Today I was invited to speak on ABC Radio Adelaide Travel Talk segment again, on the topic of ‘Do you make new friends on caravan holidays and have they turned in to lifelong friends’? Or are you more of the stick to yourself, not one for socialising type.

We definitely experience both scenarios on holidays, and we’ve made some bloody great friends through caravanning, that have become lifelong friends.

A few of these friendships came about by taking holidays to regular spots at the same time every year and seeing the same faces. Year after year we came to remember the faces, learn the names, have a bit of banter over time and before you know it you’re sharing happy hours, learning about each other and finding a whole heap in common. (Hello Moonta Bay and Normanville friends!)

These friendships that have built over time have been so rewarding and we now class these people as some of our closest friends, even though in some cases we may only catch up once or twice a year. There’s usually a lot of social media stalking and chats that go on during the year too.

Other friendships we’ve made have been as simple as spending just a day or a few in each other’s company and things have just clicked.  We’ve kept in touch and in some instances this is only by social media, but there’s every chance we could meet up again, because of the mutual love of places we’ve visited around the country.

In caravan parks, we’ve found that it can be as simple as commenting on someone’s caravan or set up that starts a conversation and of course if you are in communal areas like camp kitchens, bars, campfires or fish cleaning areas then conversations just naturally happen.

Sometimes it’s shared interests or hobbies that start up a conversation, such as fishing, 4WD trips, pets and photography are just a few that come to mind.

It’s nice of course, to do your own thing and you don’t always want to join in with others, we all love the peace and serenity sometimes, but at the same time we’ve met so many interesting people, from all walks of life, and other countries, who we would never have met if it hadn’t been for caravanning and camping.

That’s one of the nicest things about caravan holidays, it’s a leveller. No one cares about where you live, what you do for work, etc… you’re just the guy in the Jayco, the people with the kelpie, or the one who takes too many sunset photos, and you meet people with similar interests, starting immediately with the common denominator of loving the caravanning lifestyle.

There are so many interesting people out there travelling around the county, and EVERYONE has a story. We’ve had many a reminder of don’t judge a book by its cover.

Another great part of socialising during caravan holidays are the tips you pick up. The usual conversations of where have you travelled from and where are you heading, usually leads to a whole heap of recommendations about what to see and where to stay in your travels. You can get updates about road conditions, places to avoid and those that are a must to see.

We’ve met some terrific people in our travels, some that have become lifelong friends and others that have just made a particular trip more fun and memorable, but for everyone we’ve had the fun of socialising with, thanks for the laughs and your company and cheers ‘til next time!

Glenys