There are several expectations when one hits’60’; one is said to become wiser with age, one also is allowed to write ones memoirs, in fact it is expected that one should document one’s life. The other expectation is to do ‘the lap’ around Australia, live in relative discomfort crammed into a very small space with someone who watches your every move – yet be expected to be pleasant and cheery the whole time – hence The Van must come into every sixty year olds’ life.

So lets clarify the above – fortunately one has written a diary of one’s life since the age of thirteen so with the expected wisdom that will automatically come one’s life should flow easily to pen and paper. This is pending yet to be released.

It is apparently a ‘rite of passage’ to become a dedicated caravaner or ‘grey nomad’. Now that is easier said than done as firstly one is not ‘grey’, not likely ever to be grey and highly unlikely ever to be a dedicated caravaner however the caravan was duly purchased and the trip organised as per one’s expected ‘rite of passage’.

Considering the rushed state of departure and all things considered the initial journey went well. On arriving at one’s destination it was discovered that one could not relax in one’s annex as no folding chairs or a table was packed. A BBQ was organised that night but no BBQ equipment was brought along either. So one stood in the annex, admired the view and dined out.

On travelling the day after to our next destination one’s husband trusted the journey’s navigation to “Suzie Wong” . Now you may or may not known Suzie was a high class Hong Kong prostitute in the sixties, a very knowledgeable lady, well travelled, ‘been around’ – so to speak, but also no doubt would lead one astray if naive enough to trust her. One’s husband being the gullible naive soul that he is did just that. One travelled down the Toowoomba range via an obscure road no doubt built by bullock teams in the late 1800s. The road then became narrower with grass growing through intermittent bitumen at regular intervals. Impossible to turn around one put one’s trust in Suzie to complete the journey. After crossing stony creek beds, gravel roads and windy narrow farm lanes with cattle meandering along, one was eventually lead to the town in question taking at least 1 ½ hours longer than one normally would have taken on the Freeway! Although Suzie was very vocal, the scenery was very pleasant and the radio played 60 & 70s music so one was quite happy after the initial fear of being lost was waylaid.

Now reaching sixty has many drawbacks with very few advantages, and as time and life goes on there will no doubt be many more ups and downs and Suzie Wong episodes. One can only hope that one has as good an ending next time as one had this time.