TAWK Featured Family -
'Gettin There'

1.   About you

We are the James Family of 4, with Miss 6 and Miss 8. After taking 2 years to convert an old school bus into a motorhome, have now been on the road for 2 and a half years. We live full time on the road for a different sort of pace instead of the ‘rat race’! We have already completed a ‘half lap’, in that time, and are backing up to complete a full lap – when it will end, we are not sure!

2.   Why did you make your decision to TAWK?

It was fairly easy to start TAWKing as we talked about it after a Big Lap we did just after we got married, which we enjoyed so much that we made ourselves settle down to have kids and get the pram and nappy stage out of the way before we would travel again. I also did a few ‘Laps’ as a kid growing up which were obviously good memories!

3.   How did you get organised and how did you prepare?

We always spoke of doing it for a long time, so we wanted to be well set up and comfortable. As I travelled as a kid, in a old converted bus, I thought it would suit our style as well. After settling on a bus that was in good condition, we started the long tedious job of a conversion. (see pics)

4.  What has been your biggest joy?

The overall experience that we have had since being on the road has been an adventure! To be able to show our girls this great free land we live in is one of the biggest excitement!

5. What has been your biggest challenge and how did you overcome it?

One of the biggest challenges so far is juggling the schooling while travelling. When we stop for some work it isn’t as bad as they get used to a routine, but when your on the move trying to see all new exciting stuff, gets quite the challenge to keep up a normal load.

6.   Where have you enjoyed the most?

We have been to some fairly remote places and some not so remote, but by doing the lap this way, we can time it so it is not busy and over crowded.

Some of the high lights so far would be Cobourg Peninsula and the Limestone Coast, but from previous experiences know we are heading into some other great places!

7.   Where disappointed you the most?

One of the disappointments we have incurred on our travels so far is the excessive costs that caravan parks are charging, not only for a site but what they try and charge for kids, especially when we are fully self contained. We do our best to free camp when possible – it helps to keep costs down (as we also factored in when building our motorhome to be ‘off the grid’)

8.   What surprised you most about the trip?

There has not been any ‘big surprises’ in our travels as we knew what to expect by being seasoned travellers already. Now TAWKing its interesting seeing it through their ‘eyes’.

9.   What would be three pieces of advice to give to a future TAWKer?

If there is any advice I could give is to, just go for it!! There is a setup that works for everyone and their budget. Everyone has a different idea on how they want to do it and where/what they want to see.

Most of all you just need to commit to an idea and/or build up to the bigger adventure.In our time we have met many on the road either just for a few days to some for many years, with all types of set ups.

It doesn't really matter what the setup, it just matters getting away from the normal ‘rat race’ and having an adventure!

10.   How do you think that this adventure has changed your family?

As I grew up in a TAWKing family, there was always a chance that I would be a TAWKer as well. As we are ‘living on the road’, we are travelling at a more slower pace than most out there, as we stop and work where needed. In doing this method we get to know places and people in them fairly well, so we get more of an opportunity to find out the ‘better highlights’ of the area than people passing through for a day or two.

Its what some call a ‘lifestyle’ thing just as you have in so many other careers, its just that we have wheels on our home and ‘home’ is where we park!

Regards,

Gettin There crew.

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