What is travelling in Australia these days ???
Submitted: Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 12:41
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OzTroopy
Is it just the challenge of doing the
miles ?
Is it getting to
places just take a bunch of happy snaps for the album or a website ?
Is it a vanity issue .... eg ... Ive been there & you havent ?
Or is it an opportunity to see country that has been seen by many in the past ... and ponder how they lived and managed ?
I enjoy nothing better than standing, looking at examples of cordoruyed roads and imagining a bullock team with the wagon up to its axles in mud ... admiring a
rock overhang daubed in
rock art ... or an abandoned
homestead / mining
camp with remnants of the previous occupants and considering the difficulties of raising a family, providing meals, eking out an a living etc .....
Puts a bit of "gutz" into all those good books and articles one can read.
Something I have noticed on travels though .... is the consistency in "traditional" aboriginal lifestyle in regard to shelter requirements.
Anybody ever imagined the examples of the public housing/shantys with the walls and windows smashed out and the heating/cooking fire burning through the floorboards or on a concrete slab ... in another context ???
Give whats left of the building a coating of adobe/plaster ... and you have a
rock overhang ............. Pondered too hard one day and even wondered if that age old, open air lifestyle, has something to do with "deaths in custody" ... and what part claustrophobia plays ?
Sooooo .... Why do all you lot travel ... for the frequent flyer points .... or the pure enjoyment of it ... with a bit of learning tossed in ????
Reply By: Mad Cowz (VIC) - Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 12:58
Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 12:58
for the fun of travel
to see new
places
to talk and hear the stories from fellow travellers
to learn something new
to teach the kids something new
to get away from the business
to see family
out trips fall into 2 categories, going somewhere with the extended family and just chillin out
or going somewhere for a new experience, Hawaii, Japan,
Innamincka, Dalhousie,
White Cliffs.
The kids always look back fondly on our trip either side of and including the 2008
innamincka gathering, some parts of what they have learned have come back when they go to school, especially some history and
geography.
Mad Cowz
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Follow Up By: OzTroopy - Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 15:07
Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 15:07
Good onya Mad Cowz,
Out and about ... and opening the kids eyes ....
Hawaii & Japan ??? do I detect a hint of frequent flyer points there ....
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Reply By: Member - DAZA (QLD) - Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 13:11
Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 13:11
G/Day O/Troopy
We like to travel to different
places, talk to like minded people, we haven't seen every thing as yet, but the
Cook and I are hellbent on seeing most of it before we fall off the perch, as for the Public Housing ect, I have seen alot of that and repaired alot of it, makes me wonder some times.
Cheers
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Follow Up By: OzTroopy - Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 15:09
Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 15:09
Big job ... getting around seeing it all.
Keep at it ...
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Reply By: Alloy c/t - Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 13:19
Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 13:19
We travel because we can , somewhere way back in the family tree there must have been a Romanov Gypsie that instilled the wonderlust into the gene pool.
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Follow Up By: OzTroopy - Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 15:35
Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 15:35
Keep up the family tradition then ... Its not such a bad lifestyle
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Reply By: Member - Royce- Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 14:14
Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 14:14
All of the above....
I travel and earn along the way.... but there is something hypnotic about it.
I've got an inquiry from
Darwin for June.... not financially viable, but I'm certainly thinking of doing the trip anyway.
I usually do a big loop of some sort around Oz every four or five years. Last year I realized that I don't have too many of those blocks left in my life. I think I might do one every year now!
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Follow Up By: OzTroopy - Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 15:42
Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 15:42
Funny how when you're
young .... you have forever to do everything ....
And then one day reality sneaks up on ya .... and its play catchup time.
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Reply By: Jude&theboys - Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 14:37
Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 14:37
I travel to see the country - its a big place and there is so much I have yet to see. I also travel to ease the itchy feet - we moved a fair bit as kids and I have never been one place as long as I have now, I'm used to moving around but can't as the kids and their dad deserve to stay close so they can maintain a relationship so for now here I am...and whenever it gets too much staying in one place we pack the tent in the car and head out, or book a cheap winter cabin - some of our best holidays have been spur of the moment winter weekends away!
Also it is about time away with the boys - somehow we are all more relaxed and enjoy just being with each other when we are away from
home!
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Follow Up By: OzTroopy - Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 15:45
Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 15:45
Too many plans ... means more to go wrong or not meet expectations ... for me anyway.
Keep the gear sorted and handy .... and go when you feel like it.
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Reply By: Motherhen - Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 14:54
Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 14:54
For me, nothing beats camping under a
bright starlit sky without anyone else in cooee. The ability to have a different view from your window each day, and to see the huge variety of land here in Australia. This interests us far more than overseas travel, with crowded airports and noisy hotels. I love seeing the outback and learning about how it used to be in the pioneering days. I love seeing gorges, rocks and waterfalls, and swimming in cooling fresh flowing waters (crocodile safe
places only of course). I love having no constraints or deadlines that our modern jobs push onto us. To be able to drive down a road, decide to take a turn, and stop when we like the place is so relaxing. I love meeting other adventurous travellers and hearing their travel tales. So long as it is not in a city or a large town, it is all good.
Motherhen
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Follow Up By: OzTroopy - Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 16:03
Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 16:03
Yep ... Its an easy choice comparing the two ....
or .....
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Follow Up By: Member - Royce- Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 20:09
Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 20:09
Even a large city or town can be an experience..... good to escape tho..
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Reply By: Member - Damien L (Cairns) - Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 15:54
Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 15:54
For me it is mostly the History of the
places I go. I have been to lot of Historic
places in FNQ. I get as much information as I can before I go. I have been to
Maytown 8 times and still amazes me how the people coped with the country with just horses and bullock drays. Also how they got all the machinery to the mines there from
Cooktown.
I have been to most of the mine sites, (Coal, Wolfram, Tin, Copper, Gold etc)
I still love going to these
places and spend a week just walking around the old sites.
Damien.
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Follow Up By: OzTroopy - Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 16:05
Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 16:05
Emmaville / Torrington would be of interest to you then - if you get lost and end up in NSW ... LOL
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Reply By: Top Ender - Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 16:15
Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 16:15
We travel at every chance, the biggest part of our travels is to learn, you here the stories, read the books, then when you actually get there it puts a face to a name so to speak.
My
young fella is lucky he has traveled some where every year of his life (he is nearly 8) he speaks 2 languages and is learning kunwinjku from his mates at school, in fact he has a great grasp on many cultures both here and abroad.
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Follow Up By: OzTroopy - Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 17:43
Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 17:43
The outdoors makes a great classroom and its sounds like you have a junior marco polo in the making ...
Learning the "local" language is part of/a result of ... the programme being run up there ???
Seems to be too much infighting down this way for worthwhile programmes like that to get undertaken.
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Reply By: Member - John D, Wandong (Vic) - Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 16:40
Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 16:40
When I was a youngster my 1st job was in the woolstores at
Portland, to gain experience they sent you out to shearing sheds, I would start in the Riverina and work my way down through Vic. Did this for 4 years (had the best time of my life), that basically sowed the seed for travel.
Then I met a girl from Melb. and that was the end of my travel plans for the next 35 years, then in 2007 we did a 10,000 km trip through the centre, WA etc and that turned out to be the biggest eye opener of our lives, seeing the outback and it's beauty, the clear night sky out in the middle of nowhere, all the different people we met, the magnificent scenery etc etc.
We are heading off again in July and will spend two weeks doing the GRR.
Can't wait!!
Cheers, John
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Follow Up By: OzTroopy - Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 17:57
Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 17:57
woo hoo ... a marital success story ....
FINALLY ... she came round to YOUR way of thinking ....
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Reply By: Wilko - Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 17:27
Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 17:27
Hi Oztroopy,
I travel to see this wonderful place we call home. To learn more about or history both recent (<200years) and aboriginal history.
Your thoughts on the shelter are interesting. I've seen similiar with a abo mate .
He loves a open fire at home and if he doesnt get out of the house everyday he starts getting edgy, almost like a druggo need a fix.
Hes a good bloke but if he was ever to be locked up he prob couldnt handle it either.
Cheers Wilko
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Follow Up By: OzTroopy - Tuesday, Mar 02, 2010 at 08:06
Tuesday, Mar 02, 2010 at 08:06
G'Day Wilko
Were just thoughts .... put together after getting around a bit ..
Might make a good thread topic one day ?
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Reply By: Ken S - Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 19:55
Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 19:55
It is about enjoying life , travelling does it for me , cant take to the club scene , pokies , and so on . Only here for a limited time , life is what you make it !
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Follow Up By: OzTroopy - Tuesday, Mar 02, 2010 at 08:33
Tuesday, Mar 02, 2010 at 08:33
With the random, litre price numbers that change daily on a fuel bowser ... they only need the right hand side lever retro fitted - to be a pretend pokie machine ... Best of both worlds then ??? ...
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Reply By: Member - Royce- Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 20:10
Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 20:10
Ah... nice conversations like this.... maybe I should keep paying my dues.. membership...
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Follow Up By: OzTroopy - Tuesday, Mar 02, 2010 at 08:36
Tuesday, Mar 02, 2010 at 08:36
decisions ... decisions ... eh Royce ... LOL
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Reply By: Member - Dave and Shaz - Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 20:15
Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 20:15
It's what life is all about
New experiences, opening the mind
Meeting great new people and hearing their stories
Finding amazing
places you would never have seen in your lifetime
Life is like a book
If you stay in one place, you just read the same page over and over
If you get out there and travel
You read the whole book, cover to cover!
Like my Dad says:
"Once you get a taste of freedom, it's very hard to give up"
Which probably is a good comment for our PIB's (Proud Indigenous Brothers). Can you imagine a heritage of freedom and wandering this great land for 40,000+ years and then having that taken away from you and bending to the white man's law? A very difficult thing to comprehend
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Follow Up By: OzTroopy - Tuesday, Mar 02, 2010 at 08:59
Tuesday, Mar 02, 2010 at 08:59
Even better when each trip is a book ... and you end up with a library ....
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Reply By: petengail - Tuesday, Mar 02, 2010 at 07:00
Tuesday, Mar 02, 2010 at 07:00
me? ah i guess i just like burning expensive diesel... lol
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Follow Up By: OzTroopy - Tuesday, Mar 02, 2010 at 08:39
Tuesday, Mar 02, 2010 at 08:39
You better hope the global warming thread mob dont see your post ....
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Reply By: Member - Beatit (QLD) - Tuesday, Mar 02, 2010 at 09:37
Tuesday, Mar 02, 2010 at 09:37
Hi OzTroopy,
Good question! Made me reflect a little as I have always had the travel bug to see more of Oz. One of my earliest influences was seeing a grey nomad in the 1970's and having a chat to him opened my eyes to the quality of his lifestyle - he talked a lot about the things mentioned by other posters. It seemed like a great goal for my sunset years! Now after 35 years of working for the man I am ready to collect on my dream. The dream has had a few modifications over the years as I needed to convince the bride and i also had to have a sense of purpose so as to make the travel not be an end in itself but also a means.
I have many outdoor interests that will get a serious dust off when we hit the road. Some like fishing I've tried to keep a line in the water so to speak and others like hunting and fossicking I am redeveloping after many years of absence.
I think I am a bit of a dreamer so can happily watch the grass grow or enjoy the scenery by casting my mind back how it might have been. There is just so much to appreciate about the next trip, wherever that might be so I feel like it needs to be a bit of hurry to get started. Having been driven by timetables and the clock all my life I feel that I do want to throw away those shackles. All the time remmbering that life is too short and loosing some friends makes you realise this like nothing else.
Kind regards
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Reply By: Tonyfish#58 - Tuesday, Mar 02, 2010 at 21:07
Tuesday, Mar 02, 2010 at 21:07
Oz Troopy - These days to me is the same as those past days - I just want to see and fish more of this country - I was lucky as a
young lad and did a lot of travel with my jobs and still do.
I do not tire of driving as there is always something to see and when you are on those vast plains its the vast lack of sights that is something to see :-)
These days it may be a bit different, its a bit more about getting more remote to
places less traveled. We like doing those tracks that have had little sign of life.
One thing is for sure there are many
places in
Australia that you could call paradise.
Cheers Tony
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