The Travels Begin

For those of you following my journey, it’s certainly starting to come to fruition.

For those that don’t know, I made the decision some months ago to become a ‘not grey’ nomad and hit the road. Although I’ll still be working full-time, I’ll be exploring the beautiful Australian countryside.

I’m beyond excited — I think! I’m absolutely terrified - I know!

I’m new to all this and I’m doing it alone.

I never really understood how much I needed to learn when I made this decision, nor, how it was going to test my fortitude and my strength.

And the more I learn, the more I realise I don’t know.

On March 15th, I picked up my new car. As much as I loved the car I owned, she wasn’t capable of the travels I am planning, hence the new car.

I ordered my off-road caravan on the 20th of January and patiently waited for it to be built.

Finally, the day arrived and my caravan was ready to be picked up.

Now the terror really kicked in because I’ve never towed a caravan before, let alone a 2.4 tonne one when unloaded.

I began to doubt my decision as the fear overrode my excitement.

But what could I do?

So, I rocked up on the 3rd of May, went through an 1.5 hour handover, hooked her up to my vehicle and left the warehouse.

Bad move picking it up on a Friday afternoon, which also happened to be the start of a long weekend. Traffic everywhere and I had a harrowing 40 minute drive home, towing on my maiden voyage.

It goes without saying, my heart was lodged in my throat the entire way home.

But I made it!

Parked her up at the front of my house — not even going to attempt backing her into the driveway at this stage. I need a little more practice before that can happen.

Now it’s time to unhitch the caravan, on my own for the very first time.

And that’s when the obstacles were thrown my way.

I needed to enter the caravan to pull out the wheel chocks and the winder for the stabiliser legs. However, I couldn’t get in. The door of the caravan has a ventilation vent cover attached while travelling — to keep the dust out of the van — but it needs to be removed before the door will open. I discovered I wasn’t strong enough to remove this cover……that is if I was even doing it right!

My second obstacle that I discovered, the front end of the caravan was too low to let the jockey wheel down and it couldn’t be let down enough to lock into place. In fact it sat at a 45 degree angle, so I had no hope.

This meant I couldn’t unhitch the caravan from my car.

By this time I’m a little overwrought, stressed and feeling like a helpless female — not a feeling I like!

Darkness descended and I was left standing glaring at my rig, wondering if I’d bitten off more than I could chew.

Is it too late to turn back the clocks? Too late to give everything back and just continue on with my normal mundane life?

I decided a good night’s sleep was needed and hopefully new solutions would arise in the light of a new day.

I woke Saturday morning and was soon standing beside my rig, glaring at it in hostility because yes, I’d tried to get the door vent off again and couldn’t. I tried to set the jockey wheel again and I couldn’t.

Isn’t that the definition of insanity? Trying the same thing but expecting a different outcome?

What was I going to do?

I had a caravan I couldn’t enter and a car I couldn’t drive unless I was prepared to tow a caravan everywhere I went.

I needed a solution.

Headed inside and started researching. After some time I decided to head on down to the store and buy a caravan levelling kit.

Would this idea work? Only one way to find out.

I also purchased some more wheel chocks, just in case I could never gain access to my caravan.

Home I went and when my son was available, I asked for his help.

First we tackled the door vent and with every ounce of strength my 29 year old son possessed, we finally managed to remove the door vent and gain access to the caravan.

Wahoo, progress was made and to me that was huge.

Next, we lined up a caravan wheel ramp under the wheel, on the same side that housed the jockey wheel. I needed enough lift to allow the jockey wheel to lower and lock in.

With my son guiding me, I slowly pulled the caravan up the ramp until he told me to stop.

I climbed out to check the progress.

Remember, this is all new to both my son and I, so it was all trial and error.

We chocked the wheels of the caravan and I tried to lower the jockey wheel. No success. We had gained a little height but not enough.

We removed the wheel chocks and again with guidance from my son, I pulled the caravan a little higher up the ramp. Right to the very edge in fact.

Again I jumped out to check, wheels got chocked and the jockey wheel was lowered.

Still not quite enough, but it was so close.

My son leaned down and tried slightly lifting the a-frame, lo and behold the jockey wheel not only slid into place but it locked in.

I’ll be honest and admit I performed the happy dance of the insane.

Problem solved, well for now.

From there I successfully unhitched the van and finally lowered the stabilising legs to stabilise her.

I even placed a lock on the hitch so no one could sneak in and tow her away.

Although I sit here now and wonder if someone silently towing her off over the horizon, isn’t the perfect solution for me right now, because I’m honestly terrified of hitching her up again.

Is that the issue I’ll have every time I want to unhitch her? If so, I’m not sure how I’ll manage it on my own.

Is it too late to turn back the clocks? I asked myself once again.

Oh well, that’s a problem for another day because as of right now, I’m just happy we got as far as we did and I can now drive my car again, without a huge mammoth of a caravan terrifyingly following me everywhere I go.

Although now I think about it, that problem is going to be tomorrow’s problem, because my son and I are going to head out somewhere quiet and begin to practice reversing her.

But I’ll leave the worry for tomorrow.

Please click the link below my name to read more of my work. I would also like to thank you for taking the time to read this today and for all your support.

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Please visit my website if you'd like more information on my newly published book, Battle Angel : The Ultimate She Warrior.

Originally published on Medium