Four best friends, a full tank, playlist on, the wide open road, festival bound, and the summer sun setting behind us. That’s exactly how this little two week adventure began.
I love the intoxicating sense of adventure I feel at the beginning of a road trip, and this time, with a van full of my favourite people, I felt it more than ever.
Our dearest friends, Tanya and Ben, have just returned to Australia after living in Amsterdam and travelling the world for three years. While they were away, we enviously watched their travels and listened to their stories, while they did the same with our van adventures, amazed at what we were discovering right here in Australia. As soon as we knew they would be home for summer, we decided a road trip was essential, and there was no doubt where we wanted to take them - Tasmania’s east coast.
All aboard Scout, we drove from Adelaide to Melbourne and boarded the Spirit of Tasmania. This time we booked cabins to ensure a bit of shut eye, and I very quickly fell into a very comfortable deep sleep (I think we all did after driving all night long).
We awoke, energy tanks recharged, took a shower in our cabin ensuite, then spent the afternoon at the on board cinema, and feasting at the restaurant (where you’re spoilt for choice).
We arrived in Tassie near sunset, and set about finding a spot to camp for the night before venturing on the next morning. We had a tent for Tanya and Ben, as the van only has the one bed, which is easy to put up, but quite big. So our endeavour was harder than expected. It was getting dark, and wet, and we were getting desperate. Right before we lost all light we pulled into a little alcove off the side of the road, hurriedly put up the tent, and hopped into our beds before the rain set in. At 2 in the morning I got a phonecall from Tan; “Hey, I think we need to get in with you.” We had accidentally put the tent up on a slope, and they basically had a small river running through the middle of the tent.
So our first night started with all four of us squeezed in the kombi, sleeping with dead shoulders and arms because of the lack of movement. I’m sure they were thinking, “this is not as idyllic as you’ve made it look!”.
It was all upwards, and all sunshine, from here, and stories of that horrible first night provided plenty of laughs.
To start the trip off, and to see in the new year, we were Falls Festival bound. We met up with another two of our friends, who were also spending summer in Tassie, successfully put up the tent, on flat ground mind you, in a prime possie by the woods and close to the beach. Marion Bay provides the most beautiful backdrop for this relaxed, vibey festival. Being able to start the day with a swim in the sea makes a very happy me, as does long days of good music, good friends, dancing in gumboots, and bell tent parties. It was a magic way to start the year.
After Falls, we hit the road. Actually, we sat in the exit line for seven hours (yes seven!) and had a movie marathon in the back of the van before we began the Great Eastern Drive.
Subscribe here to follow along with our travels. The next two posts will give you a written tour (with plenty of photos) of our East Coast Tasmania road trip, where we stayed, and all our favourite things along the way.
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