Staying in motels etc. when you should be camping

Hi Alan
Firstly a very Happy New Year and all the best for your trip planning for this years adventure.

Admitting publicly that you stay in Motels - All I can say is you must be getting soft and sun struck from all that desert sun.


Take care.

Cheers

Stephen

No way...

Campfire burning, chatting with a beverage in hand, climbing into bed smelling of campfire, digging a crapper hole in the morning, being the closest thing to the weather without being in it, cooking out in the open, collecting firewood, bathing in the creek or just a "wet-ones" bath........etc etc etc etc...

But if it is your thing then go for it,,,,,, but the answer is NO..............

Happy New Year....

Click Here

Mate, the missus and I spent a couple of nights in a tent a while back, now I know exactly why I bought a caravan. My motel on wheels!

"Too Long in the Bush" ?.

I do love camping, but these days I usually only get to go away for at most a few days at a time. To avoid the PITA of setting up a camp late on Friday evenings etc I must admit that I am inclined to motel it most of the time these days.

However, when traveling around and I pause at beautiful camp sites I do sometimes regret my decision...

Hi1
We only stay in a motel if we have to would rather stay in the caravan any day in the bush preferably any day
Barb

sometimes its cheaper to motel it than rush around with that huge anchor on the back. We go to tassie and leave the camper behind for those few days we spend in a cabin. Different if we were to spend a couple of months.

I know people who could have saved a lot of money when you consider the amount of time they get from their expensive caravan. A lot of caravans rot on the driveway for little or no return. I even wonder sometimes if our camper was worth the few thousand we paid.

Owen

Hi Equinox,

I prefer the solitude of the bush,anyplace where not only dont you see anyone but you dont see signs that humans have ever been there.

No rush, no push n shove, no body caring what you look like, It feels like home to me.

I personally dislike the way society has become fixated on looks and celebrities.

Give me the middle of nowhere anyday.

Cheers Wilko

Motels are awful. You are stuck in one room that contains all your living requirements with one notable exception - you can't cook! For this reason I avoid them if I can and if I don't want to put my tent up a cabin in a van park will usually suffice.

What's really good about van parks is their communal cooking areas where you get to meet fellow travelers like yourself. If there is a campfire going (or you're allowed to make set up one on site) then that is even better. A pleasant evening sculling a few bevvies while talking to those who've gathered around the fire to join you is (to quote a credit card ad) priceless! This is the essence of camping.

We used to prefer self contained cabins in van parks, more room and usually cheaper. we did the sums and for 4 weeks leave a year they were far cheaper than a tow camper of any kind.

Now we have time we are looking forward to a caravan and some long trips on the road ( and off the road :-)

Hi equinox,
Don't think we'll ever stay any where else other than free camp or in a C/park.
Our Swan does the job. A stay at a mates place, a couple of nights on a river bank somewhere, or at the out laws, within 15 minutes our home is setup.
We love it.
I can also understand that every now & then it is nice to have those creature comforts. I guess it depends on, whats on offer, ;) and at what price LOL

Well, I like it both ways (no, not that ye of foul mind).

We like to do two weeks of each year in a Resort/Hotel style of place, typically in Bali or Phuket. Eating out every meal, having our laundry done, someone to clean our room and change our lined etc.

But the rest of the year we love to get bush in our basic Camper Trailer, wash in a bucket of hot water, cut wood etc.

Our two week trip trip to Bali this year ended 28/11 and our three night bush trip ended today. Both magnificent.

Jim.

We love our caravan, can pull up anywhere any time for that cuppa or nanna nap, camp in the bush and wake up to the sounds of the Australian countryside, we also enjoy the tent as it takes us to places that we can't go with the van, having said that it is also nice to know that the motels, cabins etc. are there if you need/ want a little luxury once in a while.
If this was a vote our caravan would run out a a winner by a long length, you have it all at your fingertips, can pull up, set it up and be relaxing inside after about 10 minutes (if that long), but it's probably right to say that it probably isn't much cheaper in the long run than moteling it when you add towing costs etc. but hey it's only money.

Cheers

Deanna

I'm with you Alan, I lived in a Motel for 4 months in Kalgoorlie in the early 90.. LOL.

Two years ago when we did the AB and came back the Trans line we payed $140.00 per night to stay in one of the old Met houses... It was fun hot showers TV only if you watched the same as the managers or DVDs cool,

We even took a free house at Cook the night before, better than sleeping on the ground (and it rained that night).

HNY

Richard

I absolutely HATE motels, hotels etc.

Can't sleep. Nasty dry heat. Someone else's bed... slept in by many others.
You have to carry in your gear and pack up in the morning.
And then you have to pay for the unpleasant experience.

Okay.. air-con is nice if you have a hot night.... but usually under canvas/mosquito net, it's a lovely night.

Nah... not interested.

Hi Alan,

You must be getting soft; next you'll want to take a porta potti and even a chandelier for your camp.

Sorry I avoid hotels/motels/onsite vans like the plague. Too many restrictions and you can't light a campfire in the middle of the room.

Sometimes I have thought of taking a few jars of desert sand home to throw into the bed so it would feel like the bush !!!

cheers

Phil

I have enjoyed camping for the best part of 40 years, the last 17 years I have been camping with and looking after groups of up to 20 people for as many as 6 days a week.

So when I am on holiday and we generally go camping, if there comes a day that has been long etc, if we come across a motel and someone else cooks me dinner and does the dishes, well one night every now and again doesn't hurt, If any thinks thats soft then to bad.

Cheers Steve.

If you work out how many $$$$ spent on 4x4 vehicles , camping gear ,camper trailer or caravan ect ect over the years ,throw in a 6 mth 23,000 klm trip like we did in 08 and the figures become frightening , recon could stay at any 5 star resort in Australia for 4 weeks a year for the same $$$$$$$$$$$$

You Towny Aussies must be getting soft.
I guess you only drive on the the sealed roads as well.
LOL ::--))