The Great
Plan
The
Idea:
The idea came from my initial boating
days, and the desire to increase the good times we had experienced on different
holidays. How else can you relax with all the modern conveniences and not go home
when everyone else does without going broke. A Caravan was our first
thought, and we even got so far as buying one, but you know the "Round To
It" well we just never got there. For a whole bunch of boring reasons we
changed idea's to a coach. At the end of the day the cost is about the same as
your BMW or the wife's shopping trolley with the bull bars and big wheels. We
spent about 50% on the initial purchase then the other 50% on fitting it out.
We figured we could use it on weekends,
and holidays and it wouldn't take long to pay for itself. Then the big
plan was to go around OZ spend about 12 months doing it relaxing and enjoying
life moving closer to the Sand Geologists desires.
Timing was always a problem, and it was
shaping up to be another "Round To It" By the way if you don't know
what a "Round To It" is ask your wife, don't bother with the girl
friend she doesn't know you wont get round to it yet.
The building commenced and took about 12
months to get it to a stage where we could have a test run, and iron out the
bugs, make sure we didn't kill each other, or roll over to many Volvo's. Apart
from a few leaks, tree's falling on us, a small fire, and a red light camera
ticket everything went well. The bugs nearly carried us of on a latter test run
and sub squint holiday but they only seem to like the female sex, so I guess
they are all frustrated males or dirty old men. Anyway a few more changes were
required as part and parcel of getting ready.
We also used the trial runs to calculate
the costs of fuel, how long a full freezer and fridge would last, and how
1000 litres of water would go. Fortunately unlike most of you lot we both had
an appreciation on the use of resources such as power and water. So two
of us can last about 8-10 weeks before we start running out of things, probably
water and food first then gas. So if you see a couple on the side of the road
with a bus and they look very happy and pissed, that probably means we ran out
of water, and moved to alcohol.
The budget is
always hard, fuel is relatively simple, it basically
20,000km x the cost per kilometre. Being an expert Project Manager who
has never gone over budget always been on time its simple. Ya just do a
project plan, and an estimate, god I still cant get away from it, I really need
this trip. Eventually we figured out what goes into the gourmet meals which
Tania prepares ( that should get me some good brownie points) and then
extrapolated from there. We approached Cambels Cash and Carry and can now buy 1
years worth of non perishable type food. Given Tania and I were both born with
chimney's and drip feed attachment for alcohol, this of course doubled the
budget, and then some. So I think we might give up eating.
I could go on and on here about the
planning, but I fear you would probably go to sleep at your desk, and its
definitely not as interesting as that x rated web site you came from. But if
your interested have a look here: Preparation
If you are planning any sort of trip this site is well worth looking at Australian Caravan
Touring.
Not being related to the Packers or Bill
Gates of the world or a politician is a definite draw back the thought of no
income for a year, and a mortgage is as a big an emotional hurdle as it is
financial. Tania has enjoyed her job, and without sucking up, her employer has
been extremely good and my position as a contractor has also been favourable.
Then there is the friends you make and so it goes on. But as a number of
insignificant nameless people have begun to refer to me as "Grandpa"
I figured it better be now. Thus Tania has managed to secure 12 months
leave without pay, and for me a break in my contracting.