Hello everyone!

I've been watching this site - and I am very happy to say I'll be joining you all on your travels next year. Single woman, 56 years young - taking a year LWOP to have an adventure! I will buy a campervan and head south from Newcastle in February. 
Have ticket for WOMADelaide in March. Planning to house sit as much as possible.........and have a definite booking at Lakes Entrance in April.

Would love to keep in touch as I face the fear and do it anyway!
So many things to learn as I step out of my comfort zone. Cheers to you all.....!  
Indianna

Welcome Indianna! Go for it! Soon your comfort-zone will be as big as Australia!!

Yeah...................Welcome to the Nomad forums Indianna. As Rosey said........won't take long and you'll settle in very well. There is always someone on here or the general forums to ask about anything you have problems with. I hope you enjoy the experience and I envy you. All the best Cheers Disco Duck Jess

Hi Indianna and welcome.

If you plan on travelling down the south coast NSW be sure and send me a PM and we can arrange to connect.

You and everyone else for that matter are always welcome at our place.

Ma

Welcome Indianna. You'll be ok out there, and before you know it your comfort zone wil be Aust, all of it. Any questions or tips just ask.

Thanks everyone!

You make me feel welcome on the road. I hope I get to meet some or all of you along the way. And I don't feel like I'm completely crazy to be doing this. I've still got 2 weeks of work left - and a month to get sorted!

See you on my travels! Cheers !! Indianna 

ENJOY, you will never run out of places to go & see .

Cheers;;  

Sounds like an echo but all the sentiments and best wishes that the other G?N's have offered I ditto them.Cheers.Ibbo.

Getting quite excited now - only a week left at work - then a whole year off!! And I bought my van yesterday!! She's a bit old, but comfy and still goes well - bit like me, really! The campervan is pretty basic - and I'll have lots of questions for you all..... like when to run the fridge on gas - and when to use the battery? Lots of practical stuff for me to learn. Cheers, everyone!

Gee, how exciting! The biggest tip is only run the fridge on gas when you're parked. Never when you're on the road. If you're in a park of course you'll plug in to 240v - you pay for it, you use it. The battery should be connected in such a way through the tow plug to maintain the fridge temp while you're on the move. There's a switch on the fridge to change over to 12v. Do you have a travel plan, eg. which direction will you take when you pull out of the driveway? That's the most exciting time to me. In my case it's which direction I point the Landcruiser when I pull out of a park. After the first day, just relax and feel the freedom as you enjoy the country you pass through and visit. Don't stress about the traffic behind you as you slide through the country at a moderate and safe speed. They'll pass you eventually, hopefully in a safe place on the highwy. Enjoy!

Thanks for your wise words....... I'm sure I'll be talking to you lots! My first stop will be the comfort zone of a friends farm just up near Singleton in the Hunter Valley - not far from me. I'll be minding their place and feeding their chooks while they have a well-earned holiday. And I'll still be able to duck back here and get to the beach! I'm renting my place to a friend for a year. Looking forward a couple of short trips to get the feel of it all...... Then I'll head south (early Feb), towards Adelaide - but still haven't decided which way to go........... I have friends in Sydney, South Coast, Melbourne ....... and a house sit planned for Lakes Entrance in April - after Womadelaide (early March). Already, I can see that 12 months won't be enough time to do what I want to do and go where I want to go! So, I'll have to work out a way to get an income, whilst travelling........ Cheers! Indianna........ Look out for me in my little Ray of Sunshine!

Ahoy, hi indianna and welcome.
This forum is a friendly place. Just remember t' ignor some o' the replies, all o' mine but none o' grannys and you will learn heaps. Ye'll ne'er get me buried booty!

Hi Indiana Enjoy.

Aaaaaaarrrrrggggghhhhh! A buccaneer! Woah - me hearties !!

Good for you Indiana. My late husband and I travelled the country for 5 years, 3 of which whilst we had our Jayco slide-on campervan, and did lots of house-sitting during this time. A great way to get out of the small van for a month or months at a time. Then we upgraded to our bigger van, and it was divine. I hope to meet you along the way too. I will head off again next Oct when my new smaller van is ready, hopefully to the west, from NQ. Cheers Jan

Well, here I am doing my first house-sit on a friend's farm near Singleton. My time is taken up with relaxing, feeding the chooks and dogs, turning on sprinklers, collecting and sorting eggs.....and did I say relaxing...? At last I'm winding down and starting to feel like I'm on holiday. The campervan needed a bit of work (new gearbox and clutch) but goes really well now. Next week I'll get in and pack it it up with my stuff.....any hints, ladies, on what NOT to take...? Any essential stuff I must have? I have wireless laptop....don't know if it works yet....no reception here! A few more little jobs to do before I go and another short house-sit in Newcastle - then I'll head off south to Adelaide 2nd week of February for WOMADelaide festival in early March. Can't wait to get started on my adventure. Hope you are all well and happy! See you on the road...! Cheers.......Indianna.

Happy trails to you..!
Ever thought about starting a blog? Makes for interesting reading ...dont forget the photos!

Happy travels Indianna. May cross paths thru the year. Enjoy living the dream like we are!!!!!!

Absolutely! Think about it all the time! I've started a journal......can anyone recommend a good blog site? (Apart from this one, of course!) Longhand - on paper....anyone remember that antiquated method of communication?? And those funny little sticky squares of paper called stamps...? Snail mail.....?Yes, I am documenting and taking photos...... Currently on my 2nd house-sit. Very happy. 

....oh yes....at last... on the road......! the van drives like a dream! (...apart from:no power-steering, no air conditioning........)Today - quick trip to Canberra, for the day, to see the musee d'orsey exhibition. C'est mannifique! Tomorrow: Richmond to Vincentia............running out of time - must get to Melbourne... then Adelaide.... Part of me feels like a fraud - all you die-hard real campers! I will be staying with friends, and in YHA.......but I have my van for backup when I need it.....! See you on the road! Cheers !

Hi Indianna. I'm glad to hear your trip is going ok. There are blog sites everywhere. It's just a matter of finding one which is easy for you to use, and suits your needs. Bigpond has one for their customers called bigblog - what else? I have some work on it and I get some interest and a few comments for my writing. There's Blog Spot, My Space, FaceBook and "all that jazz". Don't rush yourself and back yourself into the schedule corner. If you've planned to do more than you have time for, you'll be disappointed and exhausted. Take your time and enjoy.

Currently in Mildura - all is going well in the van. I'm not finding people to be as friendly as I thought they would be. Been to Melbourne, along Great Ocean Road - to Adelaide and WOMAD was fantastic! My van is comfy and I'm getting better each day at packing up and organising myself. Learning all the time.....and planning to keep doing this......there's never enough time! I want to do it slowly - no time constraints. Thanks Chris, for all your advice. Heading back south/east for housesit at Lakes Entrance...along the mighty Murray. "Happiness is a full tank of petrol and no agenda" Cheers! Indianna

Hi Indianna

Thanks for your trip updates.  I am about to also become a solo female traveller; I pick up my motorhome on Wednesday.  I've never done anything like this before and am both excited and apprehensive.  Please keep posting; it's reassuring to know there are other people out there "in the same boat". 

Cheers