Idle thoughts

Elle on Wheels · Guru

Idle thoughts

jonathan · Guru

Awwww geee Elle .. patience is a real virtue in this game .. good luck !

bill12 · Guru

I,ll bet that you are chaffing at the bit-I am working on heading off at the end of January, and would be gone now , if not for that 4 letter word- work.Its pissing down rain here at the moment.Not the monsoon, but getting close.See you on the road, Bill

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Good on ya Elle, great to hear that things are really taking shape for you. I and my Avan are both ready and willing but that "word" also is stopping me at present. I can't wait for April 2012 when I head of to Townsville on my first big trip, I say big as 6 weeks is the longest I will have ever had off in one stint.

-- Edited by Dougwe on Monday 5th of December 2011 08:39:34 AM

beiffe · Guru

Just a tip from someone who has done it.

DON'T buy everything before you start or you will be like me and be eaving stuff on rubbish bins everywhere.

Hit the road light and when you think you need something a few times (gee I WISH I had that or I NEED that or this) then go and get it.

I have left so much stuff behind it is not funny and very expensive.

Even stuff you take put a paper sticker on each item and after being through a season, any stuff required for that season with a sticker still remaining get rid of it as it is excess weight for nothing.

On the boat I set off with a new kyakk and after the first use I found my back did not allow it. I brand new Kyakk thrown away LOL.

Many people tell us that they did the same thing, spend thousands on stuff to not use it and either lug it around for years or throw it away.

Remember that on the road full time there is no "drop it of at home on the weekend".

Regards
Brian

yeoeleven · Guru

Ellen, I can only agree with Brian I did spend a lot of money buying things that I thought that I would need but when I was actually on the road my requirements changed.

I have disposed of many items that I considered necessary and bought others overlooked previously, I have seen the inside of several Cash Converter stores in the mean time selling off surplus items at ridiculously low prices but space is at a premium in a Hi Ace.

Hopefully you will be able to set off soon on a trial run.

John

Happywanderer · The Master

I have to agree with them both, I've already thrown out a few things and others I have seen and thought I will need, have managed quite nicely without them. So no more spending until I am out on the road and when it becomes a necessity then I will think about it.

Beth54 · Guru

bill12 wrote:
I,ll bet that you are chaffing at the bit-I am working on heading off at the end of January, and would be gone now , if not for that 4 letter word- work.Its pissing down rain here at the moment.Not the monsoon, but getting close.See you on the road, Bill

I have a cousin in Townsville Bil, and she's sick of the rain already. furious

rvtraveller2 · Senior Member

Elle on Wheels wrote:
Hello All
I am experiencing a brief hiatus in planning and researching hitting the road and this is a bit disconcerting as I like to keep the pace up.
I've just about bought everything possible from ebay - pet pen, camera, whizbang battery jump starter with lotsa functions, solar panels, shower stuff, tv, 3 way car fridge freezer, even a fold up massage chair so i can pick up a few buckeroos at markets etc.
Plus I've accumulated a heap of other stuff from various camping stores,,,, and my fevered brain is tossing up the idea of a little inflatable boat with mini outboard (hope someone disuades me from that one).
My caravan is currently at the autoelectricans getting the solar panels fitted and all the bits and pieces needed - lots of 12v points, battery charger manager etc etc.
I should be able to go for a quick trip next week to test everything out so that will be very exciting. It can't come soon enough.
After that I get the 2nd hand canopy fitted to the ute and then take it to the autoelectrician to fit the solar panel and install the uhf and arial and other stuff.
In the meantime I languish here in a space I am looking forward to leaving although with considerable regret.
Keeping things rolling along is a good thing. Standing still is not. Thanks for listening.

Geeeee elle you have been very busy getting it all together,you are going to have a wow of a time and live in all that luxury,do you think you will be able to cope.You have a merry christmas and happy new year. biggrin biggrin biggrin

Cruising Granny · Guru

Take it easy on stocking up with stuff.
I moved into a 22ft van I bought in Broome with nothing but my bag of clothes. I had to buy a bed and crockery etc.
The people I bought the van from had a box of "stuff" which included crockery and cutlery. I bought a secondhand bed and built on the "stuff" from there.
I moved into this 20ft van with less cupboards, and because I was going on the road I had to reduce the "stuff" to essentials.
I sold boxes of groups of "stuff". Take it all.
I haven't added too much since then, and even the clothes gets thrown out if I haven't worn it for a year - summer or winter.
I'm on my own and both wardrobes are still full of my clothes.
There's weight and balance to consider, as well as clutter to keep to a minimum.
Only get it when you need it.

Elle on Wheels · Guru

Thanks all for your sound advice - just getting a little stir crazy probably.

I'm trying very hard to discriminate between what is essential and what isn't. The van came with a microwave and slow cooker which I want to discard but already people have said hang on to them. I want to free camp mostly and really do not use either of those much in my present lifestyle. so they will go to the op shop. I've bought a dreampot and a little brandname bbq. I've also invested in a mesh toaster - $3 on special. You can't get better toast than that.

I will pack the turbo cooker because it is so energy efficient but if I don't use it much then it too will go to the opshop. It will be hard leaving my pizza cooker behind.

Really I just want to make sure I have done all the big expenditure before my life of penury commences.

Guess the inflatable boat will wait for a year or so to see if I really need it...... just kidding.

lilly31 · Guru

Elle you will start on trip with some item's that you will never use and some you will use evey day ...It will all come together ... Take you time and enjoy the ride .....

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Elle on Wheels wrote:
Thanks all for your sound advice - just getting a little stir crazy probably.

I'm trying very hard to discriminate between what is essential and what isn't. The van came with a microwave and slow cooker which I want to discard but already people have said hang on to them. I want to free camp mostly and really do not use either of those much in my present lifestyle. so they will go to the op shop. I've bought a dreampot and a little brandname bbq. I've also invested in a mesh toaster - $3 on special. You can't get better toast than that.

I will pack the turbo cooker because it is so energy efficient but if I don't use it much then it too will go to the opshop. It will be hard leaving my pizza cooker behind.

Really I just want to make sure I have done all the big expenditure before my life of penury commences.

Guess the inflatable boat will wait for a year or so to see if I really need it...... just kidding.

Agree with the mesh toaster elle, I use one at home on the gas stove all the time, best toast ever.

bill12 · Guru

I have a question?how do you make cakes on a 2 burner stove? I suppose a camp oven is one way . I have been making choclate cakes in the microwave at home , but don,t want to take it on the road.thanks, Bill

-- Edited by bill12 on Tuesday 6th of December 2011 07:30:36 AM

Clare46 · Senior Member

http://www.colemanaustralia.com.au

After you open the link go to camping accessories, then cooking and eating and then camp oven

It is a folding oven that you can use on top of a gas stove. I have never seen them used, I just remembered seeing them when I was looking for something else

Almurta · Veteran Member

One cheap way to spend the time before leaving is to go down the library and get some books on travelling round Oz. I did that yesterday and already know heaps about The Fossickers Way and The New England Tableland that I didn't know before even though I've driven through that country many times. It's all helping me get clear in my mind about what to do when I leave here.

Esmeralda · Guru

bill12 wrote:
I have a question?how do you make cakes on a 2 burner stove? I suppose a camp oven is one way . I have been making choclate cakes in the microwave at home , but don,t want to take it on the road.thanks, Bill

-- Edited by bill12 on Tuesday 6th of December 2011 07:30:36 AM

You can make cakes and roast in an electric frypan - it is actually handy for a lot of things.

Helen

jules47 · The Happy Helper

I have a Cobb cooker - have made cakes in it, scones, casseroles, soup - as well as roasts and bbq's - great if you don't have electricity - need to fiddle a bit with times etc, and number of heat beads, the book you get with it is pretty comprehensive as well.

Elle on Wheels · Guru

I think you can make cakes in the dream cooker as well

Sheba · Guru

When we first moved to Baffle Creek, my sister gave me a Cast Iron eletric frypan that no longer worked. I got rid of the cord, and used to make Damper, Scones, and Cakes etc. in it [it had a good fitting lid.] on the 2 burner Caravan Stove.

I'm sure I've got a Cookbook with "Cooking on a 2 Burner Stove" as the title somewhere. Can't find it just this minute though.

Cheers,

Sheba.

Elle on Wheels · Guru

Hi Sheba I hope I can catch up with you on the road sometime it would be an honour to meet you.

pricey43 · Guru

Bill,
Why not try the old scout method.
Cut the top off an orange , scoop it out, fill it with cake batter , replace top and put it in the fire coals. The orange gives the cake a beautiful flavor.

Ma · Guru

That sounds very interesting pricey, think I will give it a go next time we light the fire.

peacewalker · Veteran Member

hi everyone, i come to this site everyday and learn something new everytime. thought I would thank you
all for such good advice.

rvtraveller2 · Senior Member

peacewalker wrote:
hi everyone, i come to this site everyday and learn something new everytime. thought I would thank you
all for such good advice.

Advice comes cheap,allways a pleasure to help out, we are all here to help other nomads when possible. Neil biggrin biggrin biggrin

goinsoon · Guru

Talking about idle thoughts, I just had one

"If you must choose between two evils, pick the one you've never tried before."

beiffe · Guru

If you have the old electric frypan they make a good fire resistant base for you camp oven. Find a camp oven / dish that fits inside the frypan and then put your heat binds around the oven inside the frypan. If too high use alfoil as a lid. This allows the heat to cook the meal and the legs of the frypan insulate the heat from your table etc. An old trick but still a lot don't know it.

I prefer the out side fire made out of a 4 kg gas bottle with another for my oven. Fantastic best money I every spent.

Regards
Brian

Happywanderer · The Master

I saw the best old electric frying pan at Greens Lake. Well it wasn't electric even though it looked like it. It was a gas one. Jimbo owned it and cooked outside on it all the time. It was hooked to a gas bottle instead of being plugged into power, other than that you would not know it was not an electric.
Never seen or heard of one before.

Elle on Wheels · Guru

Happywanderer wrote:
I saw the best old electric frying pan at Greens Lake. Well it wasn't electric even though it looked like it. It was a gas one. Jimbo owned it and cooked outside on it all the time. It was hooked to a gas bottle instead of being plugged into power, other than that you would not know it was not an electric.
Never seen or heard of one before.

Hey that sounds amazing - Jim share your secret......

pricey43 · Guru

I have a question?how do you make cakes on a 2 burner stove? I suppose a camp oven is one way . I have been making choclate cakes in the microwave at home , but don,t want to take it on the road.thanks, Bill

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Bill12,

Was flicking through the recipe book library a couple of days after your post and what do I find but a complete section designated as

' CAKES COOKED IN A SAUCEPAN'

I couldn't believe my eyes. In the New Year will look at them more closely and put a few on.

See, all you have to do is ask!!! smile smile smile smile smile