ELep Posted January 15, 2021 #26 Share Posted January 15, 2021 The start of COVID meant my husband lost his brand new job in March within a fortnight of starting, last in means first out type of scenario. The role involved a lot of interstate travel for most of 2020 and the company could see the writing on the wall, plus they were still dealing with the impact of the drought and then bush fires. We had two cruises paid in full which we did eventually get refunds for (apart from one way airfares SYD-AKL for which we are only able to have a credit). I ended up hurrying along the refunds by lodging disputed transactions for both with our c/card provider. With the happily unemployed husband having time off work to supervise we re carpeted, repainted, did some other smaller upgrades around the house, including reorganizing the house as our son moved out in Feb. He bought a second road bicycle plus more tech gear to go with it. Our daughter decided to get married this Feb 2021 on the back of our son getting married Jan 2020 when we thought we had a couple more years up our sleeve. We did a local trip around NSW which we enjoyed. The car will likely need to be upgraded in the next 12 months. Looked at a couple more local holiday options and also baulked at the prices for 3-4 * accom when compared to a balcony cabin, view of the ocean and a no thinking required holiday that cruising offers. We can see why the likes of Harvey N, Bunnings and car salesmen have done so well in the second half of 2020. 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilikeanswers Posted January 15, 2021 #27 Share Posted January 15, 2021 1 hour ago, ELep said: Looked at a couple more local holiday options and also baulked at the prices for 3-4 * accom Personally I don't find the star system that indicative of quality 🤔. I have stayed in some pretty questionable high starred accommodations😕. The last few years I have been using the reviews of a particular accommodation booking website even if I don't book through the website I check their review ratings. It has helped me find some pretty amazing starless accommodation that I would regard as four star but so much cheaper😁. I will admit I don't know that much about star ratings (criteria of assessment, who runs it, how you get one) so maybe I have been using it all wrong😂. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porky55 Posted January 15, 2021 #28 Share Posted January 15, 2021 (edited) So pleased we aren’t the only ones 🙄 We booked a caravan (hired it) for 3 weeks in December. Luckily the whole thing happened in the very short window where borders were actually open. Drove thru outback Queensland, from Mackay, visited Alpha, Cunnamulla, Cobar, Broken Hill, Renmark, Mildura, Echuca, Jindabyne, and Kempsey. DH drives trucks so loves driving 😉 Spent Christmas with kids and grandkids in River Heads, Hervey Bay - then home by 28th. Had a great time visiting some beautiful and very different Aussie towns. Bought lots of wine in the Barossa and lots of locally grown and made condiments at town markets. Final wash up of the whole caravan experience ...... when is cruising restarting🥺😳😢 (And not buying a caravan / motor home / bus / camper in this lifetime!!!) Edited January 15, 2021 by Porky55 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare OzKiwiJJ Posted January 15, 2021 #29 Share Posted January 15, 2021 35 minutes ago, ilikeanswers said: Personally I don't find the star system that indicative of quality 🤔. I have stayed in some pretty questionable high starred accommodations😕. The last few years I have been using the reviews of a particular accommodation booking website even if I don't book through the website I check their review ratings. It has helped me find some pretty amazing starless accommodation that I would regard as four star but so much cheaper😁. I will admit I don't know that much about star ratings (criteria of assessment, who runs it, how you get one) so maybe I have been using it all wrong😂. I think part of the rating relies on what amenities the place has. Does it have a pool, a restaurant, bar, free WiFi and so on rather than the actual quality of the room. And there are different rules in each country. A 3 star hotel in Europe with only a breakfast room can be nicer than a 4 star hotel with a restaurant and bar. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUT2407 Posted January 15, 2021 #30 Share Posted January 15, 2021 8 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said: I think part of the rating relies on what amenities the place has. Does it have a pool, a restaurant, bar, free WiFi and so on rather than the actual quality of the room. And there are different rules in each country. A 3 star hotel in Europe with only a breakfast room can be nicer than a 4 star hotel with a restaurant and bar. Many lifetimes ago I worked in the Hotel industry for a big (at the time) chain, you are dead right, it was about tick a box, Pool, 24/7 room service, Heated Pool, Indoor Pool, Sauna, spa, gym, 24 hr bar, tick enough boxes get a star. The rooms could be crap. And lots of properties fudged the forms. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubbeh Posted January 16, 2021 #31 Share Posted January 16, 2021 22 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said: That looks gorgeous, Bubbeh. I'd love to do that but DH isn't that keen on the idea. 🙁 That's a shame. To be fair, neither was I until last year. We hired a motorhome in July, via a company called Camplify, and had such a wonderful time, we decided to bite the bullet. Maybe you could try to suggest a short local holiday with a quality hired vehicle and see how that goes. I wouldn't suggest Maui, Britz etc, we did that quite a few years ago and I found the vehicle not especially clean and various other aspects quite disappointing. Indeed, it put me off the whole concept for a long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubbeh Posted January 16, 2021 #32 Share Posted January 16, 2021 22 hours ago, aussielozzie18 said: Sounds wonderful. Have cruising friends who bought themselves a caravan recently. I hear sales are booming right now. Yes they certainly are, not sure what it's like in other parts of the country but in WA there's a 7-12 month wait for new vehicles. We were just lucky that the exact motorhome we wanted was available and sitting on a lot not far too from us. I think that in a couple of years or so, there will be a lot of very cheap barely used RVs hitting the second hand market. Probably bought by people who find that lifestyle may not be entirely to their liking. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Porky55 Posted January 16, 2021 #33 Share Posted January 16, 2021 4 hours ago, Bubbeh said: I think that in a couple of years or so, there will be a lot of very cheap barely used RVs hitting the second hand market. Probably bought by people who find that lifestyle may not be entirely to their liking Couldn’t agree more, we hired a caravan for 3 weeks this past December and knew within a week that it would be our last caravanning holiday. Just not something we enjoyed - each to their own obviously. if it’s possible to hire and holiday first - it’s highly recommended. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare lyndarra Posted January 16, 2021 #34 Share Posted January 16, 2021 On 1/15/2021 at 11:29 AM, Bubbeh said: We bought a motorhome (http://www.australianmotorhomes.com.au/new-motorhomes/avida-motorhome-b7634-eyre) in October and are planning on land cruising firstly around our own State for 2021 and then, hopefully, doing The Big Lap for 2022-2023. So far we've had a couple of trips away and we're off again at the end of the month. Never even been camping or owned a caravan, who'd of thought we'd love the lifestyle!? Do you need a licence upgrade for that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubbeh Posted January 17, 2021 #35 Share Posted January 17, 2021 18 hours ago, lyndarra said: Do you need a licence upgrade for that? No, not at all. I have an auto licence and I only know how to drive an automatic vehicle. My husband has a standard licence so he can drive a manual vehicle as well. The motorhome (we named her AVFA - A Vehicle for Arguing 😜) has a automatic gear box. Not quite what I'm used to in terms of operation but there is no clutch to worry about and once Mr Bubbeh is prepared to relinquish control, I'm sure it won't be beyond my capabilities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare lyndarra Posted January 17, 2021 #36 Share Posted January 17, 2021 18 hours ago, lyndarra said: Do you need a licence upgrade for that? Just wondering as some states have weight/size limits. https://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/roads/licence/driver/licence-classes.html BTW AMH is a few minutes up the road from me. We bought our 2nd hand caravan from them a few years back. Since my wife passed I've been thinking of selling it but can't quite decide as it was hers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare OzKiwiJJ Posted January 17, 2021 #37 Share Posted January 17, 2021 On 1/16/2021 at 11:08 AM, Bubbeh said: That's a shame. To be fair, neither was I until last year. We hired a motorhome in July, via a company called Camplify, and had such a wonderful time, we decided to bite the bullet. Maybe you could try to suggest a short local holiday with a quality hired vehicle and see how that goes. I wouldn't suggest Maui, Britz etc, we did that quite a few years ago and I found the vehicle not especially clean and various other aspects quite disappointing. Indeed, it put me off the whole concept for a long time. I think it's mostly that he doesn't like driving big vehicles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUT2407 Posted January 17, 2021 #38 Share Posted January 17, 2021 Though a few times about trying a motorhome, but we spent the first few years married living in a caravan, so have some reservations Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilikeanswers Posted January 18, 2021 #39 Share Posted January 18, 2021 For anyone taking a road trip this might give you some inspiration😉: NSW Jigsaw Puzzles I guess you have to do what you can to keep people thinking about travel👍😁 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruisine21 Posted January 18, 2021 #40 Share Posted January 18, 2021 My neighbour has a caravan. They previously had a motor home. The caravan hasn’t moved from the driveway for a couple of years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
getting older slowly Posted January 18, 2021 #41 Share Posted January 18, 2021 Thought about it,,, but either Motorhome or Caravan,, you need somewhere to park it, also with Caravan you need a tow vehicle... and it's a big investment...... The idea always sound nice... but the reality not so, for some...... I have a few relations into caravaning, use their vans all the time, which is great... Another relation bought a caravan and tow vehicle.... first thing didn't fit past the house into the 2 an acres behind the house... then ran into 3 things with the van on the first outing.... it now sits on the front lawn We prefer to go and stay a self contained places Don 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Kruzer Posted January 18, 2021 #42 Share Posted January 18, 2021 1 hour ago, getting older slowly said: ,, you need somewhere to park it, A motor home parked in the drive or on the front lawn , is a sign to all as to if you are home or not . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSWP Posted January 18, 2021 #43 Share Posted January 18, 2021 (edited) 2 hours ago, cruisine21 said: My neighbour has a caravan. They previously had a motor home. The caravan hasn’t moved from the driveway for a couple of years. Same here, 10 houses in my street, 4 have $70,000 caravans, the only time they move is when it grass mowing time. What a waste of money. ** I just returned from Temora after 3 nights, any of you heading out that way don't go past the SkyLodges at the Temora Aviation Museum, fantastico. Edited January 18, 2021 by NSWP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUT2407 Posted January 18, 2021 #44 Share Posted January 18, 2021 We have found staying in onsite cabins works best for us if we are keeping costs down, would need to spend a lot of nights in a van to make it pay. Or el Cheapo motels. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Kruzer Posted January 20, 2021 #45 Share Posted January 20, 2021 Best value for Campervans at the moment is to hire one . Due to Covid ,bargains abound . Most are around $80 per day but I’ve seen some of the basic ones going for $29 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSWP Posted January 20, 2021 #46 Share Posted January 20, 2021 3 hours ago, Kiwi Kruzer said: Best value for Campervans at the moment is to hire one . Due to Covid ,bargains abound . Most are around $80 per day but I’ve seen some of the basic ones going for $29 . Because of no international visitors David, campervans/mobile homes galore in NZ, hence the very low prices. In normal times I bet you pay $200 per diem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
getting older slowly Posted January 21, 2021 #47 Share Posted January 21, 2021 Your Cruising Alternative... I have been thinking ( a dangerous thing ) Really if you are not getting everything done for you... and you are not on a ship..... There is no Alternative........and now Tassie if off the books fo BH birthday... looks like the place we were going closed for March as in the last week it become fully booked for the month?? well save a bit of money..lol then started looking at self contained round victoria ... half of them aren't listed now... looks like stay at home...... Don Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUT2407 Posted January 21, 2021 #48 Share Posted January 21, 2021 1 hour ago, getting older slowly said: Your Cruising Alternative... I have been thinking ( a dangerous thing ) Really if you are not getting everything done for you... and you are not on a ship..... There is no Alternative........and now Tassie if off the books fo BH birthday... looks like the place we were going closed for March as in the last week it become fully booked for the month?? well save a bit of money..lol then started looking at self contained round victoria ... half of them aren't listed now... looks like stay at home...... Don Naaaah if you want everything done for you get married and make HER DO IT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NSWP Posted January 21, 2021 #49 Share Posted January 21, 2021 16 hours ago, GUT2407 said: Naaaah if you want everything done for you get married and make HER DO IT. But be warned Gut, one day you may be on your lonesome like me and have to do EVERYFINK yourself. It ain't easy my friend. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUT2407 Posted January 21, 2021 #50 Share Posted January 21, 2021 45 minutes ago, NSWP said: But be warned Gut, one day you may be on your lonesome like me and have to do EVERYFINK yourself. It ain't easy my friend. Not something I am looking forward to Uncle Les, selfish I know but if we can’t go together I seriously hope I go first, can’t imagine living without her, my heart goes out to you, my friend, I can’t imagine the pain. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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