Travelling with bells
Introducing Josh, Mel, Archie, Henry and Charlotte.
Back in 2020 they put their home in Albury NSW up for rent, left their jobs as a Nurse and a Teacher, packed up their Leader 21ft semi off-road van and hit the road.
Their plan……to live their best life travelling around Australia for two and a half years.
They are having the trip of a lifetime but it hasn’t always been smooth sailing.
They took on the challenge to do Cape York with the van in tow, they made it but unfortunately the caravan step did not.
There was the small issue of a worldwide pandemic throwing their plans into disarray but that wasn’t going to stop this family.
When they eventually made it to the top end in 2021 a regional lockdown meant they were locked out of Darwin and couldn’t come to stay at the Five Acre Family garden, but they made the most of every moment and spent a wonderfully quiet week in Litchfield National Park (there are definitely perks to a regional lockdown!) In 2022 they travelled to the top end once more and we finally got to meet this wonderful family
Even with a few bumps and scratches along the way the family feel pretty fortunate.
They experienced the gorgeous scenery of Tasmania which they say has the best low cost camps in Australia.
To them Cape York was amazing, not just the destination but the adventure along the way, they would even go as far to say the journey there was almost better than the destination.
And of course kids being kids, when they were asked what their favourite place was they said Karumba QLD. The deciding factor? Fish and Chips. That’s right people you heard it here first, Ash’s at the Point Café has the best fish and chips in Australia according to these well travelled little food critics.
Now you don’t spend this long on the road without picking up a few travel hacks along the way.
Wikicamps is the best $8 you’ll ever spend
Screw in pegs, an absolute lifesaver when you encounter coffee rock in the top end.
Every item you pack has to serve two purposes. For example a storage tub could also be used as a kids bath. If it doesn’t have two uses it doesn’t come along for the journey.
It’s crazy to think these guys have been travelling for two years and they still have things left on their bucket list but that is just how big and vast Australia is.
The next bucket list item to tick off is the whole of Western Australia! They have been trying to go there for the last two years but with the hard borders its been a challenge. Finally this year they will cross the border and we’ve got a feeling they’re going to love it.
So what are the pro’s?
They spend so much time together as a family. They have learnt so much about each other and it’s brought them closer together.
And the con’s?
They spend so much time together as a family! Caravans don’t really give you a lot of personal space and that’s why it’s so important to make sure you do things for yourselves as parents, take time away from the kids and split the kids up occasionally.
Now almost at the end of their amazing adventure, this family has no regrets. They told me even on a bad day the travelling lifestyle fills their cups more than they ever could have imagined.
Here’s to the next adventure.