Dear Jaclyn and Heidi,
We are what you might call hard-core budget nomads and travel in our trusty old van which doesn’t have an ensuite. We have been taking regular three-month trips for the past decade and I’m proud to say we’ve never, ever stayed in a caravan park. Jo and I normally find a nice, private place to pull up for a night or two and – with no neighbours – going to the toilet al fresco has never been much of an issue. However, the north is a pretty crowded place this year and it’s not as easy as it once was to find the isolation we prefer. As well as not having a drop toilet, some of the campsites we stay at are pretty sparse on the vegetation front, so it’s tricky to find the ‘cover’ we need to perform our number ones and number twos. What should we do?
Brian
You’ve got a few good options at your disposal, Brian. Have you thought about getting a Porta Potti that you can use when you’ve got ‘company’ in the campsite? You can either use this in the van itself or perhaps in the annexe. I guess emptying will be an issue if you are in the bush for long periods but it will be a good last resort weapon to have in your toilet arsenal. Failing that, I guess you could consider buying an ensuite van, or even staying in the odd caravan park in peak periods. There is no way of escaping your bodily needs so, if you will be staying in campsites with others, you have to have a plan, Brian. You might have to spend a few dollars but you will save yourself the daily worry of wondering how you will cope of there is another traveller about.
Jaclyn
The bush is the bush, Brian, and in the end a guy’s got to do what a guy’s got to do! Of course, you need to follow all the bush toilet etiquette like burying your waste properly … and not giving your neighbours nightmares! However, the normal rules don’t apply and bush travellers make allowances. If someone spots you walking off to a tree with a spade in one hand and a toilet roll in the other, they are going to put two and two together and look in the opposite direction. I’m sure you would give your neighbours the same courtesy! The problems happen when people try to keep their toilet intentions secret instead of making it obvious where they are hiking off to and why. Just be responsible and respectful, and don’t let it become a bigger issue than it is, Brian.
Heidi
