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This week’s B ME Bites Trivia Question:

Welcome to edition #50 of B ME Bites! After holding off to give this series the attention it deserves, the Epic Aussie Van Life Road Trip - Gold Coast to Uluru and Back kicks off today. Get ready for behind-the-scenes chaos, a few curveballs, and the magic of setting off on a bucket-list adventure.

Epic Aussie Van Life Road Trip - Gold Coast to Uluru and Back – Part 1

The Adventure Begins on the Road to Uluru!

Some trips are about relaxation. Others are about adventure. And then there are the ones that are pure, once-in-a-lifetime magic. This was one of those trips.

When I was in high school, we hosted two exchange students—one from the U.S. and one from Japan. They became more than just friends; they became family. My American sister, Krista, decided she was coming to Australia for Christmas and New Year’s, and when she told me that Uluru was on her bucket list, I knew we had to make it happen. It had been on mine for years too, and there was no better way to do it than together.

When planning, we asked Krista if she wanted a laid-back trip or to see as much as possible while she was here. Her answer? "I’ll sleep when I get home!" So, we mapped out an ambitious round-trip journey from the Gold Coast to Uluru—on steroids. Months of planning went into it, but in true Shari Ware fashion, the most crucial piece came together at the last minute. We had to keep asking for a Christmas miracle for the van purchase to go through in time, and it did—just barely. We officially owned our home-on-wheels the night before departure, setting off just a few hours later than planned. But at least we were on the road!

Day 1: Picking Up the Van and Krista’s Arrival

Krista’s flight arrived at 3pm and I sent my daughter Nataasjia off to collect her while I attended the pre-purchase inspection of the van that we were buying. We had a tight timeline to get everything done, so we had to divide and conquer. We were on a mission!

Not everything went as planned (this is typical in Shari land!) and settlement didn’t happen with the bank at the time we had thought it would. So while we were waiting, I went to meet Krista and Nataasjia for dinner. Finally we had word that settlement had gone through and we went back to finalise the purchase of the van. Did we breathe a big sigh of relief when all was done and we could finally drive off in Princess Panda!

Day 2: Gold Coast to Coffs Harbour – A Long First Stretch

By the time we finalised everything with the sale of the van the night before, it was late. Plus, we wanted to catch up with Krista a little before we went to bed. It had been 11 years since the three of us had seen each other in person! So the first official day of our adventure started with packing the van. We also had the pet sitter coming to look after Princess Lulu while we were away, so it took us a while to get sorted, however, by around 9:30am with everyone and everything finally in place, we said goodbye to Princess Lulu, saddled up and got our rig rollin!

The first full day of driving took us from the Gold Coast to Coffs Harbour, with some essential stops along the way:

Crystal Castle & Shambhala Gardens – A beautiful, peaceful start to the journey. We spent a couple of hours here and could have spent much longer! I highly recommend stopping here if you’re going past.

Byron Bay – No road trip down the east coast is complete without a stop here, however for us, it was a rolling stop! We made sure to do a slow drive-by past Cape Byron Lighthouse - it’s a busy place and there was a long line of cars. We’ve seen plenty of lighthouses and wanted to keep moving, so we waved as we went past and kept going!

The Big Banana – Because when in Coffs, you stop at The Big Banana. It’s just the rule. If we had more time, we would have spent some time in the fun park. It looks like a “bunch” of fun! Instead, we had a lovely dinner in the cafe before we hit the road again.

While everything was going smoothly on the road, we had a bit of a hiccup with the van. We realised it needed a service, and that wasn’t something we could ignore before heading into the outback. So while we were having dinner, I started looking for a mobile mechanic to talk to, in case we could get it done in Coffs Harbour the next day. This would mean we would need to change our plans and stay overnight. I found a very helpful mechanic, Mick, from Mick’s Mobile Mechanics and Servicing. It was almost 7pm on a Saturday night and he not only answered my call, but answered all of my many questions and helped me come up with a plan of action, even though he wasn’t going to get any money out of it. He also texted me after the phone call later that evening to give me more important information that I would need when I did get the job done. What a guy! Thank you Mick!

The First Night in the Van – Kendall Showgrounds

Because the van purchase had come together so last-minute, we hadn’t sorted out exactly where we’d be sleeping each night. That first night, we were just hoping to find somewhere with facilities. A lovely gentleman at Wauchope Showgrounds gave us some recommendations, and we managed to find a spot at Kendall Showgrounds.

The caretaker was incredibly accommodating, even though we were arriving late. He gave us all the details over the phone and told us he’d be around in the morning to collect payment. The kindness of strangers was already shaping this trip in the best way.

Now, about that first night’s sleep…

The van is a great van with plenty of storage, but there was one unexpected challenge—the bed. It was high, with not much space between it and the ceiling. Plus, there was no ladder to climb up. This was going to take some creative maneuvering!

Since we hadn’t had time to buy an air mattress for the floor as we had intended, we had to improvise. Krista took the bed, Nataasjia made a seemingly cozy spot with blankets on the floor, and I attempted to sleep across the front seats. Let’s just say it wasn’t my most restful night! Krista got the best sleep, but we were all too excited for what was ahead to care too much.

Road Trip Lessons So Far

• Expect the unexpected. No matter how much planning goes into a trip, there will always be last-minute challenges. Stay flexible and roll with it.

• People are kind. From Mick the mechanic to the caretakers at Kendall Showgrounds, we were already meeting incredible people willing to help.

• Prioritise sleeping arrangements! Lesson learned the hard way.

What's the most spontaneous adventure you've ever taken — or would like to take? Hit reply and let me know!

Next up: Through the Mountains and Wine Country – Blue Mountains, Gundagai, and ringing in the New Year in Barossa Valley!

In Case You Missed It: B ME HQ Weekly Recap

Hydration isn't just about drinking water — it's about fuelling focus, energy, and wellbeing. Last week's podcast, B ME Podcast 35: Hydration Hacks for Busy People, shared simple yet effective ways to boost hydration even when life is hectic. From starting the day with a glass of water to easy reminders and tips, this episode makes staying hydrated achievable, no matter how busy things get.

🎧 Listen to the episode on your preferred podcast platform.

🎥 Watch the video on YouTube:

Weekly Challenge

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

Think of a dream, goal, or adventure you've been putting off. This week, take one small step towards making it happen — whether it's doing some research, making a call, or putting a date on the calendar. Every big adventure starts with a first step!

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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If you have an inspiring story, or a helpful tip or strategy to share, or if there is something specific you would like covered, please fill out the form below so that it can be shared with the community. Please note that this is a subscriber survey, so you may have to subscribe first (hint, hint…… 😉) : https://bmebites.beehiiv.com/forms/8d0dfdd1-4290-4e40-bff9-1f61b812c661

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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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