Free Camping Troopy AdventureThis is Amy's Story of her trip from Perth, Western Australia to Sydney with a little interlude to the USA and back and then onto Queensland. She has a Toyota Troop Carrier, which are very popular with people who want to travel across arid countries and Australia is no exception.
Having a reasonable amount of experience in camping, 4WDing and general outback travel; and feeling that a significant part of my built up need-to-leave feeling was due to an almost overwhelming amount of friends and other people-related commitments, I decided to go it alone. I bought a big '89 landcruiser troopcarrier (which I named Drew) with my savings, worked and organised myself over a few months, and left on the 12th of October, 2011. I needed to get to the east coast for an international martial arts training event, so I had to drive hard - with the aid of a full flask of coffee every day, I charged across the Nullarbor Plain, resting only for one lazy morning and one day with a friend in the fashionable city of Adelaide before reaching Sydney, a week later. I spent most nights sleeping in my troopy down tiny bush tracks or in big, empty rest areas in the scrub, cooking simple meals and reading or practicing some fire spinning (without fire) before bed each night. While driving I kept myself entertained with 130 GB of music, and regular stops to photograph what wildlife I encountered on the road, including several bobtail skinks, eastern bearded dragon lizards, roadkilled Peninsula Brown Snakes, one legless lizard and a seemingly uninjured bird (Grey Crowned Babbler) which refused to fly and had to be left with some water under a shady tree. I missed the whale watching at the head of the Australian Bight due to a confusion with the changing timezones and the place consequently being closed, which was disappointing - but to see and photograph the Bight itself was an undeniably amazing experience. I also met a lovely elderly couple at one of the lookouts who seemed utterly shocked at my solitary mode of travel.
The city was enjoyable, though hectic and with fewer fashion shops than I could have hoped for. A shark dive at the aquarium in Manly and a $20 pair of very high heels proved to be the highlights of that visit. There followed four days of intensive martial arts training in a small beach town south of Sydney. It was painful but very inspiring, and extremely pleasant to have an indoor area to relax in between workouts. Next I had a couple of days with an old mate in Kangaroo Valley; stunning walks and much wildlife, including echidnas, wombats, and some great birds and reptiles which I hadn't encountered before. We then said our goodbyes, and I pointed Drew toward Canberra, where I'd been invited to train some more, and explore - there was far more to see in that city than I'd expected, including impressive art galleries, museums, walks, and the famous war memorial. Then back to Sydney - where I picked up my long-time school friend from the airport, made our way to a fellow couchsurfer's abode, and the next morning returned to the airport - bound for the USA. Our host very kindly allowed Drew to stay at her place.
After some days exploring the big city, we headed to the Grand Canyon. Somehow there we bumped into the ex bride to be, our thai exchange student friend. We'd thought she was in Thailand still, but had returned to the Canyon - she'd told us about it via facebook, which we had not had recent access to. We hiked half-way down the Gorge with her, fed children trick-or-treat candy from our host's place, and the next day the three of us went to Vegas. You can probably imagine what that was like. Needless to say, it was a lot of fun.
To my delight I discovered that a person (perhaps a lucky one) moving very, very slowly and stopping often to take photos, might approach to almost within 2 m of a wild, quite relaxed Bison before he might stop feeling relaxed and begin to seriously consider running you down, at which point it becomes wise to stop, and retreat calmly and again very, very slowly. I could not stop grinning for quite some time after making that discovery.
The Blue Mountains was an area I'd dreamed of visiting for years - in particular, I wanted to go horse riding there. So I booked a day ride at the most adventurous place I could find, went for a few walks in the mountains, found a camp off another little track, then drove to the riding place early the next morning. During that beautiful trail ride, I got to know the two guides as well as the other two riders. At the end of it, I found myself invited to camp on the riding school's property if I should care to come with them to the local pub for a good Friday night. Between the beer and the drunken games of pool, I discussed spending some time volunteering at the place with the boss - a concept she seemed much pleased with. It was decided I would spend the following day doing so, and if all went well after my upcoming two-week stay in Melbourne I would return for a few weeks.
Luckily, the mishap has not been a total loss - I have been staying at my aunt and uncle's, and have had several cousins and friends, old and new, as well as the couchsurfing community to explore and party through the area with; as well as a beautiful house in which to read, watch movies, paint and write. Bring on my final two months of travel! Leave Free Camping Troopy Adventure and return to Free Accommodation for World Travel Leave Free Camping Troopy Adventure and go to Converting a Van to a Campervan |
