Keeping score!

Each year I tally our camping nights (and total nights away also). It's great to see how far we've gone, in the face of life's interruptions. For a long time our best effort was 2010 (when home was in NSW), with a total of 55 nights away but we far exceeded that in 2014 (during our Victorian era) with 83 - wow! 

Life changed in 2015, when we started using our vintage Millard as temporary accommodation.  We had 6 nights camping and 88 staying "home" in caravan parks. 2016 continued in similar fashion. Of it's 366 days we had 7 nights away, 300 in the van and 59 house-sitting.

We relocated to Queensland in 2017.  After being based in the van/tent for around 18 months I was happy to report that 304 nights of that year were spent at home - in a house! We had 11 nights in budget cabins and 10 in our new camper trailer. 

We continued to enjoy home-life (and backyard camping) in 2018, though Nick and I had a fantastic overseas adventure in August/September. Once home, we began scheming to use our camper trailer - beyond the back yard!  Our scheming paid off and we managed two trips before the end of the year.

Our camper trailer stayed put in 2019.  We may have done some backyard camping but our nights away were in paid accommodation, varying from budget through to an up-market Melbourne apartment!

2020 was challenging due to Covid-19.  Nick, Vaughan and I were supposed to road-trip to Melbourne/South-coast NSW in the Easter school holidays but that plan failed (so a friend and I also missed out on our long-overdue girls' weekend).  Nick and I took a couple of short breaks and then a nine-day WingIt holiday in the camper trailer saw us get as far as Hughenden - surprising us and Di!  

We scored better in 2021, though our January anniversary splurge was done in two stages due to lockdown and Queensland's strict border closures meant we were mostly confined to our home state.

2022 is the best score we've had since moving to Queensland and our third-best tally overall.  We didn't go away as much in 2023 but our Carnavon Gorge-ing was one of the year's hightlights!

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2023 - 27 nights away (8 with family/friends, 6 in budget cabins, 2 in a cheap motel and 11 in our Spacevan). I scored 6 extra nights on solo adventures, staying with family/friends.

2022 - 47 nights away (6 with family/friends, 1 in a former phamarcy, 8 in airBnBs, 14 in cabins and the other 18 nights in hotels of varying standard)!

2021 - 27 nights away (2 in a boutique hotel, 4 in country hotels, 3 in a vintage caravan, 5 in a bunker and 10 in our "new" Spacevan). 

2020 - 12 nights away for Nick and I (2 in a budget cabin, 1 in a motel, 7 in our camper trailer and 2 with Di).  I had a bonus night with Erin in a motel at Crows Nest as a prelude to the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers.

2019 - 14 nights away (7 in a flash apartment, 3 in country hotels, 2 in cabins, 2 with family).  I scored an extra night with Nissa in a historic pub room at Grafton!

2018 - 24 nights away (10 in our camper trailer, testing various improvements)

2017 - 26 nights away (5 in an AirBnB, 10 in budget cabins and 11 in our new camper trailer) as well as 4 house-sitting for friends and 7 in transit while relocating from Victoria to Queensland!

2016 - 7 nights away (2 with family, 3 in a themed cabin and 2 in the van away from our usual site)!

2015 - 6 nights camping!

2014 - 83 nights away (13 camping, 4 caravan-ing and 66 in Lui's shack)

2013 - 0 (sad but true)!

2012 - 17 nights away (8 camping)

2011 - 33 nights away (15 camping, 1 night in "the Tinny" and 14 in Lui's shack)

2010 - 55 nights away (39 camping, 2 nights in "the Tinny" and 14 in Lui's shack)

2009 - 19 nights away (9 camping)