The Life of a Gypsy in Tasmania Australia

I am a gypsy.  OK, so I don’t really take on seasonal work, nor do I live in a wagon, but I’ve got the travelling from place to place with a group of people, mastered.  I’m also working on the free-spirited-not-a-worry-in-the-world part of my personality too.  If I could afford the extra weight in my luggage, you would find a crystal ball in there, for sure. The places we’ve visited and our experiences have certainly changed us this year.  How could they not?  Did I mention we’ve been living out of backpacks on a limited budget in a new place almost every week?  Yeah, it has definitely had an impact on us all, and a positive one at that.  Have you ever met a type A gypsy?  I didn’t think so.

The ability to see the future is a valuable asset to a gypsy.  Luckily for me, I’m getting pretty adept at this.  For example, when the Air Malaysia flight went missing, I predicted that our family would start to worry about the Asia leg of our tour.  BINGO, I was right and the requests to end our trip early started rolling in!  When we took surf lessons and spent the day at the beach, I saw ice cream in our future.  Again, I was absolutely right.  Predicting the weather can be tricky for meteorologists it seems, but not for me.  All I have to do is hang out the laundry and it is sure to rain. 

Notice the raincoats and gloves…yes, we are in Australia but it was wet and chilly!  Mark is
the only crazy guy in shorts!

If we forget to pack the extra water bottles, we are guaranteed scorching sun. Not only can I predict the weather, I can actually change the weather based on my actions.  If the crystal ball weren’t so darn heavy in my backpack, I’d be able to set up shop and have the seasonal work of a gypsy mastered too.

For a gypsy, home is where you hang your hat (or your shorts, towels or you name it). You never quite know where that will be.  During some weeks, it can change every night.  We have come across quite a few gypsies on our travels, and their homes have been quite memorable.  The Jucy cruisers were quite comical, and we loved the bubble quotes on the sides of their vans.  The Wicked types were a little peculiar and I wasn’t quite sure they were the kind of gypsies we wanted to associate with.  Then there was the ‘want-to-be-gypsies’ who were trying to live on the road, but weren’t going to give up any of the comforts of home! 

Our favourite Jucy caption!

This one made us giggle too!

The Wicked Zombie Van, hmmmm

Not gypsies...not even close people!

Our favourite gypsy home was Emily’s trailer.   The outside was hand-painted and the interior was beautiful and quite cozy.  Emily was the gypsy mannequin we met in Tasmania where we spent a week.  She rented out her wagon to people passing through.  Actually, Linda and Frank, the owners of Heimat Chalets, offered the wagon as a fun alternative accommodation, and it was quite popular! Unfortunately for Emily, it meant she would continue to spend her nights in the BBQ hut startling unsuspecting guests. Emily was also known to host wonderful parties in the BBQ Hut, and we were lucky enough to partake in one with our wonderful hosts.  We spent a beautiful week with Frank, Linda, Emily and all the animals in Tasmania, and loved every minute of it.  As much as we enjoyed our time at Heimat Chalets, a gypsy’s life is lived on the road, and we were headed to Sydney next. 

 

The Gypsy Wagon at Heimat Chalets

All the details are hand painted.

Beautiful!

Thanks for the tour of the Gypsy Wagon, Linda!

Emily welcomes us to the BBQ Hut!

A party in the BBQ Hut, now this is how a gypsy lives - you should try it!

Gypsy Rose, the new alpaca baby on the farm.

Bye bye Emily, Mark will certainly miss you! He was so pleased
that you didn't complain about the bagpipes.

There is nothing like a travelling day to remind you of your life as a nomad.  Everything you own is tucked inside a backpack and perched upon your shoulders, threatening to topple you over at the next curb.  Mark dawns his travelling shirt, the one he wears every time we travel to a new place. The girls ask how long it will take to get there, and if they get a meal on the plane.  For the record, gypsy or not, no amount of travelling prevents a child from asking, "how long until we get there"! The beautiful thing about this lifestyle is the freedom to go where you want, when you want.  We never quite know what tomorrow will bring, as everyday is a new adventure for us.  I suppose if I looked into my crystal ball I could tell you, but what would be the fun of that?  We are living the life…we are gypsy travellers.

 

Tomorrow could bring a rainbow, 

a beautiful waterfall,

a hike with the family, 

a science lesson, 

an interesting animal, 

a cool land formation, 

giant vegetation, 

an awesome photo opportunity, 

or new friends and wonderful company.
You just never know until you hit the road and live like a gypsy!
Thanks Frank and Linda for a wonderful stay in Tasmania.