Why fly when you can drive?

Dave from Benalla: ''I picked the van up in Brisbane with no hitches and headed towards Sydney. I had chosen to drive along the New South Wales coast to actually see the journey I had missed on my flight to Brisbane. Starting along the coastline but heading inland towards the Blue Mountains (just out of Penrith) and going as far as Wagga Wagga; driving allowed me to see a part of Australia I have never and probably never would have seen.

Flying one way then vanning back is a way to truly maximise the travel experience. The joy of having no real destination and simply getting somewhere else is underrated. The campervan was great, I was able to pick up stuff on the way and take it to my parents. As you’d imagine with a campervan, space was not an issue. The van had plenty of pull in the engine and contrary to my initial beliefs drove very easy – I often found myself shocked when I got out of the van to see that I wasn’t driving just a regular car! The lovely big windows of the campervan aide the view and the convenience of having an on-board kitchenette (which was easy to operate) enhanced my journey no end.

The great thing about driving is simply being on the road, actually experiencing the journey. It’s too easy nowadays to fly and miss our beautiful country. I suppose the highlight of the trip would have to be finding beautiful places to set up camp and meeting travellers on the way. That’s perhaps the best thing about the campervan – being able to park up almost anywhere and spend the night. Many of the travellers I met were a bit jealous of the van, when compared to the tents they were staying in.

My favourite experience from the trip was finding an exquisite spot on a head just south of Byron Bay, brewing up a cuppa on the stove, walking on the beach and simply enjoying the sense of a self-contained lifestyle travelling in a campervan allowed.''