As our first few days in Korea wrapped up we were feeling optimistic about next steps – namely, getting to Pyeongtaek port and arranging to collect our van. Separated for almost 7 weeks, we were anxious to be reunited with our rig. Staying in downtown Seoul hotels was a nice change of course, but there is nothing like having your own wheels – and bed, and kitchen, and bathroom, and sofa and…..basically, all your stuff in one place ! We had missed that.
Prior to heading down to Pyeongtaek with JB from YCL Logistics, we still had some more sightseeing to do in Seoul. This thriving city of over 10,000,000 is Korea’s economic and cultural hub and offers much to the visitor. Imperial Palaces, famous markets, great restaurants, home of “K-pop”, one of Asia’s hippest suburbs, an amazing War Museum and a truly vibrant downtown. Connecting it all is one of the best, fastest, cleanest and most affordable subway systems we’ve seen anywhere. Especially notable was the lack of graffiti and the fact that the subway information was always posted in 4 languages ( Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese) – there are not many places where you see that and just another great example of the lengths Korean’s go to in order to make navigating this huge city as easy as possible for all visitors. We also found the Korean people to be incredibly friendly – more than once people actually approached us ( when we were staring blankly at maps ! ) to offer assistance. Safe to say that Seoul left a great impression on us and had us hankering to see more of the country.
Street near our hotel. Street name in English, Korean, Japanese and Chinese.Meticulously clean Seoul subway – seen here at a quiet time of day !Must say, this was a first : our hotel in Seoul ( room was on the 3rd floor ) offered a “ Life Line”. Upon opening the box it was a nylon rope you could use to exit via the window in case of fire. Luckily we had no need to use it !Wander the backstreets and you occasionally find a gem. This local restaurant offered the best prosciutto pizza we had eaten in ages.Always nice to get a good “foodie” surprise.Throughout the museum the Koreans go to great lengths to recognize the support of all UN nations who supported the South against the North Korean invasion.One is left in no doubt as to who the “bad guys” were.The museum has Douglas MacArthur’s famous old corn pipe.One of the greatest planes of WW2, the P51 Mustang saw lots of action in Korea.This was touching. A monument at the Korean War Memorial depicting two brothers, separated when the Korean peninsula was divided, leaving one fighting for the North and for the South. They actually met on the battlefield. Monument depicting the split of Korea and the hope that one day the Korean people will see their country unified.General Yi Sun-Shin.King Sejong, Seoul. A revered leader, King Sejong is credited with developing the Hangul alphabet which Koreans now use. Previously they used Chinese charactersNational Museum of Korea – ornate royal garment.Gyeongbokgung Palace, SeoulGyeongbokgung Palace, SeoulModern art, downtown Seoul.First we found Gangnam station……..…..not far away we found Psy !Gangnam – hippest part of town in Seoul. Can’t beat Gangnam Style !
I’ll leave the full “blow by blow” blog of vehicle importation steps in Korea till we leave and merge that with the steps for exporting the vehicle. Putting it all in one place and tagging it appropriately will make it accessible via a general Google search to those that follow us in Korea and wish to see what’s involved. It’s absolutely invaluable to have a current example of what the process looks like. But, more on that in a few weeks.
JB Chang escorted us to the Port of Pyeongtaek and after some minimal signatures, ID checks, and a short wait we walked through the gate to see our van. All alone, covered in a light coating of dust, but otherwise in perfect shape ! The inside was still quite clean (we’d left it sparkling ), things appeared in order and, most importantly, no one had tampered with the Slicklock on our rear doors, which secured them closed. That was a good omen, because in all likelihood everything that we had stored inside the garage area of the van was likely to still be there. Using a key that only I had, the Slicklock was opened, and there before me was everything neatly stacked just as we left in the Melbourne . I can’t overstate what a huge relief that was given that we had seen some serious theft from both previous RoRo passages. No need to fight with insurance companies, no need to pay large excess/deductibles, and most importantly, no need to be living without critical items that are not easily replaceable on the road ! I gave Lois a big high 5 as I drove through the gates to pick her up – she was waiting just outside. A very nice start to our road travels in Korea!
JB drove us from Seoul to Pyeongtaek in his own car, a very nice new BMW.Pyeongtaek International RoRo Terminal ( PIRT ) through which our van was unloaded ( Photo courtesy P.I.R.T. ).Thank you, JB !Out of the port, first step was to fill the van with diesel. Hmmmm, how to distinguish between the diesel pump and the gasoline/petrol pump when everything was written in Korean. No room for error there…!
We had driven a couple of hours south of Seoul to pick up the vehicle and now we would begin our planned route around the country. Step one was to get out of Pyeongtaek and find a rest stop for the night ( it was getting late ) and step two was to head into the city of Incheon where I had really been looking forward to visiting the Memorial Museum of the Incheon Landing ( sort of a Korean War “D Day” equivalent – in WW2 terms ).
First lesson learned in Korea ( which came as little surprise ) – there aren’t many formal campsites here (in the Western sense) so we knew we would be relying on tips from those that went before us who had documented their rest stops on the trusty iOverlander app. A quick glance at the whole country map revealed that there certainly were not very many of these and most of those were three or four years old (hence, probably of dubious relevance today). Furthermore ( as we would soon discover ), of the few campsites that did exist, many were closed because it was not yet high season. Finding a place to stay each might require more creativity than we thought……
Thanks to notes from a lady who last stayed here way back in 2019 we found the parking lot where she rested, near a Catholic Church, not far north of Pyeongtaek. It was late, and we were tired; “any port in a storm”, as they say.
The second lesson came in Incheon. As big and congested as the city is we did not find driving there to be difficult but it certainly helped that JB had tipped us off to some of the unique Korean driving rules. We found the Incheon Landing Memorial with no drama at all but got the shock of our lives when we saw the parking lot. While a memorial like that in most western countries would have a large parking lot for cars and tourist buses, we could see no such provision here, and with the extremely narrow lanes and tight corners, there was obviously no way I was going to navigate a 7m van through the place. Worse, there was absolutely nowhere, within a reasonable distance, where I could park our vehicle. A full hour after trying, we just threw in the towel and headed on out of the city. Note to self – sometimes it might be easier to park on the outskirts and take the subway in to the centre of town !!!
Having wrapped up our sightseeing in Seoul before leaving to get the van in Pyeongtaek, our aim for the rest of the week was to explore the areas north west and just north of Seoul, all of which closely bordered North Korea. From past personal experience, and recent updates from other travellers, we knew there were a couple of great spots for getting as close as possible and thus having a birds-eye view into the Hermit Kingdom. One thing we knew we would not be doing, somewhat sadly, was re-visiting the “truce village“ of Panmunjom. We’d luckily visited it back in the mid ‘80’s but tourist visits were now suspended after an off-duty US soldier dashed across to the North during a tour of the DMZ back in 2023. Over the next few days we travelled to Gangwha Island ( west of Seoul), the Imjingak/Panmunjom area (to the north), and finally the Odusan Memorial Tower – all provided interesting access points and/or harrowing tales of life in North Korea as well as showing the immeasurable pain and suffering caused by the conflict.
Blue dot shows where we visited/stayed on Gangwha Island. The Han River is just 1.8 km wide here.Access to this area is tightly controlled – here, a passport check with a Korean Marine.The 60x binoculars provided a clear image across the river. Easy to see people walking in the fields.On Gangwha Island we met Ahrum, a Korean lady who owned the restaurant at the viewpoint and who gave us some great travel advice (and served up delicious Korean food). She’d lived for 5 years in Canada.Military checkpoint on Gangwha Island. They allowed us to park up nearby for the night. If nothing else it was secure !Parked up for the night at a military checkpoint, one of the stranger places we have camped on the road !Display from the Korean War at the Greaves Museum, Imjingak. Showing the actual demarcation between the Korea’s.One of the saddest displays at the Greaves Museum. A letter from a 16 year student soldier to his mother just before he died in the war. I had no idea so many of that age were involved.Odusan Memorial Tower display of statements from North Korean defectors. It lists examples of the North’s many breaches of the UN Declaration of Basic Human Rights.
Another telescopic viewpoint of the North at Odusan.
We really enjoyed our time along the border with the North.Of the several locations one can visit, we most enjoyed the experience on Ganghwa Island. Quiet, relaxed, far less touristy and yet provided an excellent opportunity to look over the Han River to what goes on in the North. On a sadder note, the Odusan Reunification Tower, while providing probably the closest visual perspective, also provided some rather grizzly examples of what life is like in the North via first hand accounts of recent defectors. We seriously have no idea how lucky we are if we live in any free, Western democratic society.
Our exploration of the North Korean border region complete, we’ll next head east towards some of Korea’s great national parks and northern coastal regions. Stay tuned.
All good things come to an end, as they say, and so it was with our return visit to Canada. After 5 wonderful weeks at home in Kelowna ( while our van transited from Melbourne, Australia up to North East Asia ) it was finally time to re-pack the bags, bid a sad farewell to our kids and new grand-daughter, and head to the airport. The 6.00am departure from Kelowna, though, made for a god-awful early start !
Our grand daughter seemed to enjoy having us back !….and it was so hard to say goodbye to her !
When we left Melbourne back in mid-February I know I left things a little “cryptic” as to where our van was actually headed – so, now for the reveal. By the time this blog is distributed, our van should have been unloaded at the Port of Pyeongtaek, just south of Seoul, in South Korea. Obviously, we are now here to meet it, and to get here we flew from our home in Kelowna, to Vancouver ( 1 hour ) and then from Vancouver on to Incheon ( Seoul ), an almost 10 hour flight. Exhausting, certainly, but as I type this we are finally in Seoul…!
Flights to Asia almost all leave Vancouver late at night. Ours was a daytime flight which made it a bit harder to sleep so the jet lag was worse when we arrived.Our route to Seoul, over Alaska and Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula.
Ok, I know you’re asking – why Korea ? Indeed (insofar as vehicle-based overland travellers go), Korea is certainly not a common destination. It is, after all, a very small country, and most definitely always a “ship-in” option ( the only land route, in or out, has been rather firmly closed for almost 71 years !). Being a major vehicle producer itself and increasingly affluent, South Korea offers great RoRo shipping options and is a major transit point for vehicle traffic from Australia to either Europe or North America, and ( equally importantly ) is only a short vehicle ferry ride to Japan, Russia and China when it comes to onwards travel. Given the current global status of Russia, we certainly won’t be heading that way, and while China is also a possible option it’s not our priority just now. So, following our time in Korea, and all going well here, it’s our plan to travel ( via ferry) on to Japan next.
The shipping route to North Asia through the South China Sea is one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. Here, our ship ( the Arc Commitment ) en route, from Melbourne, to Fremantle, Singapore, Bangkok, Kunsan, and Pyeongtaek – about 30 days.
The whole Asia decision itself was actually a bit of a toss up. As it always does, weather at various destinations played an important part in the decision. We had looked at shipping to Europe directly but with the Red Sea situation forcing shipping detours via South Africa, that passage was long – very long in fact, meaning we’d miss some of the optimal weather by the time we got to Europe. The transit to Asia was less than a month by comparison and we’d arrive in what should be optimal conditions there ( here’s hoping anyway ! ). While Korea is not top of most overlanders’ bucket list there have been a number of people we follow who’ve made the effort in the past few years and all their accounts were the same – just go for it ! Thanks especially to the folks at Landcruising Adventures, Tread The Globe, and VanDeViaje for inspiring blog, YouTube and Instagram accounts of their vehicle travel in Korea, your tips and recommendations were invaluable. Hopefully we can “pay it forward” for others by sharing our own experiences.
The Kelowna – Vancouver – Seoul flight was uneventful and in fact, arrived a bit early. The time made up in the air, however, soon got gobbled up in the inordinately long immigration line-up. Still, it was friendly enough and once we got through, purchased a Korean SIM card right away and took the airport bus on into Seoul’s downtown. Funny, only because we were tracking the route on Naver ( Korea’s version of Google Maps ) did we realize just how close Seoul is to the North Korean border ( a bit alarming when you think of it ! ). In places, barely 50kms.
Like everyone else, first stop at Seoul airport was a Korean SIM card. One can’t function in modern Korea unless one is “connected” since everything is touch or tap with a phone.Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE a in Korea has a phone so “Public Alerts” are common. This one only an hour after we got the SIM card. Fortunately, not an air “raid” warning but just an air “quality” warning in this case !
Settled in to the new time zone after a good nights rest, first order of business in Seoul was to meet our Korean shipping agents ( YCL ) , complete some customs forms, and plan for the vehicle collection. We already knew from the Wallenius Track and Trace system that our vessel had just arrived in Pyeongtaek port ( one day early, in fact ! ). I cannot say enough about these good folks, we were simply dazzled by their incredibly warm welcome – from the time we were picked up by James at our hotel till we left them a few hours later, they went way beyond our expectations – it certainly helped a great deal in what is always a stressful situation. We still have the vehicle to collect, of course, but so far so good. I’ll let the following pictures tell the story of their amazing hospitality ( I will, as always, do a full review of the shipping process next week ).
Our shipping line, Wallenius Wilhelmsen, provide a Track and Trace service so you can follow the ship’s progress and specifically the handling of your own vehicle on the ship. It’s the 3rd time we have used this company – hopefully no theft this time..! Shows our vessel had just arrived in Pyeongtaek.What a touching welcome – this greeted us in the foyer of their building. We were then personally greeted by all the senior people at YCL.Discussing importation and customs clearance procedures at the offices of YCL in Seoul. Here with senior staff, Emily, JB and James.Our friends at YCL must have known about my chocolate sweet tooth in advance. There was plenty on the table – and Swiss, no less !The warm welcome continued with lunch at a nearby Vietnamese restaurant – absolutely delicious ! Thank you, YCL !This little yellow sticker is of critical importance – issued by Korean Customs it permits us to drive on the roads for up to 90 days. It’s known as a TIP ( Temporary Importation Permit ), and also allows us to buy vehicle insurance. At the time of this blog we did not have our van from the port but did have this critical permit at least, thanks to Emily at YCL. A huge step in the process !
Our morning filled with the shipping meeting, the afternoon was free for us to start doing some sightseeing in Seoul. We managed to explore a few of Seoul’s historic sights, famous Namdaemun market and in the evening some of its shopping and nightlife backstreets. What a change we noticed since our first visit over 40 years ago !
Shopping in Namdaemun Market we were helped by one of Seoul’s legendary “red coat” tourist information guides. They are present near many of the city’s major attraction and fluent in multiple languages.Historic Sungnyemun Gate, Seoul.Men wearing traditional dress preparing for a ceremony in Seoul.Deoksugung Palace entrance, Seoul.Inside the palace grounds with at least one cherry blossom tree in full bloom. A very pretty time of year.Cherry blossom, Deoksugung Palace grounds.Changing of the guard ceremony Doeksung Palace entrance.Ditto. The colors were stunning.Strolling along the busy backstreets of Myeongdong, the area of Seoul where we stayed,We’ve now confirmed that there are at least some camper vans in Korea. To our surprise we came across this Iveco van right in downtown Seoul, near our hotel. Perhaps we won’t be the only van campers in the country after all !
We’ll spend the weekend in Seoul completing our sightseeing and next week hope to have our van . Fingers crossed !
First, a heads up on this blog; there are fewer pictures and there is no “travel” component as such, it’s been put together more to to provide information relevant to those possibly considering doing something like this in Australia and hence differs from our usual “ sights-based” content. During our travels here by campervan through 2023/2024 we’ve picked up invaluable tips and been given excellent advice from all manner of folks we’ve met along the way. Countless people have asked questions about the “how”, “how long”, “when”, “how much” etc, relating to long term van travel in the country. I promised a few I’d build a summary blog to address as many of those questions as I could in order that so much of what we have learned might be shared with others. Hopefully those contemplating an extended trip down here ( with or without your own campervan ) will find this useful. Most reading this would be coming from North America or Europe.
Iconic Ayer’s Rock ( Uluru ).
When To Go:
Given the great latitudinal difference between the north and south of the country, it’s always a great time to be travelling somewhere in the county. In fact, the Australian winter ( June-August ) is considered high season for travel in the northern part of the country and the outback in general. Simply too hot and/or humid at any other time and subject to heavy rains. A bit of a generalization but the southern half is best in the Australian summer. It’s usually very easy to plan your travels to be in the best weather at least most of the time so it does not really matter when you come unless your time is limited and you have a very specific part of the country in mind.
Beautiful sunny weather, beach near Esperance, Western Australia.
Travelling By Van:
The primary reasons for shipping in our van were:
a) Australia was just one part of a bigger global trip so we had/have no intention of buying and selling ( or renting ) everywhere we go,
b) We’d be here a long time ( 12 months plus ), and
c) We could go anywhere we wanted – rentals place significant restrictions on where you can go and unless you buy something with 4×4 capability many of the best parts of Australia are out of reach. It’s extremely expensive for a long rental as well. Renting was not viable for us.
I’ve previously compiled information on the shipping “to” Australia here, and of course the shipping “out” of Australia was detailed in last week’s blog, so won’t elaborate any further on that this week.
You don’t need to bring your own vehicle of course, and it only starts to make sense economically if a) you already own a suitable van, and b) you plan to spend at least 6 or more months down here. Otherwise, renting may make more sense. Alternatively, buying and reselling is viable and lots of ( predominantly ) younger travellers do it, but almost all of those would be in vans in the sub $A10,000 bracket where any valuation drop on sale would likely be modest. Also, that price bracket has a ready resale market. The more expensive the van, the more difficult the resale process and the bigger the risk of material loss on sale, and possibly a lengthy sale process – one has to allow some “sale time” prior to departing, not the fun part of the buy/sell strategy !
For us a campervan was always the way to go when setting off for global travel ( which included Australia ). Not too big to be awkward to drive, there being nothing to tow, it being easy enough to park, relatively affordable to ship, 4×4 capable and ( veryimportantly ) fully self-contained. For us, simply the ONLY vehicle choice that represented the combination of all the things we wanted and needed for overland travel. We have so far been extremely happy with the choice.
Cost of Living/Travelling in Australia:
We have had lots of questions on this. Generally similar to Canada, very broadly speaking, but probably higher than the US.
Fuel was by far our biggest expense and we probably averaged about $A1.85/litre for diesel. That “average” is probably a bit high because of the long distances we covered in more remote ( and thus more expensive ) areas. Stay near the cities and you’ll pay less. Unleaded gasoline is slightly cheaper than diesel in most places. Fuel cost matters because a) distances are huge, and b) campervan/RV’s tend to use a lot of it. Our 3.0 litre turbo diesel Sprinter averaged about 13.5 litres/100 km or 17.5 miles per US gallon overall ( we did not think that was too bad ). If you are driving a gasoline/petrol vehicle the base grade in Australia is 91 octane, much higher than the standard 87 in Canada and even 85 in some parts of the US, so not exactly an apples and apples comparison I suppose. In North America most folks use the GasBuddy.com ( app ) and in Australia, the PetrolSpy.com.au ( app ) to seek out the best places to fill up. These apps are hugely valuable as prices can move significantly between different centres..
Diesel fuel on the Oodnadatta Track. Here at A$2.99/litre ( US$7.45 per US gallon ). We carried enough to pass this one by.
When it came to food prices ( our next biggest expense ), Lois felt Australian prices were definitely a bit lower than those in Canada, but probably above the US. The current exchange rate helped a bit with the Aussie dollar averaging about 65-66 cents US and 87-88 cents Canadian during our time here. It can often be higher than that thus making it more expensive for visitors. Two huge food retailers dominate in Australia, Coles and Woolworths, ( though Aldi stores, very popular, are also widespread ) – one can simply Google their websites to look at prices for specific items.
I’m a beer drinker, Lois enjoys wine. Australia makes plenty of both ( of excellent quality, the wines probably globally more well-known ). Note – no one I met in 13 months drank “Fosters”, nor does any Aussie consider it the national beer. Advertising myth…! Aussies buy beer typically in a 24 or ( now ) 30 pack and it’s by far the most economical way to buy it. You’ll pay a hefty premium to buy beer in 6 packs ( and almost no one does ). Prices for beer and wine are broadly on par with Canada but again not as cheap as the US. I’m talking prices at major liquor retailers, such as Dan Murphy’s, not prices in restaurants.
For most folks, those would be the big items. Beyond these fairly standard expenses costs will vary depending on lifestyle choices.
Camping:
This was one of the great joys of travelling by van in Australia. Finding free ( or “wild” ) camping spots ( also known as “boon-docking” in North America ) is generally very easy in Australia and the practice is very widespread. Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, uses an app called Wikicamps which is an excellent camping tool and will save travellers huge amounts of money. There are a host of other free or low cost camping apps and Facebook groups dedicated to helping you find a safe, free ( or very low cost, say $5-10 ) site for the night. “Pub” camping is hugely popular. Many towns and cities advertise themselves as “RV Friendly” ( free dump sites, free water and almost always a flat, safe area to camp often near the centre of town ). We’ve camped pretty widely in many different countries and in our opinion only NZ is in the same league when it comes to making RV camping as easy, safe and low cost as Australia. Paid campgrounds are generally $25-60 depending on location and services ( and whether powered or not ). We very rarely used them, though, and most long term travellers don’t. One of the great things about travelling in a van in mostly sunny weather, with a big battery bank, a DCDC charger and large solar capacity is that we rarely needed to “plug in” ( in fact, only 4 times during our 13 month stay ). It provided us great freedom and flexibility.
THE app used by all campers in Australia. Indispensable.The Sprinter van gave us incredible flexibility, convenience and maneuverability all the while providing a comfortable area to sleep, cook and relax. Here on Tasmania’s west coast.One of our more unique camping experiences: a remote, ( currently unused ) WW2 gravel airstrip, Northern Territory.Dream wild camping spot, Sandy Cape, Western Australia.
Curiously though, no large, national supermarket-type chain ( a la Walmart ) in Australia offers the free overnight experience that North Americans can fall back on (when all else fails !) with a Walmart, Cabelas, Cracker Barrel etc type experience. Not sure why, no one could tell me, but given the smorgasbord of other free camping options it’s not a huge loss (with the exception of big cities where free camping options are definitely more scarce in Australia). As I have indicated often in previous blogs, you can find literally EVERYTHING a camper would want on “Wiki”. If you are reading this you will likely have been following our blogs and I often made reference to places we stayed at, both mainstream and ( occasionally ) the more unique. Both Lois and I would agree that the ease of camping helped enormously to make the trip so easy and enjoyable overall. Almost never any “drama”.
The Roads:
Main roads are of good quality and even the secondary roads have improved greatly over the years. Outback dirt tracks ? Well, they can be pretty rough ! Tolls are only common in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane and you can get by without them. Roads are well signposted, speed limits are reasonable, just remember, STAY ON THE LEFT ! The same as driving in the UK. It always helps when there are two in the car and most would be travelling in pairs at least so the extra set of eyes definitely helps with navigating generally.
Overseas visitors do need to be aware of speed cameras. You can be caught speeding ( or make some other infraction ) and not know it until your bill comes in the mail or you get a follow up bill from the vehicle rental company. These can be VERY nasty and, as I have mentioned before, you can ( and people do ) get multiple fines before you ever learn of the first one ! You have been warned. Not a system I like particularly ( give me a good old cop with a radar gun any day ) but, knowing about it in advance, we simply always carefully stayed under the limits ( easy in a van, we did not usually drive fast anyway ).
Fuel is good quality, ( called petrol in Australia, not “gas” ) and we never got any dirty fuel, even in the outback. All diesel is ULSD and lots of vehicles in Australia use it, it’s as prevalent in Australia as it is in Europe. Filling up differs slightly in that Australians customarily pay for their fuel after they have filled up.
Sights:
Australia has a great selection of attractions – we had no problem spending a year looking and some spend even longer. It all boils down to one’s personal tastes. I have commented on all of them as we travelled through so won’t rehash here, but I will add a few random thoughts. Every town, even most small ones, has a visitor information center almost always staffed with friendly, knowledgeable locals who delight in helping travellers out. Maps, guides, and brochures are generously provided at no charge and clean washrooms are almost always on hand. We found this service consistently amazing. Many beachside communities also offer free barbecues so you can cook up what ever you like while enjoying the beach. Yes, propane is included, free.
This building needs no description – Sydney, NSW.While remote, outback roads can be rough, dusty and very corrugated, major highways and secondary roads are generally excellent.Pristine clear waters of the Western Australian coast.Little Penguins, Philip Island, Victoria.On the beach, Great Ocean Road, Victoria.One of Australia’s more famous roads. Many travellers look forward to “crossing the Nullarbor”.Up close with dolphins ( yes, this close ! ), Monkey Mia, Western Australia.Public barbecue, beachside, Townsville, QLD.
Admission fees to sights can vary from free ( National Museums for example ) to ocassionally expensive but most things are in line with what you’d pay in Europe or North America. One thing we did find a little bit inconvenient was National Parks passes. The parks themselves were great, often stunning in fact, but ( despite the name “National” ) park passes are only sold state by state. Yes, you need one for NSW, another one for Victoria, another one for Queensland….and on and on. At $70-80 for a vehicle ( average cost ) in every state, it can get costly. An annual National Parks pass in the US for example ( giving access to all 50 states ) is $US80 for comparison. The Canadian version is about $US115 but both cover every national park in the country. A truly “National” parks pass would make a lot of sense in Australia, alas, not available yet to my knowledge.
Communication:
Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE in Australia has a “mobile” phone ( the term “cell” is, of course, understood but always generates a bit of a giggle ). SIM cards are cheap, (if not free), and pay by the month Data/Voice/Text plans are widely available from multiple vendors. Coverage in the cities and major towns is excellent however it can be sparse between centers in the outback ( as we’d been warned ). It’s amazing how many Australian RV travellers have their own Starlink dish ( paying about $170AUD/month ), especially those who spend serious time in the more remote areas where cell phone coverage is often nonexistent. We often wished we had one !
While Wifi is available in all malls, McDonalds, Starbucks etc as you would expect, it’s not as common in every coffee shop or small business as it is abroad. Inconvenient on occasions, yes, but we simply purchased more data from our supplier- it’s pretty affordable. We got some odd looks when we asked some of the small local cafes if they had wifi. Very few did.
Summary:
So that about covers the issues that most matter to would-be travellers. In addition to the above, as we travelled around we were reminded of some of the customs and practices in Australia that will delight visitors ( especially those from North America ). Tipping is not required ( though it’s never refused ! ) and posted prices in stores represent the actual price you will pay ( taxes are always included in the price ). Almost 35 years of living in Canada (and of travelling often in the US) and I still find the standard practice of adding embedded taxes at the point of sale just odd. I have no idea why it’s done that way. That said, Australia has the odd inexplicable thing, too; why, for example are we not allowed to turn left at a (red) light when there is no traffic coming ? Not sure, but you definitely can’t !
Lois and I truly hope that this closing blog on Australia provides some value to our readers and that at least some of those who have followed our travels “Down Under” through 2023/24 will, at some point find the opportunity to explore the country for themselves. It’s been an incredible experience for us, it offers so much to the visitor and, in what is currently a rather troubled world, offers a fun, safe, and adventurous option for those with a passion to explore.
We’ll now take a few weeks off ( at least ) while we enjoy some family time back in Canada and return to our blog as the ship carrying our van nears its next destination.
Incredible. I just can’t believe we are already at this point. But, almost exactly 13 (amazing) months after arriving, this past week we bid Australia a very sad “adieu”. Completely coincidentally, we realized that global mega star, Taylor Swift, flew in to Melbourne in a lavish personal business “jet” on the same day we flew out on a very late and rather cramped “Jetstar” commercial flight – despite the rather oxymoronic name, (and as all Aussies would know) a “Jetstar” flight is certainly NOT a jet for the stars ! I read this article on how Taylor travels – check it out in case you ever wondered. Lavish !
Our comparatively plebeian m.o. aside, it has been absolutely wonderful to spend this much time in my home country – we have been truly blessed to have seen and done so much and to have been able to spend so much quality time with all our family and many old friends. We would not have missed it for the world. Allow us to bring you up to speed on a very, very busy last 12 days or so ( I’ve sort of rolled almost 2 weeks into one here, so settle in, it’s a lengthy edition).
The almost 5 weeks spent on Tassie just seemed to fly by. Heading down there we were concerned it might be too long in such a very small place but it was, for us, just about right. We met many though, who spent 3, 4 and in one case, 6 months there !
Our last 12 days in Australia.
Sometimes you get a little “payback” when doing a return trip on the Spirit of Australia ( Tasmanian ferry ). Delighted to have enjoyed a dead calm 10hr crossing south to Devonport (you could have water skied behind the ferry on that crossing), Bass Strait gave us a bit of revenge on the journey north to Geelong, with 3 metre swells reminding us that we were definitely on the high seas. Doors to the outside decks were sealed for the duration.
Very calm by the time we got to Geelong ! In the final 3 hours it slowly navigates the shallow depths of Port Phillip Bay. That part of the journey is always sheltered from the high seas.
Back in Geelong we were now at liberty to firm up our plans to ship the van on from Australia. Frankly, we had expected to have had this confirmation on such a sailing long before we even went to Tasmania but upheavals in global shipping of late have meant that passage is now often not confirmed until just a couple of weeks before sailing. It leaves precious little time to make your personal plans (related flights etc ). Requests were placed long ago ( as is the norm ) with a primary route request and a secondary route but as of us getting back to Geelong we still had no confirmation – to anywhere !!!! SeeShipping Out Of Melbourne at the end of this blog for full details of our booking which was ( thank god ! ) firmed up by the end of the week.
While waiting for the shipping confirmation there were still quite a few things for us to do. First up was a trip around Geelong to the scenic Bellarine Peninsula, or, more specifically, the community of St. Leonard’s, home of my cousin Helen and her husband, Bernie. They’d graciously agreed to act as a mail drop for a few Amazon items we’d needed but it was also wonderful just to stop by, catch up and spend a little time wandering their beautiful beachside neighbourhood. St. Leonards, and nearby Portarlington, gave us an opportunity to enjoy a little slice of trendy, almost rural, Victoria before immersing ourselves back in the hustle and bustle of Melbourne – given the perfect weather both were full of summer beach-goers.
Jeff, Lois, Bernie, and Helen, in St. Leonard’s.
Many kilometres of secluded beaches ring the Bellarine Peninsula, with Melbourne visible just across Port Phillip Bay.Bellarine Peninsula, beachside, near St. Leonard’s.Street side cafe scene, trendy Portarlington.
There was another matter to attend to and it made good sense to deal with it before leaving Australia. With 63,000 kilometres on our trusty BFG KO2 tires (42,000 of those on Australian roads – including many on harsh, corrugated outback tracks ) it was time for a set of new All-Terrains. Given the KO2’s had served us so well it only made sense to stick with the brand; the helpful folks at Bob Jane T-Mart took good care of us but had to make the tire changes manually as the van was simply too long to go on the hoist and too high to go inside the work bay.
Manager, Clayton, of the Bob Jane store measuring his hoist to see if our 6.9m long van would fit. Not quite, it turned out.!Even if it was shorter, it was still too high for their shop access. Tires were changed the old way.
Still awaiting shipping confirmation and with its departure imminent ( but now getting encouraging news at least ) the decision was made to do a little exploring of rural Victoria without going too far from Melbourne. Our shipping agent advised that a Port of Melbourne departure was now possible on our requested route. This was great news – earlier, the advice had been that we’d possibly need to drive 3,500 kms to Fremantle in Western Australia, and load there- not a prospect either of us relished ( traversing the Nullarbor once on this trip was interesting – doing it twice, not so much) ! The approval may come at short notice, so “don’t go far”, was his advice !
Spent a couple of nights back at Little River Hotel camping after leaving Bernie and Helen but found the dust not conducive to unpacking and cleaning the van. That, and a desire to do some more exploring took us on to Ballarat.Ok, we’ve seen lowered cars/trucks in our time but this one takes the cake ! Little River Hotel campground.
Ballarat, its history intrinsically linked with Australia’s gold rush era and famous for the Eureka Stockade, seemed like a good option to explore. Just an hour and half north-west of Melbourne, with much to see and an excellent municipally-run campsite, we ended up spending 4 nights in the area with much of that spent preparing the vehicle in anticipation of an impending shipping approval. Nice to be out of the big city and apart from some wind the days were just beautiful. It’s certainly an interesting city.
Avenue of Honour ( to fallen Australian soldiers ), Ballarat Unlike the pub camping in Little River, the municipal campground in Ballarat offered grassy sites, fresh water and much more space – ideal for a big vehicle thorough clean, unpack, repack.Downtown Ballarat .Eureka Stockade memorial, Ballarat.Remnants of what is believed to be the original Eureka Stockade flag, Eureka Museum, Ballarat.Story of Ballarat’s origins. “Welcome Nugget”, the largest single piece of gold found at Ballarat, weighed 69kg ( over 152 lbs ) !
Finally, and with only a week till the cargo cutoff for port delivery, our van was confirmed on the requested RoRo ship. Hallelujah – at last we had our shipment confirmed ! We could now book plane tickets home for a return visit with our kids and new granddaughter while our van sailed to its next destination. There were many days we had doubts it would all come together. We will, for now, keep the next destination “up our sleeve” – it should make for a little more anticipation when our first blog from there is written ( feel free to submit your best guess in the comments………but you might be surprised). I will also put together an “Australia In Review” blog in the next week or so. It’s by far the longest time we have spent in any single country since we began the OneEndlessRoad global journey back in 2019. There’s definitely some valuable information and general tips we can provide to any readers contemplating an extended trip “Down Under”, as we know several readers are. Stay tuned for that.
Our travels over the 13 months and 42,000+ kms we travelled while in Australia.Very much looking forward to reuniting with our son and daughter of course, but especially this little bundle of joy, granddaughter Hadley, who is already 6 months old.Managed a couple of days R&R in Waikiki, Hawaii while en route back to Canada. Nice to break up what’s normally a 15 hour direct flight.
Lastly, we also know there are readers on the OneEndlessRoad subscriber base ( including 3 or 4 we’ve met up with in Australia ) who are keen to hear of our “shipping out” experience. While, as at time of writing, the ship has not sailed, our van has now been delivered to the MIRRAT terminal in Melbourne for onwards shipment. Rather a sad moment actually 😔. Ironically, right back to the very same terminal through which our ship ( and van ) had entered Australia more than a year ago. The addendum below documents our preparation, the step by step process we followed, and the documentation required – costs will be added up once we get to our destination as there are port charges and fees there that we don’t yet know. Heads Up: Unless the excruciating minutiae of an overland shipping tale holds you in thrall, probably best to exit this week’s blog right about now – you’ve been warned !
Till next week…….
SHIPPING OUT OF MELBOURNE:
As mentioned above, this process has taken an extraordinarily long time to get confirmed – months in fact. We were wait-listed on several ships before getting confirmed on ours. In normal circumstances this would not happen but such is the state of global shipping that it is the norm now. Container shipping seems easier right now ( in terms of getting space ) but we are too big for a container thus must go RoRo ( on a specialized car carrier ). So we had to be patient.
Port:
Our preference was for Melbourne or Sydney since they were close to where our travels ended but most shippers offered the option of either of those ports, and Brisbane or Fremantle – all at the same cost. Too late for us now, but based on the conversations we had with several other overlanders who shipped in, Fremantle was the easiest port to clear ( customs/quarantine there just seemed to be easier and it was less congested ). With no quarantine process on exit I don’t think the port of departure matters as much- go to which ever is closest.
Back where it all began ! Almost 43,000kms later, our van back in front of the Melbourne RoRo Terminal ( MIRRAT ), ready for delivery and loading on to a RoRo ship to sail out of Australia.
Process:
Once the agent got us confirmed they issued a Bill Of Lading ( or BOL – in flight terms, your airline ticket ), an Export Receival Advice ( or ERA – a boarding pass of sorts ) and a vehicle condition declaration. This is all done by phone/text/email – you often never meet your agent ( although we did while we were in Fremantle ). The BOL is required by Australian Customs to clear your Carnet ( it was stamped in when we came to Australia and once you have the BOL you take your Carnet to Australian Customs to be cleared out). This must be done BEFORE you take the vehicle to the port. With the Carnet stamped an appointment is made to deliver the vehicle to your chosen port. They give an appointment receipt, review all documents on arrival at the port and assign a port escort to take you to the drop point inside the secured port area.
Our port delivery appointment.Declaration that is completed and left in the vehicle for shipping line review.
Carnet:
In the case of Melbourne, Customs are NOT at the port, they are near Melbourne Airport. Just take your passport, BOL and Carnet – mine was processed in 30 minutes but they can take 24 hours. Likely true of other cities as well.
The indispensable Carnet stamp. The counterfoils are stamped when you arrive and again when you leave. Without every page stamped in and out, your Carnet deposit will not be refunded.
Insurance:
Another very important step is Marine Insurance. Not obligatory but you’d be crazy to ship anything valuable without it. Many shipping agents either sell it or refer you to insurers who cover marine cargo. We have always taken it, as much for the risk of a “general average” claim ( it’s an insurance concept dating back to Roman times, and a risk not to be taken lightly – it could bankrupt you ) as for the protection of our vehicle itself. Cost depends on vehicle value so my quote may differ from yours but ours worked out to about $580 per $100,000 of insured value. Accepting a higher deductible reduces this of course. The vehicle is covered from the time it enters the port here till the time I drive it out at the other end. Our cover is fairly basic – more bells and whistles, more premium.
Marine Transit insurance.
Vehicle:
The vehicle must be clean, working, with no leaks and no flammable contents. Take anything valuable with you on the plane ( we learned, the hard way ! ) and secure things that must be left in the van as best you can. Theft is an issue on any RoRo passage since port staff and shipping staff have access to your vehicle to drive it on an off the ship. Our highly valuable things are with us. We paid a little more for extra baggage on the plane to minimize theft risk on the ship. We’ve also been advised to prepare for the unexpected – what if the vehicle doesn’t start or the driver can’t figure out the controls ? Batteries can go flat over time while a vehicle is sitting idle and to that end we prepared basic jump start instructions in two languages along with a picture of the jump start contact points in the engine bay ( on a Sprinter van the battery is not easily accessible as it’s under the drivers seat). We left details on the passenger seat in the van. Better to be “looking at it than looking for it” as they say !
With solar panels, fans and exterior roof lights, we pegged our van’s height at 2.9 metres. We were pretty close. Here, going in for a final clean before shipment. Highlighted yellow circles show the red and black contact points for a jump start ( if needed ) – this image is included on a laminated sheet on the passenger seat.What to pack, what to leave ? We’d be going from a summer in Oz to the middle of winter in Canada while the ship had our van – but for how long ? All major valuables are with us on the plane. Once bitten, twice shy……..!
Timing:
Sometime in advance of the ship’s load date ( just prior to sailing ) a window of time will be given for delivery of your vehicle to the port. Pick your day, contact the port and book your slot, usually done via the port’s website. We had no one assist us in delivering the vehicle to the port and it all went smoothly. MIRRAT was very organized and we were in and out within 45 minutes. Security is very tight at all ports and in every port we have been to an escort is required to accompany you through gate controls, document checks and so forth. In Buenos Aires we even had to wear hard hats, steel toe boots and a Hi VIZ vest. Just the vest in Melbourne ! The escort is paid for at the port and takes you through the security process to the point where you drop your vehicle . They then take you back out to the port exit, handing you a receipt to confirm that the vehicle is now in their hands. At this point delivery is done. Fingers crossed it arrives unharmed at the other end !
Following the port escort to the drop point.I asked Daniel, our port escort, to stand in front of our vehicle ( all 4 sides ) for photos to confirm what condition it was in when we parted company with it at the port ( lest there be any damage in transit ).Turns out the German folks( Ute and Stefan ) that we met in Tasmania were shipping their Sprinter van out of Australia at the same time, and on the same ship ( but that doesn’t mean we were both going to the same destination ! ). The yellow sticker tells port staff what ship to put it on and where it is ultimately to be unloaded.
Payment:
Sometime after the ship sails, the shipping line will send a confirmation to our agent confirming our vehicle was safely loaded ( hopefully ! ) and that the ship is on the high seas. At that point I will be sent an invoice to pay for the freight and port fees. That’s about it, other than tracking the progress of the ship there is not much to do until it nears its destination but I’ll outline that process as and when we get closer to it.
I hope this helps those shipping, or even contemplating shipping, out of Australia. I’ll provide detailed costing when the journey is complete. Feel free to reach out to me on [email protected] if you require any further information.
Working our way west ( anticlockwise ) since arriving, Tasmania’s northern attractions were left for last. No particular reason for travelling this way other than the fact that it left Cradle Mountain for the end of our trip and potentially in a better weather pattern – or so we had hoped. It’s definitely one of Tassie’s “biggies” in terms of attractions but it is notoriously weather sensitive
Leaving Pyengana, we came down from the hills through Derby, Scottsdale and on to the coast at Bridport, one of Tassie’s favourite holiday destinations. A very touristy town with a great beach, it looked like the kind of place locals come with their families for a beach holiday. Not being beach weather during our time there it seemed a bit pointless to stay, so on we travelled to historic George Town. Despite the historical connection, our main reason for visiting was to pop in and see an old school friend who’d recently relocated there – wonderful to catch up with Nick and we agreed neither of us had changed at all in the 45 years since we were at school together !
Above, Jeff and Nick- a great, though short, visit while in George Town.
Launceston sits just below George Town and is Tassie’s second largest city. We used its excellent shopping options to replace some kitchen ware and also took in its downtown sites and its big tourist draw, Cataract Gorge. Following some recent overcast weather, Launceston was on its best behaviour while we were there !
Cataract Gorge, Launceston.Selfie, Cataract Gorge, Launceston.I did mention shopping – hard to keep Lois out of the baby stores, especially in the bigger cities.
Just west of “Launy” ( as locals call it ) is the Kentish region of Tasmania – including the delightful towns ( and myriad attractions ) of Deloraine, Railton, Mole Creek and Sheffield, so the next few days were spent exploring between the group of them ( they are only 20-30 kms apart ). Deloraine probably the pick of the bunch for us – spotting a ( generally hard to find ) platypus on the Meander River was a real treat, as was the drive to ( and hike from ) nearby Liffey Falls.
The tranquil Meander River, Deloraine. Generally a good spot to see notoriously shy platypuses, just as the sun sets.Near Liffey Falls, the “Big Tree”.Liffey Falls, Deloraine.Us, Liffey Falls.Beautiful flora, Liffey Falls.Creative garden “art”, Sheffield.Mural, Sheffield ( which bills itself as the “mural city”).
If Wineglass Bay was the star of the east coast, undoubtedly Cradle Mountain National Park is the gem of the north. Arguably Tasmania’s top attraction ( certainly one of its top few ) “Cradle”, like the Franklin wilderness, is World Heritage listed. Its hikes and walks are legendary with choices to suit all levels of fitness and interest. Crater Lake, Dove Lake and Lilla Lake are probably the most popular at the north end of the park ( where we entered ) and the hikes that connect them all are indeed pristine. Surprisingly, some of the very short hikes close to the Visitor Centre were equally impressive – our mindset is generally that you have to hike far to see the best, but it’s not so at Cradle Mountain. That said, die hards can tackle the 8 day Overland Trek (and plenty were ! ) but it was a bit outside our capability given the equipment that we ( don’t ) carry ! Not just lots of flora at Cradle but some impressive fauna as well with lots of wallabies, kangaroos, eagles, wombats, and ( of course ) snakes. Tassie only has 3 species but all are venomous – we managed a close up of 3 Black Tiger snakes on the way to Dove Lake. Enough for us !
The weather just did not look good as we approached the park.View of “The Boathouse” on Dove Lake, the day we arrived. Cradle Mountain not even visible. Fortunately the weather improved two days later, our patience ultimately being generously rewarded.We bussed up to Dove Lake when we arrived, despite the rain and cloud. Miserable conditions but Cradle Mountain was still just visible.Section of steps, Cradle Mtn NP.Red fungi, Cradle Mountain N P.Pretty creek, Enchanted Forest Walk, Cradle Mountain N.P.A type of lichen growing on a host tree, Cradle Mountain NP.On the way to Dove Lake ( Cradle Mountain NP ), noticed these three Black Tiger snakes by the side of the road. Tasmania only has 3 kinds of snakes but ALL are venomous. Best avoided !Yellow fungi, near Crater Lake.
Lois, taking a rest.Jeff, taking a break.The forest had a rich covering of moss.
On day 3 it all came together – finally, blue sky and sunshine ! View across Lilla Lake with Cradle Mountain visible in behind.
Picturesque Wombat Pool, with Cradle Mountain visible as a backdrop.View of Crater Lake on day 3.. Pristine.
Lois, on one of the rockier, steeper sections of the hike to Crater Lake.A very fuzzy view ( shot at long distance with only an iPhone ) but the wombat is clearly visible, foraging on grass.The overlanding vehicle you own when money is no object ! A very impressive rig, ready to take on the world parked at Cradle Mountain just as we were leaving.
After 3 days at Cradle, and with our return ferry to the mainland just days away, we made our way ( indirectly ) back to the ferry town of Devonport, travelling first through Waratah, then up to the north coast via Burnie, Penguin and Ulverstone. The fine weather continued giving us a wonderful final memory of Tasmania. Having spent almost 5 weeks here, we can truly say it’s a great state to visit, it’s easy to navigate and, after the huge distances of Queensland and Western Australia, it’s refreshingly easy ( and usually quick ) to go from A to B ( we met a couple bikers who lapped the island in a week ). As such, you can cover a lot of ground in a short time.
Beautiful waterfalls at the quiet town of Waratah on the way out of Cradle Mountain.Parked up in Devonport waiting for the ferry back to Geelong and met James and Jaime, a New Zealand couple who had just shipped their truck camper over from Auckland. Only the 4th foreign registered vehicle we have encountered so far in Oz.
We now sail back to Geelong and begin preparations for leaving Australia 😔😔. In fact, when I say “begin” the word is a bit of a misnomer since we have ( for the past little while) already been exploring shipping routes out of the county. We are often asked “when are we going back” but in fact we have never wanted to simply return to North America – the question then, was “Where to next ?” Nothing firm yet but stay tuned for developments !
Will certainly miss “Tassie” – it has been everything we expected and in some cases more. The weather was a bit wobbly early on but we managed some great days where it mattered most and in the last few days it was consistently great. We leave with wonderful memories of places and people, but we are also happy to be getting back to the mainland. There is, at this stage of our journey, much to do !
The PanAm completed in April, 2022 and with the truck camper sold, we shipped our new Sprinter van to Australia in late 2022. We travelled there through all of 2023 and into 2024 before shipping it up to North East Asia where we travelled for 4 months between Korea and Japan, before shipping it back to North America. It’s our plan to continue exploring the world in 2025.
