Day 1. May 5 2024. Here we go again...

Full tank of fuel, 0 on the trip meter and a play list that never stops.

A bit of last minute packing up the house ready for lockup and packing all we will use for the next 3 months into the van. Busy morning to get ready to go, and after final goodbyes to Linda’s mum and some obligatory photos, we left OG at 12:30 for a 3 hour drive to Bendigo. The first brand new experience was only 30 minutes into our 3 month long journey, driving the road from Corio to Bacchus Marsh past the prisons. This road doesn’t come up in Australia’s top 10 driving tours for a reason!

There has been a big build up and to finally get away is a relief. Linda has been planning heavily as well as working on a renovation of the games room at OG since Feb, and has seriously done an awesome job. I finished work on Friday and it is still a bit surreal we have left. It is amazing work has given me the time (again) and am fully appreciative of the support they have given me.

I had been thinking that to Bendigo was a short little jaunt to get us started – but the extra hour coming from OG made it feel like we have really taken the first step of many. We originally planned to start on the Monday, but why not start on the Sunday and miss the peak hour traffic and rush of a Monday morning? Why not get an early start the next day at visiting the Bendigo Knitting Mills and look to buy – what I have been informed is close to 3km of wool for a blanket. I don’t know how long a piece of string is but apparently the length of wool to make a blanket is 2.86km.

Linda has been amazing with the planning of the trip and as we check into our first nights accommodation with our dinky van, she comes back to the car and shows me the key to what is a campers number one luxury – an ensuite. Looking to ease us into the trip, we can still have our own bathroom right next to the van – which is just the nicest thing.

First night, we are a little out of practice but use the fully equipped camp kitchen to cook dinner. Well, I did watch the end of the bulldogs match while Linda made dinner, but I did pitch in with dishes and running back to the van to get missing utensils.

We headed north, as the idea was to get to the warmth as quick as possible, leaving behind a rapidly cooling Melbourne. Two hours north hasn’t quite got us there and first use of the thermals for pyjamas were required. To be honest, these things are very comfortable and should be more socially acceptable to wear out. With what I have seen with yoga pants, the unsightly bulges aren’t any worse and they have the added bonus of snuggly warmth.

Facilities rating: 9.5/10. Open shower, big room, tiles.