To me there is nothing like hitting the open road and driving off into the sunset. I’ve done it on a number of occasions in Africa but so far not in Australia and I could not wait! Add to that the arrival of a long-lost friend from Europe as my perfect passenger and the recipe was just about right for an adventure of note.

Oh wait hang on there’s one more very important thing you need to make it happen – a palace on wheels…in other words an Apollo Campervan!

We headed out of Brisbane’s city limits and north towards the Sunshine Coast for our first evening of the two day escapade. Our final destination being Hervey Bay to catch a flight out to Lady Elliot Island for some incredible diving – my first trip back there since christening it my favourite dive spot on the Great Barrier Reef late last year.

Now I’ve been used to travelling in a Land Rover over the past few years where creature comforts are hard to come by, the most luxurious thing being the padded matress in the rooftent. This however was entering another world and I can tell you now…I love it!

Let me give you in a nutshell what we’re talking about here – 6 berth, full size fridge, microwave, tv with dvd, cooker, shower, central gas heating and a totally pimping neon grab handle outside glowing blue! Very random. It really is just like heading away on holiday but with everything you need to make it comfortable and liveable, the matresses on the beds are 20cms deep – the princess will not be feeling the pea tonight I can guarantee that.

Cruising north up the Bruce Highway takes in some pretty special sights along the way and we headed onto the beach at Mudjimba to watch the waves for a while. The weather had been torrential rain for the two days leading up to us leaving but the clouds had cleared and left us with beautiful bright blue skies and a perfect morning.

I’ve driven my parents campervan loads of times back in the UK and to be honest it’s pretty gutless whereas this beast cruises along and the automatic gearbox removes another thing to have to think about. Sometimes I almost forgot I was driving a 7.3 metre motorhome.

Having no time pressure on us meant we could dally along stopping off to take photos on the way, grabbing a coffee enroute and even finding a quiet little backwater where we could devour a late lunch.

By the time the ‘Big Red Ball in the Sky’ had bathed the coast in its final lightshow of yellow, orange then finally red overtones we were in need of somewhere to rest our heads for the night. Being the busy Ekka public holiday most of the caravan parks along the coast were already full but Fraser Lodge Holiday Park saved us!

We pulled into our picturesque site on the banks of their lagoon, plugged in the electrics, fired up the barbeque and watched as the fingernail-thin moon slowly dropped behind the horizon. This is about as good as it gets.

With the night drawing in and the temperature dropping it was time to retire for the night, we hopped inside, fired up the heater and shuffled the cards – there is a game to be won here and it’s Germany versus England again….please can it not be a 4 – 1 thrashing again like in the World Cup!!

Tomorrow we fly out on the Great Barrier Reef and it’s going to be incredible…

P.S. – Happy Birthday to MÄTTY’N for Saturday – from Silvi