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Published: August 1st 2006
The Australia Tour begins
...slowly!
After spending three weeks with the Family, we started looking for a CamperVan. Our original plan was to drive around the whole perimeter of Ozz, but after much debate we decided that we didn't have long enough, we would have to drive
every day - which would be extremely exhausting!! So the plan is to extensively travel througout the Northern Territory
and East coast!! If we come back to Ozz with a working Visa we can start in Perth, then do Western and Southern Ozz!!
So we searched all the local papers & commuted to/from Cairns to search the Hostal catalogues, etc...We saw a few that looked good, and in fact went to see a Toyota Hi-Ace that three English lads had basically ranted up the coast, it had rust ALL over it, needed four new tyres, etc, etc!! Luckily, Stan & Eric are both mechanics..so they looked at it and advised NOT to buy it - as it wouldn't pass a RACQ inspection, a roadworthy certificate (MOT), and wouldn't get a REGO!!
We looked at a few more, but as time pushed on we were no further in finding a good
Playing Poker in no-mans land
This was our first night in the bush, miles & miles in the middle of no-where!! The Nomads were full-on Poker players, really nice people too!!camper that didn't need much work, and we'd also realized that we wouldn't have much time to sell! We needed one quicktime! SO.........we finally decided on renting a 'Wicked' Campervan, we could pick it up the next day, free roadside assistance (anywhere), and we managed to haggle FREE insurance (worth $490)...so we rented!!
We rented for 3 and half months, the bill was $5000, which may sound alot, but, if you work out hostal costs for two people over that time - it would cost $5000, and thats without travel costs (ie. return plane flight to Darwin, tours to Litchfield NP, Kakadu and Katherine, etc.. busses, Coaches, etc....) So it worked out Ok!!
(zzzz)
We picked it up from Cairns, it's is a big cow!!! with 'Moooove' written on the back! (Crikey!) It has a small B&W TV, a CD PLAYER!! A kitchen unit in the back, table and chairs, bed, engine, steering wheel.....blah,blah...
The Longest road trip of our lives
We decided on driving from: Mareeba to Darwin - Katherine - Kakadu - litchfield Nation Park - Alice Springs - Uluru - Cairns - Sydney (and anywhere in between!! So we stocked up
The Cow in Queensland bush
...a self explanitory title on: Boooze, food/food/food, camping gear,utensils, water, etc...in that order!
This was likely to be the longest road we'd ever do! Here's an idea of how long the distances are: there's a bloke in Queensland who owns just one of the hundreds of farms in QL, his farm is bigger than Texas!! The Northern Territorry is twice the size of France!
... ... ... ...
It took six days non-stop to eventually get to Katherine Gorge!! It was long/hot swetty days, took alot of fuel, and was the most amazing experience!!! Camping right out in the bush and getting swigged up with all the Nomads - Nomad:
a retired person who sells their house, buys a coach/caravan/old bus/anything..and travels around Ozz for YEARS on end!!!! This really was great fun, alot of backpackers have said: "why don't you fly, when you drive you see nothing for days"...that's b*llo*ks! the landscape continually changes, there are many little towns and creeks, and redneck pubs, Free stops, hot springs, lava tubes, wildlife etc...There aren't any backpackers thou?
Our route to Katherine: Mareeba / Atherton / Ravenshoe / then across the Savana way to Normington / Concurry / Mt Isa
The Savana Way
The long straight road running through Queensland to the Northern Territory / Katherine
Katherine updates will come shortly, my internet time is running out!
Love to you ALL
Nick & Ally
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Spanna Murkin
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Gruesome twosome
Hey stenches, was great to hear from you the other day, life after uni is great, its all about the parties now, went out with Ryan last night, it was messy. Keilan and I had a bbq today, mmmmm sausage. Guess what? I have just received an email from Lyons Davidson who say that I owe them 965 quid! fuck off! Remember when I took too many holidays? well they say if I dont pay it back, they will commence legal action against me! bollox. I have to now convince them that I owe them less. Remember when I went back to work after I officially left and did a couple of days working from 8am to 6pm? I have no proof but I hope someone at LD will remember to back me up! Any way, apart from that, its all good. The landlord came round the flat the other day and told us they wanted to sell the flat in 3 months. We were like no fucking way, we have signed the contract for the next 6 months so I told her to kiss me hairy ass. Oh yeah, I did really welln the exams, got a 2.1 overall (and may I say a distinction in 1 exam and 1% off in another - im the man!) Its lush out side but K and I are hungover and full of sausage (weyhey) so we are inside watching the telly - splendid. Much love to the gruesome twosome All my lovin Murkin