Hi All,
Many years ago in a galaxy far far away.................................righto stop there, this not that kind of story, this is the story of our journey that has landed us on the expectant Jayco parents waiting list.
Many years ago, when I was slimmer and less wise and certainly had more energy I though it would be a great idea to have an off road camper trailer, years of swags and tents and the required tetris skills to get it all to fit into the back of a 4wd pushed me down the fanasty road of having a camper trailer (heavy duty full offroad soft floor camper with most of the bell's and quite a few of the whistles too) making life soooooo much easier and much quicker to hook up and get out there. For some time we thought we had found the camping nirvana, most of the required items were kept in the trailer and it just required fresh perishables and double checking of the amber fluid levels and we could be off for 2-10 days or more at a suitable location, set up and be living like kings with space and facilities that I would have never been able to cram into the old 4by's. The 2-3 hrs to set up the tent, the annex, all the tables and chairs the shower and toilet tents, the kitchen, assemble bunks and run out 12V lighting, ect, ect, ect, it was fun and it wasn't like we had to do it again for quite some time. We had some fantastic trips up and down the coast of Qld, Straddie,Teewah, Fraser, the Fraser Coast, even out bush some great times were enjoyed on may occassions.
Stupidly I was under the impression that I was chessed off with all the packing up at the end of each trip because it meant I was going to have to go back to work shortly, oh how I was misled!
Problem was none it was deemed a great adventure, (remember I was younger, fitter, and possibly a little bit stupid back then) so a great plan was hatched to head north the the gulf country then turn south and hit the Simpson and return to our starting point of Brisbane.
It was this straw that broke the proverbial camels back, doing long days behind the wheel and then experiencing a quick set up of around an hour before the frosties flowed and then the same again in the morning day after day soon polished the gloss off having basically a trailer that carried your tent that you still had to set up and pack up.
It was some time before the trailer left the shelter of the garage after that trip. We eventually settled back into the trip where you go to the one location and stay there till your ready to go home, and things seemed peaceful in camping land again.
Another touring type trip was planned, this time we would rough it a bit but have such a quick setup it would be travellers bliss, back to the swags, a double for me and the cook, and single for our only child at the time, well born at that time anyway, you see sometime between planning and leaving my wife became pregnant, and 7months pregnant at that, do you want to know what is a pain in the ass in a swag, having to get up 4-5 times a night to go pee in the dark bushes somewhere, and having to hold the torch for that person to check for snakes, spiders jabberwockys or anything else. There had to be a better way.
Fast forward a few years, the camper was sold due to lack of use and the difficulty of trying to set up solo while mum wrangled the kids, primitive bush camping was out as we couldn't take enough niceties for the baby/toddler so camping fell by the wayside, we did try a touring tent for a bit and still have it but it took alot of preparation and packing for such a short time away. Sadly camping fell by the wayside.
In the last 12 months we have had our fair share of turmoil, both personally with ill parents and relatives and also work wise, thanks to the resource industry. Luckily we were only taken for a very bumpy ride and haven't suffered like some but it has changed our thoughts and plans for the future.
After many lengthy discussions the plan was hatched to get our selves into a Swan Outback, the best of both worlds right, we had freinds who had on and theirs was great, fixed furniture and kitchen, space, off the ground so no matter the weather of ground type your living quarters were insulated from it, easy to tow and store, the list goes on and on.
So decission made, we will hunt around for a 2nd hand Swan OB, DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THEY ARE STILL BRINGING 2ND HAND, holy Mother of Pearl, I reckon some of them are dearer 2nd hand that what they were new. That's ok obviously they hold their value well we might just splash out and get a new one, you know treat ourselves.
You all know that Lee Kernaghan song "drivin past the dealers on the edge of town" so on one of our rush trips to Brisbane to visit ill parent s in hospital we dropped by the Jayco dealer and looked around, looked at the Flamingo, nah didn't like the layout, Eagle was a little small, yep Swan it was, priced up all the fruit we wanted and wow, that added up quick and I've still got to put poles and ropes and pegs and fold canvas up, still it beats the old soft floor, so thats what we will go with, done!
Walking back to the car I said to the wife, who with baby no 3 in her arms, lets have a look at these vans, her reply was you know we cant afford one of those and remember *****'s Expanda with that stupid mattress that had the join where you layed on it, ok dear I hear you, hey what about this one, no stupid split mattress and bunks down the back???
So we sat in there and schemed and planned on the great times we could have and all the places we could take the kids and actually enjoy the experience.
Yeah but it would be too dear, look how much that Swan is going to cost us, look at the price love I said, not that much more for so much more and no real setup, I'm liking this already, that alone has to be worth a couple of extra $K in itself.
We went home and thought about for some time and the more we did the better it looked.
All right time to get serious, unfortunately our closest dealer is 2 and abit hours away, looks like I'll just have to sound them all out on the phone.........................let the games begin!
Within 2 days of the initial contact I had two dealers in a bidding war for my sale, and they were going hard much to my liking, by the end of the week a deposit had been placed with our closest dealer, who has been excellent as was his competitor.
This week has seen the order confirmation with all the fruit signed off by me and and expectant delivery date of the end Nov, early Dec.
We are over the moon, got what I think is a van that will see us well served for many years to come with all the big ticket items included for a bit over $4-5K more than the Swan was, but without all the setup issues of the Swan.
We cant wait!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh after all that I forgot to mention what we are getting, it will be a 17.58-1OB SC16 with fruit ;-)))
As a family of 5, wife, myself, boys 16 and 5 and newly aquired daughter 18weeks ago, it suits us perfectly.
I will start a My Jayco thread as the delivery time gets closer.
Thanks for taking the time to read my rambling...........................I promise it wont always be this long winded.
Cheers,
Glen, Andrea, Sam, Mitchell, and baby Lillian
Many years ago in a galaxy far far away.................................righto stop there, this not that kind of story, this is the story of our journey that has landed us on the expectant Jayco parents waiting list.
Many years ago, when I was slimmer and less wise and certainly had more energy I though it would be a great idea to have an off road camper trailer, years of swags and tents and the required tetris skills to get it all to fit into the back of a 4wd pushed me down the fanasty road of having a camper trailer (heavy duty full offroad soft floor camper with most of the bell's and quite a few of the whistles too) making life soooooo much easier and much quicker to hook up and get out there. For some time we thought we had found the camping nirvana, most of the required items were kept in the trailer and it just required fresh perishables and double checking of the amber fluid levels and we could be off for 2-10 days or more at a suitable location, set up and be living like kings with space and facilities that I would have never been able to cram into the old 4by's. The 2-3 hrs to set up the tent, the annex, all the tables and chairs the shower and toilet tents, the kitchen, assemble bunks and run out 12V lighting, ect, ect, ect, it was fun and it wasn't like we had to do it again for quite some time. We had some fantastic trips up and down the coast of Qld, Straddie,Teewah, Fraser, the Fraser Coast, even out bush some great times were enjoyed on may occassions.
Stupidly I was under the impression that I was chessed off with all the packing up at the end of each trip because it meant I was going to have to go back to work shortly, oh how I was misled!
Problem was none it was deemed a great adventure, (remember I was younger, fitter, and possibly a little bit stupid back then) so a great plan was hatched to head north the the gulf country then turn south and hit the Simpson and return to our starting point of Brisbane.
It was this straw that broke the proverbial camels back, doing long days behind the wheel and then experiencing a quick set up of around an hour before the frosties flowed and then the same again in the morning day after day soon polished the gloss off having basically a trailer that carried your tent that you still had to set up and pack up.
It was some time before the trailer left the shelter of the garage after that trip. We eventually settled back into the trip where you go to the one location and stay there till your ready to go home, and things seemed peaceful in camping land again.
Another touring type trip was planned, this time we would rough it a bit but have such a quick setup it would be travellers bliss, back to the swags, a double for me and the cook, and single for our only child at the time, well born at that time anyway, you see sometime between planning and leaving my wife became pregnant, and 7months pregnant at that, do you want to know what is a pain in the ass in a swag, having to get up 4-5 times a night to go pee in the dark bushes somewhere, and having to hold the torch for that person to check for snakes, spiders jabberwockys or anything else. There had to be a better way.
Fast forward a few years, the camper was sold due to lack of use and the difficulty of trying to set up solo while mum wrangled the kids, primitive bush camping was out as we couldn't take enough niceties for the baby/toddler so camping fell by the wayside, we did try a touring tent for a bit and still have it but it took alot of preparation and packing for such a short time away. Sadly camping fell by the wayside.
In the last 12 months we have had our fair share of turmoil, both personally with ill parents and relatives and also work wise, thanks to the resource industry. Luckily we were only taken for a very bumpy ride and haven't suffered like some but it has changed our thoughts and plans for the future.
After many lengthy discussions the plan was hatched to get our selves into a Swan Outback, the best of both worlds right, we had freinds who had on and theirs was great, fixed furniture and kitchen, space, off the ground so no matter the weather of ground type your living quarters were insulated from it, easy to tow and store, the list goes on and on.
So decission made, we will hunt around for a 2nd hand Swan OB, DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THEY ARE STILL BRINGING 2ND HAND, holy Mother of Pearl, I reckon some of them are dearer 2nd hand that what they were new. That's ok obviously they hold their value well we might just splash out and get a new one, you know treat ourselves.
You all know that Lee Kernaghan song "drivin past the dealers on the edge of town" so on one of our rush trips to Brisbane to visit ill parent s in hospital we dropped by the Jayco dealer and looked around, looked at the Flamingo, nah didn't like the layout, Eagle was a little small, yep Swan it was, priced up all the fruit we wanted and wow, that added up quick and I've still got to put poles and ropes and pegs and fold canvas up, still it beats the old soft floor, so thats what we will go with, done!
Walking back to the car I said to the wife, who with baby no 3 in her arms, lets have a look at these vans, her reply was you know we cant afford one of those and remember *****'s Expanda with that stupid mattress that had the join where you layed on it, ok dear I hear you, hey what about this one, no stupid split mattress and bunks down the back???
So we sat in there and schemed and planned on the great times we could have and all the places we could take the kids and actually enjoy the experience.
Yeah but it would be too dear, look how much that Swan is going to cost us, look at the price love I said, not that much more for so much more and no real setup, I'm liking this already, that alone has to be worth a couple of extra $K in itself.
We went home and thought about for some time and the more we did the better it looked.
All right time to get serious, unfortunately our closest dealer is 2 and abit hours away, looks like I'll just have to sound them all out on the phone.........................let the games begin!
Within 2 days of the initial contact I had two dealers in a bidding war for my sale, and they were going hard much to my liking, by the end of the week a deposit had been placed with our closest dealer, who has been excellent as was his competitor.
This week has seen the order confirmation with all the fruit signed off by me and and expectant delivery date of the end Nov, early Dec.
We are over the moon, got what I think is a van that will see us well served for many years to come with all the big ticket items included for a bit over $4-5K more than the Swan was, but without all the setup issues of the Swan.
We cant wait!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh after all that I forgot to mention what we are getting, it will be a 17.58-1OB SC16 with fruit ;-)))
As a family of 5, wife, myself, boys 16 and 5 and newly aquired daughter 18weeks ago, it suits us perfectly.
I will start a My Jayco thread as the delivery time gets closer.
Thanks for taking the time to read my rambling...........................I promise it wont always be this long winded.
Cheers,
Glen, Andrea, Sam, Mitchell, and baby Lillian
