9 Spring 2024 9 Spring 2024 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption Product photo All you need is a solar panel, a solar controller, and a battery. Solar basics for dummies Wayne Ravelich The sun is a wonderful free resource that provides, heat, warmth, and with the use of modern solar panels, also power. Solar power for us campers is a simple process. All you need is a solar panel, a solar controller, and a battery. The panel converts the sunlight into electricity. The controller takes that electricity and transforms it to a source of energy that can be used to charge the battery. The battery then stores that electrical energy until it is required to be used. Effectively the solar panel and controller are just a fancy battery charger. The battery supplies your power to run the lights, the inverter, if you have one, and any electrical devices. During peak sun hours some power will be supplied directly from the controller. Saying that, the important thing to remember is that most of the power you use comes from the battery. Solar panels Solar panels are the first link in the power chain and come in a variety of styles. • Rigid, the most common style and most efficient. • Flexible, light weight. • Portable, either folding ridged type or blanket, with built in controller. Solar panel output deteriorates with age and dirt, so keep the panels clean— just a light wash, don’t scrub. Panel output has improved greatly in the last few years. An old 75W panel may only produce 40W but a new 150W panel could fit in the same space (from experience). The biggest problem I come across is not enough solar to keep the batteries charged. Solution is ADD more solar, either fixed, if space allows, or a portable panel. Solar controllers Controllers come in two types. • PWM (Pulse Wave Modulation): the least efficient but cheaper and good for small panels. • MPPT (Multi Point Power Tracking): the best by far but more expensive. Batteries Batteries come in lots of types for different uses. In a solar power system, we use the “deep cycle” batteries. A car battery is not deep cycle but would work, for a while. Car batteries are designed to start cars, high current 400 to 800amps for a few seconds. Deep cycle batteries provide lower current (amps) continuously, a 100ah (amp hour) battery will provide 10amps for 10 hours. A 200ah battery will provide the same 10amps for 20 hours. The more power you need, the bigger or more batteries you require. Two 100ah batteries connected in “parallel,” that is positive to positive and negative to negative, gives you 200ah. Having lots of batteries give you lots of storage and lots of potential power, BUT you will need lots of solar panels to keep the batteries charged. The rule of thumb is twice the amp hours equals the minimum solar panel size. A 100ah battery needs 100 X 2 = 200Watt panel to fully charge the battery. Let’s look at battery types. ◼️ Lead Acid batteries are similar to your car start battery with lead plates and sulphuric acid. ◼️ AGM batteries (Absorbed Glass Mat) is also lead plates and the acid is absorbed into a mat to stop it sloshing around. ◼️ GEL Batteries are designed not to emit gas during charging and are similar to the AGM, but they can be used on their side or standing up. ◼️ Lead-carbon batterie s are an advanced lead acid battery which use a common lead positive plate (anode) and a carbon composite negative plate (cathode). The carbon acts as a sort of ‘super capacitor’ which allows faster charging and discharging, plus prolonged life at partial state of charge. ◼️ Lithium Batteries come in a couple of formats, Lithium Nickel Cobalt Aluminium Oxide batteries are the more common “cheaper” lithium battery and not as safe as some other forms of Lithium battery. The LiFePO4 (Lithium iron phosphate) batteries are a bit more expensive but are the safest of them all. LiFePO4 batteries generally have a BMS (Battery Management System) built in and will shut the battery down if there is a problem. Controllers and chargers Solar controllers have settings for the different battery types as the batteries charge differently. You cannot mix battery types in your solar system. A lot of solar controllers do not have a Lithium setting so check first. The same applies to battery chargers. Topping up your “house” battery from the “start” battery or alternator is a good idea and can be done in motor homes and caravans. For lead acid batteries I recommend the use of a Dual Voltage Sensitive Relay (DVSR) to prevent the start battery going flat. If you have Lithium “house” batteries, you need to use a DC/DC charger (below, right) set to ‘lithium’. A standard battery charger or car alternator provides 13.8Volts, but lithium needs 14.6Volts minimum to fully charge. A little on inverters Inverters convert 12V DC from your battery into 230V AC to run your domestic appliances. Inverters come in two types, modified sine wave and pure sine wave inverters. Pure sine wave inverters are dearer and far better than modified sine wave. If you are going to be using electronic appliances get a Pure Sine Wave inverter. The inverter needs to be as close as possible to the battery and have BIG supply cables. A 2kW fan heater draws 8amps from the inverter, the inverter draws 170amps from the battery so the battery cables must be large enough to carry that load or you will have a fire. Fuses and circuit breakers for safety need to be everywhere. From the solar panels to the controller, from the controller to the battery and from the battery to the load and/or inverter. Sunlight A last note, solar power needs sunlight. Solar works great in the summer. In winter there is a lot less sun and the cold can affect the batteries. Also, the further south you go the less sun there is to charge your system. Overall having a good solar system in your camper makes for better, easier camping. If in doubt If in doubt, ASK a specialist that knows solar. Facebook is not a specialist. I hope this helps you better understand the magic of solar power. ◼️ Images are product photos. Up Up 9 Spring 2024 , p 9

10 summer 2024 Summer 2024 ISSUE 10 BUY PDF ToC Click on image for full view and caption GO TO Springing the sun will be shining tomorrow & the fish biting! Old Blue Shellie Evans The camp still has quite a few hardy campers on-site, it’s Labour Day weekend after all. You wait, the sun will be shining tomorrow & the fish biting! Twizel, Mackenzie Country. ©2024 Shellie Evans Photography ckw.nz/shellie-fb Up Up 10 Summer 2024 , p 20

9 Spring 2024 Spring 2024 ISSUE 9 BUY PDF CONTENTS Click on image for full view and caption ©2024 Roland Jones ©2024 Roland Jones ©2024 Roland Jones ©2024 Roland Jones ©2024 Roland Jones ©2024 Roland Jones ©2024 Roland Jones ©2024 Roland Jones ©2024 Roland Jones Watching the sun appear over the distant hills really made an impact. The re-build of my Toyota van Roland Jones It was the 19th January 2021. I had a fishing trip at Kawhia. As I had recently purchased a van for my business, I decided to throw a mattress inside and head off. After a great day’s fishing and a few beers afterwards, I put my head down for the night tucked up in my sheets. I woke up early the next morning and reached out and opened the door. It was so peaceful with a slight breeze. The smell of the sea and watching the sun appear over the distant hills really made an impact. I was bitten by the lifestyle. With retirement pending, I realised this was a fantastic opportunity to explore our beautiful country. After a lot of encouragement from my wife and daughter I fitted out my first campervan. As time progressed, I added more features— I added overhead cabinets. I upgraded the electrical system (with a lot of advice from fellow members) — with a 140W solar panel I had more power than I needed. Originally, I was going to fit thermal curtains then I decided to install wooden shutters. The unexpected bonus was that they kept out the lights of other campers arriving late at night , plus kept the van warmer. I also installed a diesel heater, amazing, warms the van up, but I have to have it on its lowest setting otherwise I’m toast. When I built the van, I knew that sometime later I would have to upgrade it. The utility drawers only came out about half way as I had used some old drawers I had removed from a kitchen. This was not a problem until my wife had a new mattress made for my van. I was able to lift the old mattress to get to the odd item in the back of the drawers but the new mattress was very rigid and heavier, making it almost impossible to get to the back storage units. Time to upgrade I completely removed all the old units. I built a new, double-shelf unit. The left drawer and centre drawer contain the everyday items, drawer #3 hits the wall of the van, however it does open approx 400mm, therefore I can keep tools, guy ropes and pegs there. If I do need something out of the back of drawer #3 then I can completely remove drawer #2 . All drawers have little rollers on the back to ease the open and close and they have magnetic catches. Stage 1 completed Stage 2, later this year, I will re-build the fridge cabinet and bench top, plus install a new toilet. I need it all completed for my next big trip in the South Island — 5 months, starting Feb 2025.◼️ Photos ©2024 Roland Jones Up Up 9 Spring 2024 , p 7

10 summer 2024 Summer 2024 ISSUE 10 BUY PDF ToC Click on image for full view and caption GO TO Springing My day at Ferrymead Tony Knights My day at Ferrymead Heritage Park, Christchurch. ©2024 Tony Knights See the gallery Up Up 10 Summer 2024 , p 19

10 summer 2024 10 summer 2024 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption Reuben’s caravan Caravan tales Lynn and Charlie Hogg Our caravanning days started 12 years ago to take over from going tenting which we did for a number of years when our two boys were younger. At that time we lived in a small granny flat and I said to my husband if we are going to buy a tent I want to be able to stand up in it. So we ended up getting a 2-roomed one. Our boys were 8 and 6 years old, the younger one, Rueben, having severe autism. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy and that we would learn to deal with things as they happened and some we could prepare for beforehand. Two of the constant issues was the loud nursery rhyme music and the screaming. And when you only have canvas between you and your fellow tenters, and the night seems to make noise a lot louder, you do lots of things to keep the decibel sounds down including bribery. While our older son helped out a lot, eventually there came a time when he didn’t want to go camping with mum and dad. So we started looking at getting a caravan as we really needed to have three people to put up the tent, and my husband didn’t have the best of health either. Being on a low income we couldn’t afford to buy the caravan so we remortgaged and made it manageable for Reuben to be able to pay one off. Our options were limited but eventually we found a big clunky one and even though Reuben has never understood that he owns it he calls it Reuben’s caravan. From then on we could continue our camping holidays with our very best friends Marty and Diana. Although Reuben was getting older there were always going to be challenges taking a special-needs child away and sometimes we didn’t know what they would be until we got to the camp ground. Sometimes we went to the same place more than once, sometimes a different place. One of the things that could have been a bigger issue but, thankfully, hasn’t turned out to be, (well so far), is that even as Reuben’s got older he still needs help with his toileting and showering. Me being his mum and doing it a lot of the time, I couldn’t go with him into the men’s toilets. So I would take him into the female ones. Sometimes there’s a few raised eyebrows but no one has ever queried it. As the years have gone by it has been made easier as though Reuben still needs the help with his personal care, more and more campgrounds have the provision of a disability toilet and shower. Another issue we had was that Reuben was a runner. One minute he was there then blink and he was gone. So we were constantly on high alert to watch him, because when he did disappear he would go straight to the beach or lake. He loved water. As the years went by he took off less and less. Because he has bonded with a portable dvd player (it became like a second skin to him), he was very happy to watch that rather than run, and we were very happy to start getting more rest. After years the screaming starting to lessen and the caravan walls were slightly thicker than the tent ones so the noise was a bit more muffled. We only have to listen to the nursery rhymes now and sometimes they even put us to sleep. The one thing we must have, when booking our camping trip, is a powered site. That is non-negotiable as Reuben must have power for his electrical equipment that has to go with him when we go camping. Many of the owner-caretakers of the campgrounds have been very accomodating in putting us on a powered site as close as they can to the toilet block in case Reuben did wander off and go to the toilet without us noticing. We never had far to walk. It was easier, having the caravan, knowing that at the end of the holiday most things had their place inside. Only a few things had to be brought inside before you could shut the caravan door and leave. It didn’t matter if you got home and couldn’t unpack everything straight away, it was all under cover. Sadly, our caravanning days are slowly coming to an end. In all the years of driving with it I never learnt to reverse it. Charlie or Marty did that. A small house bus/motor home (all-in-one) would be a lot better but that isn’t financially possible. But I’m not looking at giving up camping. We still want to be able to take Reuben away even as we are getting older. So the next option will be going to campgrounds with cabins. We can still keep making new memories and holidaying with our best friends, it just wont be on 2 wheels. ◊ Dannevirke campground goes accessible | Read Alice’s journey Up Up 10 summer 2024 , p 22

3 Autumn 2023 3 Autumn 2023 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption Fiat Ducato Motorhome Owners NZ Ian Read 
 Our very first Fiat Ducato owners rally was held at Lakes Ranch, Rotorua, November, 2022. We had 42 vans stay and a couple of day visitors. The idea was for owners to help one another with problems, issues and share experiences and knowledge. We had a couple of general chat sessions which provided answers for those with questions on all aspects of maintenance and error messages that rise. I certainly learnt plenty myself. A fabulous shared meal was held Saturday and the food variety was amazing. Lakes Ranch provided dessert. There were a couple of raffles held and it was great to see a first time rally attendee win one. There were also prizes awarded for a ‘furthest traveled to rally’, ‘shortest length of ownership’, ‘most spent in the last 12 months’, ‘highest total kms’ and ‘longest ownership’. In the free times between events people could go kayaking, swimming, hiking, play tennis, relax and chat, or head into the city. On Friday night we watched a couple of videos on the making of the Alko chassis and the construction of the habitation area. After the Saturday pot luck we all headed over to the fire pit area, sang some tunes and roasted marshmallows over the coals. A few also wandered along the Burma Trail in the dark and found the glow worms. Many stayed on an extra night and we've set the date for another rally over ANZAC weekend 2023, same venue. Find us on Facbook ckw.nz/ducato Up Up 3 Autumn 2023 , p 32

8 Winter 2024 Winter 2024 ISSUE 8 BUY PDF CONTENTS Click on image for full view and caption Thermette-MNR_H.webp ©2024 M Richardson My vintage thermette ©2024 M Richardson How the thermette works Brand new copper thermette Complete Outdoors sell these. My vintage thermette ©2024 M Richardson GO TO Autumn Gold oh for a beautiful copper thermette Thermettes: 2 litres in 2 minutes Miriam Richardson I have carried my thermette with me since I went on the road, but it has had little use. I seem to to have spent much of the outdoor-weather time in places with fire dangers. Now it is winter most fire bans are off, though the lure of outdoors is not as strong. My thermette is old and rusty but perfectly serviceable. I thought it might be the perfect way to get rid of paper rubbish while I am travelling, so I keep a $2-shop metal sieve with it so I can keep any hot flying debris inside the chimney. ‘Thermette’ is a brand but has become its common name. NZ made them from 1929 and they were issued to NZ soldiers in WWII, becoming known as ‘Benghazi boilers’, as the Kiwi soldiers used them in the Benghazi desert, burning diesel for fuel. Round black marks on the sand were the sign Kiwis had camped here. Other variations of the idea include Kelly kettles, (Ireland, 1900), Volcano kettles, (UK, 1928). They consist of a water jacket which is also the chimney, protecting the flame from wind and rain, and needing only twigs for fuel. They are very efficient, heating 2.2L in 2 minutes. Sadly, I don’t have the ring for the top which lets you cook over the chimney. I keep admiring the beautiful new copper thermettes that are now available. Would need some soot and flame to break it in. One day… For sale on Complete Outdoors ckw.nz/thermette-c-outdoors (Image, Complete Outdoors) Photo: ©2024 M Richardson Up Up 8 Winter 2024 , p 35

3 Autumn 2023 3 Autumn 2023 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption Recipes for camping Margaret Earle and Graham Leslie Rocks and gravel for 4–6‡ Our kids and their friends invented this recipe (pictured) when they were teenagers camping at Kaitoke on a wet, long weekend (pictured). They often cooked it over the fire, but it can also be made in a camp oven (or a large pan with a lid) on a gas cooker or in a hooded BBQ. Ingredients 1–2 onions, chopped Bacon and/or sausages (the best sausages are the cheap ones) 1 Tbsp oil 3 cans of baked beans Bag of scone mix 1 tin of creamed corn Method Make dumplings by putting a tin of creamed corn in a bowl and adding enough scone mix to make a stiff dough. If the mixture becomes too dry add a small amount of milk or water. Form the dough into small balls and put aside. Put camp oven to heat on cooking fire or gas cooker. Add oil to camp oven. Fry onion, bacon and sausages for a few minutes. Add baked beans and stir through. When the mixture is warm put the uncooked dumplings on top of the baked beans and put the lid on the camp oven. Turn the gas down to low or put the camp oven on a cooler part of the fire. Leave to simmer gently until the dumplings are cooked through. Be careful that the baked bean mixture doesn’t burn while the dumplings are cooking. Paneer and vege curry for 4–5‡ I came across this recipe when I was looking for a vegetarian meal to dehydrate for tramping. It is tasty and the veges listed can be substituted for whatever is available. Paneer is used a lot in Indian vegetarian recipes. You will find it in most supermarkets. It will keep for some weeks in a fridge so is a good source of protein when most of the fresh ingredients have been eaten. In this recipe, the paneer is cubed and fried before being added to the other ingredients. This makes it crisp and flavoursome. Ingredients Cooking oil 1 onion diced 3 cloves of garlic or 1–2 tsp minced garlic 1 Tbsp grated ginger root 1 tsp garam masala 400g tin diced tomatoes ½ cup vege stock (½ tsp powdered stock + ½ cup water) 1 tsp brown sugar 1 pinch of chilli flakes 1 cup pumpkin,chopped into small cubes or kumara or carrot 1 red capsicum, diced 2 courgettes, diced 3 cups baby spinach 300g paneer, cubed Method Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a large pan. Add onion, garlic and ginger and cook for 2–3 minutes until softened. Add garam masala and stir. Add tomatoes, stock, brown sugar, chilli flakes, capsicum and pumpkin. Simmer until pumpkin is soft and liquid is reduced. Add courgettes and spinach and cook until wilted. While curry is cooking heat more oil in another pan. Brown paneer on all sides. Add to curry before serving. Serve with rice. Tuna pasta for 4–5‡ This recipe can be cooked entirely from tinned food so it can be made when all the fresh food has run out. Ingredients 1 onion, sliced, if available 2 cloves of garlic or 1 tsp of crushed garlic, if available 1 Tbsp oil 1–2 whatever vegetables are available (eg, mushrooms, courgettes, beans, capsicums). If no fresh veges are available, then freeze dried peas can be used: cook them separately and add with the tuna. 450g tin of tuna in spring water, drained 2 tins of diced tomatoes in juice 1 tsp dried basil 1 tsp dried oregano Handful of olives (optional) Salt and pepper Dried pasta such as spaghetti, spirals etc Grated parmesan or tasty cheese, if available Method Heat oil in a medium sized fry pan. Add onion and/or garlic (if using) and fry until slightly starting to brown. Stir in carrot and cook for 3–5 minutes. Add tinned tomatoes and bring to boil. In a separate pot boil the water for the pasta. Add sufficient pasta to feed those eating the meal. Add veges that require the most cooking. Continue to stir regularly and gradually add all the veges. Add the veges that require the least cooking last. Add drained tuna, basil and oregano. Stir well and cook until veges are desired softness. Add olives (if using) and salt and pepper to taste. Serve sauce over cooked pasta. Top with grated cheese (if using). ‡ Depends how many vege you cook, how many it will serve Up Up 3 Autumn 2023 , p 25

4 Winter 2023 Winter 2023 ISSUE 4 BUY PDF CONTENTS Up It was cold at Mavora Lakes Daniel Munro Up It was cold at Mavora Lakes. Plenty of snow around. I think the Mrs thought I was a bit crazy suggesting a night away in the van this time of year. But she went along with it. Mavora Lakes last night, it was cold. Minus 2ºC when I woke up this morning, and still plenty of snow around too. But a sack of firewood, extra blankets and hot water bottles meant we were very cozy in the little camper. Photos ©2023 Daniel Munro Up Up ©2023 Daniel Munro ©2023 Daniel Munro ©2023 Daniel Munro ©2023 Daniel Munro 1/6 ISSN 2815-827X (Online) | ISSN:2815-8261 (Print) editor@campingthekiwiway.org

Winter 2025 ISSUE 12 BUY PDF ToC Click on image for full view and caption bring_H_cara-2264.webp GO TO CHILLY CHILLY CHILLY OUT THERE A big challenge was the toilet. Bringing the caravan up to the new self-containment level Lance and Robyn Jones I have been working on our 17 foot caravan to bring it up to the new requirements for freedom camping. A big challenge was the toilet. We purchased a CHH toilet, all the accessories for it and the caravan compartment door for the cartridge removal. A local vehicle inspector with Lifestyle Camping (who happens to be a flatmate) was advising and when the problem of cutting the hole in the side of the caravan came up he had a look, the spot would have been the location of an upright support for the caravan and possibly supporting the window as well. We looked at options and came up with the idea of mounting the toilet on runners fixed to the floor. This allowed the toilet to be slid forward to access the cartridge without a hole in the body of the caravan. I obtained a pair of 500mm triple action runners from the local Bunnings store, we sat the toilet on a piece of plywood, marked and cut out a profile piece matching the toilet base and screwed the ply to the top of the runners, then fitted the toilet onto the ply and the runners in place on the floor, we had to locate the runners 50mm from the wall to give the required space to access/remove the cartridge with ease. I built a cabinet around the toilet and this folds back against the wall exposing the toilet when required and when closed, serves as either a table or a seat. We had to cut down the sofa to allow room for the toilet. The squab was also cut down and the cover resized; also the back board was altered. The setup works perfectly and the self-containment standard was achieved without compromising the side of the caravan. 🏕️ Up Up 12 Winter 2025 , p 21

6 Summer 2023 6 Summer 2023 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption fire-fenz-logo-64.png fire-blanket_mw.webp Fire safety: Caravans and sleep-outs Fire and Emergency New Zealand Caravans and sleep-outs are great fun, but they also carry a much greater risk of fire than a traditional home. These tips will help keep you safe: Every caravan should be fitted with a long-life photoelectric smoke alarm. Never leave children alone in your caravan. Keep matches and lighters out of their reach. Have a fire extinguisher or fire blanket near the exit and make sure you know how to use it. Always ensure there is adequate ventilation. Lighting and heating Use proper lighting units or torches. Don’t use candles as they may start a fire . Used fixed heaters only. Make sure furniture and fittings are at least 1 meter from any heaters. Oil column heaters or fan heaters with a cut off switch are the safest. Appliances and gas cylinders Check electrical appliances for frayed cords and other damage. Caravans should also have a current Electrical Warrant of Fitness. Caravans and sleep-outs often use gas cylinders to fuel cooking. Make sure you read our tips on using gas cylinders safely to reduce your risk of fire [ see p24 for BBQ tips Ed]. Always ensure there is adequate ventilation when using a gas cylinder in or near a caravans or sleep-out. Smoke alarms Because caravans and sleepouts usually only have one door and few window openings, it’s especially important to make sure you have working smoke alarms installed, and that you’re testing them regularly. Caravans and sleep-outs are often small, so it might be necessary to install a smoke alarm near a cooking area. To avoid false alarms, use the silence feature to put the smoke alarm into a ‘hold’ status when you’re cooking. Press the button before you start cooking to silence the alarm for a pre-set period of time, between 8 and 15 minutes depending on the brand. S ource: ckw.nz/caravans © Fire and Emergency New Zealand. Creative Commons (CC-BY-NC-ND) More: Fire blankets More: Lithium-ion battery safety More: Do you need a permit for your BBQ? (Gas & charcoal) Up Up 6 Summer 2023 , p 14

8 Winter 2024 8 Winter 2024 BUY AUTHOR INDEX AUTHORS Click on image for full view and caption The family at Rotorua ©2024 Two Kids and a Caravan Coopers Beach ©2024 Two Kids and a Caravan Coromandel Amodeo Bay Anglers Lodge ©2024 Two Kids and a Caravan Russel ©2024 Two Kids and a Caravan Cape Reinga ©2024 Two Kids and a Caravan The family at Rotorua ©2024 Two Kids and a Caravan time to dream up and follow through on ridiculous ideas The road less travelled: ten lessons learned on the road Kimberlea Turner Three years ago we decided to trade the hustle and bustle of everyday life for the open road. Hitching up our caravan and waving goodbye to house-life, our family of four hit the road to explore our country, Aotearoa New Zealand. It’s been a whirlwind of experiences from picture perfect campsites, overnight hikes to breath-taking views, kayaking and sailing the stunning coastline, playing tourist in our own backyard and meeting a whole load of amazing people along the way. Sure, there have been some hiccups, (a flat tire in the middle of nowhere at 10pm at night comes to mind!) but the highs have always outweighed the lows and we find it so important to take some time to reflect on our incredible journey so far. Here’s a deep dive into 10 invaluable lessons we’ve learned from 3 years of full-time family travel. 1. The first year is all about learning, the second year is when you really start enjoying the journey. The first year can be tough — you learn to live in a confined space with your family, you spend half your life in search of the next dump station (or laundromat, water source, rubbish and recycling, supermarket or fuel station), setting up and packing up your rig, and juggling the travel/work/homeschool balance. Somewhere along the way this becomes organic, leaving you more time to dream up and follow through on ridiculous ideas… Like buying a sailboat. 2. The old cliché, don’t forget the journey. Initially we rushed everywhere to get to the destination (the classic, kids are sleeping — let’s just keep driving!) but the more we travel the less distance we cover and the more breaks we take. Waterfall walk on the side of the road? Sure, lets stop! Kids spot a playground? Why not! 3. You will bicker, and that’s ok. When you have multiple personalities packed into a confined environment, especially after a few days of rain, there will be some tense times! But you will make leaps and bounds in learning to communicate better and when to give others some space, or take some yourself. 4. Opportunities are endless Opportunities are endless once you’re available to take them. The best opportunities we’ve had along our travels (and consequently the friends we’ve made from them) have been as a direct result of us living on the road and being able to accept opportunities on a whim. 5. There will be some soul searching. You’ve left your job, got rid of most of your possessions and hit the road and it feels so freeing! Until eventually you discover how much of our identities are tied into the jobs we do and the lives we live. Who are you outside of what you do? Who do you want to be? What exactly do you want from this chapter of your life? There will be some soul searching… Spoiler alert: who you are when you hit the road is not the same as who you will be 3 years down the track… Personal growth, baby! 6. Home isn’t a place, it’s a feeling. It certainly helps we tow our 14m2 home on wheels behind us wherever we go, and when we’re tucked up at night we feel right at home no matter what landscape is outside our 4 walls, in fact, sometimes we have to crack a blind in the morning to remember where we are! But we’ve discovered that home isn’t the place we live, it’s the people we surround ourselves with and as long as our family is together, we feel at home wherever we are. 7. Take a moment to be in the moment. It’s so easy to get lost in the long list of things you want to do and see next or get frustrated when life inevitably throws a curve ball. We never would have dreamed 10 years ago we’d be doing what we are today and wouldn’t trade the experience for the world. Sometimes we need to stop and remind ourselves of that and take a moment to look around and appreciate where we are and the journey we’ve had along the way. And on that note… 8. You can see a lot, but you can’t see it all. How cute were we when we thought we could whip around New Zealand in a year or less?! 3 years later and we’ve been as far North, South, East and West as you can go and zig-zagged all over the middle. While we’ve ticked a lot off the list, we know we could do another 5 laps and still see new things each time. Have a list of top spots you want to visit but make time to follow your nose and ask for recommendations from locals and other travellers along the way. Be present and embrace the adventure. 9. Always have a plan B. Life happens, just have a plan B. 10. Just go. The rest will sort itself out. Looking back at all we’ve learned and the memories we’ve made, we can confidently say: we wouldn’t change a thing. See you out there! All photos ©2024 Two Kids and a Caravan facebook.com/twokidsandacaravan Up Up 8 Winter 2024 , p 5