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This week’s B ME Bites Trivia Question:

Welcome to edition #46 of B ME Bites. B ME Bites has officially hit the road! After packing up, renting out the house, and loading up the campervan, the journey to South Australia began—filled with lessons, surprises, and a few unexpected challenges along the way. You might have noticed there was no B ME Bites last week—travelling made it a little tricky to get one out! But this week, I’m back and excited to share some insights from the road, including the little things that made my journey smoother and more enjoyable.

On the Road - The First Leg of an Epic Van Life Adventure

Lessons, Challenges and Highlights from the Journey So Far

B ME Bites has officially hit the road! After months of planning, downsizing, and preparing for this new adventure, the journey has finally begun. Princess Lulu and I have left the Gold Coast behind and made our way to South Australia, where my dad will help me remodel the campervan to better suit our needs. (I’m not sure how much help I’ll be, but I’ll do my best!)

Leaving Home – A Big Step

Monday, February 17th, marked a huge milestone. After an exhausting couple of months culminating in a massive weekend getting the house rental-ready, we handed over the keys to our property manager and our new tenants moved in that very morning. Renting it fully furnished made the process feel more like a massive decluttering mission than a typical move! Letting go of “just in case” items was tough but necessary—there was no room for excess in this new chapter.

After an early farewell lunch with the Clarence Crew and a tearful goodbye with my daughter, Princess Lulu and I officially hit the road, bound for our first overnight stop in Coffs Harbour with some special friends.

Fueling Up in a Healthy Way: Oliver’s Haloumi Nourish Bowl

After leaving Coffs Harbour, I started getting hungry and wanted something nutritious instead of the usual road trip fast food. That’s when I came across Oliver’s—a real game-changer! Unlike the typical greasy options, Oliver’s serves fresh, healthy meals that leave you feeling good afterward.

I went for the Haloumi Nourish Bowl, and it was the perfect choice! Packed with grilled haloumi, quinoa, greens, and a delicious dressing, it was both filling and full of flavour. If you’re ever on the road and looking for a healthy meal, Oliver’s is definitely worth a stop! (Check out their menu here)

There’s only one problem with Oliver’s…..there’s not enough of them!

Navigating the Unknown

Each day brought new challenges and lessons. Finding pet-friendly accommodations on short notice was trickier than expected, but we made it work. Our overnight stay on Tuesday at Discovery Parks – Forster was a dream, with beautiful waterfront views and an easy after hours check-in process.

On Wednesday, the long drive to West Wyalong tested our endurance, but we made it just in time before reception closed at 9 PM.

By Thursday, it became clear that pushing through to our final destination in one day wasn’t realistic. Instead, we stopped at Lake Boga Caravan Park near Swan Hill, and wow—what a treat! A cabin with stunning lake views, a much-needed break, and even an impromptu cooking experiment when I realised I had assumed there was an oven (spoiler: there wasn’t, but dinner still turned out great!).

👉 One thing I’ve realised on this trip is how valuable a G’Day Rewards membership can be. Many of the best caravan parks are part of the network, so if you’re planning to stay at places like Discovery Parks, it’s definitely worth joining for the discounts and benefits!

Unexpected Adventures & Lessons Learned

1. Rest Stops Are Lifesavers – With Princess Lulu along for the ride, easy-access rest stops with toilets made life so much simpler. They were a godsend for both of us to take a break before hitting the road again.

2. The Sling Solution – Managing fuel stops and quick food runs was a challenge with a furbaby in tow. Enter the pet sling—a baby carrier but for dogs! Princess Lulu snuggled in close while I kept my hands free, making it so much easier to navigate stops. Honestly, I felt like a single mum with a baby strapped to me the entire trip! Here is the pet sling that my daughter ordered online from Petstock. Princess Lulu and I love it! If you want some other options, you can find different variations of pet slings on Amazon.

3. Always Have Backup Fuel – The last fuel station before my dad’s place was closed when I arrived, and I had unknowingly driven past my final chance to fill up. Thankfully, my dad had advised me to carry a jerry can in the van, which saved the day. Lesson learned: always refuel earlier than you think you need to. I got the jerry can and a special pourer made specifically to fit said jerry can from Supercheap Auto, which made it super easy to do on my own, even with Princess Lulu in tow!

4. Flexibility is Key – The best part of this journey was embracing the unexpected. Changing plans, finding hidden gems, and adjusting to life on the road has already been an adventure in itself.

What’s Next?

We made it! After five days, Princess Lulu and I arrived safely in Younghusband, SA, where we’re settling in and getting ready to remodel the van. My dad’s helping me create a setup that works for us, because as great as the van is, the current layout just isn’t cutting it (a high, claustrophobic bed was not the vibe!). Full disclosure alert: When I say my dad is helping me, so far, he’s actually done all of it and I haven’t been much help. I promise I’ll do my best to be of help in some way dad!

This is just the beginning of the adventure, and I’ll be sharing more as we go. Have you ever taken a big leap into something new? What’s one thing you’ve learned from stepping outside your comfort zone? Let’s chat in the comments!

Keep posted for more updates as the journey continues…..

Reader Spotlight

I got the following reply to the weekly edition of B ME Bites from the beautiful Libby a few weeks ago:

Thank you Libby. Your response was short and sweet and it sure made my day!

Weekly Challenge

Your mission for this week, if you choose to accept it, is to do the following:

Do something that takes you out of your routine—big or small! It could be taking a different route on your walk, trying a new healthy food, or even planning a spontaneous day trip. The goal is to embrace the unknown and remind yourself that growth happens when you step outside your comfort zone.

If you need some help, feel free to hit reply - let’s help you get started if you’re stuck!

B ME Bites is deliberately sent on a Friday morning (Aussie time) so that where ever you are in the world, you have the weekend to give yourself the gift of implementing a small change towards a better you. What will that small change be? Is there a change that you have been trying to make and haven’t yet succeeded? Give it another go, applying the above - you can do it!

Resource Roundup

Below is a resource list that has been created with you in mind. Whenever something new that could be helpful is discovered or created, it’s added to the list, so check it out from time to time. If you’re strapped for time, once you open the page below, click on Resource List in the top menu, then click on the “Health Tools” link for a list of items that could be helpful on your path to a better you.

The answer to this week’s trivia question is:

Thanks for reading and the hope is that you found something helpful inside this issue. If you did, remember to share it with others whom could also find it helpful, using this link: https://bmebites.beehiiv.com

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Hit reply and answer either 1,2 or 3, and, if the answer is 2 or 3, give the deets on what would make it a 1 for you!:

1. Loved it!

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Until next week, keep taking one S.T.E.P.S step at a time! (If you missed the issue explaining The S.T.E.P.S Formula, you can check that out here)

Warm regards,

Shari Ware Chief Encouragement Officer at B ME Bites

PS - Here’s a little Friday funny for you!

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