. It was a bit deserted on saturday when we went for a look around, i think the locals clear out because of the grand prix!! We were up really early on sunday because we were staying in a campsite an hour and a bit outside the city. Albert Park is a beautiful setting for a GP right next to the lake and in a massive park (obviously!!). We managed to get brilliant seats really close to the front at the chicane - so all the cars were slowing down as they went past. Thankfully
it was a really good race - it was so hot, 37 degrees, I dont think I could have concentrated on a dull one!!
I am totally getting into the camper van life style, it is great being able to stop for lunch whenever and wherever you want, and being in charge of where we go and when. It can get a bit cramped living and sleeping in the same space but thankfully because of the weather we are outside most of the time.
Hope you like the pictures, it is more difficult for us to find internet places now so dont be alarmed that we have been eaten by one of the many dangerous Aussie animals if you dont hear from us for a few days. So far I have seen a possum, a kangaroo and hundreds of Kookaburras. It was not a drunk person I saw, it was definately a kangaroo - neil is just jealous!! lots of love xxxxxx
Advertisement
Tot: 0.38s; Tpl: 0.016s; cc: 7; qc: 46; dbt: 0.1404s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
Victoria
non-member comment
Flowers
Love the flower power van guys - Neil do you think you could set a trend in the uk?? Looks like the van of Sccoby Doo!