In the Beginning - What Started all this Travelling

Being a photographer I always wanted to be able to photograph things I liked, and, to be able to change things if I thought a crop here and there might help or brighten up things a bit and my biggest bugbear was being able to highlight detail in the shadows - we think about things like that when its too late. In comes Photoshop and I have had every version since Photoshop 3. I had a good teacher in a wokmate Phil Redman, organisation wise I was his boss but nothing was further from the truth, he had a brilliant mind and I would give away a six pack just to have a yarn with him again. Thanks for the inspiration Phil.

Fiona is an arts and crafts person, also with extraordinary talent even thoiugh she is my wife, she too is the boss - I guess I was always meant to do what I am told. So I toyed with the idea of buying a camper trailer or a tent to go bush for a few days, to do some serious photography and as Fiona's idea of camping was a 4 star motel, I didn't expect to have company.

This was back in late 2005 and Fiona offered to help me find a solution, she saw a camper trailer advertised in Seven Hills at All Terrain Camper Trailers and phoned for information. We were invited down and the rest is history.

Working out how to put the camper up, pull it down and pack it up again was frustrating for me and I would have chucked the towel in pretty quick, not Fiona, she kept plugging away. She also reminded me we had to weather the canvas, weather what? I knew nothing about this but she had done the research and read the instructions, something I have always been loathe to do. So we took the camper out for a couple of shakedown trips, Macquarie Woods, Carcoar and when the predicted weather conditions were right, we had to wait many weeks, off we went for a wet weekend at Burrendong Dam in June 2006. Fi came along to make sure I did everything right.

 There seemed to be something wrong with the canvas, everything seems so loose and I couldn't get it taunt. Fiona's patience was more than commendable, everything was wet through the pouring rain that night. Pools of water formed all over the canvas, because nothing was tight. Fi won't be happy with this, I'll never get her to come with me full time now!

 

It all looked pretty ordinary no matter what side we checked out. We kept poking the roof all night to release the pools of water - but never once did Fiona flinch, not one complaint and never did she say 'That's enough for me, no more camping'.

Next morning she was up early with the gumboots on to cook breakfast!

Now the umbrella will keep the rain off the food while I do the cooking!

This was the emergence of My Fiona who is now planning the next trip when we start heading home from the last one.

 This total disaster ended up being a real fun trip, the one that started me off on an upgrade spree I vowed and declared would never happen. At this point Fi said 'Why can't I come with you on these photo trips?'

Stunned to the core I cannot remember what my response was but the trip counter is nearing 50 some seven years on. You will see what happens as we move on through our continuing adventure.

Having got the umbrella up suddenly the rain started coming the other way, in gusts - Fi worked out how the zipper worked with the walls, plus a bit of Bees Wax and we were away. Let the cooking begin!

 Meanwhile a check inside the camper revealed some support posts pointing in rather strange angles - we did make two further trips to Seven Hills where Glen and Tricia bent over backwards to point Fiona in the right direction and just let the idiot take pictures.

When we arrived home Fiona grabbed me by the arm and said 'Now darling heart, we will dry everything out!'


And so it began - the most wonderful adventure ........