G'day we're new here, as we are to the general GN lifestyle. We purchased our first recreational vehicle late last year and have been enjoying ourselves senseless travelling around the South West, Great Southern and Wheatbelt of WA and a little of the Coral Coast (Cervantes / Lancelin / Ledge Point). While our motorhome has its own toilet, shower and washing machine etc, so far we're only staying in caravan parks as we enjoy the additional facilities these offer.
I have a question about the protocol / etiquette of travelling. As we began our adventures many experienced caravaners told us enthusiastically about drinks at 5pm. What nobody told us is how this happens, I thought that it would be quite organic and that we would find ourselves included in these sundowners. Not so, in fact I don't even know where they might be taking place as we never seem to see anybody getting together for a drink. That is apart from people who clearly already know each other and don't look as if they're interested in somebody new. Should we make the first move and ask others to join us at the appropriate time? Or, is there some sort of unwritten rule about who gets to be the invitee / inviter?
The thing is, I think that we are happy, friendly, approachable people. We certainly smile and say 'G'day' to everyone, so what are we doing wrong? Is there any particular thing we should know about the protocol of 'drinks'? Should we take the initiative and walk around the caravan park bottle of plonque in hand looking for somebody equally keen to meet new people? To be honest this seems more than a little desperate to me and I'm not sure I'd be comfortable doing it. How awful to make the entire circuit of the caravan park only to end up back at our motorhome without having drunk a drop.
Any advice to increase our social experience would be gratefully received.
Thank you.
-- Edited by Dee_Tony on Saturday 28th of August 2021 01:27:03 PM
Welcome to the gang Dee_Tony, enjoy here and out in the playground.
Things would have been a bit different a couple of years ago as people were friendlier. Sadly due to Covid there are many travelers out in the playground that just don't know much about our lifestyle out here in the playground. They are probably just looking around there own country as can't other's. I, like many have had enough of all the sh.t going on in OZ as we speak but that's the way it is. I would suggest just keep doing as you do now and you might come across a few happy hours that you get involved in. Enjoy if you do. Being solo like I am can at times make things a little harder to.
I luckily over the last 10 years being full time in the playground have had the privilege of joining in many happy hours either in freedom camps or caravan parks. I have made many friends from this forum and outside, many life long.
I too have noticed what you say as have been sitting out Covid until I see things change enough for me to feel safe moving around again. I am in a CVP and not much happens around here as well. Nothing during lock downs. No drama really as I don't mind my own company.
Keep Safe on the roads and out there.
__________________
Live Life On Your Terms
DOUGChief One Feather (Losing feathers with age)
TUG.......2014 Holden LT Colorado Twin Cab Ute with Canopy
DEN....... 2014 "Chief" Arrow CV (with some changes)
We have been caravaning on and off for 15years and I would have to agree that you don't see that many happy hour gatherings about except maybe with people travelling together and they are usually happy to keep to themselves,
I have also noticed that some people park up and you never seem to see them outside of their van/motorhome and this has not just been in the current Covid times.
I've noticed in a couple of caravan parks that the owners or managers organise the gathering. Other than that you might catch up with a few people in the local pub around dinner time.
Thank you to all for your responses. I was beginning to think it was us but I can see that the 5pm drinks may be a fallacy or a pre-covid thing. Not to worry, we'll continue to be friendly with everyone and hope to meet new people that way. We're off again in a couple of weeks so might just take the bull by the horns and make the offer of a pre-prandial get together at 'our place' to anyone prepared to share a conversation longer than a salutation. I'll keep you posted.
In my view your observations are fairly accurate.
When we first ventured out on the road we noticed a huge gap in class distinction amongst Grey Nomads.
It appeared that conversations were difficult to start and even more difficult if you drove the wrong brand of car or had the wrong brand of van.
Then I noticed that motor homers generally avoided talking to caravaners and vica verca.
Then you will get the people that just frown on anyone who has a beer or wine.
Or you will get some who just appear to hate all others without any reason apart from their sad attitude to life in general.
We have even had a fellow vanner come and tell us that we were on *his site*. Apparently he had the site we were on last year or some such thing and he felt that the park manager should have kept it for him.
We have found that meeting and becoming friends with others will generally not revolve around the fact that all of us are travelling but more to the point of personal shared interests.
Some of those activities might include fishing, golf, bowls, meals at the local pub, cooking a bbq in the camp kitchen, photography, swimming, particularly in the park pool, walking at the same time each day and I could go on.
Both Angie and I like to have a chat and I thing anyone with an open mind with regards to conversation and leading to friendship will usually manage to meet and socialise with others.
During the big Qld lockdown we met several couples who were in the same boat and could not go anywhere. In this situation Covid actually helped us make friends easily with others.
Several of these couples still stay in touch with us now and we have met up with some of them again this year. And, isnt that funny because it is now that our friends and us are having a drink during Happy Hour and probably appear to others to be non inclusive.
This cycle will continue but if you are prepared to have a go at conversation you will meet lots of people.
If possible, observe others and you may note some likes and dislikes in their actions.
Keep an open mind and enjoy your travels, and make yourselves available if asked to join.
You will know if the people you are with will be compatible.
One thing I might add is avoid travelling with others unless you know them very well and know that you all THOROUGHLY enjoy each other company.
A very good thread here. We have experienced nearly all of the aspects brought up here.
Mostly at a Road Side Rest Area our approach has been very "Aussie" along the lines of "g'Day how yer goin" and general stuff of conversation etc.
Most folks respond to such and from there the more's of chat soon reveal how the other party(ies) would be happy to continue to chat and even share a camp fire etc.
It is a great way to be involved and just be friendly to/with others even if we never see them again!
__________________
Cheers - Ian
I slowly realise as I get older that I am definitely NOT the fastest rat in the race.
Also the older I get the more I realise I do not know.
If you have a Land Rover people talk to each other how good their Land Rovers are & how they wouldn't be caught dead in anything else!
We mostly free camp. People generally want their own space. Probably one of the reasons why they free camp.
Start repairing something on the vehicle & people will come out of the woodwork with, lathes, mills, welders, bench saws, titanium 3d print... that maybe a touch exaggerated... & offer too much advice!
__________________
Procrastination, mankind's greatest labour saving device!
50L custom fuel rack 6x20W 100/20mppt 4x26Ah gel 28L super insulated fridge TPMS 3 ARB compressors heatsink fan cooled 4L tank aftercooler Air/water OCD cleaning 4 stage car acoustic insulation.
We have found most of the gatherings to be people travelling together as a large group & quite closed to anyone not in their clique.
Have had some small groups invite us to join them, but that is certainly not the norm. Deb & I plonk ourselves outside the van in deck chairs after setting up the van for some well earned drinks & find it tends to attract some people who are always made welcome to join us.
Welcome to the GN lifestyle Dee and Tony. It all depends on.... many things. We have been at CPs where the managers organised campfires and live musical entertainment. We have been places where organised groups were happy to invite us into their happy hour. We've also invited ourselves to join in with other couples as they enjoyed their own happy hour outside their van (with their approval), but always take something to share. We've also spent happy hours alone when it seemed that everyone else had other things to do and ignored us. So your experience is not unusual. Travelling the wide country is not necessarily accompanied by a carnival every night, but it's nice when it does happen.
Possum thank you for clearing up Kebbin's "P**s P*t*?" for me. I had no idea what he meant, maybe I should have bought a vowel .
Just to clear up what might be a misconception, we enjoy a couple of drinks of an evening (occasionally stretched to 3 if with really good company) prior to dinner. Grumpy is certainly not a drunk neither am I a lush (apart from the individual body part maybe).
Thanks once again to all who have contributed to this thread, for the most part I've found the replies to be interesting and insightful and I'm grateful for the time taken to respond.
Mandatory to carry your own chair and limit the amount of booze you are carrying to what you can carry in one hand AND at 6 o'clock at the latest, say goodbye and head back to your own rig.
Nothing worse than people that drink your booze and won't go home.
With covid - just need to keep your distance.
I remember back many many moons now at GreenS Lake, Nth Central VIC happy hours could and on many occasions were still going at 8.00pm, that had started around 4.00pm. When at my place I had to bring in the old pub days and called last drinks at 5.45pm and everyone went their own ways at 6.00pm, some to continue somewhere else. I also had to bring in a more modern thing as well, no smoking under my awning. Sadly a couple wouldn't come again but that's the way it was/is.
Yes, everyone had to bring own chair and drinks.
I have since sorted the Covid problem.
-- Edited by Dougwe on Sunday 12th of September 2021 06:28:01 PM
__________________
Live Life On Your Terms
DOUGChief One Feather (Losing feathers with age)
TUG.......2014 Holden LT Colorado Twin Cab Ute with Canopy
DEN....... 2014 "Chief" Arrow CV (with some changes)
