What are your plans for life after Covid Lockdowns? Wifes retired as well now, so we are free to travel and take off anytime anywhere. So lockdown is all a bit frustrating for us. Have my Campervan all ready for a trip around Aus. Had a great time on a preliminary trip to Gunbower island near Cohuna in May, pre the latest lockdown. Caught 3 Murray Cod and ate one camped up beside the Murray. 4 days of seeing no other campers and only 5 Cars during our time up there. Was a nice taste of what is hopefully to come. Managed to dodge and find a gap in the lockdowns for a 7 week trip up to Cairns... only been back 9 days. Did all the Touristy things up there from the Skyrail and train back, Hot Air Balloon over Atherton, riding horses on the beach at Cape Tribulation, Snorkelling of off Low Isles, my first time doing that, took a while to get accustomed to the snorkel at age 66 but I managed. Paronella Park is worth a visit, as is Skyberry Coffee... forget Nerada tea though... a big disappointment that place, for such a great range of products.

We were supposed to be en route via the top end to Broom at present and then slowly back around..., still.I guess we will just have to sit tight. Have another 5 weeks booked in Cairns at the Aus Post apartments next July and was hoping to top that off with a trip to Ubud in Bali from Cairns at the end of the stay. So fingers crossed that happens. If not will definitely be touring Vic and NSW and hopefully SA and the NT. Might even get a trip to Europe in 2022. Let's hope so.

Anyway Post Covid Lockdowns, what are your plans?


Figured I'd sign off with a picture of the wife doing a Jane impersonation in the Cooktown rainforest.



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The only thing that has changed here in Sydney is the ability to travel.

So, I got a ski in the Alps just before Covid hit so I plan to do that in March 2022 along with a trip to the UK.

The wife wants to visit Japan, and Canada so might need to look at those at options.

We have some friends in Tassie and always like a trip to Tassie. Best and only worthy holiday destination in Australia that you need to get on a plane for.

Oh and need to tick the Barossa off the bucket like. Might fly to that one. Did the drive to Adelaide a few years back in a camper so ticked that off.

I daren't even contemplate a bucket list, simply making it to retirement seems hard enough at present! I strongly suspect by the time we can travel from Qld without a huge quarantine bill on return I will be too old and arthritic to even get on a plane

Shame cos I had some great European trips planned, few more visits to Tassie, and retirement back to the UK. All seems a bit pie-in-the-sky now!

Awesome plans

Our first OS trip will hopefully be to Hawaii to visit my Aunt who I'm pretty close to and really need to see. We'll probably tack on a side trip to British Columbia to visit my best friend from school who now lives there. There's people to see in the UK and Europe too but we can't do both in one year. My son will probably be at the Military College in Canberra next year, so we'll be making trips there to see him - with Victoria and NSW as a bonus. Hopefully we can make our annual November trip to Ubud too

My brother and his partner were due to come out from the UK this Christmas - fingers crossed they can make it next year

My flying training should hopefully be starting at the beginning of next month - a new chapter of my life about to begin

Whatever we do, the next few years are going to involve a lot of overseas travel - life's too short and what we've all experienced over the last 2 years has shown what we've taken for granted forever basically. You don't know what you've got till it's gone!

Some great ideas and aspirations here. Love to hear them as they can be inspiring. My BiL who moved from Victoria years ago to run stations up in outback Queensland did a nostalgia trip recently back to the Murray river on one of those upmarket houseboats with 8 others mid-winter. He missed the Murray in the winter... fires on the banks, fishing for Murray Cod... and the unique river gum vistas with the mist on the water in the morning. They had some very cold mornings.

Hopefully, we'll be off somewhere in our Van early next year, fairly sure we will be. One thing we will be looking out for is the best fit out or rig for us to do the 4WD side of things. I've noticed that the Saffers actually do some world-renowned camper trailers, at a much better price than the high-end Trax ones that are the supposed highest end camper trailers you can get out of Aus.

On our travels I hope to see one of these, if I do I'll be making a beeline for the occupants and hopefully, they'll give us a tour and their own personal review, for our pending upgrade.

AFL/NRL Grand Finals would be nice but unlikely..

Next 5 - 7 years:

- Canada
- Italy
- Philippines
- Japan
- Cook Islands (and/or others--in any event, a true scuba-centric vacation, before I forget how)

Lets hope it happens. I'm still clinging to the hope that I can do an east coast run in my camper as far as Northerrn NSW before Xmas. Looks like SAus is going to join the NSW/Vic opening once it gets to 80Pct as well.... So maybe chuck in the Flinders Ranges and Eyre Peninsular as maybes or alternatives.

Mmmmm Coffin bay Oysters