We have been on the road since April 2011, we started off in an old Viscount campervan and an old Commodore station wagon, and I can say that you learn a lot real quick about camping when you travel in an old girl like her.
We found that although in general most people are very nice, there is a pecking order of what you travel in and how you are treated. Even though people were lovely in passing conversation, we never once got invited to ‘5 o’clock drinkies’.

After 2 months in the old girl we decided to buy a caravan so we bought a ‘Statesman Royale’ which is in very good condition and very comfortable. We also traded in the Commodore and bought a new 4×4, a Ford Ranger.

Well, the first park we stayed at (after an 11 week house sit) we started setting up on our site and a lovely lady came over and asked if we liked a drink or three. I replied that you only needed look at the front of our van to the plate that reads; ‘Why wait till 5, its always 4 o’clock somewhere’. To which she invited us to drinkies at happy hour.

I told Jules and she looked straight at me and in the blink of an eye said…”Bugger me, we had to spend over $65,000 to get invited to drinks”. I tell you I haven’t laughed so hard in years.
Once getting to know these people, whom we now consider very close friends, I had to tell them the story, and they thought it was hilarious too. Both Marg & Lance are a joy to be around, and we look forward to meeting more lovely people.

I hope you find our tale funny, and I’m happy to share it with you, happy and safe travels to everyone.
Dave

Good to see the friendship that camping can start.

I would like to think it does not matter how much anybody spends on their rig as to conversation starters.

I must admit though I do tend to zoom in on people with small dogs and a layer of dirt or two on the rig as I find those to be more sociable. (and makes me feel better about not spit polishing Label)

Mind you I enjoy a chat to a lamp post if it can listen well. LOL

Coyote,
My missus can talk the head off a chook, and like you I would talk to a lamp post if I could get a word in, (I wait until she pauses for a breath ).
But unlike most of us, there are the snobs out there too. Pity

You are right of course.

I also think that coming from a trade background and having lived on work sites for many years with different crews of all nationalities that you just forget about the looks.

The wise will also know that the cover can be very different to the pages within, many great stories have rough covers.

PS still come and have a chat if the rig just happens to be clean, — it was the rain –Honest

There are the few odd stuck-up’s out there, but we have mostly never had a problem in freecamps, even had a guy pull up in the lARGEST winnybugger I ever saw, push some buttons to stabilise it and another for the slide outs and the awning, bring out some chairs a table a bottle of wine and some glasses and said “Will you join us”, also doesn’t matter what they are in I’ll do the invite and often we’ve been around a campfire with people from all over Oz and the world.
Frank

Frank,
we met a couple, Wendy and Bill, lovely people, they drove an old ’86 Mazda rig, no fancy slide outs or button operated stabilizers e.t.c. There bus was a WENDYBILLGO, awesome model….
Mind you the people next to them in the Merc Winnebago were lovely too.
We meet all walks of life in our travels, we love it and we love what we do. Wouldn’t trade it for anything else, and can’t wait to meet more lovely people. If you like beer, wine a spirit or 3, coffee or a cup of tea, a yarn or two, some truthful some almost there, then park yer bum at our camp fire, but make sure you bring yer laughing gear….

Dave

P.s; Coyote…….its raining here to mate….

Hi Dave,
Its probably the camps you stay at, this one had empty beer bottles all round ,empty tins, oil stains on the concrete pad, empty oil containers and broken wine bottles.12 pair of size 48 undies hanging from the front. Generally a bloody disgrace….. and that’s just my site…

We have the opposite happen. When we had our pop top used to get invited over or people would stop by for a chat.
Since we’ve had the new van we seen to be the only people in the park and talk to ourselves.

BandB wrote:We have the opposite happen. When we had our pop top used to get invited over or people would stop by for a chat.
Since we’ve had the new van we seen to be the only people in the park and talk to ourselves.

Bugger maybe you need a cute dog and some dust on the rig LOL……

That’s what we think. The damm rig’s too shiny.