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Jean Rowley of the Adventure Team writes:

I thought it might be a good opportunity to talk about the various sorts of Tagalongs available to Solos, and in particular to explain the Tagalongs organised by our Adventure Team.

Tagalongs have been around in the Solos Network for many years. We have CMCA Chapter Tagalongs, where members of different Chapters organise their members to travel together to various destinations and also to rallies. You are, of course, always welcome to join these Tagalongs with the various Chapters by getting in touch with the person listed as the contact. The CMCA Wanderer is a good place to find information about these Tagalongs.

There are also Tagalongs organised by individual Solos who would like to enjoy the company of other members going in the same direction. We are always grateful to anyone who wants to share their knowledge of travelling and take the time to organise a trip with fellow members. However, just be aware that members organising their individual Tagalongs can often be creating an itinerary that suits their own personal time frames and circumstances.

This will determine where they can go, for example members travelling with pets will not be able to take advantage of National Parks and other locations that are not pet-friendly. The member may also have a set time-frame. They might plan to drive long distances with mostly overnight stops in order to arrive at their destination rather than build in time to relax and enjoy the many sights and places of interest along the way. So, if you are considering joining a member's individual Tagalong, firstly make sure that particular Tagalong suits your wants and needs. These members are good enough to offer their expertise but their plans may not suit how you want to travel.

Finally, we have the Adventure Team Tagalongs. Three years ago I was approached by the Solos Committee to see if I would be interested in organising Tagalongs, following on from the great Tagalong trips organised by John Cridland and Steve White. The Committee had the foresight to see that members mostly seem to get together at our two rallies each year but at other times they often wander alone or in small groups. I was very new to the Solos Network so I saw this as an opportunity to give back to a wonderful Network of people who had helped me and so many other members through difficult times in their lives. So, the idea of regular Solos Tagalongs that travelled from various directions towards our rallies was created. The concept was really about making the Tagalong a part of the rally it was travelling to. I had so many willing helpers who all jumped in to make these a success that we named ourselves the Adventure Team.

For the past two years Adventure Team Tagalongs have travelled through drought-affected and bushfire-affected areas, doing some fundraising along the way and helping out local businesses while having lots of fun and great companionship. Our numbers are such that pubs and businesses are now approaching us for our custom. We have eaten two pubs out of food and drank two pubs dry of alcohol, all while having our Op Shop Glam Up nights. We have even had the local police close off roads for our dancing, a feat that has yet to be surpassed.

A typical day on an Adventure Team Tagalong starts with Tapping Yoga and Tai Chi, followed by Line Dancing or a walk if you prefer, before a slow breakfast in our vans. Then we may drive as far as twenty kilometres to our next destination, sometimes even driving for up to two hours, before the hotly-contested card games, board games, craft and music practice starts. All activities are voluntary, of course. Happy Hour around a campfire or by a bubbling stream where we share our knowledge and experiences in the local area is always a highlight of the day. Friday night, no matter where we are, is always a combined sit-down, bring-your-own dinner under the stars, and is known as Glam Up Fridays.

This is just a sample of the Adventure Team Tagalongs. Of course, Tagalongs will vary as different members offer to lead these events, but always the aim is fun, frivolity and comradeship with like-minded people. Members can join for a day, a week or the whole adventure depending what suits your plans and timelines. The choice is yours! We will always try our best to make everyone very welcome and make the journey memorable. We have been, and still are, learning what members enjoy. Following member feedback, we now take Tagalongs extremely slowly so we have the time to sight-see if we choose, to relax and enjoy each other's company and also have time for fun activities and festivities.

So, if any of these different styles of Tagalong interest you, just get in touch with the contact person. If you are interested in an Adventure Team Tagalong, contact me at any time. We will always publish our Itineraries on the Solos Website and the Solos Facebook Page for everyone to enjoy, either individually as your time permits, or with other Solos.

Hopefully, this has whet your appetite for fun times ahead. Whichever way you choose to travel, current climate and borders permitting of course, we look forward to seeing as many as possible at our Cohuna Rally, fingers crossed! And an added bonus - members often make plans to travel together following a Solos rally, usually meandering towards the next CMCA event, eg Christmas in July in Mareeba on the Atherton Tablelands (22 - 26 July), the CMCA rally in Bingara NSW (October 17 - 24) and the next Solos Rally in Cohuna VIC (November 1 - 8).

Jean Rowley, The Adventure Team.