31 minute read
From the Grand Chaplain
A brotherhood of man
The long-term future of humanity will ultimately depend upon an increasing acceptance of the concept of a brotherhood of man.
When we consider the consequences of military action the past rises before us like a dream. Let us not forget the awful price of war: the wages of war is our youth, the finest of our tribes, our true keys to immortality. In peacetime sons bury their fathers, in wartime, fathers bury their sons.
Nobody said it better than RWBro Alfred Lord Tennyson in his classic poem Locksley Hall where he expresses his hope for – a Brotherhood of Man.
Till the war drums throbbed no longer And the battle flags were furled, In the parliament of man, The federation of the world.
Another great challenge for this generation is extreme poverty.
John Lennon’s Imagine gives us plenty to think about
There are literally millions of men, women and children suffering, starving and dying, far removed from the scrutiny and conscience of the world; their
lives, hopes and fears – their suffering and chance of happiness – all intertwine with our lives, with what we say – and what we do.
There are a billion people in the world who don’t have access to clean water, are malnourished, lack basic education – and have no adequate housing. $2.1 billion per annum is contributed to foreign aid including food by nations throughout the world but two trillion dollars, a thousand times greater, on the military.
Once we accepted slavery as the natural condition. Once we accepted apartheid as the natural condition; why do we accept extreme poverty as the natural condition? Whilst righteousness between the peoples of the earth may never be fully achieved – the nearer we get to it, the better for mankind and the greater good.
Above nationalities, there is an eternal ideal. Fairness between the earth’s people: to rise above injustice, economic repression, religious bigotry – and of course racism.
Fifty years ago, John Lennon put this to music:
Imagine all the people sharing all the world Living life in peace No need for greed and hunger, a Brotherhood of man You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us And the world will be as one.
We are here for you
As CEO of Royal Freemasons’ Benevolent Institution (RFBI), I appreciate that it is an
uncertain time and many of you may be experiencing some difficulty.
We are doing everything in our power to make sure our residents are happy and comfortable. As you can imagine, it’s tough and heart-breaking not being able to see your family every day and physically giving them a hug. I recognise that our residents and families are finding this especially challenging. Which is why we have invested in technology to help everyone stay connected through video calls. Not only ...we have invested in technology to help everyone stay connected...
that, we have also encouraged families to come and visit their loved ones through our glass windows and doors. Nothing makes me happier than seeing our residents smile when they get a visit from their family.
Our residents and staff are part of the RFBI family that we support. We want to support you too if you need it, so please reach out to us by emailing admin@rfbi. com.au. You are not alone.
From our RFBI family to yours, stay safe, look after yourself, and together we will not only get through this but I believe that as a community we will be so much stronger. Frank Price Chief Executive Officer W e have amazing staff at our Villages and I am so proud of them. They have all gone above and beyond to make sure our residents are well looked after. As frontline health care workers, they come to work every day and care for our residents, even though they are experiencing the same emotional turbulence that we are all feeling and dealing with the same uncertainties. They are truly the heroes of aged care and are doing an amazing job.
John is enjoying his daily catch up with his loved one, thanks to the iPad provided by RFBI
Getting into Zoom
By now you have probably heard about online platforms where groups can meet. While there are many options
available, Zoom is certainly amongst the favourites.
Here’s a quick and easy tutorial on how to create a free Zoom account and host your first meeting. Staying in touch with your brethren online has never been easier!
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Create a free account
1. Visit www.zoom.us using your web browser. 2. Enter your email address in the text box. 3. Click the button labelled ‘Sign Up
Free.’ If successful, you will see a confirmation message. 4. You will shortly receive an email at the address you entered in step 2, asking you to activate your account. You may need to check you ‘spam’ folder if you can’t see it at first. 5. Open the email, and click the
‘Activate Account’ button. This will take you back to the Zoom website. 6. Enter the details on the form; first name, last name and choose a password. 7. Click the ‘Continue’ button and explore the site!
Note: Your free account will allow you to host an unlimited number of 40 minute meetings with up to 100 participants. You don’t need a host account to participate and join a meeting.
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This guide was originally published in the Grand Master’s Newsletter on 2 April 2020.
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How to host a meeting I t may be best if the brother chosen to host is already somewhat familiar with Zoom’s functions, but here’s a quick guide to get you started! 1. Login to your host account and click on ‘Host a Meeting’ in the top menu. You can then select from the dropdown whether or not to make it a video meeting. 2. If prompted, install and open the zoom.us.app. You may be asked to allow access to your computer camera and microphone. 3. Invite your participants. 4. You can also copy your meeting invitation and share it with your brethren. 5. On the right hand side you can manage your meeting participants.
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Getting online
Become a member of the Grand Lodge website, and gain access to a myriad of digital resources to help your masonic career.
1. Visit www.masons.org.au using your web browser. This is the public page of the Grand Lodge website. 2. To access the Members Only section, you will need to create an account and a password first. Click the ‘Login’ button in the top right to begin. 3. To create an account you must enter your unique Membership Number (or Master Mason certificate number) in the login box. 4. Your initial password is your
SURNAME.
5. Do NOT tick the ‘Remember Me’ box at this stage as you will be prompted to change your password in the next step. 6. Click the ‘Login’ button to create your account. 7. Choose a new password, and enter it in the box marked ‘Password’. You will also need to enter it again in the box marked ‘Confirm Password’.
Don’t worry with the rest of your
profile now. You can update it later. 8. Scroll to the bottom of the page and
‘Submit’ your new password. 9. Once you have changed your pass- word, you must log out and log in again with your NEW password, to enable you to make full use of the member’s resources.
Your current Masonic Rank will dictate the resources and content you will be able to access.
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Butterworth’s Instruments
The pamphlet gives an explanation of the Working Tools as tools of moral learning; however, the Tools mentioned are not those normally associated with current practice. One major difference is the inclusion of a hammer.
The document
The following details taken from the bibliography [pp128–132] appended to the biographical essay by Giles Shaw on “James Butterworth, of Oldham” in the Transactions of the Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society [Vol. XXVI – 1908.]
The Instruments of Freemasonry Moralized. By John Butterworth. Manchester: printed for the author, by G. Bancks, corner of St. Ann’s Square, 1801. 12mo, pp. 24 A History and Description of the Towns and Parishes of Stockport, Ashton-underLyne, Mottram, Longdendale, and Glossop, with some Memoirs of the late F. D. Anstey, Esq., of Dukinfield, and Extracts from his Poems. With an elegy to his memory. By James Butterworth. Manchester: printed by W. D. Varey, St. Ann’s Square. 1827. 8vo, pp. 375, 116, viii. [Also containing the following title pages to the separate sections: Some Memoirs of the late Francis Dukinfield Astley, Esq., with extracts from his Poems, and an elegy to his memory. By James Butterworth. Manchester: printed by W. D. Varey, St. Ann’s Square, 1828. 8vo, pp. 116, viii. (the Memoirs of Astley are sometimes found as a separate work.)] The Instruments of Free Masonry Moralized. By James Butterworth. Dedicated to John Crossley, of Scaitcliffe, in the Parish of Rochdale. Manchester: printed by W. D. Varey, St. Ann’s Square, 1829. 8vo, pp. 8.
A thorough search of library catalogues, masonic and otherwise, has failed to find any copies outside of the Manchester area. The Oldham Archives holds one copy of the first edition and three copies of the second edition.
It is therefore our duty to act uprightly, to hold the scale of impartial justice equally poised... The Instruments of Freemasonry Moralized is a small pamphlet written by Mancunian James Butterworth, first published in 1801 and later in 1827 and 1829. Bro Neil Wynes Morse presents the first part of his research paper on the book.
The Masonic Special Collection of the Library of Manchester University holds one example of each of the second and third editions. The University’s copies were originally part of the Library of the Manchester Association for Masonic Research.
It is from the third state that the following transcription is taken. All spelling, grammar and punctuation is as in the original.
The Instruments of Freemasonry Moralized
Those different kinds of Instruments which we of this ancient order are in the practice of displaying, serve as a sort of memento to direct us in that line of conduct which we ought at all times, (as far as lies in our power,) invariably to pursue.
The Rule
This serves, (or ought so to do) to bring to our recollection the undeviating observance of the Gospel of our great Master and Redeemer, according to the tenets contained therein, in which Divine Rule, viz. the Revelation of the Almighty’s will, we ought to press onward with fervent zeal, neither deviating from one side or the other, for the sake of gratifying any of our sensual propensities, and thereby diverting us from the direct line of conduct chalked out for us in the Divine precepts which he not only inculcated, but uniformly practised. It forbids us to listen, lest we be drawn into the least curvilinear direction, to the “voice of the charmer, charm he never so wisely,” to avoid as much as possible every temptation, either of a carnal kind or otherwise, but hold to our course rejoicing; not to be warped aside either from his religious doctrine, or that true system of morality that he so plainly laid down for us, as an eternal guidance for our steps. And as politics (generally so called) is often preached up for self interested motives, he enjoins us not to meddle therewith, but to “render to Cæsar the things that are Cæsar’s, and to God, the things that are God’s.”
The Line
Our heavenly Grand Master, the MESSIAS, left us a GOLDEN RULE, whereby to regulate the future works of all succeeding generations, especially those of his true workmen; he also appointed Stewards or Wardens, to assist and instruct the younger or junior branches of his workmen; and if they saw them deviating from that line, to advise and admonish them from time to time to abide strictly by the same, even that line which he had left them as an eternal guide. This line teaches us to avoid all sorts of equivocation, or what is commonly called double-dealing, both in our discourse and actions. It is a line which, if we unremittingly pursue, will lead us up to the summit of that immortal structure, where dwelleth in fulness of glory, the supreme and eternal Master Builder. This line resembles the ladder of the Patriarch of Israel, for by it we may ascend from this terrestrial abode, to a celestial one, and change this transitory line of time, for the glorious circular
The Plumb-Line
The Plumb-Line serves as a monitor also, representing to us that the Redeemer’s followers are admonished to conduct themselves always in an erect and upright manner, never to lean to this side or to that, for in doing so we do not obey the admonitions of our Master, for he said, “Let he who stumbleth” (or stoopeth to the gratification of any unlawful passion or desire.) “take heed lest he fall.” It is therefore our duty to act uprightly, to hold the scale of impartial justice equally poised, and to weigh every thing between ourselves and our neighbour with all due allowance, not suffering interest, or malice, or any other selfish motive to preponderate to his hurt or his annoyance. And let us always endeavour to sound the depth of our limited powers, and strive to make our several passions, foibles, and the bigotry or prejudices of our education, fall direct or plumb-in to the line of our duty, both to ourselves and to society in general. Still we should not walk so upright, and with that stiffnecked pride, as to forget that we are men, and look down with distain on the Menials or Apprentices of the same profession, but behold with charity and compassion all their several foibles and weaknesses.
The Square
By this right angular instrument, we are to adjust all our actions, that they may uniformly coincide with the Divine Rule and Line, handed down to us for our observance, by the Principal Stewards of the great Master of the Works. If our actions should harmonize with those Instructions of our salvation, and correspond with the great Foundation Stone, on which we hope to build an eternal and imperishable Superstructure, then are they right, otherwise not. But it behoves us to try from time to time, if they are aptly connected to, or fitly adjusted to these said great Instrumental Directors, else we are building on an uncertain plan, and our Structure is unlikely to endure. We should also square all of our materials whereby we work thereby, whether in regard to our circumstances, capacities, expenses or otherwise, so as not to encroach on our neighbours’ energies, by adjusting every part of all our actions, by the Rule and Line aforesaid.
‘And always to our acres join our sense,
‘Because ‘tis use, that sanctifies expense.’
This is the first part of a multi-issue
series. Check out our September issue for the next installment!
Ruth and Boaz
As masons we know much of our ritual revolves around the building of King Solomon’s Temple which occurred about 3,000 years ago. The story of Ruth took place three
In lodge, during the opening ceremony the Chaplain recites Ruth, Chapter 2, Verse 19. ‘And her mother in law said unto her where hast thou gleaned today? And Where wroughtest thou? Blessed be he that did take knowledge of thee. And she shewed her mother in law with whom she had wrought, and said the man’s name with whom I wrought today is Boaz.’
This story begins near Bethlehem. Two central characters are Elimelech and his wife Naomi who had two sons – Mahlon and Chilion. These people were farmers and they journeyed from their home near Bethlehem to the country of Moab seeking better land. The two sons married local women, one of whom was Ruth.
The family lived in Moab for about ten years when Naomi’s husband Elimelech died and a short time later the two sons also died, leaving Naomi and her two daughters-in-law. Naomi decided to return to her family near Bethlehem. Ruth decided to travel with Naomi while the other daughter-in-law remained in Moab. Ruth said to her mother-in-law ‘…for where you go I will go and where you live I will live. Your people shall be my people and your God my God, where you die I will die.’ And so Naomi and her daughter-in-law Ruth returned to Bethlehem in the land of Judea. Naomi had relatives in the area and she reclaimed her dead husband’s land. It was the beginning of the barley season and harvest was in full swing. Times were tough for Naomi and Ruth.
Naomi’s deceased husband Elimelech had a brother who was a wealthy and influential person. His name was Boaz. Ruth went to Boaz’s barley fields to glean the barley which was a custom of the time whereby the
Ruth in Boaz’s Field, by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld, 1828
Ruth sleeping at Boaz’ feet, as illuminated by William de Brailes in a manuscript of Bible pictures, c. 1250
landowner ensured some grain was left by the harvesters to be collected by relatives and those less fortunate in station. Boaz noticed Ruth as she gleaned the barley fields and he was attracted to her – and so Boaz made inquiries regarding her background and was informed of Ruth’s devotion to her mother-in-law and her commitment to caring for Naomi. Obviously Boaz was impressed. He instructed his reapers to leave extra barley for Ruth to collect.
Ruth in turn was attracted to Boaz – a fact which was noticed by Naomi. Naomi advised Ruth to dress in her best clothes, anoint herself with perfume and, late at night, to go to Boaz after the harvest festival when he is drunk and to hide herself quietly under his rug. When he wakes and discovers her there he will not be able to remember the events of the night before and might assume he has taken her unto himself. Which is exactly what happened.
Ruth and Boaz were in love, but there was a problem. It was customary at the time for the oldest brother to take on the affairs of any younger brother who pre-deceased him in order that the name be preserved. The custom was for the older brother to buy the land of the younger brother and also to look after his wife and family. So there were three brothers involved in this story – Naomi’s deceased husband Elimelech, Boaz and the elder brother [name unknown] so according to custom the elder brother had first claim not only to Naomi’s land, but also to Naomi and Ruth.
Boaz decided to see his brother with a view to claiming the inheritance of his brother Elimelech. Boaz knew his elder brother passed by the gate at Jerusalem at a certain time each day and that at that time numerous elders would be present as witnesses. As his brother passed by the gate Boaz presented himself and said to his brother ‘Ho, such a one! Turn aside, sit ye down here.’ And so Boaz and his elder kinsman negotiated the inheritance. When asked if he intended to redeem the inheritance the older brother declined, advising Boaz that he had his approval, as next in line, to redeem the inheritance himself.
As was customary at the time, the deal being done, Boaz plucked off his shoe and gave it to his elder brother, thus sealing the bargain. Perhaps in a similar manner to sealing a deal by shaking hands in later times. This custom is referred to towards the end of the mode of preparation ‘Now this was the manner in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and concerning changing, for to confirm all things; a man plucked off his shoe, and gave it to his neighbour; and this was a testimony in Israel.’ An ancient custom that explains the candidate’s slipshod shoe.
And so the way was clear for Boaz to marry Ruth – which he did. Verse 13 of Chapter 4 of the Book of Ruth tells us ‘So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife’. Boaz and Ruth had a son called Obed. Obed later fathered a son called Jesse and Jesse had a son who he called David. David in turn had a son called Solomon. So the Bible reinforces the ritual of the first degree – and confirms that Boaz was ‘the great Grandfather of David, a Prince and Ruler in Israel.’
I believe this most interesting and ancient story enhances the ritual and symbolism of the First Degree. The story
can be confirmed by reading the Book of Ruth which is located in the Old Testament of the Holy Bible.
Make the future what we want it to be
Masonic knowledge is an essential ingredient to our success, and we need to strengthen our understanding of Freemasonry. To achieve this, we need to take personal ownership by engaging more in the activities of our respective lodges and within the District.
Unity and combining our collective strengths to achieve results is fundamental to our success so we need to challenge ourselves to step out of the crowd and be seen to be doing creative and beneficial things! Be visible nationally and in your respective communities and let everyone know that we exist and that we are part of the community fabric.
Let people see us for who we are and what our fraternity is. Be proud to be a Freemason. Be proud of our image and bring our community into our environment.
As Freemasons and members of private lodges we need to know and understand our strategic direction for the next five years. It is simple and meaningful. Grand Lodge has developed a plethora of material to assist lodges to develop their own action plans; plans that will be particular to each lodge and its adjacent community. It’s not complicated and simply requires a commitment to do the best we can and to practice those virtues we all profess so much to admire.
We need to set goals over the next three years to facilitate the enhancement of individual masonic knowledge – not just our traditional ritual in the lodge room – but within our wider connections and philosophies.
This is to ensure that when we speak to our family, friends and the community we speak with confidence and that Freemasonry is understood.
We must all front up and engage with our lodges and commit to doing the best that we possibly can to grow our lodge. We must be identified as Freemasons when we participate out of the lodge room in community projects and indeed on social occasions with our families.
And in conclusion we must create a visible presence both nationally and, in our communities, that enhances respect, attracts men of good standing and indelibly promotes the goodness in all that Freemasonry does.
Inset: the team shipping out Easter eggs to Whiddon’s homes and services
Whiddon’s response to COVID-19
An egg-citing donation!
Whiddon partnered with iconic Australian Company, Darrell Lea, who generously donated around 5,000 Easter eggs to Whiddon’s team members in regional, rural and remote NSW and QLD, to lift their spirits during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a challenging time for the aged care industry. When the crisis began to unfold, like many aged care providers, Whiddon made the decision to implement tight visitor restrictions to their care homes, to help prevent the spread of the virus.
This was a diff icult decision for the awardwinning aged care provider, as relationships are at the very heart of their model of care. For Whiddon, the health and safety of residents, clients, employees and visitors is their highest priority, and as a provider with a strong focus on wellbeing and tackling loneliness and isolation, their response to COVID-19 required a holistic approach.
Whiddon implemented a range of innovative and creative initiatives to help ensure that residents and their families remain connected during the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of Whiddon’s much-loved wellbeing programs, such as the intergenerational program, Grandbuddies, have been able to continue through the use of technology and a dedicated team of Leisure Off icers. It is through the generous support of Whiddon’s donors that these types of wellbeing programs are off ered to support the wellbeing and quality of life for older Australians.
Whiddon aims to ensure that residents stay connected, supported, stimulated and entertained during this time and have applied technology as a tool to help achieve this. Whiddon has been using a range of video and chat platforms to connect residents to their loved ones, and have recently introduced a new app to further build on this. Whiddon has also been using technology to take residents on virtual trips. Armchair travelling to Morocco and Mexico has been popular amongst residents, with Care Home staff creating drinks and food to enhance the experience.
The use of creativity and humour has been important in keeping residents’ and employees’ spirits up. An innovative program introduced to a number of Whiddon’s care homes in the Hunter region of NSW, aff ectionately known as ‘window therapy,’ aims to bring fun, joy and humour to residents during restricted visitation, with creative engagement specialists off ering creative engagement sessions through the window. These have been well received, and this inspiring program was recently featured on prime time television.
Other initiatives include a ‘positive pants’ campaign at Whiddon’s homes in Narrabri and Moree, which encourages the sharing of positive and inspiring messages on paper “undies” between residents and employees, and their local communities, and talent shows that have brought great fun for residents and employees.
Throughout the pandemic, Whiddon has off ered visits on compassionate grounds, and developed a way to enable other more frequent visits that are risk free, so families can enjoy spending time together and celebrate special occasions in a safe way during this time.
To achieve all of this, Whiddon has needed to increase resources, including additional hours of Leisure Off icers, and additional resources to support workloads in implementing new COVID-19 policies and procedures. As the pandemic continues to evolve, Whiddon teams, from Bourke and Walgett to Glenfi eld and Grafton, are working hard to ensure residents and clients remain well, safe and connected, and Whiddon has also launched a number of initiatives to provide additional support to employees during this time.
Support Whiddon to continue improving the quality of life of older Australians through innovation, research and new approaches to care. Make a donation today at www.whiddon.com.au/make-a-donation.
Echidna Gorge, in the Bungle Bungle Range,
Western Australia
Planning a (grey) nomadic lifestyle
We hope this article might inspire others to fulfil the Aussie dream of doing a big lap around this enormous country of ours, or like us, to port that idea to Europe and take to the road over there as well! Mark Anderson and his wife Catherine describe how they made a round-Australia trip happen, and how it led to another two years of travelling full time! on all the planning and sometimes difficult decisions that had brought us to that moment. R How would we fund a long trip? R What would be the best mode of transport to meet our needs?
We drove out of our driveway in Sydney on a stunning May morning in 2017, knowing it would be six months before we returned. As we left all that was familiar, my wife Catherine and I were full of excitement, mixed with a healthy dose of anxiety. We pondered
One of our first free-camps in the Australian outback
R Where should we go in this enormous country of ours?
How to fund a long term trip is an early hurdle to overcome. Many who heard our story have said they can’t afford to travel for months on end. When we explain we rented our house to fund our trip, a common response was they wouldn’t want strangers in their property: so they chose not to afford it. There is always a reason not to do something, and almost always a way around that obstacle which may take courage and involve some risks. We took the decision to rent our home and there have been some disappointments but overall, we value more highly the opportunity it has given us.
Another key consideration is what is the best mode of travel? For many Australians, a caravan or motorhome makes an ideal choice given the lack of facilities between remote towns and being able to cook your own meals certainly saves money. Having access to our own kitchen wherever we stopped enabled a much better diet than the pies and sausage rolls that are sadly still the standard roadside cafe fare in outback Australia.
We chose a caravan and tow vehicle over a motorhome for Australia, but not for a European road trip. In Australia we wanted to leave our caravan all set
There is always a reason not to do something...
up and still have the tow vehicle for exploration. In Europe it’s much easier to explore without a vehicle, as the
Deserted white sand beaches along Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia
distances to provisions and sights are small in comparison, so can be handled by bike, public transport or in many cases by foot.
Funding a capital item like a caravan or motorhome is no easy feat. We took money from my super fund, and bought a quality caravan that would hold its value. It has worked out but everyone will make different choices. For some a visit to Aldi’s specials when the camping deals are on, load up the old ute, and they are set to go. A lack of money and a perception of what’s comfortable won’t
hold them back and we’ve met plenty of those people making it work on the road.
The decision about when and where to go is largely governed by seasonal weather patterns, but changes to our climate add a new layer of complexity as summer temperatures soar and large areas of our national parks become dangerous tinder boxes. Winter means the tropical north of Australia becomes more accessible after the wet, so expect to be joined on the road by other travellers from all over the world in this window of opportunity. A key learning over our 45,000 km around Australia, is that many people go to the same places. The Gibb River road in the Kimberley for instance may be “Australia’s last great wilderness” but in high season everyone is on the same road at the same time! Planning how to best escape the crowds needs to be a key part of the pre-trip research, and that means planning to avoid school holidays. For instance, we looked for and found a house-sitting opportunity in this last summer holiday period.
But why just see Australia we thought? The bug had bitten us, (literally
on many mosquito infested evenings). We started dreaming about a European road trip, and last year turned that dream into the memories we now have of a 17,000 km road trip through ten countries. The contrast with our Australian adventures was so incredible, neither better nor worse, just completely different. The wide open spaces were gone, but instead were crammed with sites, history,
Mark with ‘Truffy the motorhome’ in Kranjska Gora, on the Slovenian/Italian/Austrian border
people and amazing food. What more could you ask from travel than change?
We did the sums and worked out that buying a motorhome in Europe was cheaper than renting for longer-term travelling (3 months or more), as long as you buy second hand and a brand that retains its resale value. Travelling in Europe was relatively inexpensive once diesel was paid for. There’s a network of low cost and free camps in many countries and food and wine were cheaper than Australia.
Once you have the budget and the transport sorted, the next question is usually how to plan a trip like this. This was our approach and the resources we found useful.
Our first step was to set up a cloudbased spreadsheet (we use Google Sheets) showing the days/weeks we would be away, then set out a rough idea of locations we would like to see and when, and any fixed-by-time points (e.g. days you want to be somewhere special like birthdays or anniversaries). It really helps you see the big picture. Having it on a spreadsheet makes it easy to keep moving things around to cut and paste.
Lake Bled in Slovenia
Staying on a vineyard in the Loire Valley, France
Then we downloaded all the books to find out about the areas we plan to visit, such as the Lonely Planet guides, as well as any history or flora and fauna content. I used the Kindle Unlimited subscription. For $14.99 a month I have 10 titles I can rotate as I need to.
Tracking expenses through your banking app also gives a sense of comfort in knowing where you are in your budget, even if you are over! Then there’s the important connectivity issue. In Europe we invested in a 4G signal booster mounted on the motorhome, with a generous data plan which we wish we had done in Australia where we spent so much of our time in remote areas off line. For some this would be a blessing but for us it meant no new recipes to look at, no new books to download, no weather forecast, no local information about markets or events etc. Travel becomes so much easier when you can answer any information need immediately.
Finally there’s that all important app for finding your way around. We have given up with in-car GPS systems. The maps get out of date quickly, they are expensive and hard to integrate. Google Maps was our weapon of choice. From that first read of a guidebook, places of interest to us get added to Google maps’ ‘Want to Go’ feature, with a note as to why, as well as the important tips round the campsite from other travellers. Then when you are planning your itinerary you can see where they are clustered and plan accordingly. Check out the on-line guides to getting the most out of your navigation app and become a power user. It makes the trip go smoothly when you know how to easily add in additional destinations or search along your route for petrol stations or supermarkets for instance. If you are interested to learn more, check out our blog whenthecatsaway.net (our adventurous Burmese cat travels with us in Australia). Perhaps we’ll see you on the road somewhere in the world!
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