Preparing for windy conditions.

After what turned out to be the little incident with the awning that could have been a lot more drastic, it has come time to put up the annexe again.

The repairs have been carried out. That involved fixing and reinforcing the bracket where the awning arm became separated. Luckily there was no damage to the awning itself, or to the arms and anti-flap devices.

This time we are parked on a concrete slab, rather than the gravel or lawn which we will encounter in other parks. That gives us a solid base on which to park the caravan, and also firm footing in the annexe. The only problem is the slab is wider that the width of the caravan an annexe.

To be able to peg down the walls of the annexe would mean moving the caravan out and putting it back again but further over. And I am not going to do that.

The solution:

Do what many have done before, and drill some holes into the slab, fill with a plastic plugin and screw a hook for holding down the side walls. The slab has many little holes filled with small plastic plugs.

Actually my solution was to screw in an eye (not a hook) and connect it to the eye at the bottom of the wall with a small d-shackle. It makes a neat little alternative to a tent peg, even if I do say so myself.

Since putting up the annexe we have had one night with some strong winds, and everything held well. When it’s time to move on it just a matter of undoing the shackle, removing the eye, and packing them away for next time.

Sunsets Over The Sea.

Yesterday we made the first move from the first Caravan Park. After 5 months of setting up, testing out, buying a tow vehicle and juggling around work offers, it came time to make the move.

The biggest lesson to come from the experience is to have a checklist of things to do before hitching up and heading off. And the first thing on the checklist should be to make a checklist. We managed to remember most things, and with a couple of hints and tips from a fellow caravanner the first short trip was accomplished safely.

Down By The Sea.

We are now at the Christies Beach Tourist Park(http://bit.ly/JdirLD ). It seems that Caravan Park is no longer a label that is used, which is perhaps understandable since there are many different types of mobile homes, such as motorhomes, camper vans, camper trailers and tents that use these facilities.

Being close to the beachfont gives an ideal vantage point for watching sunsets with their everchanging colours and moods.

2 Interesting Problems.

Yesterday while preparing to make the very first move with our caravan these 2 elements caused some problems. Sorry, no pictures for this post, because I was so busy trying to work out what to do that I clean forgot about the camera. They would have provided some great images to look back on!

Wind:

The fine weather forecast for yesterday meant that the annexe canvas was going to be dry after a couple of days with a few showers. An ideal opportunity to dismantle it and store it away.

Well, that was the plan. Yes, the sun was shining and the annexe walls dried out nicely. Part of the walls had been removed and then a strong North wind started to appear. Decision made: get the annexe down soon and roll up the awning before the wind gets too strong.

All was going to plan until I removed the peg keeping one leg of the awning on the ground. Right at that moment a gust of wind took one end of the awning up onto the top of the caravan. That leg, which also serves as the arm connected to the caravan, when it flipped up, pulled out the bolts and screws holding it to the caravan wall.

We were left with the awning half over the caravan and half in the right place. thankfully there appears to be no damage to the awning material and the fittings apart from the bolts that were pulled out. It has been rolled back into place and seems to be sitting well in the rolled up position.

Water:

I’m not sure why I disconnected the water yesterday, but when I did, I discovered that the hose connecting the park’s tap to my caravan had a mass of white powdery stuff come out of the end when I turned on the tap. Strange, I thought.

But that it seems, was not the problem that stopped water from coming from the taps when I reconnected it. There was just a trickle getting through, and than that stopped completely. So I removed the hose again from the caravan and looked inside the fitting. It was black and slimy. There is a simple filter that is meant to catch any particles that might be in the water. And this was covered by the slimy matter.

After clearing the gunk from the filter and replacing the hose, still no success. Remove the hose again and check the filter. Yes, blocked again.

So I ran water through the hose and collected it in a bucket. Several more bits of the black/green slimy matter were collected. After running water from the tap, without using the hose, I discovered that none of the gunk came from the tap.

Conclusion: The expensive white hose that is meant to make sure that the water does not get the rubber taste of ordinary garden hose AND is supposed to stop the formation of algae, was not very effective at that. The black/green slimy stuff was algae.

The growth of the algae and the white powder (probably calcium deposits) had been building up over the 5 months that the caravan was connected. I had noticed that the water appeared to running slowly, but because that slow down had been gradual it had not attracted my attention.

I also have to wonder why it took until the last day at the park to discover that the water supply to caravans is not town water, but from an underground source. This bore water obviously has some mineral content, probably calcium from the limestone in which the underground water is stored. That also explains why water left on the sink left white marks when it dried.  Another new experience and something to look out for at future caravan parks.

In the next few days I should also check the anode in the hot water service to see what effect the bore water has had on that.

We made the move.

Despite these little problems, we did manage to pack up everything and make the first move with our caravan earlier today. Not a big move, but it was a significant step and helped with a couple of things that need to be done for smooth travelling. More about that later.

No words necessary.

Apart from this question.

If they are not permitted past the sign, how did those cars get into the Visitors’ Car Park?

Oh The Noise!

The noise this morning was almost deafening. I could hardly hear the Corn Flakes in my breakfast crunching with each bite.

On a delightful Autumn morning, it seemed that every bird in the Caravan Park had something to sing about.

The parrots swinging around on the gum tree blossoms were so loud they almost drowned out the others.

Ticking Off The Checklist.

One of the side projects that I have intended on doing whole on the road is to complete a checklist of different bird species observed in the many locations that we visit. To date the list is only small, but then, we haven’t really started to travel.

Occasionally I intend to refer to some the bird observations here at Grey Nomad Times.

The first of these is not really an observation, because I have not yet seen these birds at the Caravan Park where we are staying. But we have certainly heard the Kookaburras laughing on several occasions.

I have for a long time been convinced the kookaburras can be a great predictor of rain. I guess it may be just a fable but I heard somewhere that when a kookaburra completes their laugh, rain will fall in in the few days after. That has been the case here at the park. Each time that I have heard the complete laugh from the local kookaburras we have had rain soon after, even if at the time it did not look like rain was on the way.

A Friendly Visitor.

A few days ago there was a scratching and thumping noise coming from the outside top of the caravan. When I opened up the shade below the hatch we saw that a Crested Pigeon, also known as the Top-Knot Pigeon was walking around and pecking at small insects?

He stayed long enough for me to get a photo through the perspex hatch. He is just one of the many birds that will come close to people in the park, and some of them give great pleasure with their antics. Like the Magpie who refused the small piece of carrot he was offered when he came close, but was very happy to take a tiny piece of roast lamb.

And who could not be happy to see a Willy Wagtail swing his tail from side to side as he hopes around picking up small flying insects. Add to that the honeyeaters who can find any dripping tap to get some water as they hang upside down. I will have to get the camera out next time I see one.

Some observations from a short time as Grey Nomads (even though the nomad part of the experience has not yet begun).

Life moves at a slower pace.

I may be imagining this, but sitting outside enjoying a bit of sunshine, and enjoying the sounds of the birds and frogs, the people I see tend be moving at a leisurely pace. It’s not as if they are aimlessly wandering. Many obviously have tasks to do, like hanging out the washing, depositing garbage in the bins or taking the dogs for a walk.

It is not simply that the people I have seen have been older, and not capable of moving swiftly. Just about everyone appears to be happy to take their time as they move around. They stop to have a chat, or simply greet the people they see as they move around.

Those that are not moving around seem very happy and relaxed sitting outside with a coffee and a good book or the newspaper. Some have crafts that they are working on. Others sit around in the park in small groups just chatting and relaxing.

People stop to chat.

Well, not everyone, but most will at least greet you as you pass. People are not afraid to ask questions, offer a bit of helpful advice or make an amusing comment. Curious though, that there seems to be little emphasis on people asking what work you do, or have done before retiring. Most times discussions about career paths and work experiences are raised by someone with something to share. In the world outside much importance is give to someone’s work, as it places them somewhere in the social standing of the group they are in. It appears that in the world of Grey Nomads that what you did before is of little importance socially. What counts now is, what you are doing, where you are going and where you have been.

Maybe that’s because many have been there, done that as far as work and a job is concerned, and now it’s time to enjoy the present and look to the future.

You meet more people, and potentially grow your circle of friends.

While living in suburbia, or even in smaller country communities it is possible to be isolated and not not even know who is living next door or down the street. It seems that the front door of the house acts as a barrier to keep you inside and others out.

Not so in a caravan. Whilst living in much closer quarters, when the park is full, it is possible to remain isolated, but most people seem to be open to approaches by complete strangers, and in a short time able to share experiences and adventures with these new-found friends. In just a few weeks telephone numbers and emails have been exchanged and contact maintained with people who have moved on. That’s not something that has happened as easily while living in bricks and mortar house in the suburbs.

There are possibly lots of reasons for the things that I have observed, and it is going to be interesting to see how those ideas develop when we eventually get to start being nomads. That time is getting close.

We have only just started our Grey Nomad Adventure, and actually have not yet started to travel. While preparing for that, we have still found a whole new culture and met some interesting people in a short time.

Meeting People

There is a constant flow of different people who have spent some time in the Caravan Park where we are staying, and we have spent some interesting times with several of them. Mainly but not exclusively Grey Nomads.

Stories to tell

Everyone has a story to tell about their experiences before they started their journey, and also great tales of where they have been, what they have done and what they have seen. It is also great to hear of plans that they have for their travels. Many of the interactions are brief, but Happy Hour gives the opportunity to share experiences in more detail.

Not all stories, unfortunately have happy endings, but all the same it is rewarding to share the high and lows.

More to come

In some subsequent posts I hope to include some of my stories and those of people we meet. I should also mention, that it’s not only the people you meet, but some have pets that are sharing their journey. Watching and interaction with some of these characters is also enjoyable.

Heavy Rain and Caravans

Just 2 days ago we experienced the heaviest rain since occupying our caravan. That has emphasised just how much more dependent we are upon the weather.

The heavy rains came soon after a burst of hot weather, which challenged the air-conditioner, and made the day times very difficult for anything other than sitting around and keeping up the fluids. Unless of course, we decided to get in the air-conditioned car and head out for the day.

But rain, is another matter. The onset of rain often means that several things need to be done.

• Are all of the hatches closed? Especially those above the bed or the dining table. The hatch over the shower is not a problem so it gets the lowest priority.
• Windows. Especially if the rain is coming from the direction where windows have been opened.
• Leaks. There shouldn’t be any, but it’s a good idea to check. None found.
• The annexe is another matter.
• If the awning is not set to the correct position, some water can get inside from the stitching at the edge. Thankfully we discovered that very early on, and have adjusted the awning. This time just a small amount of water got in through there.
• Flaps down. The screens, if rain falls on them, make a fine mist and water splashes quite some distance.
• The door to the annexe. It was rolled down since the rain was coming through it from the direction.
• The anti-flap devise at the awning edge. Now that’s a perennial issue for our van. Despite adjusting it recently the edges of the awning have managed to work free in a couple of spots. That lets in a little rain if it is heavy.
• The floor. Despite a trench being dug to take water away, this time the rain was so heavy that some water managed to enter the annexe from under the edges. So, today meant that some parts of the annexe walls were removed to allow air and sunlight to flow in and start the drying process.  More will be needed in the next few days to help dry it out.

The rain we experienced was the edge of a huge system that has caused flooding in may other parts of the country, so the small inconveniences we suffered are indeed only minor, and just add another experience to be talked about.

Rain is not all bad news.

There are, however some benefits to this recent rain. The small man-made lake that gives the Caravan Park its name, Lakeside, was empty and dried up completely. The park ducks are now in their element, happily swimming around and looking very contented.

Earlier today I was puzzled by a sound that I mistook for somebody’s radio playing the distance, but discovered that it was the sound of frogs in the nearby creek, that had filled with water. So this afternoon I took a walk to the creek to check them out. This little video is the result of that investigation. At the time of recording, the frogs had to compete with the galahs settling down for the evening, but they were in fine voice, as you can hear in the video.

The Journey Begins Soon

The time is fast approaching when we will be hitting the road, even if just for a short trip.

The tow vehicle has now been chosen, and there are just a few things to be done to it and the caravan before we will be able to pack up the annexe, hook up the caravan and head out for a stay at a different park.

Today, a trip to the Caravan and Camping Outdoor Adventures Show has stirred up the wanderlust. We were able to pick up a couple of things that will help to make food storage and preparation more effective. There was also a chance to compare some accessories that are either essential, such as the brake control system that will have to fitted to the Landcruiser and some solar panels for use when free camping.

The Caravan Show also provided an opportunity to pick up some maps, brochures and booklets from various regions to help with planning where to go first, what to see and do whilst there and where to stay.

The Grey Nomad Happy Hour

A tradition among Grey Nomads is the Happy Hour.

At the end of the day it’s time to share some nibbles, take a little liquid refreshment and share tales and experiences of life on the road, and stories from the past. There are always new people to meet and stories to tell.

Tales Of The Past

Today we spent considerable time reliving the past in terms of the use (or non use) of the telephone. Being in the Grey Nomad age bracket means that are many years of experiences to share. In these days where the mobile phone seems to be everywhere, and it is difficult to escape them, it’s interesting to reflect on the lack of telephones that most of today’s Happy Hour participants experienced in their younger days.

Surprise was expressed at how small businesses could operate with the use of the telephone. The size and operating capabilities of the earlier phones was also discussed.

Food.

Now that’s a topic that wee can all share past experiences. Today it was about the foods that our partners prepared, or did not prepare, especially if they did not meet up to the standards set by Mothers or Grandmothers. That particular topic can get a little heated with admissions of not liking the early efforts of partners in their early days together. But we got through the discussion unscathed.

Next time, we will be missing some people who will move on, but with the expressed hope of meeting up in some other part of the country as the Grey Nomad adventure continues. Tomorrow’s Happy Hour will be different, which makes it something to look forward to