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| OUR BIG TRIP MARY & OLI GOING AROUND AUSTRALIA |
First Month Summary
Oli's Summary
We are on the road now for a little more than one month and I am getting into it. What has been the most memorable
moment? - Well several, the whole Outback Touring of the first stage through Cameron Corner, Innamincka and Birdsville
was fantastic - a dream come true. Conquering Big Red at the first attempt was also not bad, seeing other people struggle.
But I guess what will always stick in your mind are the little things, like getting up at Cadney Homestead at 6.30 am and the
first sight is an absolute orange horizon from the sunrise - just fantastic - all I said was WOW !!! The cold weather and the car
repairs are the only items which are not very pleasant. The cold weather especially at night can be quite annoying and not
everywhere we stayed we had a powered site or the opportunity to make a fire and warm ourselves. However, I cope better
with it than Mary. Any regrets yet, no not really besides that maybe even more time is needed to do the trip than originally
planned. It would be better if you really have a year to do this rather than 5 months. I know that sounds crazy, but even we
sometimes have to plan a little too much than rather relax and travel from place to place without thinking about the time. Did
we have any surprises? Well the breakdown with the shock absorber was a little bit a surprise too me, but after seeing the
weld maybe it should not be one anymore. Every TJ trying to do things like this and being heavy and towing a trailer should
have a look at those brackets and actually reinforce them before heading out. They will break, just a question of time. The
rear carrier - not a real surprise to me. Ross has done everything he could to make it as solid as possible and adding another
means of holding it to the back door. It is just not enough for a 33" tyre, a 20l jerry can and a trailer at the limit of the towing
capacity. Not their fault, just something to keep in mind for the future if touring bad roads in the Outback. What other points
are worthwhile mentioning? Well the friendship in the Outback is fantastic, very friendly people around in most real Outback
towns and Pubs. Nice to see that this still exists. Come closer to the touristy towns, like Coober Pedy and Alice Springs and
you get a whole lot of other people joining you. The driving habits of those idiots hiring a 4WD and going through the
Outback is concerning - even worse than us. Another highlight obviously has to be the Camel Cup - this was really good. A
once in a lifetime opportunity and being at the right place at the right time. I know this chapter is not very organised, just
writing what comes to mind. Overall I think I am still happy that this was the right decision to do this trip with all the boundary
conditions we have. I can only suggest to everybody in Oz to do something like this once during your life - however do not
wait until you are part of the Oldies travelling around you, do it before that. I hope the next four month will continue to be and
feel like this. The other dream - the Kimberley is still too come.
Mary's Summary
My summary will be much shorter. After more than a month travelling around, I can not say that I have got into it! Not yet!
Relaxed? Not quite! Sometimes I think I was more relaxed at work, at least there I have no time to think but, as my husband
points out to me many times, I can not relax! The car issues and definitely the cold weather have not helped.
On the other hand, I have to say that we have seen some interesting places, although my preference is rather the historic
sites and ruins we have visited. Silverton and the Kinchega Woolshed were very interesting. I also enjoy the Art Galleries in
Broken Hill. I also enjoyed the couple of days in Birdsville and Mungarennie, simply because it was the first time in this trip
that we could walk outside on a t-shirt and we also shared some nice time with some other outback travellers there. On this
note and on the contrary, I have to say that at the end of our stay in Broken Hill, I was really sick of freezing wind, specially at
night.
More recently, I coincide with Oliver and I have to mention the Camel Cup in Alice Springs. It was lots of fun and we did have
quite a nice day there.
Regarding this kind of gypsy lifestyle, I still struggle a bit with the certain degree of disarray almost unavoidable when we
have to live out of bags and boxes in a tent, and pack and unpack almost every other day but I have made quite a lot of
progress getting used to the dust and dirt getting everywhere, specially after one of our several unsealed road drives and, I
have almost got to the point where I can almost ignore it completely.
I think I will enjoy the later stages of our trip a bit more when we hit the WA coast. Hopefully, that will be more my kind of
vacation.
Maybe it was not a much shorter summary after all.
Oli's Summary
We are on the road now for a little more than one month and I am getting into it. What has been the most memorable
moment? - Well several, the whole Outback Touring of the first stage through Cameron Corner, Innamincka and Birdsville
was fantastic - a dream come true. Conquering Big Red at the first attempt was also not bad, seeing other people struggle.
But I guess what will always stick in your mind are the little things, like getting up at Cadney Homestead at 6.30 am and the
first sight is an absolute orange horizon from the sunrise - just fantastic - all I said was WOW !!! The cold weather and the car
repairs are the only items which are not very pleasant. The cold weather especially at night can be quite annoying and not
everywhere we stayed we had a powered site or the opportunity to make a fire and warm ourselves. However, I cope better
with it than Mary. Any regrets yet, no not really besides that maybe even more time is needed to do the trip than originally
planned. It would be better if you really have a year to do this rather than 5 months. I know that sounds crazy, but even we
sometimes have to plan a little too much than rather relax and travel from place to place without thinking about the time. Did
we have any surprises? Well the breakdown with the shock absorber was a little bit a surprise too me, but after seeing the
weld maybe it should not be one anymore. Every TJ trying to do things like this and being heavy and towing a trailer should
have a look at those brackets and actually reinforce them before heading out. They will break, just a question of time. The
rear carrier - not a real surprise to me. Ross has done everything he could to make it as solid as possible and adding another
means of holding it to the back door. It is just not enough for a 33" tyre, a 20l jerry can and a trailer at the limit of the towing
capacity. Not their fault, just something to keep in mind for the future if touring bad roads in the Outback. What other points
are worthwhile mentioning? Well the friendship in the Outback is fantastic, very friendly people around in most real Outback
towns and Pubs. Nice to see that this still exists. Come closer to the touristy towns, like Coober Pedy and Alice Springs and
you get a whole lot of other people joining you. The driving habits of those idiots hiring a 4WD and going through the
Outback is concerning - even worse than us. Another highlight obviously has to be the Camel Cup - this was really good. A
once in a lifetime opportunity and being at the right place at the right time. I know this chapter is not very organised, just
writing what comes to mind. Overall I think I am still happy that this was the right decision to do this trip with all the boundary
conditions we have. I can only suggest to everybody in Oz to do something like this once during your life - however do not
wait until you are part of the Oldies travelling around you, do it before that. I hope the next four month will continue to be and
feel like this. The other dream - the Kimberley is still too come.
Mary's Summary
My summary will be much shorter. After more than a month travelling around, I can not say that I have got into it! Not yet!
Relaxed? Not quite! Sometimes I think I was more relaxed at work, at least there I have no time to think but, as my husband
points out to me many times, I can not relax! The car issues and definitely the cold weather have not helped.
On the other hand, I have to say that we have seen some interesting places, although my preference is rather the historic
sites and ruins we have visited. Silverton and the Kinchega Woolshed were very interesting. I also enjoy the Art Galleries in
Broken Hill. I also enjoyed the couple of days in Birdsville and Mungarennie, simply because it was the first time in this trip
that we could walk outside on a t-shirt and we also shared some nice time with some other outback travellers there. On this
note and on the contrary, I have to say that at the end of our stay in Broken Hill, I was really sick of freezing wind, specially at
night.
More recently, I coincide with Oliver and I have to mention the Camel Cup in Alice Springs. It was lots of fun and we did have
quite a nice day there.
Regarding this kind of gypsy lifestyle, I still struggle a bit with the certain degree of disarray almost unavoidable when we
have to live out of bags and boxes in a tent, and pack and unpack almost every other day but I have made quite a lot of
progress getting used to the dust and dirt getting everywhere, specially after one of our several unsealed road drives and, I
have almost got to the point where I can almost ignore it completely.
I think I will enjoy the later stages of our trip a bit more when we hit the WA coast. Hopefully, that will be more my kind of
vacation.
Maybe it was not a much shorter summary after all.
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