{"id":646057,"date":"2026-05-03T02:11:14","date_gmt":"2026-05-03T02:11:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/646057\/"},"modified":"2026-05-03T02:11:14","modified_gmt":"2026-05-03T02:11:14","slug":"fuel-prices-will-not-stop-mongolian-family-travelling-across-australia-and-the-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/646057\/","title":{"rendered":"Fuel prices will not stop Mongolian family travelling across Australia and the world"},"content":{"rendered":"

At a time when fuel costs are forcing many Australians to rethink even everyday travel plans, Tuvshinjargel Sharavnyam has his eyes fixed firmly on the open road.<\/p>\n

The 38-year-old, his wife, Amarzaya, and three children have travelled more than 70,000 kilometres since they packed up their quiet life in Mongolia more than eight years ago.<\/p>\n

“I bought [a campervan] from Germany, then drove back to Mongolia to get my family, then started travelling to Moscow, Georgia, T\u00fcrkiye, Iran, Pakistan, all the way down to Sydney,” he said.<\/p>\n

Iran war live updates: <\/a>For the latest news on the Middle East crisis, read our blog.<\/p>\n

Those 70,000 kilometres have not come cheap, but Mr Sharavnyam said rising diesel prices would not stop them.<\/p>\n

“Our dream is more powerful,” he said.<\/p>\n

Mr Sharavnyam said the family had “sold everything” to fund the journey.<\/p>\n

“Apartment, vehicles, garage \u2026 so we have nothing in Mongolia now, and we have invested all of our money to several bonds and companies,” he said.<\/p>\n

“I also worked in Australia [as a steel fixer] for 10 months \u2026 and I [made] some money as a business owner, I had a small hotel and restaurant.”<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

The Sharavnyam family say they are surprised by the high cost of diesel in Australia. (ABC Upper Hunter: Sean Murphy)<\/p>\n

After shipping their van over to Australia from Asia, the family was confronted by record-high fuel prices<\/a> \u2014 the most expensive they have seen.<\/p>\n

“When we first came to Australia it was expensive, but now it’s more than doubled,” Mr Sharavnyam said.<\/p>\n

“That’s the difficult part, we need to pay $250 per fill.”<\/p>\n

80L of diesel for $US1<\/p>\n

Ironically, some of the cheapest fuel the Sharavnyams have found was in Iran \u2014 the country at the centre of the Middle East conflict that has sent global prices soaring.<\/p>\n

When the family was there in 2022, fuel costs were not a factor.<\/p>\n

“I can have 80 litres of diesel for $US1 in Iran,” Mr Sharavnyam said.<\/p>\n

“I travelled more than 4,000 kilometres through Iran and spent $US9.”<\/p>\n

Mr Sharavnyam said Iran was “really different” to what he expected.<\/p>\n

“Because on social media I heard it’s a really bad country \u2014 terrorists, guns, bombs \u2026 but it was a really peaceful country,” he said.<\/p>\n

“It’s a really amazing country.<\/p>\n

“Amazing food, people, nature.”<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Tuvshinjargel Sharavnyam says he plans to remain on the road for most of his life. (ABC Upper Hunter: Sean Murphy)<\/p>\n

Road trips decline<\/p>\n

While the price of fuel is not stopping the Sharavnyams’ epic journey, it is a different story for many Australians.<\/a><\/p>\n

Data from the Tourism and Transport Forum last month shows that 41 per cent of Australians had either cancelled or scaled back travel plans in response to current events.<\/p>\n

NRMA spokesperson Peter Khoury said bookings were down in its holiday parks.<\/p>\n

“Over the Easter break, we saw some easing of the bookings that we normally get.<\/p>\n

“Since the war began there’s a bit more uncertainty around supply, particularly of diesel, and also prices being at record highs as they were, that obviously had \u2026 an impact,” he said.<\/p>\n

Mr Khoury said continued global unrest may mean fewer young families take up the “van life” favoured by the Sharavnyams.<\/p>\n

“It’s a different cohort of people who are going to travel,” he said.<\/p>\n

“It’s more likely to be that older grey nomad group.”<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Some Australian families are rethinking hitting the road. (ABC Great Southern: Mark Bennett)<\/p>\n

Journey continues<\/p>\n

The family is venturing from Sydney to Darwin via Queensland, before heading back down to Melbourne.<\/p>\n

From there, they will ship their van across the ocean to Los Angeles.<\/p>\n

For Mr Sharavnyam, life on the road is all about making memories with his children.<\/p>\n

“The goal is not every country, not every continent, but to be with the kids and give them a happy time,” he said.<\/p>\n

“Your kids will not live with you all the time, and when they’re [teenagers] \u2026 they go to their room with devices, close the door, never come back.<\/p>\n

“But we don’t have any doors to close. So that’s really beautiful because we live in 2 metres. We live close.”<\/p>\n

He is also documenting the family’s travels for his children to look back on.<\/p>\n

“We have made more than 200 videos, but not for social media \u2026 it’s for my future, for my kids,” he said.<\/p>\n

“One day they will watch without us.”<\/p>\n

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