WEBVTT - EXTRA: Van Life Dream Vs Reality 0:00:10.287 --> 0:00:14.807 You're listening to a MoMA mea podcast. Mamma Mere acknowledges 0:00:14.847 --> 0:00:17.567 the traditional owners of land and waters that this podcast 0:00:17.607 --> 0:00:22.607 is recorded on. Hello friends, I'm Holly Wainwright and I 0:00:22.887 --> 0:00:28.087 am mid midlife, midfamily, mid post work fantasy. Today, I've 0:00:28.087 --> 0:00:30.607 got another story for you about a woman who's doing 0:00:30.647 --> 0:00:34.927 her third act differently, a woman whose husband died and 0:00:34.967 --> 0:00:38.687 whose kids wrapped their arms around her and said stay here, mum, 0:00:39.087 --> 0:00:42.087 and who decided instead to go and live on the 0:00:42.167 --> 0:00:44.847 open road. It's another one of the little extras we're 0:00:44.887 --> 0:00:47.047 dropping in mid for this season that have been supported 0:00:47.087 --> 0:00:51.967 by a ware super about what happens after work. For Lorraine, 0:00:52.207 --> 0:00:55.087 what happens is that, rather than, in her words, mowing 0:00:55.127 --> 0:00:59.087 lawns and playing bowls, she's looping Australia more than once 0:00:59.527 --> 0:01:04.727 in her RV who's called Matilda. Matilda is Lorraine's home, 0:01:04.767 --> 0:01:07.647 and Matilda has a queen sized bed, a kitchen, bathroom, 0:01:07.687 --> 0:01:10.607 a laundroom. And Lorainane is one of the many so 0:01:10.727 --> 0:01:14.247 called gray nomads we hear so much about, except in 0:01:14.327 --> 0:01:17.127 her case, the road trip she's on is not a holiday, 0:01:17.367 --> 0:01:20.087 but it's her life now. She literally lives on the 0:01:20.167 --> 0:01:22.767 road she likes it like that, she says the white 0:01:22.807 --> 0:01:25.207 line calls her, and she means the road when she 0:01:25.247 --> 0:01:29.087 says that, And her daughter now tracks her phone to 0:01:29.207 --> 0:01:31.727 keep the other kids updated about where the hell mom 0:01:31.847 --> 0:01:34.967 might be today. So what does it take to pack 0:01:34.967 --> 0:01:38.327 a life lived in a suburban house down into a van? 0:01:39.047 --> 0:01:42.447 What do her kids really think about it? Where are 0:01:42.487 --> 0:01:45.927 the most perfect places she's ever visited? And what does 0:01:45.967 --> 0:01:49.287 she miss from a more conventional life? When has she 0:01:49.327 --> 0:01:53.367 felt afraid traveling by herself? How does she make friends 0:01:53.687 --> 0:01:57.807 or doesn't with other travelers. If you're wondering why we're 0:01:57.807 --> 0:02:00.567 talking about a post work life in your midfeed about 0:02:00.607 --> 0:02:02.767 a very different phase in the life that you're living, 0:02:02.807 --> 0:02:05.927 probably one that's quite far away, it's because all the 0:02:05.967 --> 0:02:10.167 models for what retirement looks like feel a bit well tired. 0:02:10.967 --> 0:02:13.447 For many of us, we're going to keep working well 0:02:13.487 --> 0:02:16.087 beyond the age our parents accepted their send off because 0:02:16.127 --> 0:02:18.367 we have to or we want to, or because our 0:02:18.407 --> 0:02:21.727 work is flexible and portable, or because the identity and 0:02:21.807 --> 0:02:24.207 purpose it gives us we don't want to get rid 0:02:24.247 --> 0:02:27.567 of others can't wait to sit back and enjoy a 0:02:27.607 --> 0:02:29.767 life stage where we're in charge of our own time, 0:02:30.167 --> 0:02:32.367 of where we are and what we do with no 0:02:32.567 --> 0:02:36.887 boss looking over our shoulder. Either way, choice is the 0:02:37.007 --> 0:02:40.927 dream and choice comes with planning. However dull that part 0:02:40.967 --> 0:02:44.687 of it sounds Dreaming sounds much more fun. So we're 0:02:44.687 --> 0:02:47.727 offering you a few pieces of inspo for that phase 0:02:47.727 --> 0:02:51.087 of your life. And today that inspo is the free 0:02:51.127 --> 0:02:55.847 spirit that is Lorraine. Lorraine, tell us, how did you 0:02:56.007 --> 0:02:57.847 start traveling around Australia. 0:02:58.407 --> 0:03:02.047 My whole life has been seated the pean's decisions, so 0:03:02.127 --> 0:03:06.287 if something come up, I've never planned anything. My husband 0:03:06.287 --> 0:03:08.447 and I were sort of in the verge of separating. 0:03:09.287 --> 0:03:11.447 We had a home at Pottsville Beach. 0:03:12.047 --> 0:03:13.287 Mid North Coast. 0:03:13.447 --> 0:03:17.647 Yeah yeah, Nie Kingscliffe from those areas, lovely place, but 0:03:17.687 --> 0:03:19.887 we weren't happy for a long time. But we stayed 0:03:19.927 --> 0:03:23.647 together to pay for the home. And he passed away, 0:03:25.047 --> 0:03:28.607 and my kids, all six of them, said, don't worry. 0:03:28.647 --> 0:03:31.727 I know you don't own the house. We'll pay for 0:03:31.767 --> 0:03:37.447 the house and you can stay there, and of them 0:03:38.727 --> 0:03:42.047 was a lovely offer. But I thought, I'm sixty eight, 0:03:42.367 --> 0:03:45.447 what am I going to do. One of my best friends, 0:03:45.447 --> 0:03:48.647 I don't have a lot of friends, but she'd passed 0:03:48.687 --> 0:03:52.247 away and I thought, I'm going to be muwen Lawn's 0:03:52.527 --> 0:03:55.927 looking after a house. No, what do I want to do. 0:03:57.087 --> 0:04:02.767 Let's buy a truck. So as soon as the house 0:04:02.847 --> 0:04:06.567 was I started looking for RVs straight away and. 0:04:06.447 --> 0:04:08.327 So an RV, just tell me because I'm going to 0:04:08.327 --> 0:04:11.447 ask some dumb questions here, right, because that's like, it's 0:04:11.487 --> 0:04:13.327 like a camper van, right, So when all in not 0:04:13.367 --> 0:04:16.127 a caravan, it's like a camper van, Yes. 0:04:16.087 --> 0:04:22.247 All in one. So I found one at Sydney RV 0:04:22.447 --> 0:04:25.647 in Penrith, and my sister lives close and I was 0:04:25.687 --> 0:04:27.167 away at the time. I said, go and have a 0:04:27.167 --> 0:04:29.727 look at this truck. What do you think? She said, Oh, god, 0:04:29.767 --> 0:04:33.647 it's big. She said it's called Matilda, and I went, oh, 0:04:33.687 --> 0:04:35.727 that sounds good. And when I went to see it 0:04:35.727 --> 0:04:38.327 it was just the whole front was like a big 0:04:38.687 --> 0:04:41.727 leather lounge and I went, all that'll make a good bar. 0:04:44.167 --> 0:04:47.447 I like it. So the deposit was on it, and 0:04:47.487 --> 0:04:50.407 I'd had my house on the market and it hadn't sold, 0:04:51.007 --> 0:04:55.487 and then they wanted a five thousand dollar deposit. Geez okay. 0:04:55.967 --> 0:04:58.207 So my nephew popped in and said, oh, I'll give 0:04:58.207 --> 0:04:59.887 you the five thousand, you pay it back and go, 0:04:59.927 --> 0:05:03.007 oh cool. Okay. So now we've got a truck, and 0:05:03.047 --> 0:05:04.447 I said, oh my god. 0:05:05.327 --> 0:05:07.207 Have you ever driven anything that big before? 0:05:07.487 --> 0:05:07.647 Oh? 0:05:07.807 --> 0:05:12.287 Look, years and years prior I used to work on 0:05:12.327 --> 0:05:16.127 an Aboriginal community up the Northern Territory and we had 0:05:16.167 --> 0:05:18.887 a little diner that I used to go in to 0:05:19.167 --> 0:05:21.727 pick up groceries with so on and so forth. And 0:05:21.767 --> 0:05:25.207 it broke down. So the locals walked into town they 0:05:25.287 --> 0:05:27.607 towed me in and coming back home they said they 0:05:27.607 --> 0:05:30.287 can't fix it. We're giving you this one. And it 0:05:30.327 --> 0:05:34.167 was a semi trailer. Oh wow, And I went, I've 0:05:34.207 --> 0:05:37.007 never driven anything that big. And he showed me if. 0:05:37.087 --> 0:05:39.567 I don't know how many gears it had, like twelve 0:05:39.687 --> 0:05:44.287 or eighteen. I used five. And I said I haven't 0:05:44.327 --> 0:05:46.407 got a license. He said, oh, that's all right. Just 0:05:46.407 --> 0:05:49.087 go around the police station. They give me a semi license. 0:05:49.327 --> 0:05:51.847 So I had this and we got home, took this 0:05:51.927 --> 0:05:52.567 house together. 0:05:53.727 --> 0:05:56.567 So you'd driven a semi trailer before you drove Matilda. 0:05:56.767 --> 0:05:57.727 Yes, that's right. 0:05:57.967 --> 0:06:00.767 Was it emotional packing up a life like that or 0:06:00.807 --> 0:06:01.967 were you excited about that? 0:06:02.847 --> 0:06:05.407 I was the adventurer had hit in then seat of 0:06:05.407 --> 0:06:07.287 the pants. It was something different. 0:06:08.007 --> 0:06:10.727 And so you said you worked in the territory, had 0:06:10.767 --> 0:06:13.327 you seen a lot of Australia over the years. 0:06:13.327 --> 0:06:16.207 So I had to go and you knew, well, no, 0:06:16.327 --> 0:06:20.287 not really. My husband liked traveling. I had six kids, 0:06:20.807 --> 0:06:22.727 so we'd go and visit them. They were in perse 0:06:23.047 --> 0:06:28.127 Northern Territory, cans Gold Coast, so we'd always gone around 0:06:28.407 --> 0:06:31.687 a couple of times and visited. But it's different when 0:06:31.687 --> 0:06:32.527 you're by yourself. 0:06:32.687 --> 0:06:36.327 Yeah, for sure. What was it like those first those 0:06:36.367 --> 0:06:38.767 first days when you were out in Matilda on your own. 0:06:39.767 --> 0:06:42.927 Well, I called into my sisters first, and I went, 0:06:43.007 --> 0:06:46.807 oh my god, this is so funny. Drive miss and 0:06:46.887 --> 0:06:49.847 I got as far as just outside of Tai and 0:06:49.887 --> 0:06:51.967 there was a rest stop there and I thought, I'm 0:06:52.087 --> 0:06:56.087 starving and not being in a truck before I was 0:06:56.167 --> 0:06:58.847 white and uppled. I was hanging onto that steering wheel, 0:06:58.967 --> 0:07:00.687 you know, and I'm thinking, oh my god, you know 0:07:00.807 --> 0:07:03.967 this is this is weird. And I pulled into a 0:07:04.007 --> 0:07:06.407 rest stop and I thought, I'll make a sandwich and 0:07:06.767 --> 0:07:09.807 go to the loo. When I come back of about 0:07:09.847 --> 0:07:12.727 twelve bike hes had pulled up and one of them 0:07:12.767 --> 0:07:16.207 had his foot on the step of the truck and 0:07:16.247 --> 0:07:19.607 looking in and I thought, oh my god, you know 0:07:20.287 --> 0:07:22.807 what's this going? And he goes, where you go and 0:07:22.847 --> 0:07:28.327 love you by yourself? I'm going, oh, yes, yes, And 0:07:28.367 --> 0:07:30.167 he said, oh, well, we're head and I set up 0:07:30.167 --> 0:07:31.887 the Gold Coast. He said I will see you on 0:07:31.927 --> 0:07:35.487 the way, and they kept passing me and waving. And 0:07:35.607 --> 0:07:38.567 when I got back to my daughter on the Gold Coast, 0:07:38.567 --> 0:07:39.527 she said, how'd you go? 0:07:39.727 --> 0:07:39.927 Mom? 0:07:39.927 --> 0:07:41.447 I said, I didn't know whether I was going to 0:07:41.447 --> 0:07:44.327 get killed or get lucky. I wasn't quite sure. 0:07:45.647 --> 0:07:48.887 You had, like us, you had to like a security 0:07:48.927 --> 0:07:52.567 detail of driving up the coast. Have you speaking of that? 0:07:52.687 --> 0:07:55.767 Have you traveling on your own and doing this this 0:07:55.847 --> 0:07:59.167 trip as you've done several times now, are you ever 0:07:59.327 --> 0:08:01.567 worried about safety? Does it feel quite safe? There are 0:08:01.567 --> 0:08:02.607 lots of people doing it. 0:08:03.247 --> 0:08:07.367 There are lots of people doing it. I've never felt unsafe. 0:08:08.127 --> 0:08:10.567 But now and again, you pull up, because I love 0:08:11.047 --> 0:08:15.407 absolutely isolated areas. You pull up sometimes and I have 0:08:15.567 --> 0:08:19.807 an uneasy feeling and I might only move one hundred 0:08:19.887 --> 0:08:23.367 meters up the road and pull over again, and it's okay. 0:08:23.607 --> 0:08:25.567 I don't know what that is, but I do follow. 0:08:25.807 --> 0:08:29.047 So you listen to your instincts. And it's interesting how 0:08:29.087 --> 0:08:30.927 some places just don't feel right, isn't it. 0:08:31.047 --> 0:08:31.247 No? 0:08:31.687 --> 0:08:33.727 And I hate caravan parks. 0:08:33.527 --> 0:08:34.887 Right, So I was going to ask you, so where 0:08:34.887 --> 0:08:37.567 do you so? Where do you mostly park Matilda? 0:08:37.607 --> 0:08:38.647 Any free parking? 0:08:38.847 --> 0:08:42.367 Yeah? You must be someone who likes their own company. 0:08:43.127 --> 0:08:45.207 Yeah have you always been? I mean six kids and 0:08:45.927 --> 0:08:49.207 like married life and all that. You must have. You 0:08:49.287 --> 0:08:51.447 must have not had that much time on your own. 0:08:51.967 --> 0:08:54.727 That's probably what it is more there, and you go, no, 0:08:54.847 --> 0:08:57.687 I've been really busy. I go and visit people in 0:08:57.727 --> 0:09:01.527 the city, my kids, and they're all worried about got 0:09:01.527 --> 0:09:03.727 to do that, the powers due this week, that's due. 0:09:04.207 --> 0:09:07.167 I don't have any of that. And I don't understand 0:09:07.247 --> 0:09:09.007 it when people go, oh my god, it was on 0:09:09.047 --> 0:09:12.007 the today and this happened and that happened, and I 0:09:12.087 --> 0:09:14.727 just get why let it worry you, you know? But 0:09:14.847 --> 0:09:16.767 I don't know whether that's because I'm on the sunny 0:09:16.767 --> 0:09:18.527 side of eighty now and I just go, well, you're 0:09:18.527 --> 0:09:20.407 going to die, what does it matter? Yeah? 0:09:21.767 --> 0:09:25.047 Yeah, So if you don't stay in caravan parks, how 0:09:25.087 --> 0:09:27.247 do you like how do you meet people? Because I 0:09:27.247 --> 0:09:28.807 would have thought that that's where you would meet people 0:09:29.407 --> 0:09:32.007 in the evening and have a chat with It's funny. 0:09:32.047 --> 0:09:34.127 I think if you talk to a lot of single 0:09:35.327 --> 0:09:38.087 campus and that not all of them, but some of 0:09:38.127 --> 0:09:41.247 the long term ones, you seem to get squashed into 0:09:41.327 --> 0:09:45.727 caravan parks. You're too close and they're that they're like 0:09:45.967 --> 0:09:48.807 that little club. You know, they've got their friends with 0:09:48.847 --> 0:09:52.527 them and whatever. And I don't know. Some people say 0:09:52.567 --> 0:09:56.407 it's because you're single, they've got husbands. One lady actually 0:09:56.407 --> 0:09:59.087 said to me, oh, you know you're single. I said, God, love, 0:09:59.127 --> 0:10:00.767 I don't want your husband. I don't want to have 0:10:00.847 --> 0:10:04.447 killed off too. I don't you think They're like, oh, 0:10:04.487 --> 0:10:08.847 we don't want and I don't know. So yeah, it 0:10:08.927 --> 0:10:11.247 is a bit. It's funny. But you know, there's plenty 0:10:11.247 --> 0:10:16.367 of free camping or overnights days. If not, there's nowhere 0:10:16.487 --> 0:10:18.927 sort of in the bush that says no camping or 0:10:18.967 --> 0:10:23.607 there is some places, but my favorite places, I think 0:10:23.687 --> 0:10:25.687 South Australia wins hands down. 0:10:25.927 --> 0:10:27.447 Really why is that. 0:10:28.367 --> 0:10:31.567 I've been through there a couple of times. A couple 0:10:31.607 --> 0:10:33.687 of years ago. It was the Air Peninsula, which is 0:10:33.927 --> 0:10:36.727 oh man, I could live on oysters for the rest 0:10:36.727 --> 0:10:40.567 of my life, and it was just beautiful. But this 0:10:40.687 --> 0:10:45.287 last trip, this twenty twenty four, I followed the coast 0:10:45.367 --> 0:10:47.087 as close as I could, so I got off the 0:10:47.167 --> 0:10:50.487 highway and went off into all the little side places. 0:10:50.567 --> 0:10:53.927 And there's not every ten minutes in South Australia, there's 0:10:53.927 --> 0:10:59.487 something else, a lake at Crater. It's incredible. I loved it. 0:10:59.527 --> 0:11:01.447 I could live down there, I think, except it gets 0:11:01.487 --> 0:11:02.807 too cold and I hate the Gold. 0:11:02.927 --> 0:11:05.567 Yeah. I was going to ask you, is the trip 0:11:06.327 --> 0:11:08.887 the loops around Australia? Are you looking for a place 0:11:08.927 --> 0:11:10.687 to say or is the travel the point? 0:11:11.047 --> 0:11:13.447 No? I think it's just travel. Yeah, And I go 0:11:13.527 --> 0:11:18.647 in and out. You know, I've come back from Oh 0:11:18.967 --> 0:11:21.367 sometimes just gone Tweetheads to the Gold Coast and I 0:11:21.407 --> 0:11:23.567 call into every side place. But I've done that a 0:11:23.567 --> 0:11:25.807 couple of times, so I don't need to do that again. 0:11:27.407 --> 0:11:30.647 But sometimes I've taken three months to go one hundred kilometers. 0:11:31.007 --> 0:11:32.847 Depends you're not on a schedule. 0:11:32.847 --> 0:11:34.647 It's not like you're going to have to get here 0:11:34.727 --> 0:11:35.367 by this time. 0:11:35.527 --> 0:11:36.207 No, that's true. 0:11:36.247 --> 0:11:39.127 That must be so that must feel so good. 0:11:39.687 --> 0:11:43.967 It's yeah, it's enlightening. I think it's just you know, 0:11:44.167 --> 0:11:47.647 I've only got one. Sometimes my daughter that lives on 0:11:47.687 --> 0:11:49.927 the Hunter will say I've got to go away because 0:11:49.927 --> 0:11:52.367 she has to travel with work. You come and mind 0:11:52.407 --> 0:11:54.927 the animals, So I'm usually scraping up horse pew for 0:11:54.967 --> 0:11:57.527 a month or something, which is very glamorous. 0:11:57.607 --> 0:11:58.967 Do you get it to your feet when you're stay 0:11:58.967 --> 0:12:00.687 in one place? Now after a few years. 0:12:00.527 --> 0:12:05.007 I can't stand it really. Yeah. About four years ago 0:12:05.007 --> 0:12:09.447 I was up at my sons who lives at Conunger said, 0:12:09.447 --> 0:12:12.967 hell on a you staying maybe three weeks? 0:12:13.247 --> 0:12:13.407 Oh? 0:12:13.487 --> 0:12:17.127 Yeah, that's good. I was lasted four days and he 0:12:17.247 --> 0:12:19.127 rang me went t works where I said, I think 0:12:19.167 --> 0:12:24.327 I'm in GIMPI now, but I find I'm getting worse. 0:12:24.567 --> 0:12:28.247 I just cannot stay in the one place. And I 0:12:28.247 --> 0:12:30.567 think my kids are worried now because they keep going Mummy, 0:12:30.567 --> 0:12:32.167 you're getting older. What are you going to do when 0:12:32.207 --> 0:12:35.887 you can't drive the truck? And Filma and Luiz comes 0:12:35.927 --> 0:12:38.087 to mind, But oh. 0:12:38.127 --> 0:12:42.847 Gosh, I was going to ask you practicalities of being 0:12:42.967 --> 0:12:46.487 older and driving around and being in can you just like, 0:12:46.527 --> 0:12:48.607 what do you do for health concerns? Can you just 0:12:48.647 --> 0:12:50.607 pop into a local doctor? Like? Is it like? 0:12:50.767 --> 0:12:52.887 How does I don't go? Yeah? You don't go. 0:12:53.127 --> 0:12:54.127 No, you just don't. 0:12:54.287 --> 0:12:54.927 I just don't go. 0:12:55.247 --> 0:12:57.007 So you've been like you've obviously not had to have 0:12:57.087 --> 0:12:58.407 to deal with anything. 0:12:58.487 --> 0:13:01.847 No, you know, six kids and having me knees done. 0:13:01.887 --> 0:13:03.767 So I've been in hospital seven times. That's all I 0:13:03.807 --> 0:13:06.767 need in my lifetime. And every scratch I get on 0:13:06.807 --> 0:13:10.887 the road, I put no polishry mover on it. A 0:13:11.007 --> 0:13:14.727 certain polish remover kills any germs. Oh my god, there's 0:13:14.767 --> 0:13:17.607 another tib And now I think my granddaughter's put on 0:13:17.647 --> 0:13:20.047 their pimples. I'm not quite sure, but it works on them. 0:13:20.327 --> 0:13:24.767 M up. 0:13:24.807 --> 0:13:27.167 Next, I asked the rain whether she's had any hairy 0:13:27.207 --> 0:13:30.767 moments traveling on her own and sometimes unpredictable weather and 0:13:30.927 --> 0:13:35.607 far away places. Stay with us. You must be at 0:13:35.647 --> 0:13:38.487 the obviously traveling Australia at the whim of the weather 0:13:38.647 --> 0:13:42.607 and the extra the floods, storms all that. Have you 0:13:42.647 --> 0:13:46.567 had any hairy moments with the natural environ No. 0:13:46.967 --> 0:13:50.607 I haven't. I've been caught in floods and always up 0:13:50.647 --> 0:13:53.007 the territory. There's fires on the side of the road. 0:13:53.087 --> 0:13:54.767 You've just got to be aware of them, you know. 0:13:54.847 --> 0:13:56.887 I mean, if the wind's blown straight to your truck 0:13:57.007 --> 0:14:00.087 with the flames. You don't get past it. You've got 0:14:00.127 --> 0:14:02.647 to use a lot of common sense and don't drive 0:14:02.727 --> 0:14:04.967 too close behind the kettle truck. So I've found out 0:14:05.007 --> 0:14:10.967 this year too. I get covered in the the fellas 0:14:10.967 --> 0:14:13.127 will laugh and you know they're on the CB gun. 0:14:13.167 --> 0:14:14.967 Did you cop that one? I go, yeah, I'm buying 0:14:15.007 --> 0:14:15.847 a lot of ticket. 0:14:17.127 --> 0:14:19.887 So you've got you've got a CBE radio in Matilda. 0:14:20.327 --> 0:14:22.887 What are they like? What? What home comforts have you 0:14:22.887 --> 0:14:25.287 got in Matilda? Or rather what what are the things 0:14:25.287 --> 0:14:27.327 that make her home? You know what I mean that 0:14:28.087 --> 0:14:29.247 it's really a house. 0:14:29.247 --> 0:14:31.287 I've got a queen size bed that I don't have 0:14:31.327 --> 0:14:34.567 to climb a ladder to get up to. So queen 0:14:34.607 --> 0:14:39.367 size bed, bathroom, toilet, kitchen, big lounge area. I did 0:14:39.407 --> 0:14:44.007 take two of my daughters and two grandchildren to Ularu 0:14:44.087 --> 0:14:47.527 a few years back. God it felt crowded. 0:14:48.287 --> 0:14:49.167 With a lot of people. 0:14:49.847 --> 0:14:52.447 My oldest daughter end up flying home from Adelaide. She 0:14:53.207 --> 0:14:57.407 could take it any longer. So no, there's room for one. 0:14:57.887 --> 0:15:03.327 I can sleep six, seven and carry five. But really 0:15:04.047 --> 0:15:05.367 it's your place. Yeah. 0:15:06.007 --> 0:15:08.167 Do you see a lot of older women doing what 0:15:08.207 --> 0:15:08.687 you're doing. 0:15:09.887 --> 0:15:12.687 There's a lot. I've just come back from a local 0:15:12.767 --> 0:15:16.127 camp and there was thirty people and I think there's 0:15:16.167 --> 0:15:19.487 only about four fellers in that and they're in their 0:15:19.527 --> 0:15:23.487 eighties and in trucks. They've got houses though, a lot 0:15:23.527 --> 0:15:26.727 of them, and I think, oh, that's lovely. You know 0:15:26.847 --> 0:15:29.127 a lot of people contact me and go should I 0:15:29.167 --> 0:15:32.807 sell me house? And I go, well, you've got nowhere 0:15:32.847 --> 0:15:36.567 to go to when you can't drive. You should think 0:15:36.607 --> 0:15:39.287 about that. I don't, you know. I mean, I could 0:15:39.287 --> 0:15:41.207 probably park the truck up in the middle of a 0:15:41.327 --> 0:15:44.367 salt lake somewhere and live on that, but I don't 0:15:44.407 --> 0:15:46.487 really want to do that at such a waste. But 0:15:46.927 --> 0:15:48.967 I don't know how I'd go in a house now. 0:15:49.807 --> 0:15:52.367 That white line calls me all the time. 0:15:52.567 --> 0:15:56.767 It's really what do you think is about it? White 0:15:56.807 --> 0:15:57.767 line in the road? 0:15:57.807 --> 0:16:00.807 It's just the traveling. I love those roads where you 0:16:00.847 --> 0:16:05.127 can't see anything but road for distances of you know, 0:16:05.167 --> 0:16:09.447 one hundred kilometers and the outback. The painted is that 0:16:09.567 --> 0:16:13.367 all of those places they are just they're beautiful till 0:16:13.487 --> 0:16:17.007 the on in the cabin. Yes, but you see when 0:16:17.047 --> 0:16:20.007 I'm parked up, if I'm not on power, I don't 0:16:20.007 --> 0:16:23.527 have egor right, and I've only just this year bought 0:16:23.687 --> 0:16:26.847 a battery operated fan. But most of the time it's 0:16:26.927 --> 0:16:29.127 you know, it's too hot. You sleep under a wet tail, 0:16:29.247 --> 0:16:34.007 learnt you and try to keep kills. Everything works without power, 0:16:34.807 --> 0:16:36.647 so I don't have any I've got solar. 0:16:36.887 --> 0:16:39.087 And all you've got solder, don't you on the roof? 0:16:39.327 --> 0:16:39.767 Yeah? 0:16:39.807 --> 0:16:42.127 So you can power things if you need to. And 0:16:42.207 --> 0:16:44.247 I've saw you say that you've got a you've got 0:16:44.287 --> 0:16:45.807 a little TV, but you never watch it. 0:16:46.407 --> 0:16:48.687 Yeah, I hardly ever watched Telly. 0:16:49.087 --> 0:16:50.207 It would work if you want. 0:16:50.407 --> 0:16:54.047 Yeah, yeah, no, My TV's twelve power and two Fordy vaults. 0:16:54.087 --> 0:16:55.687 Same with everything through the truck. 0:16:55.807 --> 0:16:58.807 So and what happens if you get a flat tire 0:16:59.087 --> 0:17:02.327 or Matilda breaks down or something happens. 0:17:02.447 --> 0:17:05.287 I've learned over the ten years that there's a lot 0:17:05.367 --> 0:17:08.167 I can do myself. Wow, my sister's got a lovely 0:17:08.207 --> 0:17:11.727 mechanic next to her. I think he hates me by now, Philip, 0:17:12.847 --> 0:17:15.887 How do I do this? Philip? And he'll show me 0:17:15.927 --> 0:17:18.167 what to do and whatever, shows me how to change 0:17:18.167 --> 0:17:19.887 fan builts and things like that. 0:17:20.447 --> 0:17:22.407 You must be a very very capable. 0:17:22.047 --> 0:17:25.487 Woman of Oh yeah, I don't know. I had no 0:17:25.687 --> 0:17:29.767 choice because again I didn't make plans. I didn't know 0:17:29.807 --> 0:17:32.167 where I was going. And I was right up on 0:17:32.247 --> 0:17:35.407 the golf development road. I think that was one of 0:17:35.407 --> 0:17:39.647 my first trips. And there's like a sharp corner that 0:17:39.727 --> 0:17:43.607 goes to Croydon and then to Normanton and I could 0:17:43.687 --> 0:17:46.247 hear this noise and I said, oh no, I hadn't 0:17:46.287 --> 0:17:49.047 seen anybody for ages and it's just a big dirt 0:17:49.167 --> 0:17:51.967 area there. They pulled over and I've got a flat 0:17:52.327 --> 0:17:56.447 and I said, oh my god. Okay, and the wheel itself. 0:17:56.527 --> 0:17:58.967 You have to wind it down off a chain and 0:17:59.007 --> 0:18:00.647 they're really quite heavy, but. 0:18:00.767 --> 0:18:04.047 They are a normal cart tired wheel is heavy. 0:18:04.247 --> 0:18:08.007 Yes. I was laying on my back on the red 0:18:08.047 --> 0:18:10.967 dirt with being bitten by black ants and whatever and 0:18:11.007 --> 0:18:14.047 pushing it out with my feet. Anyway, I finally got 0:18:14.047 --> 0:18:16.527 it all changed and a truck he pulled up and 0:18:16.567 --> 0:18:19.287 he said, can I help? You just done it all? 0:18:19.527 --> 0:18:21.367 But he checked the nuts for me and he said, oh, 0:18:21.367 --> 0:18:22.327 you've done really well. 0:18:22.367 --> 0:18:25.487 So yeah, and you take your dog with you, right. 0:18:25.527 --> 0:18:27.327 I've got a cat and a dog. Now, cat and 0:18:27.407 --> 0:18:29.727 a dog, yes, so they. 0:18:29.687 --> 0:18:30.327 Keep your company. 0:18:30.367 --> 0:18:32.527 I guess, yeah, the dog does. He used to get 0:18:32.647 --> 0:18:35.207 very anxious though, so I thought I'll get him a partner, 0:18:35.247 --> 0:18:38.407 and I didn't want another dog, so I picked up 0:18:38.407 --> 0:18:40.247 a cat in Victoria last year. 0:18:41.047 --> 0:18:42.167 And how did they get along? 0:18:42.327 --> 0:18:45.407 And really well actually, but he still gets you know, 0:18:45.447 --> 0:18:47.967 they both get crazy. Now when I get home, they're 0:18:48.047 --> 0:18:51.487 jumping all over. But the cat stopped trying to sleep 0:18:51.527 --> 0:18:53.487 on the steering wheel now, which is good. 0:18:54.527 --> 0:18:56.447 So the group that you're saying, you're a member of 0:18:56.447 --> 0:18:59.127 a few camping groups, so you mostly traveled on your own. 0:18:59.207 --> 0:19:01.127 But if you want to hang out with other people, 0:19:01.207 --> 0:19:03.847 you've got there are groups of other people doing this 0:19:03.887 --> 0:19:07.527 thing you or yeah, and you can you can sort 0:19:07.567 --> 0:19:10.247 of that company around Australia. 0:19:10.367 --> 0:19:12.767 You know, you can just look them up and somebody 0:19:12.807 --> 0:19:15.567 will say, I'm going camping here if anyone wants to 0:19:15.647 --> 0:19:17.887 join me, And I've got a couple on. We're going 0:19:17.927 --> 0:19:21.567 down to Bilanglo Forest of all places. 0:19:21.567 --> 0:19:28.087 Oh yeah, the Death Forest, famous forest and yeah, and 0:19:28.127 --> 0:19:31.167 then Maruyah and then I'm up to the entrance for 0:19:31.247 --> 0:19:33.527 the blues festival or whatever it is. 0:19:33.847 --> 0:19:37.407 And then Glenworth Valley food and wine. Oh so you 0:19:37.527 --> 0:19:39.287 go into a few I love that place. You do 0:19:39.367 --> 0:19:41.727 plan a few festivals and things. This is the only 0:19:41.847 --> 0:19:44.287 year I've done it the first. 0:19:44.047 --> 0:19:46.047 Year, So why have you decided this year to do 0:19:46.087 --> 0:19:47.767 a bit of planning instead of just seeing where the 0:19:47.807 --> 0:19:48.247 road takes. 0:19:48.327 --> 0:19:51.887 That's a good question. I don't know. You know, it 0:19:51.927 --> 0:19:54.647 was a I stayed away a lot last year and 0:19:55.607 --> 0:19:58.327 camped up the terretory. It was beautiful, and I go 0:19:58.447 --> 0:20:01.527 back onto the Aboriginal community to visit them and they 0:20:01.567 --> 0:20:05.087 still know me and you get along fine. But yeah, 0:20:05.487 --> 0:20:07.847 it's a sad and sorry place. So I don't know 0:20:07.887 --> 0:20:11.567 whether I'll go back. I think I and most of 0:20:11.607 --> 0:20:13.927 them have passed away. They're lucky if they live past 0:20:13.967 --> 0:20:15.007 sixty up there there. 0:20:15.287 --> 0:20:20.687