CWK Ambassadors Trekking Downunder are in to their 2nd month of their Big Lap of Oz and they are adjusting to life on the road being around each other 24/7! We welcomed them in to our nest for a visit and had a wonderful few days filled with sharing, laughter, support and friendship – all things that we LOVE most about our caravanning community!
Check our their update below:
Month one saw us get into a great routine with the boys and a chance to cross out majority of the Murphy’s law most likely to happen list. But whilst there was a big focus on the boys routine in that first few weeks regarding adjustment; missing friends and family, schooling on the road, living in a van, sleep arrangements, play time, chores and generally getting along with people you spend 100% of your time with….. Ryan and I realised by start of month two- we needed to remember about us.
With both of us now juggling 24/7 parenting (no more breaks), being full time teachers, excursion leaders, cooks, cleaners, navigators, explorers, sole role models, activity planners, referees, consoling huggers, bloggers, brand ambassadors, as well as running two businesses plus so much more- it’s easy to see how as novices to most of these new roles we sucked at keeping in touch with family and friends and taking time out for us. Not to mention poor wades routine disappeared once we added in lots of travel days…. Irregular sleep times, feed times all messed up (toddlers don’t tend to last as long as adults and big kids), not many learning to walk opportunities and not to mention those pesky teeth!
By the start of month two we created more opportunities for wade to settle into some routines for day sleeps utilising the long or more frequent travel days…. but as a trade off then it was trying to keep remembering to stop frequently to ease his poor little numb bum and for us all to eat at decent times. It’s a real challenge for new full times travellers, especially when travelling kids!
After we had accepted that we were remote outback bound soon there was no chance to escape the dirt. So whilst staying at Carinya Station in Lightning Ridge, we set up a little practice track for Wade to start his walking and get off his hands and knees. Although it wasn’t til after we travelled to Bourke, on Anzac Day our little Wade just got up started walking and has thankfully been cruising 2 legged since, getting better and better every day. Although the feeding regime for all of us travelling Murphy’s still needs some work we are getting there, with pre travel day food prep, setting designated lunch stop times and evening meal menu planning so its not every night starring aimlessly in the pantry and fridge wondering what to cook for dinner.
Getting back in touch with who we are, Ryan and I acknowledge after surviving month one that we needed to now put some focus on us. Having evenings where we could switch off from just being parents and running the TDU business and actually enjoy some us time. Watching a movie that wasn’t G rated, picking up a book and smash out a few chapters, make some calls to the parentals and besties, but also just snuggle by the campfire and soak up the stars. I think as parents- sometimes you get so focused on the kids; learning, experiencing, enjoying, bonding and behaving- that you can easily forget the trip is also for you as a couple just as much as for them. The change in attention was a welcomed success, whilst still keeping the kids alive and happy- we got to watch 2 movies not G-rated, I started to learn some of the evenings star clusters plus constellations and as a bonus I read a quarter of my trashy novel (that I have had by my bed for the past 18months).
Month 2 saw us make our way from Lightning Ridge in NSW and start down the Darling River Run. Beginning in Bourke just in time for our Family tradition of attending the Anzac Day Dawn service, we followed the River south staying overnight in Louth, Menindee, Pooncarie ending in Wentworth- whilst sneakily spending some incredible Murray morning views in Merbein. This brought our first state line crossing into Victoria where we decided, we were too close to miss a chance to catch up with the awesome CWK tribe Adele, Wayne, Kate and Ashlee in Numurkah. Coincidentally we arrived at the perfect time, getting an opportunity to meet up with Bec, Justin and the kids from TIAV and have a awesome tri family dinner cook up.
On our way back up north in an effort to escape the start of a chilly Winter, we spend some time exploring the Pioneer Settlement in Swan Hill. Which coincided perfect with our middle mini trekker Lucas’ 7th birthday. It’s not every day you get to spend your special day riding in a 1925 Dodge vintage car and cruising through the 1900’s recreated township of …………… in a horse drawn cart. It’s been since this experience that Lucas has declared he is destined to become a blacksmith when he grows up! (I think he just loves poking things into camp fires and creating steam and embers, regardless though we are happy he has found his calling for now!)
From there we made our way back up into NSW and onto Broken Hill where we rounded of month two in Jake’s haven of Gems and Rocks, his passion….. With so much to keep us occupied, we spend a number of days exploring all the incredible History and Mystery that Broken Hill had to offer us including the 1960’s milkshake shop “Bells Milkbar”, the Miner’s Memorial Lookout, RDFS museum and the incredible Geocentre to name a few.
I think one of the most awesome things we have found whilst travelling indefinitely is the amount of travel freedom we have…… Being able to change plans to suit us day by day, dependant on interest, weather or the people you meet. Which brings me to the last significant success of month two, which was all those chance meetings with other incredible travelling families and couples. Meeting others with the same mindset as you is a refreshing breath of air- they understand the highs and lows, the excitement and the struggles.
Highlights for month two were that our minuet trekker started walking and that Trekking Downunder featured in Western Herald Bourke newspaper and completed our first of many radio interviews with the 2WEB outback radio station, these came about after a chance meeting with the GM of the station in Bourke on the morning of ANZAC Day.
The part that sucks the most about month two is that we are missing our little white fur ball Ollie, our families and of course our besties. But by keeping in touch more this is getting easier to cope with.
THANKS SO MUCH Amy…we love reading your updates! We can’t wait to see what Month Three brings…
You can follow Ryan, Amy, Jake, Lucas and Wade via their website, Facebook, Instagram and You Tube…
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