Well, here it is. The first entry. It was a ridiculous fortnight lead up to the day of departure. Where do you start?? Renting our house out for a year, decking out our modes of transport and tightly trying to cram it in like the most intense game of Tetris you’ve ever played, packing up our lifelong acquisitions and treasured belongings, compartmentalising them into seemingly trivial piles – “to throw away”, “to take with us”, “to keep in the sea container” or “to take to the Lions shed”, then there was redirecting mail, finalising bills, selling cars and most of all saying goodbyes.

It was an arduous task. Made easier we have to say, by having the kids take a week of school holidays down to the farm in the Scott River. That and the generous help from our neighbour Josie and the “get it done” attitude from Mum and Dad. I reckon we both would still be standing there scratching our heads if it wasn’t for the enormous assistance from these list crossing angels. Even still, we had our work cut out for us and by the time the day finally arrived, we were well and truly buggered before the trip had even begun.

One of the saddest tasks we had to do was saying goodbye to our beloved dog Chevy, whom we sensed knew of the impending departure without her, but as she always does, took it in her stride and we took great comfort in the fact she will be loved whilst we are away by the O’connors (thanks guys). Nevertheless it was sad, but all part of the plan.

A plan to take a trip around Australia. To do the big lap. A scout around the big back paddock. With a Hilux, a Jayco, a tinny and three kids in tow. Could we survive, or would we turn around after a week or two and come back. It remains to be seen. But what we do know is that it was a hell of a ride for us to get here, much heartache and toil, and we’re really not sure where the road takes us to from this point. But adversity has taught us that we are pretty solid as a family unit, we’ve got a few pennies in the bank, kids at a good age, and an opportunity in front of us which we have decided to grab. We’re scared, excited, nervous and in awe of the challenges before us. Can we successfully school three children on the road, and at the same time combat budget strain, vehicle fatigue, incessant noise assaulting our ears plus the day to day pains of finding accommodation, cooking food, avoiding idiots on the road and the like. It really is quite strange to get our head around, but it feels like the right thing in our hearts to do. 

So we decided to create this blog, firstly for us to look back on as a diary of sorts, to reminisce about in future times. And secondly to let our family and friends know where we are and what we are up to, just in the hope that our paths may cross and that we may have the chance to combine our journeys around this amazing land of ours.