hi all reading between the lines it sounds like most people on this forum travel a lone ( i mean with partner).we have been travelling for a number of years usually out for 2-3months at a time and just wondering what your thoughts are about travelling with a group or may be another couple. i know when you travel alone it makes it easy in the decision making you don't have to please any one else. but for a change we were thinking of may be joining a caravan club and giving it a go . what are your thoughts on the subject good or bad ? have a nice day al
al we have not long come back from escorting a mob of greenhorn city slickers up to the rock, we had a ball
we have had many requests to do it again and I am thinking of doing it again as a life style change, payment for this sort of thing is very high but so is the frustration level
be sure everyone has roughly the same tastes and requirements and expectations otherwise all hell will break loose
some want all luxury's and that may not be the way you wish to travel, some want to see all tourist spots and some wont, some are happy to sit around others must be amused at all times
it can be a fantastic memorable trip or it can be the trip from hell, you must all be totally compatible
a caravan club may just be the answer if you wish to dip your toe and I think would be a good thing
think very hard and study each individual before you become part of or think about an orginised group
-- Edited by dave06 on Saturday 21st of November 2009 10:54:38 AM
Check out and register your interest on the website listed below. Then you can choose who you travel with, and where to. It's up to you who you travel and camp with, but the more sites you register your interest and the "plan", the more interest you will attract. I don't belong to any travel/caravan clubs because I've mostly followed my own plan on my own, stay as long as I choose. I live in van full time and many of those club camps are for seasonal and part time travellers. Check out and register you plan on other similar forums. Then you can discuss the trip you're planning with whoever is available and suitable. Safe and happy travelling.
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20ft Roma caravan - Mercedes Benz Sprinter - SA-based at the moment. Transport has no borders.
Management makes the decisions, but is not affected by the decisions it makes.
Hi.........I'm involved with a Group...who go camping for a weekend...the ones who organise it...as Davo said.......has to cater for everyones needs
"some want all luxury's and that may not be the way you wish to travel, some want to see all tourist spots and some wont, some are happy to sit around others must be amused at all times"
Get involved with a Group..but make sure you can have time to do your own thing..I heard 4x4 clubs have a strict gender...up and packed by 6am.etc....toilet break...when they want..not when nature calls.....
even though theres 2 of you.......lot ppl get lonely..or crave for different conversations..you might meet ppl in a CP....you can tag along with.just a thought
Sometimes a paid tag-along trip is the way to go. We went on a tag-along convoy across the Simpson Desert, as we could not have done it on our own. the Group Leader and "tail-end Charlie" were highly experienced, and made us all feel safe in what is otherwise a pretty dangerous environment for mugs like us. We learned a huge amount that we still draw from on every trip. I dont think "Getabout" runs those tagalong tours anymore, but there may be others. Very good if you want to follow a given itinerary, and want guidance along the way.
On the other hand, its nice to make our own decisions as we go...arguing with each other is quite enough, couldnt cope with another couple's ideas too!
You would need to agree on a firm itinerary before leaving, and be very compatible, to travel as a group.
AL i think you have asked the million dollar question , we like doing our own things , we have friends who like to have someone to follow and other friends who after traveling with other friends are no longer friends . so i dont think i could answer your question has we are all different and ant that good
Rosey, ozcaravantagalong is not an escorted tagalong tour. It's an independent site for anyone to register to find fellow travellers heading in the same direction. I suppose "tagalong" is a bit misleading in this context. But it's absolutely free to log on and register. Those who wish to make contact can do it at their pace with whomever they choose. It's just a contact site, sort of like internet dating but this is travelling, with or without a date. And no money changes hands.
The escorted tagalong tours you mentioned are also good value I've been told by several travellers. They provide the guide, the meals and a mechanic, as well as the communication in case anyone in the group gets into trouble they can't help with, or if anyone becomes ill.
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20ft Roma caravan - Mercedes Benz Sprinter - SA-based at the moment. Transport has no borders.
Management makes the decisions, but is not affected by the decisions it makes.
I couldn't handle an escorted Tag-a-long tour. I am too lazy for that. I like to get up when I want.........leave when I want...............and stay where and when I want.
In the past we have always found that if you go with a group, it has to be a larger group. With smaller groups, people tend to take sides and if there is any discontent it usually becomes the "them against us" type of situation. At least with a larger group you are not stuck with talking to the same people all the time. It is also fun to swap passengers when you can.
Now-a-days it is usually just Daisy and I that go........unless it's a boys only trip. That is a different kettle of duck feathers altogether.
I'ts also fun to tag along with someone you meet on the way, for a couple of days but I have usually had enough of "consulting" within a week and we break off.
But I do agree entirely with Brickies it really is the million dollar question!
-- Edited by Disco Duck on Saturday 21st of November 2009 05:22:27 PM
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Daisy and Disco Duck
Adelaide South Australia
Gotta Think Outside the Square!
Now that food has replaced sex in my life, I can't even get into my own pants.
If at First You Don't Succeed.......Redefine Success !!
I am with you Disco what it is about for us is our life style, we were if a group once and all the time you were going out of your way to fit in , for me it doing what you want when you want if you want somebody to have a chat not had to find if you want peace it yours.
I work in a fairly busy environment with lots of noise and people and timetables and have to be here now and there at a certain time. So when I am able to get away........I lap it up and just "sloth it"
As we get older too, I think the need to fit in somewhere seems to go by the wayside. We have nothing to prove to anyone and we get set in our own ways and routines. Boy, don't I love that!!
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Daisy and Disco Duck
Adelaide South Australia
Gotta Think Outside the Square!
Now that food has replaced sex in my life, I can't even get into my own pants.
If at First You Don't Succeed.......Redefine Success !!
we generally travel alone, mainly as its easier and we get to meet more different people. just heard from some friends (couple A), their 12 month lap with friends (couple B) and friends of theirs (couple C) has turned to disaster. Couple C have turned out to be loud and obnoxious drunks who want everything there way. now our friends feel trapped in a nightmare unable to escape without upsetting somebody
Ran into a caravan club in QLD a few years back.
Interesting to watch roll call just like back at primary school.
Bossy head poobah pegs tomorrows destination on guy ropes of minions overnight to let them know where they are going the next day.
We turned our UHF on & listened, orders coming thick & fast from poobah.
Our worst bloody nightmare.
Ran into a caravan club in QLD a few years back. Interesting to watch roll call just like back at primary school. Bossy head poobah pegs tomorrows destination on guy ropes of minions overnight to let them know where they are going the next day. We turned our UHF on & listened, orders coming thick & fast from poobah. Our worst bloody nightmare.
Totally agree 86GTS, we have had similar experiences with these types of groups. If nothing else, it provides some humour watching on. One doosey was when a group arrived at a caravan park and were summoned to then obligatory meeting to get instructions on what will be the itinerary etc when 2 (obviously) new members were sent back to their caravan to get their lanyards which apparently is a must to wear when with the group. Shame on them for not knowing the rules
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We acknowledge and pay our respects to the British and European Elders past and present, who introduced civil society and prosperity to Australia.
Definitely not for us - or, I suspect, for most people either.
We were at chambers pillar and a group of short wheelbase land rovers rolled in. Talked to a couple of drivers who were genuinely distressed from having to keep up with the hoons who insisted on leading the convoy at too high a speed
We like to stop and smell the flowers, or in my case, photograph them, ( https://photos.app.goo.gl/XjeuZU6kgJh7VYat5) and that just isn't possible as part of a group. Invariably 30 % will be early leavers, 30% will be late leavers and the rest want to do different every day. Some will want to stop for coffee every two hours and others will be driving one handed all day because they can't survive more than 5 minutes without a beer in their hand. Trouble is the early leavers won't be early stoppers either so there will be constant friction all day every day.
Good to see this 2009 thread revived & read the comments of some of my old friends (& one certainly not a friend), now lost to the forum.
From time to time we ponder the option of group travel but always come to the conclusion that it is not for us.
Our next door neighbours who incidentally introduced us to the idea of caravanning, have always been a Club members & it certainly gets them out and about a lot more than us. They seem to have worked out a system that suits them, often meeting the club at one of the planned destinations & leaving the group as it suits. They frequently branch off alone or with perhaps one or more of their closer friends for a 'solo' trip.
For my part I just can't stand those who thrust themselves into positions of power within the clubs & seem to break all the rules of people & meeting management as they revel in their position of power. I realise that not all of them are like that & many, perhaps the majority, are lovely successful people performing their roles very well and for all the right reasons. I just can't cop the atmosphere .. I must be just a grumpy old loner these days after a working life time of exactly the opposite. Maybe those who worked with me might argue that I was always a grumpy loner, just not old.
Our first long Caravanning experience (around the block in 2000) was in the company of a lovely couple who we met at Hervey Bay on our first trip. It was a great experience and we all fitted in very well. They met up with us at Darwin & we parted company about 5 months later at Port Augusta. We are still very good friends, but haven't Caravanned together since that first trip as life took us in different directions.
We have done a few trips with our Daughter & her family in our separate vans. They were also excellent trips. We usually agreed on our next destination and left at separate times, coming together by chance occasionally at an intermediate town or lunch stop and meeting up at the end of the day to swap stories.
I suppose that if I were starting out again I might just give the Club life a fairer unbiased try. Maybe it's not even too late, but we are a bit slower & set in our ways these days.
I would never travel as part of a group (they probably wouldn't have me anyway :) ).
When people ask to visit I always say "You are most welcome to stay for three nights; after that either you or I move." As you may suspect, I developed this rule via experience.
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"I beseech you in the bowels of Christ think it possible you may be mistaken"
Oliver Cromwell, 3rd August 1650 - in a letter to the General Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland
Like many others commenting above, it all depends on the group members whether it is an enjoyable experience or a disaster. My wife and I generally travel alone (together) and enjoy the freedom that consulting/compromising with one person gives. We have gone away only for a few days with another couple who have very similar interests and dispositions to us and that has worked out ok, but for more than a few days we would have to agree in advance that any party is free to separate whenever they wish. Past experience suggests that there is an exponential curve for negotiation as soon as you increase past one person and the longer the time period, the higher level of frustration/anger/dismay.
If you want to travel in a group, make sure you have a good reason for doing so.
I would never travel as part of a group (they probably wouldn't have me anyway :) ).
When people ask to visit I always say "You are most welcome to stay for three nights; after that either you or I move." As you may suspect, I developed this rule via experience.
Mike, Do you wave to them when they arrive or when they leave
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We acknowledge and pay our respects to the British and European Elders past and present, who introduced civil society and prosperity to Australia.
We (the child-bide and I) tend to be a bit different to most that have posted.
We travel mainly by our selves, but we have dear friends that we seem to link up with even holidaying at each other's houses (with our caravans). We tend to travel basically in the same direction and to the same destinations, although we separate and go to differing points of interest, then link up again at a favourite camp spot to sit around camp fire, cooking both separately and together. It seems we are of similar temperments and share many interests and comfortable with sharing our anecdotes and aspirations.
We do have quite an interest in travelling (in off-road camper trailer) with other sometimes large groups along with "Police Bush Safaris" where newby off-roaders can travel to the more remote areas of this great country in the relative safety of having the back-up of mechanics, ambulance and a couple of times even the Australian Army, travelling companions. We have been doing this for the last 30 years and now have a regular bunch of old farts "just doing it" out there, but as we are now a little longer in the tooth we tend to no longer do the really rugged 4WD'ing and actually drive on bitumen at least half of the time.
A few times, do to our respective working lives, I have hitched either the van or camp trailer and gone outback or to WA by myself and just enjoyed being content with my own company camping wherever, going fishing, collecting tree-bones for campfires generally relaxing and reminiscing.
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Possum; AKA:- Ali El-Aziz Mohamed Gundawiathan
Sent from my imperial66 typewriter using carrier pigeon, message sticks and smoke signals.
people who travel in groups (convoys) are usually a PITA to other traveling in the same direction
You've got that right! These people like to toodle along at 80kmh so should be at least 100 metres apart to allow room for overtaking trucks to move back to the left lane. Some Roadtrains are 60 metres long, so a 100 metre gap would seem to be be appropriate. Cheers
Some people need to be supervised in almost every aspect of their lives.
These people find travelling in a group very attractive.
Put them by themselves & they run around like headless chooks.
I know a few macho guys that are afraid to spend the night out in the bush free camped by themselves.
Watch out for the boogie man, he's out there!
or bad 
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