Australia Beckons!

Wed, 22 September 2021

"There were wobbly moments," admits Kate Cox (above), writing about the year she and her husband took their two boys on a big adventure exploring Australia. "Setting up the camper trailer, hot and bothered, or in the dark, after a long drive. Red dust through hair, car, bed, clothing. Rain, sneaking in sideways through the zippered door and making adventures and bathroom trips difficult. Getting bogged in the middle of nowhere. We missed ice, fresh vegetables, friends, Wi-Fi. We hated home schooling. And the mozzies, midges and so many flies. In Townsville, we all got some kind of week-long, awkward, itchy family rash, possibly from bird mites. Our bikes were stolen in Brisbane."

But she says the trip also taught them "that making memories, going on family adventures and laughing together is more important than any things. We learnt how to sail, dive, cook, use a map and a compass, build a fire, pack light, pack down, pack up, make limited supplies last, keep the peace, approach new people, get along, make amends. Most of all, we learnt about ourselves – that we could not only survive but thrive as a family in a two- by five-metre home."

This episode of Travel Time is presented by Merilyn Sleigh and broadcasts Wednesday 22 September at 2.30pm and repeats on Saturday 25 September at 8pm.