WHEN IT COMES TO CAMPING, ANDREW TRAGIS IS THE FIRST TO TELL YOU HE DOESN’T MIND IT AS LONG AS IT’S FIVE-STAR, AND THAT’S JUST WHAT HE AND HIS WIFE PAM ENJOYED ON THEIR FIRST TRIP IN AN EXPLORE BY GEMLIFE MOTORHOME.
“The Explore vehicle was fabulous. We could travel at highway speed without any hassle and the facilities on board were great. It was so much fun,” said Andrew.
The GemLife Highfields couple, who have been married for nine years in April, are seasoned travellers on land and sea, having enjoyed many overseas trips and cruises including a three-month visit to the UK and Scotland in 2018.
“My parents are Scottish and Pam, who was born in England, also has Scottish heritage,” said Andrew.
A retired policeman, Andrew said that hiring the GemLife motorhome was a bit of an experiment.
“We wanted to see how far we could go in what time frame so that next time we would have more of an idea about how long we could stay in a town, the extent of our itinerary, and the duration of the hire,” he said.
With a passion for history and seeing new things, their on-road adventure began in Warwick where they caught up with some old work buddies, then to Stanthorpe for lunch at the local cheese factory.
Next was Tenterfield to check out the town’s history followed by a visit to the Standing Stones at Glen Innes, before eventually making their way to Blackheath near Katoomba and a stay with friends at Lemon Tree Passage.
“The Australian Standing Stones is the national monument to Celtic people, past and present and acknowledges the contribution to Australian culture made by people from the Celtic nations of Scotland (our heritage), Ireland, Cornwall, Wales, the Isle of Man, Brittany, Asturias and Galicia,” said Andrew.
The return trip saw them visit South West Rocks, Tamworth, and Lake Glenbawn in the Upper Hunter region of NSW, about 15 minutes from Scone.
“We covered quite a bit of territory but wanted to do it at our own pace, so we enjoyed every moment of it,” said Andrew.
When it comes to travel and what they love most about it, Andrew and Pam agree it is the history and beauty of places they visit.
“Seeing new places and experiencing new things really appeals to us. We toured Tasmania in 2022 and found some wonderful spots including the Puddle Duck winery in Richmond. We’re not big drinkers but we did like the fine wines we found there,” said Andrew.
Thanks to the motorhome’s outstanding and bold exterior artwork, the couple attracted many comments, including some from fellow GemLife residents they met – a couple from GemLife Rainbow Beach on the NSW Mid North Coast.
But it’s being able to enjoy all the travel experiences together that make each trip so special for the Tragis’, who have celebrated countless special occasions such as Valentine’s Day while on holiday.
“We are so lucky to share a common interest in everything we do, particularly when it comes to our travels, which is something we have really enjoyed over the past 12 years together and we look forward to many more to come,” Andrew said.