GORV - Digital Magazine Issue #38 | Page 13

Kylie and I have been living full time on the road for almost two years. We sold our home and our possessions with the intention to live the great Australian dream. Marty and Kylie Ledwich's last dinner at Lake Argyle. This would be a common sight at RV parks across the country. When we were planning for this lifestyle, we put in place contingencies for any untoward situation we could think of: family emergencies, serious illness or injuries, major mechanical breakdowns, even being stuck in the middle of the outback. After spending 30 years in the emergency services and over 20 years travelling around the country, I thought we had every situation covered. The one we didn’t plan for is the one we are all experiencing right now: a pandemic. Like many other full-timers, Australia’s response to COVID 19 has thrown our travel plans into chaos. What started as a problem for people travelling overseas has affected every part of society in ways we could not have imagined. This is our COVID 19 story. We want to share it with you to give you an insight into what is happening to travellers across the country. Largely forgotten Australians, and overseas tourists, have been accused of being selfish and ignoring advice to go home when, for many like us, that was virtually impossible.