Ted and Michelle travel in their 23’ van.
While the Covid pandemic has certainly thrown up a few challenges for grey nomads, it has also helped highlight just how resilient and resourceful they can be.
Ted and Michelle Fleming have been on the road fulltime for the past six years and are currently travelling in Queensland.
They have, of course, been affected by a number of lockdowns and have had their plans thrown out by ongoing travel restrictions … but they have refused to let the virus dampen their good spirits.
“We monitor the news daily to find out what’s happening in each state,” said Michelle. “We have a rough idea where we are going and stopping, but we know the best laid plans don’t always work out.”
This flexible approach and ‘where-there’s-a-will-there’s-a-way’ attitude has stood the Flemings in good stead.
“As travellers we have been really lucky to have only been in a few lockdowns, and our travelling hasn’t been too affected,” said Michelle. “We can still do what we want to a degree … and I have told hubby that us and only us can protect us from Covid.”
The pair, who are both fully vaccinated for Covid, travel in a 23’ van with all the mod cons, along with their little dog, Cooper.
“We don’t travel far most days and, when we stop at free camps, it’s just for a few days,” said Michelle. “When we stay at caravan parks or showgrounds, we do it for a week so we can get the washing done and have a good look around the surrounding area.”
Despite the challenges thrown up by Covid, the Flemings still absolutely love their life on the open road and enjoy the social nature of travelling, as well as the stunning natural beauty of Australia.
“We love doing a bit of gold detecting and sitting around the fire after a hard day of detecting,” said Michelle. “Other than that, some of our favourite places has been Gregory Downs along the river, and my happy place is Whroo an old gold town in Victoria, as well as Gippsland and its many beautiful beaches, and we loved the Horizontal Falls just outside of Derby.”
So, besides keeping a close eye on the news and being prepared to react to whatever challenges the pandemic throws up, what are the Flemings’ plans now?
“We need to get back to Victoria before Christmas,” said Michelle. “So, from here, we will go into the NT and then through SA … providing they don’t go into lockdown, of course!”
