#starstoryHenry: The Explorer

I can’t travel in the same way I used to, but adventures are even more special with kids

In my 20s I was feeling a bit disillusioned with life, I found myself thinking,‘is this it?’ As it has throughout my life, the open road called to me. I can’t really explain why, but I decided to buy a bicycle and head east. My life was, quite literally, strapped on my back.

As soon as I pushed the first pedal, everything changed.

I’d never ridden further than my local shops, but I ended up riding 38,000km from London to Sydney. It was madness really when I look back, but I was driven by an overwhelming feeling of searching for something. I just wasn’t necessarily sure what it was at the time. When I look at my life now - I’m pretty sure I found it.

That ride was the ultimate adventure. I traveled through 30 countries that showed me the beauty of the world (and the relieving qualities of anti-chafing cream!) It was love, peace and bicycle grease. An amazing adventure when you’re young, as I was. I met incredible people along the way and the course of my life was changed forever. Some journeys stay with you. That trip was life defining for me.

My life is quite different now. I am married with two beautiful kids. That adventurous, explorer spirit is still there, but I’ve discovered new ways to connect with nature and today, I share these adventures with my family.

I would actually argue that adventures become more special after having children. Being able to bring these little people along for the ride and do all the things you love with them is pretty amazing.

Today our explorations are family-style. We pack in local, accessible experiences as often as we can. I still enjoy riding my bike. We also love things like fishing, walking, exploring and in the evenings - toasting marshmallows is a family favourite. Exploring in a motorhome means we can let the road unfold together. My belongings can no longer fit in a backpack. In my 20s that was fine, it was just me to look after. These days there is definitely more to pack to ensure the family is comfortable!

Motorhome travel provides the best of both worlds - the comforts of home whilst immersed in nature. We love it.

My kids learn so much from our road trips. If there is anything I can pass on to them it would be that life is one big adventure and if they live closely with nature, it will guide them through all the hurdles that life throws at them.

I love creating memories that last long after the trip has finished. I’ve got a passion for content creation. I love capturing the perfect shot and sharing the beautiful landscapes and activities we enjoy with others. I cherish those pictures and memories.

There are so many great road trips to enjoy in Australia.

Recently, we hit Far North Queensland and rural New South Wales in our Australian motorhome hire. We enjoyed a family motorhome getaway staying in Dundee (yes as in Crocodile Dundee) exploring the Northern Rivers region. This included the Iluka Nature Reserve, a gateway to both coastline and rainforest. There’s incredible bird watching there amongst other highlights.

Dundee is home to a number of heritage sites including the Severn River railway bridge, an incredible timber truss bridge with loads of history attached. After a day of exploring, our campground provided endless discoveries - waterholes, forest walks and more, across both cattle and macadamia farmed land. (Dundee is known as the Macadamia capital after all!) Roasting marshmallows around the campfire at night is the perfect way to round out a family motorhome adventure. It’s those simple things in life that you remember.

Star in your own adventure. Start planning your road trip here.