Questions from a new Solo traveller to be and any advice you can give before I head off to the great open spaces?

pjwilco · Veteran Member

Questions from a new Solo traveller to be and any advice you can give before I head off to the great open spaces?

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Welcome to the gang PJ, enjoy here and out in the playground.

Greens Lake would be a perfect spot to try out "Free" camping without a question.

As for what to carry, a in line water filter for one as then you can filter drinking water from the tap up in the toilet area. The ladies has a key on the tap so I am told but maybe a good idea to have a four sided tap key just in case. The rest of the goodies in you Avan, well, take what you think you will need and you will soon sort out what is not needed or needed. Some sort of power is also needed as there is no 240v available there. Most people that use free camps have Solar Power.

Heaps of room and not far from shops if needed?

pjwilco · Veteran Member

thank you for taking the time to reply. I will bring what I THINK I need and then I can work out WHAT I need.

i will chase up about the four way tap and solar panels too.

cheers

PJ

Happywanderer · The Master

Hi Pam. Totally agree with Doug, Greens Lake would be a perfect starting point to iron out all the wrinkles.
Those taps can be bought at Bunnings.
Don't be worried about solo travelling, I started out over 4yrs ago and although had some initial hiccups with the first van, Im now a seasoned traveller.
After my first lap around Aus I went back to my sons in Geelong and unpacked and repacked leaving at least half in his shed. Stuff that I never touched once in a full lap.
You will work it out as you go.
Will be interested to see how you go.

Happywanderer · The Master

Another thought, make sure you have enough solar panels and house batteries to keep everything going. I have 12 volt adaptors for all my electronics. Makes life so much easier.

Highwayman · Senior Member

Hi Di hi. Pj .welcome to the world of open spaces..and others in the playground.heres my opinions on the subject.a vandal proof key as douge suggested is an asset..have used it a few times .but what I find invaluable in my travels are people ...forums..information avenues..I.e wiki camps . being a female ther are many in our own forum ...make contact..jules patty gayle Colleen sally ...your not on your own and there are guys out there too and just saying putting it out there put a forum sticker on yr avan and if I see it I'll be knocking on the door .i don't have johns social skills so I probaly give you space if I don't see one.. As doug says greens is a excellent proving ground I'll be there again trying my windsurfer out ..dont let anything defeat you ..you will learn as you go.. Freedom is not too hard to learn cya. Sorry kiwi girl master of all forgive me for not mentioning you 1st lol

-- Edited by Highwayman on Tuesday 31st of March 2015 08:10:01 PM

pjwilco · Veteran Member

Thank you to everyone who has replied. I will bring what had been suggested and other items that I have read about on these forums. I will get a sticker too so others will be able to identify another GN on the road. I am so looking forward to my first real trip in May.cheers to all.

TropicalRose · Veteran Member

I started at greens and got a lot of help and advice from lovely friendly people there. I am now in Qld and loving travelling. Hope you do too.
Gail

frangipani · Guru

Pjwilco, the best advice I can give is get roadside assist., its invaluable, I broke down on my trial run last year, in middle of nowhere, had ppl stop, but lucky I had RACV, had to be towed to Norseman WA, they couldn't fix my Athena, then had her towed from Norseman to Perth, peace of mind,. Regular servicing is another thing to do., - good luck, n happy travels - Fran

jules47 · The Happy Helper

Whereabouts in QLD are you Gail (Tropical Rose)?

And to pjwilco - heaps of solo ladies out there to help you - and Greens would be a good place to start - not sure who is there by the end of May, but why not take a drive over and see who is there, and what it is all about. Glenelg and Big Gorilla are there at the moment, near the boat ramp, Glenelg has a "café" van, but doesn't make coffee - only red wine!

Enjoy yourself - a great life on the road!

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Due to the day after effects of the red wine the day after, Dave is now serving coffee. Just knock on the door and ask for a Cappuccino and monkey face biki.

pjwilco · Veteran Member

Thank you to all who took the time to reply to my post. I like the idea of driving there first to check it out before I take my van over.

Might do this after Easter to see what I need.

again, many thanks

PJ

spida · Guru

My best buy was a Stonedine square casserole with lid that has been almost the only thing I cook in. Fry, roast, toasties, boil. Have nearly worn it out.

TropicalRose · Veteran Member

Hi Jules I'm at Moura heading for the NT. Moving very slowly. Maybe you can catch up pjwilco lol

pjwilco · Veteran Member

Thank you for the offer but I am not quite ready yet. however I would like to take up the offer if you are still travelling in a several weeks. I have asked my father to come with me to Greens Lake soon for a day trip, to check it out. He is my mechanical wizard and I want him to see what setups are there for research. Cheers PJ

johnq · Guru

PJ,

You mentioned you have a small butane stove.

There are reports of safety problems with butane stoves. There is a thread in the General Forum on the subject that you need to read. For your convenience I took the liberty of posting below a couple of relevant links given by that poster, but do go to the thread,

http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/ftw/About_us/News_and_events/Media_releases/2015_media_releases/20150304_public_warning_on_portable_butane.page

http://www.productsafety.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/1012325

pjwilco · Veteran Member

johnq wrote:
PJ,

You mentioned you have a small butane stove.

There are reports of safety problems with butane stoves. There is a thread in the General Forum on the subject that you need to read. For your convenience I took the liberty of posting below a couple of relevant links given by that poster, but do go to the thread,

http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/ftw/About_us/News_and_events/Media_releases/2015_media_releases/20150304_public_warning_on_portable_butane.page

http://www.productsafety.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/1012325

Wow!!!! Thank you for posting this. I will look for something else. It seems that the Weber Baby Q seems to be popular choice by GN. So I will start looking into these. Thanks for taking the time to alert me. Cheers PJ

wendyv · Guru

Welcome.

You ask about comms. I suggest a mobile phone with Telstra Blue Tick (3G etc). This type of mobile gets the best reaching reception away from the cities. Telstra plan with that.

A CB radio is well worthwhile if you are going to venture away from metro areas - in my opinion. You can use it to let trucks coming up behind you know that you are aware of their presence and will just take it steady while they get around you when they see fit. As well, out on the highways where there are big loads, you will hear the escort vehicle chatter often quite a time before you see what is coming. This gives you time to find a suitable place to pull off the road. I have Uniden CB built in to both the bus and the Terios.

Cooking. I am one who uses caravan parks quite a bit - my electric frypan is invaluable there. For bush camping, there are some collapsible, lightweight fire holding containers available - a rack over one of these can hold a pot or two, or be a BBQ. If you have a little roof rack, you can gather roadside wood for the fire - also use heat beads!

If you are going to be using caravan parks at all - or powered places - suggest a couple of different lengths of electric lead. I have one that does most conventional places, plus a very long one that has come in handy sometimes.

Get a little toolbox and fill it with different size fittings to attach hose to taps etc.

In another little box, carry a range of spare fuses - for all the sizes in your vehicle and van.

I find a little LED leadlamp torch is good because it leaves my hands free when cooking or carrying stuff around camp after dark.

pjwilco · Veteran Member

wendyv wrote:
Welcome.

You ask about comms. I suggest a mobile phone with Telstra Blue Tick (3G etc). This type of mobile gets the best reaching reception away from the cities. Telstra plan with that.

A CB radio is well worthwhile if you are going to venture away from metro areas - in my opinion. You can use it to let trucks coming up behind you know that you are aware of their presence and will just take it steady while they get around you when they see fit. As well, out on the highways where there are big loads, you will hear the escort vehicle chatter often quite a time before you see what is coming. This gives you time to find a suitable place to pull off the road. I have Uniden CB built in to both the bus and the Terios.

Cooking. I am one who uses caravan parks quite a bit - my electric frypan is invaluable there. For bush camping, there are some collapsible, lightweight fire holding containers available - a rack over one of these can hold a pot or two, or be a BBQ. If you have a little roof rack, you can gather roadside wood for the fire - also use heat beads!

If you are going to be using caravan parks at all - or powered places - suggest a couple of different lengths of electric lead. I have one that does most conventional places, plus a very long one that has come in handy sometimes.

Get a little toolbox and fill it with different size fittings to attach hose to taps etc.

In another little box, carry a range of spare fuses - for all the sizes in your vehicle and van.

I find a little LED leadlamp torch is good because it leaves my hands free when cooking or carrying stuff around camp after dark.

Thank you so much. You have filled in many gaps in my knowledge bank now. I have some of these but I will add to them with this extra information. Thank you for taking the time to reply. Cheers PJ

johnq · Guru

pjwilco wrote:

Wow!!!! Thank you for posting this. I will look for something else. It seems that the Weber Baby Q seems to be popular choice by GN. So I will start looking into these. Thanks for taking the time to alert me. Cheers PJ

The Baby Q with the high top and thermometer is more flexible for camp and home. smile

ShortNorth · Senior Member

Hello PJ,

Welcome to the wonderful world of Aliners - if you do some web searching, you'll find many ideas for improving your Aliner van.

If you intend doing extensive traveling, can I suggest you look into joining the Avan Club - we have around 1400 members Australia Wide - most state Chapters have a number of solo female travelers, and there is a special sub-chapter just for solos - frequently, several solos get together for a joint travel run of varying durations and destinations. This way you would be in good company and have some experienced women to help you if trouble happens to befall you. The other advantage is when you travel around from state to state, going to one of the local state meetings (from time to time) gives you a whole heap of new friends that you'll find that you seem to know already before you've even met them.

Oh - and also welcome to Grey Nomads - its a pretty friendly place.

Regards, Brian

Glenelg · Guru

Hi PJ you are welcome to call into greens, I'm here for at least two weeks after Easter . Next to the ramp on right 5th wheeler. Don't take any notice of Dougwe, I don't sell coffee but I'll make you one. I'll send you a PM.

pjwilco · Veteran Member

Glenelg wrote:
Hi PJ you are welcome to call into greens, I'm here for at least two weeks after Easter . Next to the ramp on right 5th wheeler. Don't take any notice of Dougwe, I don't sell coffee but I'll make you one. I'll send you a PM.

Thank you for your kind offer. I am certainly thinking about doing this day trip for a look and chat during these two weeks after Easter. cheers PJ

pjwilco · Veteran Member

ShortNorth wrote:
Hello PJ,
Welcome to the wonderful world of Aliners - if you do some web searching, you'll find many ideas for improving your Aliner van.
If you intend doing extensive traveling, can I suggest you look into joining the Avan Club - we have around 1400 members Australia Wide - most state Chapters have a number of solo female travelers, and there is a special sub-chapter just for solos - frequently, several solos get together for a joint travel run of varying durations and destinations. This way you would be in good company and have some experienced women to help you if trouble happens to befall you. The other advantage is when you travel around from state to state, going to one of the local state meetings (from time to time) gives you a whole heap of new friends that you'll find that you seem to know already before you've even met them.
Oh - and also welcome to Grey Nomads - its a pretty friendly place.
Regards, Brian

Brian I was a member but I have let it lapse. But I will chase it up now that my travelling is going to soon. Thank you for taking the time to reply. Cheers PJ

Possum3 · Guru

A COUPLE OF MY INVALUABLES;
Bag of heat beads + fire starters. = small fold up fire place + camp oven
Solar shower (plastic bag type about $19.00 Ray's outdoors)
Small folding shovel + I always carry folding toilet (type that uses plastic bags) - bought at BCF
BBQ cooking paper - the stuff to place on common use BBQ's to keep your food clean.
a couple of hession bags - like sand bags/sugar bags - great for packing and can be used as emergency traction pads (fill with leaves) in sand if bogged
collapsable water container, either hessian or PVC
first aid kit + stingoes
Velcro patches/spots
Fly net for hat
very sharp pocket knife
matches/lighter - essential even if non-smoker.
hand sanitiser + solvol soap
Steelo - stainless steel soapy pads

ESSENTIAL TOOLS
Set of spanners - large and small shifters
vice grip plier - two pair
Long nose plier
Claw hammer + small rubber mallet
small hack saw
snatch strap
jumper leads
Electrical test probe + cheap dick smith multi-meter ($19.00)
MOST IMPORTANT small side cast fishing line

pjwilco · Veteran Member

Possum3 wrote:
A COUPLE OF MY INVALUABLES;
Bag of heat beads + fire starters. = small fold up fire place + camp oven
Solar shower (plastic bag type about $19.00 Ray's outdoors)
Small folding shovel + I always carry folding toilet (type that uses plastic bags) - bought at BCF
BBQ cooking paper - the stuff to place on common use BBQ's to keep your food clean.
a couple of hession bags - like sand bags/sugar bags - great for packing and can be used as emergency traction pads (fill with leaves) in sand if bogged
collapsable water container, either hessian or PVC
first aid kit + stingoes
Velcro patches/spots
Fly net for hat
very sharp pocket knife
matches/lighter - essential even if non-smoker.
hand sanitiser + solvol soap
Steelo - stainless steel soapy pads

ESSENTIAL TOOLS
Set of spanners - large and small shifters
vice grip plier - two pair
Long nose plier
Claw hammer + small rubber mallet
small hack saw
snatch strap
jumper leads
Electrical test probe + cheap dick smith multi-meter ($19.00)
MOST IMPORTANT small side cast fishing line

Now that is what I call the Newbie's Needs Now list and this is excellent. I would like to thank you and all the others that have taken time to respond to my request. I am inching closer to starting out. I am getting my place in North East Victoria ready for sale. Hopefully this will be a couple of weeks now. Then some modifications to my caravan and then my first trial run.

cheers PJ

Possum3 · Guru

Another New Nomad friendly free camp in range of you is; Wilks Park Rest Area, North Wagga Wagga - Electric BBQ, Great toilets (cleaned daily)- no showers but town water, walking distance from main shopping area (K mart - Big W - Aussie Disposals - Jaycar electronics - discount fuel - etc.)

Further up the Hume (120 Klms) is Jujiong showground Electric BBQ's (donation box), great toilets (cleaned daily) - no showers but town water - opposite "Long Track Pantry" gourmet restaurant and providores (said to be best in Australia) very reasonable prices. Fruit and veg store opposite also has bread/milk local produce. This park has exceptional monument display to fallen Police (not bushrangers for a change).

IMO these two Camps are amongst the best and are regular stop-offs of mine.

Further down in Victoria - Batyo Catyo a small caravan park Near St Arnaud, upper Grampians (was $10/night when I was there last year in summer peak) www.caravancaravan.com.au/entity/lake-batyo-catyo-campground

dogbox · Guru

johnq wrote:
PJ,

You mentioned you have a small butane stove.

There are reports of safety problems with butane stoves. There is a thread in the General Forum on the subject that you need to read. For your convenience I took the liberty of posting below a couple of relevant links given by that poster, but do go to the thread,

http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/ftw/About_us/News_and_events/Media_releases/2015_media_releases/20150304_public_warning_on_portable_butane.page

http://www.productsafety.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/1012325

the problem with those small canister stoves was people putting large pots/pans that cover the whole tops an caused the canisters to get hot

if used as per instuctions they are as safe as anything else