Mature Couple No Kids Travel Tips

[Gandalf the White]

Ok wise and learned myswag people, my wife and I are about to embark on our first long stint trip which is going to put us together in a car, camper, bush and camping park, walking, sightseeing and tours for many hours, days, weeks. Just like old times pre marriage and kids, romance will certainly be in the air.......

The sight seeing and camping should be ok, but not sure how we'll go for conversation on the driving stints of around 5+ hours per day.

Someone did suggest download lots of music and even talking books are good, but seeking the collective wisdom of the post children wise so that I don't end up on the news headlines, and Mrs GTW in gaol for alleged murder.

[jwb]

Audio books are VERY Addictive!
I will never do a road trip again with a supply of them!

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[chester ver2.0]

You will like it my wife an i were on the road for almost 5 months in the camper and we both agreed without the distractions of TV, city life and work we had some of the most meaningful conversations in our entire relationship

Sure we bickered sometimes and there was a day or 2 when a time out and individual activities were required

One way we passed the time in the car is the passenger had to read aloud about our next destination

[xcvator]

You will be surprised at just how easy the travel times will go. Last year while actually  driving most days it just flowed. Bronny would be checking "wikicamps" for our next stops , where we could stop for lunch, fuel/water stops, pointing out interesting sights etc.
I know this sounds a bit banal but for us it worked. You'll find that a lot of people will probably be traveling in the same direction and you will see them in lots of places, when you're in the car you can have long discussion about who you would like to see again and who to avoid and camp accordingly.All part of the fun 
Just go with the flow, relax and enjoy,
cheers Keith 

[Rumpig]

If your wife is anything like mine, she'll be asleep for half the journey....lol

[xcvator]

If your wife is anything like mine, she'll be asleep for half the journey....lol

And that 2 

[GeoffA]

...only half??

[austastar]

Hi
    At 5+ hours a day, you will be missing a lot. May I suggest less time in the car and more exploring the minutiae en route.

Cheers

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[tracker]

If your wife is anything like mine, she'll be asleep for half the journey....lol

Hmmmmm....my wife resembles that......

                                               Cheers Tracker.

[silverfox1111]

Ditto

[Redback]

I agree with Austastar, rathing than pick how long your driving hours are pick a start time within 1/2 an hour give or take say 7.30 to 8.00am and pick a good time to stop and camp, say 3.30 to 4.30pm and pick some places to look at along the way, this is not a regiment though, you may find you stop before that, especially if you find somewhere you'd like to explore a bit more.

Have a plan, but allow yourselves to be flexable with that plan, find places that interest you both on your route, as an excample we used the up by 6.30am for a 7.30am leave, that included looking at what was of interest along our planned route to our next stop, with that in mind off we went, what we found was, the places we had planned for a 2 day we only stopped overnight and some of the 1 night stops we stayed 2 and even 3 nights, our only criteria we stuck to was to be at camp and setup before dark, I would call us mature travellers and this worked really well for us and as someone else mentioned, it's amazing the conversations we had along the way, we talked alot more than we did at home and yes we had alone time too, an iPod with each others favourite music on it is the only other entertainment we had with us, well apart from doing crosswords together sitting around camp, trashy mags are great for crosswords.

We are off on a 65 day trip up to the Kimberley in July and will use this method for this trip as we always do, I can't wait, neither can Kerry, anyway hope this helps.

Baz.

[peter01]

The sight seeing and camping should be ok, but not sure how we'll go for conversation on the driving stints of around 5+ hours per day.

Gandalf, we (wife) and I have played many of these often out on our drives  when she is not "resting her eyes" , you and your wife may also enjoy
https://www.edmunds.com/car-reviews/top-10/top-10-road-trip-games.html

[gronk]

Conversation while driving.........are you serious ??   

If you're real lucky, they are asleep ALL the time, and at other times....crank the music up !!

I ran out of meaningful things to say 20 yrs ago !!   

[glenm64]

Find podcasts that are of interest to you. They're free. Everything from science to comedy to classic novels.

Cheers Glen

[macca]

I can relate to that gronk
😀😀😀

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[McGirr]

When ever we travel we use Spotify and stream music through the sound system from our phones. We have all the music styles covered, plus Penny likes to nap for a while if the scenery is boring. She snores pretty loud hence the music 

Mark

[xcvator]

A couple of things you may not have thought of and in some places do present a very real danger, Top half of NSW and WA, all of Qld amd NT, don't try and be on the road until well after daybreak ie; 8 am and be off the road by 3:30 or 4pm at the latest. These are the times wild life is starting and/or finishing their nocturnal activities, and there's lots of it up there, and most of it is too big to hit unless you're in a very big truck 
The other thing is if you plan on free camping 90% of the good spots are gone by 4pm, bloody grey nomads 
have fun
cheers Keith 

[Desert lover]

We chat all the time really.... if travelling through an area we have been before there are constant discussions over changes in the landscape/crops/trees/road surfaces since our last visit, and if travelling through an area we haven't been before there is so much to see we seem to be constantly pointing things out, stopping and exploring or looking out for that elusive camp spot..... no reason for boredom and we listen to music or the radio... many great discussions and conversations.  Oh, and we have a little furry baby now so we have an extra on board to consider..... Just go and enjoy. 
Cheers 

[Gandalf the White]

Thanks everyone for the replies, Trip feedback and tips. Really appreciate the info.

[peter01]

Conversation while driving.........are you serious ??   

If you're real lucky, they are asleep ALL the time, and at other times....crank the music up !!

I ran out of meaningful things to say 20 yrs ago !!   

great response

[GeoffA]

.......I ran out of meaningful things to say 20 yrs ago !!   

Yeah, we noticed.....

[UIZ733]

Hmm ................. I have some problem with idea of 'Mature', particularly when the term is applied to me. Chronologically advanced and advancing, does not necessarily mean mature.
Agree with the 'asleep' comments.

[Nomad]

Valium..................works for me everytime

[xcvator]

Valium..................works for me everytime

When you're driving 

[chillipepperz]

Talk about the first thing that pops up. Works for me