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We spent my 70th birthday doing a tour of the Undara lava tubes, and did the walk around Kalkani crater the next day. Back in June 2024. Really enjoyed it. Also had a dinner that night but had to watch the Kookaburras that sit up in the roof. They would swoop down for a feed of your food if you weren’t watching.

Another great video! Subscribed!

Thanks for sharing this information. You’ve given some great insights into what to look for in a van.

Came across your channel recently and are catching up on your earlier videos. The whole weight thing does my head in. Like you we were a lot under weighing the car and caravan but when weighed with all the little bits like axle weights, towball weight etc etc, certain bits were over. This was with a 2017 ford ranger. We upgraded to a Y62 patrol and had the rear suspension upgrade to get the extra 180kgs that the rear axle on the Patrol is rated for. Have not had it weighed yet as I am assuming because the patrol is bigger and rated to tow more and carry more than the ranger, we should be we under hopefully.🤞🤞

Hi, I just found this post. This is great because my hubby and I are looking at getting a caravan ...

I only just recently purchased our van so it's been a bit of a baptism of fire working out the whole weight distribution nightmare. I'd done alot of research before buying the van and thought we would be good, but what they don't tell you is the van is never anywhere near what they say it is on the brochure and the stock vehicle axle weights just seemed to be designed on purpose to push you down the path of a GVM upgrade. One thing I have found that has been helpful is an app call Loadmate which if you take the time to set it up right gives you a good idea of how moving things around changes the weight distribution so you can do most of it on your phone having a coffee before you move anything. Thanks for the video, love that you guys are so up front and tell it how it is!

New subscriber and I hit the like button. Great info you have shared. Agreed with what you said. You don't need the Taj Mahal to travel this big wide land. We did our lap last year in an 18.8 Essential Van, we bought it new and with what we wanted in it after knowing what we needed from our last van. If we bought another van we are more in tune again with what we would want. Always learning even at our age, dare I say in our 70's, well I am, hubby is following close by turning 70 this year. Also a note on this, for some reason I feel I have seen you both before, not sure when or where. Your names don't ring a bell just your faces LOL. Anyway keep up the vids.

What card games do you play?

Have you thought of a ukelele? Only four strings, tutorials on the net. Great ice breaker if you play outside.

Of course there's unhappy women they are never happy no matter what. We just put up with you.....

Probably the best and most sincere advice about caravans I have heard. Thanks so much.

Thats great information guys. Often I think people get a rush of blood at the caravan showroom and think they are ordering a hamburger. One with the lot. Like you we have camped in tents camper trailers various caravans and we even built our own teardrop camper. We traveled for work in several states and lived in a 17’ foot van which was fine as I was only in it a nights and accommodation was at caravan parks. After being in lockdown during the covid we found that we were unable to continue working casual across the country so we made plans for after COVID. We retired and made the decision to sell of unit in Victoria and live in a van full time while travelling the country. Living full time ment for us a bigger van with more space that better suited our needs. I retire early to bed where my wife likes to stay up late so our van has a separate bedroom with an ensuite in the middle and large club lounge at the rear. Yes it’s a big van 10 meters and 4 ton but it’s our full time home and we love it. We have a large electrical system and 3 water tank that give us the freedom to stay off grid for long periods of time. If you only need a van for a once year 4 week holiday and you plan on staying at a caravan park you don’t need most of what we have. We have met quite a few couples that planned their retirement purchased a big shiny new van packed up all their belongings only to hate the lifestyle. It’s not for everyone and that’s ok. Safe travels guys.

Great video, new subscriber! We have a motto, laugh ❤

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences. It really helps with us planning our own future travels. Learn to play Canasta. Excellent card game to master! Or Mahjong. As for crafts; why don’t you take up crazy quilting or slow stitching. No experience required. Heaps of TH-cam info on how to get started. You can op shop for supplies on your travels. You can go as small as inchies, twinchies; thrinchies or any size you like. You don’t need to know any stitch but a running stitch to get started. Try your hand at macrame. Leatherwork. Journaling. There’s a gazillion types of handicrafts out there to try while travelling. TH-cam is invaluable if you want to learn a new skill. Try your hand at watercolours. Love your channel.

Thankyou for your tour of the van. We are also from the Sunshine Coast. We have just retired and plan to get a van and do a lap or more of our lovely country.

Great tips. Me and she who must be obeyed have been full time travellers for many years and can relate to most of what you discussed. It is a fantastic life but it would not be for everyone. Safe travels

Hi Rose can i be so rude to ask you your age as wife always thinks she is to old do these sorts of adventures

I remember when the hang gliding platform was where the eastern platform is. It got burnt out in the 90's but you can still see some of the old anchorage points under the lookout. The western lookout is where we used to hold our investitures when I was in Rover Scouts. We usd to do it at dawn, magical with the sun just popping up over the ocean.

Can I suggest making jewelry, oil diffusers for your rear vision mirror, decorations for the van, or keychains? There are a variety of different styles such as beads, crochet, felt. If this peaks your interest google your preference. You can get a start on your gifts 😀

SUBSCRIBED!! Such real advice for long life partners. Married 39 years and we rely on each other's strengths teaching each other along the way so jobs can be interchangeable for efficiency and emergencies. Well oiled machines... but honestly we are crap at swapping our roles when backing the van 😀 but we keep practising.

you guys are awesome. Loved watching this and a lot of good info...

I recommend (HSCC ) a cover band from SA.

Great vid!

$25 is not much to pay when it's 40c lol

Was about to subscribe until the Misogony and inappropriate comments, otherwis very good.

Onya Col, rippa mate.

it was best real life tips about traveling on youtube well done . we are 43 year married while we travel l drive and cook and clean and set up and wife sits and looks pretty it work well for us we travel in a motor home

The wife does diamond art

What I've found is issues stem from different standards. X wants clean, Y doesn't care. Y wants order, X doesn't care etc..

The Royal Flying Doctor podcasts are really good to listen to while travelling.

What a great year. We didn’t realise we fitted so much into just one year.

Please, if you are going to film a documentary, at least get the location name right,,,,,it’s Agnes WATER?

Farc, its a Larc! Sorry, someone was going to say it, so it might as well be me. Wouldn't it make a great campervan? Plenty of room, go anywhere. Might be a PITA on the highway and narrower tracks. We were in 1770 a couple of years ago. Thanks for the tour and memories.

I have enjoyed your travels, but like you its always nice to go home for a bit. We are also having a spell back at home, taking a break from travel life and to have Christmas with family this year. We will head off somewhere in 2025 on another travel trip.

You had me laughing out loud tonight Rose......will have to make sure we go there, haven't been yet as like Col I have had knee replacements. Will go next time we are in Qld.

Fantastic!!! What a fresh approach! Age washes away any vestige of dignity we once had. Good riddance I say!

Love the laughs looks like so much fun

What a magical place and you had it to yourselves. What a bonus!!

Hi I live in Rubyvale love your vid of our wee town

We toured that part of Queensland almost two years ago - loved it. Many, many hidden gems.

It seems we have lost the knowledge. Read the wikipedia article about the "Tree of knowledge". Its about freedom and rights not relativity and Einstein.

Great place and nice video. Was great to run into you guys here. Hope to cross paths again.

Jeannie and I spent an enjoyable few hours there. We had to leave Holly ouside in the back of the Hilux but she wasn't happy so the owners let us bring her inside and we tied her to the picnic tables. She was happier once she could see us.

To get that in 10 weeks you did something, I’m at 6 weeks I got some idea about it.

Hey Col The Dad emu raises the chicks not the mum

Thanks so much for taking me back on our Bounty Cruise, i can now get mum to watch the cruise.. yes my Hubby & i noticed alot of people coughing & sneezing more we were also super careful with washing hands ect stayed healthy but after a few days of being home we did get sick ,maybe a 14 day cruise run down ect.. but still loved our cruise.. now looking fwd to taking mum on Mel Cup Cruise

Loved fiji

Tonga was fantastic!! The young girl that was on the microphone welcoming the ship to Tonga ended up our Tour Guide.. love watching your video as brings back memories

Wow a blast from the past ,we also did the Bounty on Deck 11 up front balcony as well.. loved it apart from Norfolk...

Good morning to you both. Have just come upon your 4 part videos. Have subscribed. Enjoyable to watch. Rose was cute and happy. We were on the Bounty cruise , Pacific Encounter, 13/7/24 to 27/7/24. Interesting to compare your experiences with our cruise. I’m assuming it was the same date as yours. Norfolk Island was disappointing not to be able to land. But we knew the odds that this may happen. We celebrated our 44th Wedding Anniversary on the 19/7/24 whilst on board. We have cruised trouble free on over 14 cruises , on different lines, but this cruise to us was the absolute worst ever. The Pacific Encounter overall maintenance was appalling, I could list all , but far to many. You are probably aware of them. Inside our cabin had many issues, my Husband is a carpenter, he had to repair many broken things the best he could. The food was disappointing , menus only changing on the 4 th day in rotation. The Entertainment, we have seen years ago. We had P& O excursions booked in every port. They were disorganised and horrible . We were abandoned on one , the bus never returned to pick us up in Nuku’Alofa, Oholei Beach and Hina Cave. The owners called in the Army to help collect all the passengers, but not enough seats on the bus, 27 of us were left abandoned on site. Terrifying.We had to phone P&O to help us .We were last to return minutes before departure. Like yourselves we were very diligent in our health practices at all times. We got sick the 2 nd week, had to see the ship’s Doctor, we stayed in our cabin to protect our friends and other passengers. Doing the responsible thing. Arrived home on the Saturday, by early hours Monday morning we were at the emergency dept of the Hospital. Have since heard the ship was full of Whooping cough, Covid, and Influenza A , reported cases. We were very ill afterwards for 4 weeks. I saw that Rose was not well at the end, hope you faired better than us. Disembarking was a nightmare on the Saturday took us hours to get off. Missed our transportation . I know I sound grumpy. Pacific Encounter never again. Princess and Royal Carribean 👍 We are grey Nomads in our caravan also. Love it. ❤❤ I will watch your other Videos, Cressbrook Dam being the next one. Have you tried Lake Moogerah? Nice spot good amenities . I feel better I have vented.