Needing friends

Submitted: Thursday, Jan 20, 2022 at 07:16
ThreadID: 143124 Views:6449 Replies:7 FollowUps:19
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Ok, so 4 children later my wife and I have realised that whilst we have dedicated the last 18 years to the children we now have no social life :) Compounding this problem is the children (13 to 18) are getting tired of just being with mum & dad and holidays are getting harder.

We'd love to meet and go away with other families with similar aged children.

We are in Vic so please respond if this strikes a chord with anyone!
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Reply By: Member - wicket - Thursday, Jan 20, 2022 at 11:31

Thursday, Jan 20, 2022 at 11:31
Might be worth investigating joining a caravan club, some info here… http://www.tpsp.com.au/caravan-clubs/vic.php
AnswerID: 639166

Follow Up By: mchenry - Thursday, Jan 20, 2022 at 11:34

Thursday, Jan 20, 2022 at 11:34
Tents & swags here... no caravan :)
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Reply By: Member - PhilD_NT - Thursday, Jan 20, 2022 at 11:58

Thursday, Jan 20, 2022 at 11:58
We have a van but don't travel with friends but do make some along the way. Some even show up in same locations further on in trips. Rarely have trouble starting up conversations at campsites.

Most cases where we don't talk to someone it's because of the huge location and separation but sometimes people are just there for the night and move on without leaving their car & van or inside their motorhome.

We do know someone who started a half lap with friends but it fell apart as they had differences in who wanted to see what and when. They only got halfway together.

AnswerID: 639167

Follow Up By: Member - shane r1 - Friday, Jan 21, 2022 at 19:32

Friday, Jan 21, 2022 at 19:32
That last paragraph reminds me of a mate’s comment on getting home from a 3 month trip up north with his wife and another couple . And he’d just did 1500 klm in one hit from Alice.
He said “ there were 3 to many people on the trip”
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Follow Up By: mchenry - Monday, Jan 24, 2022 at 10:07

Monday, Jan 24, 2022 at 10:07
"3 to many people on the trip"

lol, yup, I get that.
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Follow Up By: RMD - Monday, Jan 24, 2022 at 18:23

Monday, Jan 24, 2022 at 18:23
I have also pulled the plug and returned home on two occasions from central Oz. Over 2000km in basically one go. Lots of coffee. Not smart, but I don't have the trip destroying problem anymore. Far more pleasant travelling since. Quite enjoyable!
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Reply By: ExplorOz Team - Michelle - Thursday, Jan 20, 2022 at 14:14

Thursday, Jan 20, 2022 at 14:14
One of the features of ExplorOz Membership (ie. you need to upgrade your free account to a Member account) is the ability to post a proposed trip plan in the Member's section seeking companions. (Go to the Members menu - select Trips & Gatherings). Only Members can create a new trip. You simply state where you'd like to go and when and invite others to join you. People can then register to your trip (free) and you can then communicate with them privately (using the Member Messaging service we provide). This enables Member to Member communication without anyone else seeing the conversation (unlike the Forum) and protects you from sharing personal information such as phone or email contacts until you would like to, and then if you do, you send it via the Member Message so that it is not publicised.
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Reply By: AlbyNSW - Thursday, Jan 20, 2022 at 14:26

Thursday, Jan 20, 2022 at 14:26
You can post a trip up here , join a local 4WD club for their social events or a tag along tour is another good way of meeting like minded people.

We have got to a stage where we prefer time on our own now.
AnswerID: 639170

Follow Up By: mchenry - Monday, Jan 24, 2022 at 10:09

Monday, Jan 24, 2022 at 10:09
My wife and I quite enjoy time on our own too however I am trying to explore ways of keeping the children engaged as they get older.

This post was a bit of an experiment to see if others were thinking the same, maybe not :)
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Reply By: Idler Chris - Thursday, Jan 20, 2022 at 16:30

Thursday, Jan 20, 2022 at 16:30
Check out the Idlers 4wd Club. This club was set up for people exactly like you.
https://www.idlers4wdclub.org.au/

Chris
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Follow Up By: mchenry - Thursday, Jan 20, 2022 at 18:40

Thursday, Jan 20, 2022 at 18:40
"The Idlers 4WD Club caters for the retired and semi-retired, operating mainly in off-peak periods."

Dude, I'm not even 50!
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Follow Up By: Michael H9 - Thursday, Jan 20, 2022 at 18:50

Thursday, Jan 20, 2022 at 18:50
Chris, how dare you, he's not even 50!
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Follow Up By: RMD - Thursday, Jan 20, 2022 at 19:55

Thursday, Jan 20, 2022 at 19:55
DUDE eh? How disrespectful. Who cares if you are green behind the ears. Most will accept you for who you are and work with you. You might learn along with your family. People here have a vast experiences to reveal. Don't cut yourseIf out of learning. I can talk to younger than myself quite ok. People are giving some advice you asked for. Graciously accept those offerings if they suit you!
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Follow Up By: Slopokin - Friday, Jan 21, 2022 at 10:40

Friday, Jan 21, 2022 at 10:40
Maybe that is why he has no friends who want to travel with him.
A little politeness goes a long way.
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Follow Up By: mchenry - Friday, Jan 21, 2022 at 15:02

Friday, Jan 21, 2022 at 15:02
"We'd love to meet and go away with other families with similar aged children."

The children don't want to hang out with a bunch of retirees. Helps if you read the original post.
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Follow Up By: RMD - Friday, Jan 21, 2022 at 19:37

Friday, Jan 21, 2022 at 19:37
McHenry.
You might find your children will learn an incredible amount if they mixed with and talked to older people. Possibly something they have rarely done and mostly talked to the uneducated ,inexperienced peers who have had their brains washed by the education system. I drove interstate coaches for a time and took schools from big cities to central Australia. They learnt heaps from people older than themselves. It is called widening your horizons. If they don't, they remain fairly ignorant of the outside world.
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Follow Up By: mchenry - Friday, Jan 21, 2022 at 22:14

Friday, Jan 21, 2022 at 22:14
lol, my point precisely. No child, or anyone else for that matter, wants to sit around and listen to such nonsense, even my brain struggled with reading that.

Children want to have fun, run splash laugh etc, not listen to lectures about how much better the education system was in your day.

To incorrectly assume that children, who want to holiday with other children, means they do not already have broad horizons indicates you may need to broaden yours!
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Follow Up By: RMD - Friday, Jan 21, 2022 at 23:46

Friday, Jan 21, 2022 at 23:46
mchenry
Who said anything about sitting around listening to lectures, a weird point of view, get out and do things. If your brain struggles reading simple explanations, then I feel there isn't anyone here who can help you.
You need a fun park I think, then when ready, a preparedness to see Australia. Unfortunately you will meet people, some folk of unsuitable age to talk to though. Run, fun and splash can be done at any swimming pool or lake!
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Follow Up By: ModSquad - Saturday, Jan 22, 2022 at 00:01

Saturday, Jan 22, 2022 at 00:01
Crikey, how did a humourous little exchange like

end up going off the rails so quickly?

For heaven's sake, there's a family with teenage kids wanting to find a similar family with similar travel interests. Can we not just accept that and work with it, rather than sniping, preaching and maybe driving the OP away?
Moderation is just rules

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Follow Up By: .... - Saturday, Jan 22, 2022 at 08:30

Saturday, Jan 22, 2022 at 08:30
Crikey, Mods, you're not wrong, unfortunately it seems the way on EO these days...

Baz - The Landy
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Reply By: Member - Stu308 - Sunday, Jan 23, 2022 at 19:04

Sunday, Jan 23, 2022 at 19:04
G'day,

We've got 4 kids as well, ages 2, 8, 9 and 16. They love making new friends when out and about travelling.

Send me an email to stu308@outlook.com, I'm sure we could organise something.
AnswerID: 639225

Follow Up By: mchenry - Monday, Jan 24, 2022 at 10:04

Monday, Jan 24, 2022 at 10:04
Hey Stu, thanks for the reply, appreciate it!

I'll shoot you an email.
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Follow Up By: MUZBRY- Life member(Vic) - Monday, Jan 24, 2022 at 13:11

Monday, Jan 24, 2022 at 13:11
Gday
I have three kids for sale if you are interested...51...49...47... going cheep
Muzbry
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Follow Up By: mchenry - Monday, Jan 24, 2022 at 14:02

Monday, Jan 24, 2022 at 14:02
dad, is that you?
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Follow Up By: Frank P (NSW) - Monday, Jan 24, 2022 at 16:06

Monday, Jan 24, 2022 at 16:06
^^^^^
Gold!!! Absolute gold :-)
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Reply By: MUZBRY- Life member(Vic) - Tuesday, Jan 25, 2022 at 13:01

Tuesday, Jan 25, 2022 at 13:01
Gday McHenry
Come to a coffee club meeting some time , there are some very experienced chaps there to gather information from, like what to take, where to camp, near and far, and anything else you might think of .
Muzbry
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