Hi folks
I will finally be moving to sunny Perth from grey UK in December... and I am counting the hours already! I've been checking this great forum for the past weeks but I still have a few questions some of you may kindly answer.
I own a VW T4 to carry my gear around and sleep/cook in it when doing longer trips to various spots in the country. I was planning to do the same in OZ, i.e. buy a panel van, convert it myself to a full campervan and use it for kiting and normal/daily use too.
I know Australia is a backpacker's destination with loads of people doing camping/caravaning, so I assume a lot of surfers/kiters do the same?
Is it safe & easy to sleep around in my van when travelling along the coast on weekends & holidays?
Unfortunately I've read that there are spots in the area where thieves break into the cars and steal the gear. Is this a major issue or just some occasional event?
Thanks vm in advance for the answers, any other tip/advice is welcome!
Hey
Plenty of people do the who van thing. Expect cars to be significantly more expensive here than back in the UK.
Certain beaches have issues with security, I have always been lucky and have yet to have my car broken into. As for sleeping in a van, lots of people do. There are fines if the cops can be bothered to.
Where in the UK are you coming from? Are you moving here permanently?
Before you Kite at any beach check with the locals about any hazards.
In general if the beach is patrolled STAY OUT OF THE FLAGGED AREA AND AT LEAST 200METRES OFFSHORE. Common sense rules, don't set up right next to families on the beach, Don't show off close to the beach. Show respect to other water users.
Hello,
thanks for your reply. I will be moving from London to Perth for a couple of years at least. I have figured out the prices of cars/vans from ebay/internet and yes, they seem to be more expensive (or they are cheaper in UK, since they last less because of the climate?)
I am member of a quite structured community of kiters in Essex and we also strongly promote safety, insurance, respect of other beach users and affiliation to the local clubs.
I'll be looking for local kite buddies first, never kited in shark-infested waters so don't want to hurry kiting in the wrong place and without the necessary knowledge/advice first.
Thanks!
You might want to think about getting a 4wd as a lot of the more interesting spots need one to get there. Plus it's fun driving up the beach and exploring.
Good luck!
Thanks for the advice, I was indeed in doubt between going for a regular 2WD or a 4WD!
