Have you ever been on a Houseboat?
By jennybianca
@jennybianca (12912)
Australia
December 11, 2009 10:54pm CST
I have been on four houseboat trips. Twice, when I was in my twenties I went on houseboat trips with groups of friends.
My honeymoon was on a small houseboat, and then a later holiday with my daughter and ex husband.
All houseboat trips are on the Murray River, as it is our only river.
Houseboats were once the main form of transport between the states of Australia.
Now houseboats are just pleasure craft. Some of them have all the facilities of a modern home.
The best part of a hoiuseboat trip is going along the river. Our Murray River is so beautiful. There are many different types of birds attracted to the river. We often see Pelicans, swans, ducks and cormorants.
Everty night we birth along the shore and in winter, we are allowed to light a small bonfire on the banks.
Here is a stunning photo of one of the old houseboats, restored, surrounded by mist.
2 people like this
6 responses
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
13 Dec 09
So did you really live on the houseboat, or was it a holiday?
I agree about the bird life on rivers. They are so wonderful to see.
@rogue13xmen13 (14402)
• United States
13 Dec 09
Yes, and sadly, I could not be on it too long without feeling motion sickness.
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
13 Dec 09
My daughter has terrible motion sickness. Even the thought of a long car trip, makes her feel sick even before we start.
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
12 Dec 09
There was a time when I thought of a houseboat as being such a romantic way of living. Doubtful that I would want to live in such a manner now. However, I would love to vacation on one. Just to say "I did it." Big huggers to you. I am envious!
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
13 Dec 09
I would think houseboat living on a permanent basis is not all it is made out to be, especially problems with effluent system and falling river levels.
@ronnyb (6113)
• Jamaica
13 Dec 09
I have never been on an house boat ,in fact the closest I have ever come to being on a boat was when we went to a trip to a Cay.the Cay was just about a mile from the mainland and we had to take a canoe to get there .The experience was nerve racking as teh ding was so shallow the waves were splashung against my hand resting on the side of the boat.I was so happy to be on solid ground again when we reached and all I had to do was survive the return trip
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
13 Dec 09
I have ben on a canoe a couple of times and I loved it. But like you, I would not be too keen on the waves.
@happy6162 (3001)
• United States
12 Dec 09
No I have never been on a houseboat but I have been on a speedboat a few times. It was fun going real fast around the lake and having the breeze in your face. I did enoy myself on the speedboat. If I knew someone who had a houseboat I would like to go on one of them someday.
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
14 Dec 09
Speedboats and houseboats are not quite the same, as one cant live on a speedboat. I havent been on a speedboat since I was a child; they are great fun.
@cerebellum (3863)
• United States
12 Dec 09
Hi jennybianca. I have never been on a houseboat, but it sounds like something I'd like. I life outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and we have three rivers that meet and form a point. There are some house boats on the rivers, but I don't imagine there are very many as the rivers freeze in the winter. We don't have the kind of wild life like you described on your river. The water in the rivers is pretty dirty and not much can survive in it. I lived in Erie Pa. for awhile on a lake and there were probably more houseboats up there even though the lake freezes in the winter as well.
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
12 Dec 09
I can imagine that frozen rivers would detract from houseboating.. Some people even live in houseboats here.
