CAMPSITE # 38 - Trailer Park Trash & The MCG

Britney Spears eat your heart out. Amy Mackay experienced real life trailer trash with her very own eyes and ears. I now need to add another bulletpoint onto the running tally as Hobson Bay Caravan Park has now been named the trashiest park we have stayed in. Tom just kept reminding me of the fact that it was only $20 a night, 20 minutes to the city and pretty much the only thing available during this time of year which, of course, I continued to agree with but nonetheless, didn't mean I had to hold back on bagging it out and Americanising absolutely everything.

After one night in a location very far from paradise, we packed up camp in the hope that we may find something else even the slightest bit better. After spending probably in excess of $20 on telephone calls phoning all of Melbourne, we finally found the only alternative within a 100km radius of Melbourne, we drove over an hour out of town and to arrive at, the one thing about caravan parks we dread the most, a "NO PARK..."

...we gave up and decided to return to the slums. I'm quite certain that the unpowered sites are illegal sites and given an emergency situation, the park manager would be up the creek without a paddle because the entire unpowered tent area was smaller than two classrooms and they had about 15 tents practically on top of each other, we had to camp right in the walkway between the entrance to the amenities and the barbecue area but hey, nothing like getting the most dollars for every last piece of spare grass I suppose.
I found watching the faces of the campers turning up to their sites very amusing. Probably very similar to how ours were upon our first viewing. We noticed a large group of two Asian families literally had way too much of a large setup to even bother trying to scramble their way in between the other tents. I mentally wished them luck as I watched one of the fathers anxiously trying to phone other sites in search of an alternative. After a good 15 minutes, they left and I assume they had better luck elsewhere. I just hoped that they weren't as Anti-No-Parks as we are.


The caretaker lived on site and just looked after the influx of late campers arriving after the manager had gone home. Vera, as Tom nicknamed her, was... hmmm how can I put this without sounding like an evil witch... Vera was a little different and somewhat socially challenged. 

After we had finished our gourmet hamburgers ... a meal to christen our u-beaut new Cobb that we got for Christmas from my Uncle and Aunty, Tom and I sat to enjoy the surroundings. As I don't actually find the noise of freight trains, low flying aeroplanes and heavy metal music exactly enjoyable, I was relieved when Vera was kind enough to provide us with some entertainment.
She came storming through the jungle of tents and marched straight over to a couple of young Japanese guys who had just finished erecting their tents. Our attention drew straight to whatever it was that Vera was ranting and raving about. After a good 10 minutes, Tom and I figured out that she was accusing the Japanese boys of not paying their fees and was threatening to have them forcefully removed from the grounds. Even to a point where she began ripping out the pegs from one of their tents. The poor guys looked so stunned at what was going on and were trying to explain to Vera the Interferer that they knew nothing about what she was claiming. And then the penny dropped, Tom and I put two and two together only to realise she was hunting down the Asian family that entered the grounds and departed very soon after. Vera picked these boys purely because of their race and was absolutely destroying the first night of the next 3 months!!! of their stay at Hobson Park Caravan Park.

The next part of this blog post is extremely difficult for me to write. However, it was nowhere near as bad as the torture I endured during the experience. Melbourne had been overrun by the Poms. Everywhere you looked, there was just red & white taking over the world. The fourth test of the Ashes was in town and so were the English. After day three, the Australian cricket team had been so heavily annihilated by the English that it was blatantly obvious that there would be no "Oi, Oi, Oi's" echoing around the 100,000+ seat stadium at the MCG on day four. Every Australian in town couldn't keep further away from the MCG. Nobody enjoys watching their country be defeated by an inferior team. (oh I bet that comment will cause some uproar!!). 

                                                                                                                       That morning, I woke to the love of my life, who just so happens to be English, begging to go to the MCG. You have to be kidding me!! Not only is it hard enough to come to terms with the fact that for once, the English actually had one up on the Aussies (yet another comment that I'm sure will go down like a led balloon) but he also wanted me to go and watch it amongst 20,000 ranting Englishmen. I figured, I could either go and hold my head in shame all day long or go and be the only Aussie in the entire stadium there to support my boys.
So, off we went to the MCG to be surrounded by some very horse-throated English supporters with sunburn peeling from every inch of exposed skin. And, I must admit, as much as it may have felt like somebody had stabbed a knife into my heart and twisted it, it was quite enjoyable. My hat goes off to the English, particularly the Barmy Army... admittedly that is one thing that I enjoy about going to an English game... they LOVE their singing. In Australia, if a grown man was to suggest to the other 'blokes' at the pub for a group of them to go to the "G" (MCG) to sing some happy go lucky jolly little nursery rhymes at the footy or the cricket... they would probably cut him off from the bar and send him home to the sheila.

The St George's flagging was flying so high that if wasn't such a beautiful day, you would have thought you were in England. The game was over by lunchtime and the English ... retained the ashes. :(

Please note :  these photographs were courtesy of Tom Simpson Photography. They were in no way courtesy of Amy the Australian.

CAMPSITE # 37 - Oh Christmas Tree...

Somehow, just like last year and the years proceeding, Christmas Day just manages to fly on by until it gets to a point where you sit back at the end of the day and realise... the sun set over three and a half hours ago and now you're just left with a giant tree to dismantle, fun new presents to play with and a whole lot of leftovers.

We were both so chuffed to feel so welcomed and comfortable this whole week. And we played all of the traditional Christmas roles as well.. making us both feel right at home...

We erected & decorated the Christmas Tree.
Aunty Cheryl placing the angel on top.

Something tells me Uncle Bruce & his hedge trimmer weren't so keen on the decorations...

I was screaming like a school girl with excitement... an actual real life kitchen to cook in!!

We spent many lazy afternoons around the pool (aka Hayman Island), drinking beers and soaking in the sunshine...

We lined up, alongside the rest of Canberra, at 7am Xmas Eve morning to buy some giant prawns...

And on the BIG day... we enjoyed a champagne breakfast in the sunshine.
Please excuse the tasteless Collingwood hats.

Opening the presents & eating all of the yummy food was of course the boring part.

.

And then, more relaxing around the pool

We even went to the church for the Christmas Eve midnight mass / session / sermon thingo (very technical terminology on my part). Considering it had been exactly twelve months since I last set foot inside a church, nothing had changed. The Christmas crowd that go to the Christmas Eve service are always a funny bunch. None of us ever know any of the actual hymns but when it gets to the likes of Silent Night & Joy to the World the place is practically erupting. I'm surprised I wasn't a pile of ash, up in flames as soon as I walked through the front door considering I struggle to recall the Lords Prayer even after having it drilled into me for twelve years thanks to my super Christian education. I still think it's a lovely tradition to go, I enjoy it mainly to listen to the choir and soak in the atmosphere and it really makes it feel like Christmas. I couldn't help but be amused by the crowd surrounding us, desperately trying to hide their yawning and pretending like they could keep up with the choir. I was particularly amused by the teenage girl two rows in front who was holding her order of service in her right hand and was trying to hide the fact that she was texting with her left hand. At least I knew I was safe, if anyone was going up in flames... she would most certainly be higher on the list than I.

Now that we find ourselves at the end of our one week of 'normal life', we're having to say goodbye. Not just to my very hospitable & accommodating Uncle & Aunty but also to their little luxuries that we've been spoiled enough to have access to over the last week. We must now say goodbye to flushing toilets, hot running water & a real bed and return to squeezing our lives into 10 (or so) square metres by combining our living room, bedroom, kitchen & of course our major form of transportation all into one.

In reflection, I smile at the week just passed. I'm so glad we came and that we were welcomed with open arms. I truly hope Uncle Bruce & Aunty Cheryl can meet up with us somewhere along the trip.. but perhaps I'll suggest that a little further down the track as they could well be very excited to see the tail end of us.

From Canberra, we plan on jetsetting our way down to Melbourne to collect two friends from the airport. Because of this, we have had to do some major renovations to the setup in the Troopie. Tom and I have refurbished the shelving unit and have rolled the backseats down to transform it into a passenger vehicle.

Of course, Charlie deserves a Christmas present too. We scrubbed him and polished him on the outside and Tom gave him a great vacuum inside. We must remember this moment as it won't happen very often - Charlie is spick & span... the cleanest he's been in probably 21 years... lucky little fella.

Would you believe, I think we're both really itching to get back out there and continue the journey. Nothing against Uncool Bruce's company of course but we're now so used to being on the road that I don't think we know how to sit still in one place for so long. And the most exciting part is after Canberra, we leave ACT & NSW behind us and begin our exciting new adventure in a whole new state - Victoria. Victoria, being the home of Melbourne, where we'll spend New Years Eve and where we'll have friends to play with. I think we've exhausted quite a lot of NSW & ACT and we're ready to move on. Move over the blue NSW section in our Camps 5 book (which is looking particularly tattered) and hello Victoria's grey section (soon to be looking particularly tattered).

Two Turtle Doves...

One more sleep until it's the happiest day of the year and I can't wait.

The Christmas Tree has been decorated to the nines with each piece of tinsel and ornament strategically placed. All of the presents are resting under the tree, neatly wrapped in their sparkling colours awaiting their unveiling first thing tomorrow morning. I'm yet to conduct the annual audit of the presents under the tree but no doubt my name is on the majority.

I've been very busy in the kitchen. The Christmas Cake has been baked.. even though the frosted icing was harder work than baking the actual cake!! It's now setting in the fridge, and will be decorated this eve in preparation for its gala event after lunch tomorrow.

Tom & Uncle Bruce have worked their little hearts out in the yard. I love how everyone gets their lawns mowed, pools cleaned & homes immaculate just to enjoy it in pristine condition for that special day. I don't think I've heard so many pieces of outdoor machinery being used in one day than in this neighbourhood... they've been working non stop!!

Tom and I have rummaged through the cupboards of the Troopie in search of our most respectable pieces of clothing (free from the stench of either smoke or fish) for a Christmas eve dinner this evening followed by a visit to the church for a midnight Christmas Eve ceremony.... I better get my vocal chords in tune (if they even know how!!). 

The weather this afternoon was absolutely perfect, what better way to celebrate Christmas Eve than to drink beers under the sun around the pool (also referred to as Hayman Island). It's quite rare for Canberra to actually experience NICE weather particularly over the Christmas period. The sun must have decided to make its way down further south this year as it certainly isn't shining back in Queensland!!! Na na ne nar nar!!

We're both really looking forward to a special day tomorrow. And we'll be thinking of our close family and friends that we won't be able to spend it with. I hope you all have a truly memorable day .

Crank those Christmas Carols on the stereo - cheesy the better!
Forget the diet regime and pig out until you feel so sick from overeating you need to lie down on the carpet of the lounge room floor.
And, most importantly, just remember... it is your duty as a festivities participant to ensure that you always have a glass of your drink of choice in hand at all times throughout the day. (Afternoon siestas excused). 

Yippeeeeeee

THE QUESTIONAIRE

Tom and I thought it would be a nice idea to write out a few questions about the trip so far and then sit down separately and write out our answers. In a few months time, we'll tackle the same questions again and see how they compare...

 What’s the best experience you’ve had so far on the trip?

TOM : The day of walking to get to the top of Kosciusko, a very easy walk really but lots of fun and a great spot of exercise in the great outdoors. 

AMY : Working on my tan!! All of those hours spent lying on the beach under the sun, I feel relaxed just thinking about it.

What’s the one thing you miss the most about your “old life”?

TOM :  MONEY!!! No not really, I miss seeing all of our friends regularly. That’s one of the hardest things about being on the road, feeling like you’re missing out and missing friends.

AMY : Having my family and friends just a short drive away.

 What’s the one thing you miss the least about your “old life”?

TOM : Being rung up late in the afternoon to be told you are needed out on site the next day for two weeks.

AMY : Well duh! That’s easy, working!!

 What’s the one thing you love the most about being on the road?

TOM : The fact that everything that happens while we are on the trip is a product of our input and how we deal with the situations we are faced with, when we have a really good day it is so rewarding to know that our choices have led to it. When we have a bad day, for whatever reason, we can sit back and look at what we did wrong or work out how we are going to tackle the situation to make sure tomorrow is another cracker!

1.  
 AMY : Freedom!! Doing whatever we want to every single day.

In retrospect, what would you have done differently about how you’re setup?

TOM : I would have booked the Troopy in to have a new head gasket fitted while we were both still on a steady income!

AMY : I would have made the shelving unit 2 inches shorter so then we could sit up & not slouch. 

One thing you wish you brought with you but didn’t?

TOM : My brother gave me a small coffee percolator for Christmas two years ago and I left it behind as I thought it would be good to lay off the coffee. In retrospect I think that a good coffee every now and again would be a real treat and I wish I still had Bill’s gift with me.

AMY : 16 bottles of Absolut Vanilla Vodka.

If you could chose one person in the whole world to join you on the trip for one week, who would you choose?

TOM : My Dad

1.   
 AMY : As I don’t believe in favouritism, I would chose my two nephews as they are both so small two of them would make up for one big person. LOL no doubt after one week, we’d be pretty keen to hand them back ;)

If you were sat in a fine dining restaurant with everything in the world on the menu, what would you choose?

TOM : Mum’s chicken and spinach lasagne, sweet potato and a lovely fresh salad straight from the garden with some English new potatoes. Mum would also have to be there to make it so of course I would ask the chef to join me for dinner.

AMY : A fresh seafood platter including mud crabs, Moreton Bay Bugs, prawns, oysters, mussels, lobster, calamari, the lot!!

If you could have any drink in the world right now, what would you have?

TOM : a bottle of Don as I’ve never had it before and would be keen to see what all the fuss is about without having to part with the hard earned 

AMY : A Lychee caprioska in a two litre cocktail glass.

If you were given $100 of ‘free money’, which you couldn’t spend on the trip, what would you spend it on?

TOM : I would treat Amy to have a full head of foils and a hair cut (I have no idea of course how much all of that would come to but that’s what I would put it toward anyway).

AMY : I’d get my hair done.

FOOTAGE : WHAT IS A REST AREA IN AUSTRALIA?

FOOTAGE : KANGAROO vs WALLABY

CAMPSITE # 36 - Warri Reserve, NSW

With just one more sleep to go, we were almost at our temporary Christmas abode. Just one more night in the Troopie before we were to return to NORMAL life. A life of having electricity just a powerpoint away, a life where getting hot water was just a tap turn away, a life where not having a daily shower was considered unhygienic and completely uncalled for. We were about to hang our travellers hats up for a week and reinvent our old lives. I looked forward to returning to those homely comforts but also felt sad that The Adventures of Charlie The Troopcarrier would have to be put on hold while we sang Christmas carols, wined and dined like it was going out of fashion, wore stupid hats and laughed like it's the happiest time of the year.

Our last night in Charlie was spent just 1.5 hours drive out of Canberra at Warri Reserve Rest Area, just 14kms north of Bungendore. It was one of the nicer Rest Areas as it was right on the river and quite spread out so we didn't feel like we were right ontop of our neighbours and just metres from a 100km/hr highway. We spent the night so ridiculously thankful that we weren't in a tent. After taking into account all of the terribly windy and stormy nights we've endured over the last 10 weeks, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that I absolutely, definitely, certainly would have cracked it by now if we were in a tent. Our night at Warri Reserve was so cold and windy.. thankfully we had 3 tonnes of steel to separate us in our warmth and homely comfort from the cold harsh conditions on ground level.

Just before the rains came, we spent about 35minutes patrolling the area in search for dry wood to make a camp fire. I was determined to actually light myself a decent fire for once, in some pathetic attempt to prove to Tom that I actually could. Tom strummed away on his guitar while I was busy negotiating my way around the kindling and attempting to delicately navigate a lit match through the abundance of twigs... pretty unsuccessfully I'm afraid to add! As I continued to get rather frustrated with the fire, I heard a whining voice from behind me, blurt something out and I instantly knew I loathed its tone. A sour elderly woman strutting by proceeded to bellow out to Tom and I ...

"I hate to say it, but you're not allowed fires here 'ya know".

YOU hate to say it? Come on love, admit it.. you walked all of the way over here, circled around our campsite JUST to say it. I replied, in a very unimpressed tone "Oh really, we must have read the sign incorrectly, the one at the entrance that said you could". She proceeded to incorrectly advise us that apparently during summer in NSW there are "absolutely no fires allowed" she even did that "No deal" gesture with her arms... I guess she thought just incase we weren't able to comprehend what was coming out of her mouth she thought it might emphasise her disapproval by gesticulating.
Gees I really am getting a gutful of these very selected few Grey Nomads who see us as young travellers who don't know any better. Well, sour puss... just incase you were too narrowminded on the way out to read the sign... I've supplied it for you below.

I hate how you always think of things you woulda / shoulda / coulda said to fools like that at the time but they only ever come to you after the fact. But at the end of the day, Tom and I lay in bed that night chuckling to ourselves at how pathetic some people can be and how they wind themselves up about the smallest of things. All I can keep thinking now when I look back and think of that woman is... I feel sorry for her husband.

It was time to move on from our life on the road and transform ourselves back into 'normal'. We're both really looking forward to spending time under a roof and in a home. And if we're too ridiculously busy celebrating and enjoying the festivities, we would really like to wish all of our beautiful friends, family & readers out there a truly lovely Christmas. May you all enjoy yourselves thoroughly with those you love. To one and all, a very lovely & Merry Christmas.

CAMPSITE # 35 - Durras Lake North Holiday Park, NSW

As we were just a few days off heading to Canberra to begin the festivities, we had to improvise a little on where to stay. As we drove down the access road towards our Pebbly Beach campsite over four weeks ago, we realised we had officially back peddled. 

We considered returning to Pebbly Beach to experience it properly in the Troopie and not in Hope the Hire Car. But we both agreed that we held very fond memories of Pebbly Beach to date and wouldn't want to risk ruining them in anyway. Depot Beach was the next beach down so we made route there. The National Park campsite looked lovely except there was a big sign at the entrance advising us that if we setup camp without a booking, we would be instantly asked to leave the camp. The ranger was not in the office and nowhere to be found and neither of us had mobile reception to make contact. Pretty pathetic really considering the park looked empty and we were amongst three others scratching their heads searching for the ranger at 1pm the Saturday before Christmas.

Thankfully, during the 30minutes that we waited, the ranger never turned up because it left us enough time to realise that there was a lingering sewerage smell in the air that was rather off-putting. So we made tracks in search of another campsite and we stumbled across Durras Lake North Holiday Park. This park was on the opposite side of the road from the water and backed onto the National Park. We were delighted to find the park was very well laid out and nestled amongst natural greenery infact, it was very similar to staying at a National Park with all of the wilderness perks but better facilities and $2 cheaper - oh and of course, no sewerage stench!!

We liked just about all aspects of this park with the exception of one thing and this is one thing that we unfortunately find is quite common throughout a number of Caravan Parks. Any parks that fall under this category, we have appropriately named a "NO PARK"...

- NO NOISE AFTER 10PM
- NO RUNNING
- NO UNSUPERVISED CHILDREN
- NO FISH CLEANING
- NO DISHWASHING
- NO BREATHING OF FRESH AIR
- NO ENJOYING YOURSELF AT ALL WHATSOEVER


It's as though all of the NO PARKS sat down together and singled out every tiny little thing that annoyed them about what people do when they're enjoying their holiday. Come on! We're not in primary school, we don't need to be disciplined everywhere we turn. I know, it's because there are fools out there that ruin it for the rest of us but... not my problem! I thought people go on holidays to escape constantly being told what to do.

And to prove to you we're not exaggerating... 

THE NEXT PAGE WOULD HAVE READ
- Four sheets of single ply paper per visit.
- No DUMPING!!!
- Small secretions only.

FOOTAGE : BOWERBIRD AND ITS BOWER

CAMPSITE # 34 - Congo Camping Ground - Eurobodalla National Park

Congo was a site that had been circled in our CAMPS 5 book by another camper we met. I'm sorry John, but I won't be circling this one in anyone else's book. It's funny how weather and/or your neighbours can really make or break a campsite. Congo certainly passed our friend John's test. For me though, the toilet block has totally tarnished any memory of Congo that I'll ever have.

These were the WORST drop dunnies to date. They had poison baits hanging above your head as you sat on the loo, foul smelling urinal candles and thousands of flies. Considering this, I think $20 is a bit steep to charge for a campsite with "facilities". A shovel and a patch of dirt is a much more pleasant and hygienic facility if you ask me.

As soon as we pulled up at Congo, Tommy raced off to fish in the inlet. Within ten minutes, he returned with that big "I just caught a flathead and dinner is on me" smile on his face. This time, rather than filleting the fish and crumbing it, Tom chopped the head off, gutted it and he seasoned it with salt, pepper, coconut cream and lime juice. He then wrapped it up in al-foil and cooked it in a frying pan for about 5minutes each side. How's that for freshness? Straight from the water and on our plates within the hour!

We decided our night at Congo wasn't going to be spent at the campsite. Instead, we were heading into town for a big night out! So, we booked the courtesy bus and headed to the local Moruya Bowling Club for a night of cheap booze and to hopefully score ourselves some freebies in their Friday night raffle.

We bought $10 worth of raffle tickets each and sat there eagerly waiting for the draw to commence. As more and more numbers were being called out, it looked less and less to work in our favour. And just as we were about to hang our heads in shame, the very last draw was called and it was lucky number 890. My number!! I went up there not even knowing what prize I would be collecting.

Would it be one of those huge hams for us to enjoy on Christmas Day?

Would I get to spin the wheel for my chance to win $100 cash?

Nope... more appropriately, we won ourselves $50 on the bar!! Move over cheapest tap beer, watch out top shelf!! It was so nice to feel normal and as though we got something for nothing, finally we could let our hair down without worrying about how much it would cost. A leg of ham would have been a more sensible option but who were we to argue?

CAMPSITE # 33 - Dalmeny NSW

Don't you just love when you stumble across something absolutely beautiful? This is exactly how we found Dalmeny Camping Ground, we weren't looking for somewhere to stay that night but once we saw the gently sloping hill with perfectly manicured lawns directly overlooking the ocean... we both instantly knew where we were staying for the next few nights.

We're starting to feel the brunt of being away from home and being on the road over Christmas. Obviously with Tom being English & me Australian, one of us will always be spending Christmas away from our family but when you're out on the road and you're away from all of your friends and family enjoying the party season over Christmas, it can take it's toll.

At the top of our "To Do List" was posting Christmas presents. Cleverly, Tom's family made a pact of not exchanging any gifts this year so we were just posting our Christmas presents back to my family in QLD. We've been building up a rather bulky supply of presents over the last few weeks and when you live out of such a confined space, less is more! And because that they were being sent interstate, we had to leave plenty of time to make sure they all arrived. One thing we stupidly didn't factor in when getting the presents - was postage $$$ thanks to the ridiculous weight in each parcel. Next time we're on the road over Christmas, the entire family are getting pillows for Christmas and if they're lucky, we might splurge and get the cases to go with it :)

Busy wrapping the pressies...

 with quite the view!!

We're really glad that we have familiar faces to look forward to over the festive season - Christmas with my Uncle & Aunty and New Years with our friends in Melbourne. Without them, I think Tom and I would be having a rather lonely time. Don't get me wrong, obviously we love each other's company but Christmas just has to be spent with loved ones... damned if I was going to sit around a 20cm tall plastic Christmas tree with just Tom & I giving each other our designated presents. That's right, as we don't treat ourselves very often, we thought rather than surprising each other with a present, we would both establish what we would truly love to have as a treat over Christmas. I chose getting my hair done. No hairdresser in three months results in my greys taking over my world. I feel like my hair is made of straw and I'm turning into a ginger... much to Tom's disappointment. Tom, the five star fisherman, has chosen to get fishing tackle for Christmas... which I'm very happy to support considering all of the free fish meals he's brought to the table.

Even though we're two unemployed travellers with no fixed abode, slugging it on the open road, we both had that burning desire to soak in and enjoy the Christmas atmosphere.
- Plan and purchase presents. CHECK.
- Hang tinsel and fairy lights in the Troopie cabin - CHECK.
- Stay up late at night listening to our favourite Christmas Carols - CHEESY BUT CHECK.

It's hard to not spoil yourself all of the time just by using the use "Oh, but it's Christmas". And what a good excuse it is!! Lately, we've had to continue to remind ourselves - yes, it may be Christmas but if we spend $$$ like it's Christmas, we'll be going home by Easter!!

We are finding it difficult to have enough willpower to stick to our guns 100% of the time, particularly during one of the many rainy days where you're a drowned rat strolling down an avenue crowded with people enjoying coffee and lunch in the many restaurants and cafes. All of the aromas from the freshly cooked meals just wafting past our noses. Only to return to camp for a peanut butter squashed bread sandwich. And if you feel like warming yourself up - it'll just take a slow 14 or 15 minutes for the water to boil or a cup of tea, that is if it's worth tackling the rain while waiting for it to boil. I once waited 2.5 hours for a shower after making Tom sift through wet wood to make a fire, waiting for the fire to get hot enough and then waiting for the water to boil. Only to then get into the ignition powered bilge pump shower and have it conk out on me within the first two minutes - hair lathered with shampoo. Camping certainly isn't for those who enjoy a fast paced lifestyle. I think how good you are at camping will often be determined by how good you are at improvising...

Dilemma #1 - What's that, only got wet wood and the fire won't start?

Thomas Attenborough to the rescue - Melt a tea light candle over your kindling.

Dilemma #2 - Oops, forgot to bring a fishing net?

Tom Grylls to the rescue - Tie some mozzie netting around a hose pipe. 

Dilemma #3 - Love to drink copious amounts of alcohol but don't want to fund it?

Who said you can't buy happiness? - $12 for 5 litres of not-so-fine wine. 

 

Dalmeny stands amongst our more preferred Tourist Parks to date. A major plus, rare to most sites like this, is that they allow campfires. Although, you do have to hire an old washing machine drum for $5 a day and pay $8 for a small bag of firewood that even a 5 year old boy could carry in one go. Luckily, we were given some fire wood by some departing neighbours. They gave us the equivalent to about $32 worth if we bought it from the caretaker. Don't you just love holiday seasons and how much they'll try to milk you for every last cent!!!

Tom got some great lightning shots...