Willow the adventure cat. It’s been over 3 years since I left our hometown of Hobart, Tasmania, to travel around Australia. Although I sold my house and all my stuff, there was one thing that I just couldn’t leave behind.
My cat Willow.
The solution was simple. Road trip with my best friend!
Since May 2015 we have traveled over 70,000 km, seen forests, beaches, and deserts, and even took a boat out to the Great Barrier Reef together. Late last year we finally made it all the way around and even spent summer back in our hometown.
But the adventure wasn’t meant to end there – and we have no intention of stopping anytime soon. This year we spent 3 months passing through the outskirts of the Simpson Desert before making our way back to the beautiful East Coast.
Some people are surprised to find that I travel with my cat. Once a backpacker at a campsite even exclaimed “Excuse me, there is a cat trying to get into your van!” ..
I know.
Our home is our camper van, a tiny house on wheels. I built it myself with a bed, cupboards, a kitchen, and plenty of places for a little cat to hide! It might be small but the whole Australia is our backyard.
It’s always a joy watching Willow explore the places we visit. She wears a tracking collar so that I always know where she is.
We post our photos on Instagram and it’s so nice to hear from people all over the world that they are following our adventure.
It wasn’t easy leaving my old job and life behind but I knew I had to make some changes for my own well-being. It was a slow process but now I am happier.
I work a little bit where I can, invest my savings, and it’s enough to keep us going.
If Willow has taught me anything, it’s that you don’t need a lot to be happy. A bit of food, shelter, and a whole lot of love. And that if she doesn’t get enough pats each day you can guarantee that her demands will be made at 3am!
We have made the 2019 calendar and we are using it to raise money for Motor Neurone Disease (ALS) research. It’s available on our website. Last year we raised over $3000 AUD.
I’m lucky. I get to see Australia through the eyes of a cat, and that I will treasure for a lifetime.
click on the pics for the slideshow
