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Published: August 12th 2011
Relaxing with a cuppa
(last October in Urunga NSW - that seems a very long time ago!)We have been amazed at the number of people who spend a great part of their lives travelling around Australia. Of course, like us, there are plenty of people from overseas who are fascinated by Australia and everything it has to offer the inquisitive tourist. We were aware, too, that a lot of Australians aim to complete “The Big Lap” at some time in their lives. But the colossal number of Aussies spending time on the road (not all of them “lappers”) has completely taken us by surprise. There are far more than we remember from our last trip eight years ago. Caravan parks are regularly full reflecting the ever-increasing numbers that are following their dream. We often have a bit of fun trying to identify the type of traveller we encounter and we are becoming increasingly consistent with our assessments. They seem to fall into one of, perhaps, four main categories although there are also several minor categories and no doubt some could fall into more than one category. The majority of travellers are, like us, “Grey Nomads” but we thought we’d share with you, very much with tongue in cheek, our observations of the thousands we have met on
the road.
Of the long term travellers we can only describe them as KANDOOs and WANTOOs.
The KANDOOs travel because they can. They are retired, well off and simply think its “the” thing to do – a bit like inverted snobbery. They buy expensive “top of the range” kit and, when they occasionally talk to the likes of us, they talk about how big their house is, how much their caravan cost and whether their satellite dish is state of the art. We have met some absolutely delightful KANDOOs but the ones we have easily related to have been few and far between. They are a relatively new group but are becoming more and more noticeable and are not very popular even amongst the seasoned Aussie traveller, sometimes (unfairly) being referred to as the Winnebago/Capuccino brigade. That might be because the KANDOOs aren’t genuine campers in the real sense of the word in that they wouldn’t consider travelling without a minimum level of luxuries. They aren’t interested in mingling with everybody as they seek out other KANDOOs to pass the time – identifying them from their “top of the range” caravans. They are making it more and more
difficult for ordinary travellers to make their way without having to plan ahead because caravan parks are often bursting at the seams with outsized KANDOO caravans.
But still, by far the biggest number of travellers are, like us, WANTOOs. They are on the road because they want to be and are excited by the wonder of what Australia can offer. They talk about how wonderful places are, like The Pinnacles, The Bungle Bungles, Karijini and Katherine Gorge. They are thrilled by experiences like swimming with manta rays, snorkelling on Ningaloo Reef, watching giant turtles laying eggs and seeing wildlife in abundance. WANTOOs are not just grey nomads - many, many youngsters on “gap years” are WANTOOs, including those travelling in “doorslammers” (campervans – the Aussies call them whiz bangs!). We’ve also met many families on the road for up to a year with young children who usually follow an education programme while they are travelling. Despite the obvious age differences, we find the young doorslammers, young families and seasoned grey nomads far easier to pass the time of day with than the KANDOOs.
There are two smaller sub-sections of WANTOOs. The first group could be called LIFERs. We
Sarah and Darryl - The Wallaby Wanderers
wonderful example of WANTOOS and WILDERNESS PEOPLE have met no end of WANTOOs who have sold up or let their house and spend their lives permanently “on the road”. They are full of fascinating experiences and are a source of valuable information particularly about good and bad places to stop. We often wonder what the future will hold for them when they are not fit enough to cope with the stresses and strains of continually moving on. Many who have sold up admit they will be unable to buy back into the housing market so maybe a permanent caravan park life will be their only option. But they don’t seem to care. The second quite large group is ROADSIDERS. They have usually built up a substantial amount of useful equipment over the years or sometimes spend a lot of money on their kit, much like KANDOOs. But they then baulk at the idea of spending 30 or 40 dollars a night to stay on caravan parks (we do know from our own experience how much that builds up over a long period). So they survive most nights in purpose built rest areas which might have a primitive loo and maybe water but not a lot else. Their
Our tent - unused by us - so far!
but it was used a few times by Sarah and Darryl caravans are usually so well-equipped they don’t need caravan parks or at least not very often. To be fair, rest areas in Aus are pretty good and we have often contemplated using them on odd occasions - Sarah and Darryl used them regularly. But we like a decent toilet and shower so, to the wonderment of many we meet, we are happy to continue paying site fees to ensure we get our mod cons.
The group which has surprised us the most is the ESCAPEEs. They travel in their caravans for one reason only – to get away from, what is for them, a cold winter, much the same as we poms would do by going to Spain for our winter. Most ESCAPEEs travel to one spot and settle for several months at a time although some will move around to a variety of locations. They hail from the southern areas – Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia and southern Western Australia – but make their way north to reach warmer climes. We first noticed them in their numbers in Coral Bay but have come across them also in Exmouth, Broome, Eighty Mile Beach and Darwin. We’re also beginning
to realise that similar migrations to northern Queensland also take place. They often set up huge enclosed awnings around their caravans with little additions for dining and sitting areas and the occasional pot plant – a home from home. They travel in groups or sometimes meet up with the same people each year so there are often “gatherings” taking place most evenings. They can sometimes dominate swimming pools because part of their daily routine is to “lounge” just to cool down, making it difficult for genuine swimmers to manage a length or even a width without adjusting. They can be very rowdy in their groups but are usually good at observing “quiet time” at 10:00pm. They’re a little bit cliquey but are often pleasant company when they are not in their groups. In selected locations, on the smaller caravan parks, they can outnumber the WANTOOs by ten to one so identifying and passing the time of day with other WANTOOs can be difficult. And because they take up large numbers of sites for long periods, they make it difficult for WANTOOs and even KANDOOs to just drift around without planning ahead.
Another group we have noticed, not big in
Greg, Karen, Grace and Kale
a lovely family who have taken a year out to travel round Aus number but very dedicated, are the WILDERNESS PEOPLE. They delight in travelling “off road” as far as they can go and, in most cases, the more remote they can be the better. They think nothing of travelling for hours on gravel roads and will camp anywhere they can with a strong determination to be isolated and self sufficient. They have no age restrictions. We have met families with extremely young children, even babies, and also pensioners much older than ourselves. They are usually identifiable by their specialist off-road kit which, more often than not, is an off-road camper trailer but, these days, can also be a purpose built off-road caravan or converted truck. They occasionally surface at normal caravan parks but usually it’s only to refresh their supplies or themselves and to prepare for another gravel road adventure. We are full of admiration for the WILDERNESS PEOPLE although we have no desire to join them. Sarah and Darryl had several adventures as WILDERNESS PEOPLE and had a fantastic time into the bargain.
Last time we were here, eight years ago, for most of the time we were with the doorslammer (whiz bang) fraternity. We had a small campervan with
A 'snip' at $132,000
Lyall and Trish (Mt Isa) are selling this ex demo model that they'd only had a few months a gas cooker and a fridge and some lighting which worked off a second battery. Eventually we bought some electric power leads and a few electrical appliances which enabled us to creep in onto the edge of the real WANTOOs. But at no time then, eight years ago, were we aware of any KANDOOs or ESCAPEEs. However, WILDERNESS PEOPLE have been a long standing tradition in Australia going back generations and many places which are popular tourist spots today were initially only accessible to the pioneer campers of yesteryear. We have nothing in the UK which even remotely compares with the wild, outback camping opportunities in Australia.
One other group has become noticeable to us, but only from time to time. They are the SCHOOL HOLIDAY-MAKERS - families which go camping but only at school holiday times. Much as in the UK, families like to “get away” for short camping trips and their presence will make camp sites busy and rowdy during school holiday periods. Invariably they use enormous tents which can take up as much room as a full sized caravan if not more. It is sometimes difficult to plan around them as each state seems to have
'Lost n Lovinit'
family with two young children and a chicken! slightly different school holiday periods and, anyway, inter-state family camping is also very common – they think nothing of travelling vast distances for a week or so of camping.
Perhaps the most noticeable aspect of all types of campers in Australia is the vehicles that are used. In our trusty steed – PIE – we have a fair sized four wheel drive car which can take us almost anywhere. She is much larger than the average family saloon with a high ground clearance and an excellent 4WD capacity which makes off-road travel easily manageable. But she is small compared to the many 4WD vehicles available in Aus. Many are like small trucks but with all the comfort, facilities and fashion accessories associated with a top of the range saloon car. They are truly magnificent vehicles but must cost a small fortune to buy, to run and to maintain. We are amused, too, by the various slogans that each state includes as part of their registration plate. For example, Queensland is “The Sunshine State”, Tasmania is “The Natural State” and so on. But Victoria is the state that amuses us the most. PIE’s plate reads “On The Move” which, for
This mini tourer
was 'heading off on the road less travelled' - good on em! us at least, is very appropriate. But the majority of the Vic plates we see read “Victoria - The Place To Be”!! Why then are they all so far from home?
In PIE and SWEETIE we have a very modest but extremely comfortable unit which has enabled us to travel in a pleasant and dignified way. Although most of the cars and caravans we see are magnificent, there are still plenty of units much older than ours doing the rounds. We still love every minute of our travels although there are times when home-sickness is apparent. It will be good when we drift back down through Queensland and to Melbourne when we can catch up with David, Daphne and others.
We have just reached a landmark when our original visas expired and that does raise the question of whether we should be travelling home now. But with our six month visa extensions it will be February 2012 or early March before we will have to wend our weary way back to the UK. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy reading our blogs as much as we enjoy writing them and reading the comments that people attach to
them. Also the email and Skype contacts come as refreshing additions to our travelling routines – so please keep them coming.
We think of everyone back home often and send you all our love.
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Darryl and Sarah
Wallaby Wanderers
Bravo!
What a fantastic blog. Love the different sections of the travelling family - aren't they all fabulous! We'd loved the fact PIE has 'On the Move' as her slogan, very fitting as you say. Enjoy your travelling extension!! x x x