The year of 2020 was great for me and my husband! Despite it being The Year of the Virus, we were able to do what we set out to do. It was to be our Gap Year and a year to travel Australia with our home-on-wheels.

In 2019 we sold our house, bought a caravan, left our jobs, and put all of our possessions into storage.

Our loose plan was to do the Big Lap of Australia in a figure of 8 route. First travelling west to Western Australia (WA), then north up the west coast to Broome, then east across to Darwin, then south down through the centre, to the Flinders Ranges in South Australia (SA), then home to the Mornington Peninsula for Christmas with the family. Then up the east coast into New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland (QLD).

So, although not quite retirement age, we decided the time was right. We wanted to be able to do all of those epic walks before we are too old.

We set off at the beginning of December in 2019. Pre-pandemic we had a nice time exploring the coastline from Melbourne to Perth, as well as the southern Goldfields of WA. In March 2020 we were in the desert of WA north of Perth when the first lockdown occurred, and the borders were closed. We dashed back across the Nullarbor Plain, back to regional Victoria where we spent three months parked on a relative’s farm still living in our caravan.

So, Plan A was scrapped, and Plan B became a creative exercise in random serendipity. We went where we could, crossing borders when allowed, staying put when there were no options. We went to places we had not planned to go.

We explored, camped, swam, walked, watched wildlife, snorkeled, went out to the Great Barrier Reef, and watched sunsets, sunrises, and stars. It was hot and we loved it. We lived in shorts and t-shirts and thongs. We drank beer, made new friends, and didn’t have to wear a mask until we returned to Victoria in December. We were lucky and we knew it.

I read less because I was travelling, exploring, walking, taking photos, sketching, and writing the travel blog. The books I did read were random and not worth mentioning, chosen from caravan parks, book exchanges, op shops, or an eBook borrowed from my local library then downloaded onto my iPad. I did buy a couple of books from book shops.

I was happy that my travel articles were regularly picked up by the online newsletter Camping News. And this validated my writing pursuit that I hope I can develop into a professional job.

Of course, we missed our family and friends and felt very sympathetic during the long hard second lockdown in Melbourne and Victoria.

We spent 373 days travelling 41,175 kilometres of Australia. We stayed in 80 caravan parks, 20 of which were free camps. We visited every state except for Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory.

We had a great adventure in 2020.