first time
never done this before but just wanted to chat to people who like travelling and like talking about it, well thats about it for this my first time
The Woolshed-shearing shed brings back memories We drove our flock of sheep there every year. They were shorn and dipped all at the same time. It was not an easy job hearding a flock of sheep 3 miles down the road and an old black ewe who knew the way there and back along with my uncle and aunt and 2 sheep dogs with me bringing up the rear. Some good memories and some not quite so good.
Sounds a good idea doing the trip Jesse as 40 years since I saw the Edwards.
If you don't mind Zapot and jessey, I'd like to butt in to say picturesque that area is. The sort of place you'd like to stay how it is but not become a tourist trap. Moulamein is a very old town. I must hitch the caravan up and wander back that way. Where have the years gone since the last visit?
Zapot, you should get those memories recorded at least electronically. Very valuable oral memories they are for future generations. I spent a lot of time on hand operated cream separators, on making butter and the other fundamentals of farm life. In the Nanny State would a child ever use a chaff cutter? I did and performed a lot of other valuable work for the family as well when my age was in single numbers. You would have had to pitch in too.
Cadi a friend of mine has travelled extensively . He is a passionate off the track traveller and has been to most of the places you mentioned. He said the BEST trip he has done by far was the Galapagos Islands.
all you Aussies travel Australia and help the small aussies companies,we have wonderful places to visit
Not all councils are welcoming to caravanners for example. The short-sighted accommodation owners can't see that trade brings other tourists. Caravanners and free campers buy food, fuel and other products, as well as spending on local entertainment.
A smart council adds free camps and roadside stops with clean basic facilities. These are not wasteful overheads.
Keep it coming you guys I am loving all the info re travelling which I can't do! Love reading about your adventures--better than a book!!
I had a wonderful trip to the States, a few years ago. I flew to San Francisco then drove a series of "drive away" up over the mountains & down to Reno, then all the way across to DC, then back to San Fran. I spent every night at bars in little towns listening to Country Western music & drinking beer. Half the nights, I slept it off in the car & never got around to booking into a motel. The people were extremely friendly & it turned out to be one of the best trips I have ever done. I have had some great adventures, particularly sailing around the Pacific, but my trip across the States was probably my most enjoyable holiday.
It is good you say that because so many people bad mouth Americans and in my experience they are really warm wecoming and friendly. It sounds like a great trip, I did an insight and trafalgar trip earlies in the year but am going to go back to the more adventure kind myself. hoping to go to Machu pitchu next year.
innes, did you ever drive down Lombard Street in San Francisco ? A friend took me there a few years ago. It is dubbed the world's crookedest street. Expensive neighborhood though. Tis a tourist attraction on it's own.
Sorry fwed, I don't remember that one. I did have a couple of rides on the cable tram & some meals at Fishermans Wharf, which rival Hobart's waterfront eateries. I must admit that I was always passing through & missed visiting Alcatraz as well as not having time to see The giant redwoods at Muirs Woods. I did have the pleasure of getting into trouble for stating that the Golden Gate was no more spectacular than the Sydney Harbour Bridge & that I thought that Frisco Bay did not even come close to Sydney Harbour. I am off again, the day after tomorrow to China, but unfortunately I will only be in Shanghai, Nanjing & Hunan.
Hi Cadi
Just came across this thread and wondering if you have made it to Peru yet? I was fortunate enough to do Bueones Ares, Iguassu Falls (border of Brazil), and many wonderful spots in Peru in 1999. Fortunate because since then I've had a knee replacement and spinal fusion and not sure I'd cope with the rigours of that trip again - but it was definitely one of my top trips ever. Followed closely. in MY trip/adventure ratings, by Kenya/Tanzania safaris in 2006.
Loved the Peruvian people in particular and the diversity of their cultures: from the desert indians in the south of Lima; really ancient jungle tribes to the north; and of course the wonderful Incan heritage from Cuzco to Machu Picchu. Just don't overdo it if you have any sort of cold - I'd had a great dunking at Iguazu but with the altitudes in Peru it became bronchial and I couldn't do the one day trek into Machu Picchu that I'd planned. Not to worry - my guide gave me full value with her wonderful cultural knowledge and perservance & patience with me. Loved every moment of that trip. Would love to go bacjk to Peru and volunteer at a school or such, but not enturely confidant of my back dependant on type of lodgings - and I'm on age pension now so don't feel I can upgrade much.
Would love to read more of your plans :)
Interesting reading about where people love to travel. Not much activity reported this year so far, but guess bookings have been made. I'm a little ashamed to report that my travel has been mainly overseas - the "grass is always greener" syndrome? (especially in Ireland!) Although beautiful Tassie gives Ireland & green New Zealand quite a run for the money.
I would love to have used the "insert image" option, but it wanted URL & not able to upload from my computer.
Yes I have found that we have it all here in Aussie--
We do our travelling in Aus, we haven't really had the desire to travel over seas, we just love the Aussie bush, and there is so much to see out there, you can spend years going around our country and still not see it all.
We have been to Indonesia and Singapore but that was too far from home for me :) :), that's not to say there is nothing to see in other countries but I'm happy to see it on the tv at this stage. Maybe if one day we have seen enough of Aus then we will broaden our horizens. Just what we like, every body is different. :) :) :)
It's nice to hear you say those good things about Australia, Deanna. The happiest times of my childhood were spent with my parents' caravan travelling up & down, mainly between fishing spots, along the east coast. The Snowy Mountains was also a favourite Easter holiday destination & I have even been driven right to the top of Mt Kosciusko. Instead of asking "are we there yet?" I learnt to be very observant of places we were passing through, gobbling up information that was available & thus starting my love of history & geography.
But I'm so glad that the world, and Australia itself, has plenty of room for us all to travel where we like. Imagine if we were all visiting the same place & trying to take photos of the beautiful scenery among crowds of people!
I like cruising the Great River Murray I have travelled the full length of the Murray in stages right thru to and in to the Coorong ,I think a trip everyone should do and see how many pumps there are along the river to fruit blocks ,mainly along the Victorian side,by cruising the river you see it as it is not a peep here and there,and you see that the river needs to be desnagged,oh but ter Greenies say NO.
Last September I did the four river cruise going on the Edwards,Wakool,Murray and the Murrumbidgee rivers and saw the state of these rivers that all badly need desnagging the water won't be able to flow in the water course and all the water will flow over the flood plains instead and will not connect with the Murray
Jessej - thank you for sharing. I had thought that the waters were too low these days for that, but now I know. Sad about the state of the rivers left by the wishes of people who do not even live in the area. I'd love to do the four rivers that you wrote about - it's gone on to my travel bucket list. I've done three Europe River cruises & enjoyed the scenery, history & geography lessons very much. But the Murray is a lot closer to home than the 21 hours flight to Europe, and would be a lot different to what is seen in Europe.
jessej, I have a very soft spot for the Murray, my Dad grew up near Loxton and my Granparents retired in a lovely home right on the bank of the Murray in Loxton, the river back in those days was absolutely beautiful, the trees and bird life was wonderful, last time we went over there I was so dissapointed at how low the river had become and to think that a caravan park had been built where I remember water being was unbelievable, the trees were no longer lush and green, I was devastated but am glad now to hear that at least the water is flowing down there a bit better now. Oh and the Murray cod and Bream that we use to catch were the best fish I've ever tasted. I was only a kid at the time but I do remember it.
Zapot if you could see how the Edwards river is full of snags it would be to dangerous to swim in now if the Greenies and their tree hugging mates would let the NSW Government clear the river then it would be ok,we had trouble getting thru in parts the boat is a 30 foot long weighs about 4 tons and draws 18 inches of water,Moulamein is still a small township,we had lunch at the big old woolshed on the river just out of the town where we left from,but just to be away from everything is great,Zapot you should try this trip sometime