I must be crazy
 

I am taking all the kids on a road trip. We're driving from Brisbane to Yass, which is just outside of Canberra, then up to Jindabine (probably), then possibly back through the Blue Mountains, then definitely up to the Dubbo Zoo, then through Tenterfield to visit an elderly relative, then home to Brisbane again. I hope to do all this in 11 days and not die trying. In fact, I hope to have lots of fun times with the kids.

Aden has his learners permit, so there'll be two of us driving, so we're contemplating driving through the night and making the trip down to my cousin and her family in Yass in one trip, then taking it slow coming home. Just drive a few hours each day, probably in the evenings or early morning.

So, the total distance is likely to be almost 3000km's, which I suppose is about 2000 miles for you metrically challenged people.

I think I am crazy, but I have great memories of road trip holidays with my family from when I was a kid, so my plan is to create those in my kids.

Sounds good, except the four kids of various ages in the car. Good luck with that bit.

I've done Brisbane to Canberra once, about 1450 ks, did it in one day, ending about 2am. This was in June or July, years back. The last few hundred ks were a bit dodgy - dark, hilly, foggy, with random stupid roos etc. The fog had me down to 50kph in places, and I think I hit an owl. With a learner driver and/or a tired adult with kids in the car, this sounds stressful. I'd advise breaking the trip somewhere.

Heh, I've done 4 kids in the car on road trips.

Well ... I'm still here. Right? Right?

My kids actually remember the trips. They laugh about how much they screamed or threw up. They don't connect those trips with the silvery threads that have turned up among the reddish-gold, but hey, why would they?

Actually, it'll be five kids, cause Katie is coming too. Maybe six, cause Aden says that if Mav can take Katie, then he should be able to take someone. Not sure how they're going to enjoy having their knees around their ear holes if that situation arises, but it's not my problem. I'll be sitting in the front either way. :)

I was thinking about stopping at Gosford overnight the first night and aiming at being in Yass in the early arvo of the second day. We'll probably just see how the trip is going. If they were all bigger kids it'd probably be fine to keep going, but with the baby and a four year old (although he's a great traveller and is dying to get to Yass to muck about with his cousins), it might not work out. I'm planning on being pretty flexible with the travel times. I don't think it will work if we try to be too regimented.

sounds great ali. create those memories...they will serve your children well in the future.

and take a lot of pics and film footage if you can!

Lifes an adventure , have fun don't dwell on the bad stuff,
I remember being young , car sick crying and pukeing , I finnaly got settled down , and we stopped at a german restraunt and the fat german waitress was sooooooo nice !!
Then being the one driveing with kids saying are we there yet over and over , my responce hand them the map and saying you tell Me , and teaching them to read the map .
Good times !!!

I've always enjoyed travelling (coaches are the least fun way, sadly) as it's an advennture in itself.
I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time!

Yes, take pics, bring back souvenirs, make scrapbooks and save up those memories.

I loved long drives with my old man. I used to put my face out of window and have mouthful of air every once a while on country side.
Stopped doing that ever since that wasp flew straight into my mouth :(

That sounds awesome. It will be a good time. Sure there will be some fights and bickering in the back seat, but there will be lots of times that there is no fighting. And it will be a memory for the kids.

Around here, you wouldn't be able to drive outside the state on a learner's permit. Do you get your driving permits on the national level there, or on the state level? Some states here won't let learners drive at night. Or maybe that's just newly licensed drivers. Not sure.

I can guarantee a memorable trip. there's a good chance there will be a lot of fun too!

Each state has its own laws about learner drivers, but it's fine to cross from state to state. You just have to follow the law of the land in the state you're in. In Qld, a requirement of being permitted to sit your driving test is to have done at least 10 hours of night driving.

All kids in Qld, are required to do 100 hours driving on their learners permit under various conditions in order to be considered. They have to keep a log book of the hours they drive, and who is supervising them etc. It's quite good, although I'm really not sure that it's turning out drivers that are more accomplished than before. Kids still die on the roads in greater number than any other age group.

Sounds like loads of fun!

Shelby is taking the kids on a 3 week road trip at the end of june. They are very exited about it. I never did it with my parents, but I did have fun out there in my 20s.

I wish I could get that much time off in a row. Id totally do it again. If I ever get fired, I will do.

You can drive the equivalent distance of Earth to the Moon in Australia and still be in the same State.

The only way to tell the difference is in the slight colour difference of the things that can kill you.
Although as everything can and does it's not really worth taking notes.

:p:

I must be crazy
:crazy: I'd say there's a good chance.... !

:rolleyes:

But here's hoping you all have fun, so stay safe.

... You don't have to wait to be fired.

My unemployment has presented me with similar opportunities and I've enjoyed them fully. I don't want to get all weird on you but, ...

this is your life, not a rehearsal
you make time for the important things
when you lose everything, you have a greater appreciation for what's really important
the kids will remember the fun stuffs like this, not that you had eleven consecutive outstanding attendance awards

etc.

Just... work is often overrated. having money to pay for food isn't overrated, yeah, right, I know. but it's possible to simplify, maybe even dramatically simplify. And the kids will be right there.