The headline says it... we think! – Anyone who has a motorhome, caravan, camper, or even a tent and backpack knows exactly what it’s like to ‘get ready’ for a trip longer than a few days!
It makes us think about those planning to go to Mars or even the moon (which btw is only a few days from here!)
Mars on the other hand is around 6-7 months approximately. So let’s be a little more realistic, round it up to 300 days and convert that into say 30 (days).
So from '7 months 'on the road' with no way of replenishing supplies (except maybe fuel if you are moving from place to place). We've downsized to (say) 30 days - a whole month!
The ‘rules’ for this totally off the grid trip are no shops – just what you can take and how you can ‘survive’ comfortably.
PRIORITIES...
* WATER – Yes! Did you know in AU we average 100 to 800 litres of water per person per day!! (Source: Riverina Water)
How big did you say your water tank was?... How long can you free camp WITHOUT filling up? – Can you top up if it rains? And what if it DOESN’T rain? And yes, those figures relate to domestic water use per person but you get the idea.
* POWER – Yes Solar or generator? Gas maybe? Or do we really need artificial power at all. Could we get by with open fires for cooking and warmth? Or maybe just a small single burner gas device to heat water for tea or coffee or create some simple meals?
* FOOD – Yes Of course! – But how much food can you store safely? Not just rice or noodles but meat and veg, eggs maybe. Bread – or can you make that on the road? We could of course have some tinned meals or pre-packed sachets that don’t require refrigeration. Maybe not to everyone’s taste but certainly ‘do-able’.
And a 'newish' trend for people travelling full time - Grow Your Own. It's possible but what are the choices. We know of people who travel with chickens. So eggs every day maybe even with just two girls!?
* DRINKS... Alcoholic & Non Alcoholic – Yes! Most of us like a ‘tipple or two’ but how much would you need on our 30 day trip ‘to Mars’? If you only had one tinny a day you will need 1.25 cartons – assuming 24 in a carton. Same general idea for wine. Can you both get by with just a single bottle of wine a day?... Great! So that’s 30 bottles all up.
Hope you're keeping an eye on the weight!! Your beer will weigh about 17Kg - the wine about 33Kg.
So that's 50kg right there!
Of course not everyone drinks alcohol but the same theory applies – unless of course you like powdered orange juice drinks or something like that – but we then get back to how much water – and good drinking water for that matter – will you need?
* SHOWERS / WASHING / TOILET – Yes
Of course part of everyone’s daily chores is keeping clean. Dishes, clothes, ourselves. What do we need for 30 days on the road given we will have limited water supplies?
A smart traveller might head towards a river or lake and use the ‘natural surrounds’ to have a bath or maybe wash any clothes such as underwear. Not in public places of course! Likewise #1’s & #2’s can be actioned ‘in the wild’ as long as you do the right thing! But it’s a bit rough eh?
That’s why most modern caravans over 16ft have a toilet. But how long before the cassette fills up and needs to be emptied? And will you be able to safely clean and flush it out? Gets us back to water doesn’t it!
So it looks like our #1 priority is a source of good clean fresh water. We could add extra tanks to our van or tow but remember every litre weighs a kilo!
How Did You Go?
So could you do a complete 'off-grid' for 30 days straight... Or have you actually done it and what were the high and low points?
We'd love your thoughts on all of this! :-)
