25 days and counting!

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OK, here we go. 25 days left to get all our stuff/ s**t together before we head off on our Big Adventure!

Here is the current status of preparations:

Car - Lovely brand new Toyota Prado has been pimped/ rigged with bull bar, snorkel, tow bar, electric brakes (for camper trailer) and chunky all terrain tyres (went for Cooper AT3s in the end). Now looking at rubber mats and seat covers to protect against red dust, gravel and other unknown stuff in the outback.

Camper Trailer - currently at the manufacturers having trailer brakes fitted so we can do emergency stops when cute little wombats and baby kangaroos jump in our path on the dirt roads. Has been tested quite a few times since we got the trailer in January. Reckon it's pretty well kitted out now. Just need to get chief mechanic Wavy Davy to fix up an Anderson plug to charge up the trailer batteries as we truck along and to wire up the cool LED lighting on the trailer.

Route - Have decided on going "up the guts" through the Red Centre first, then on to Darwin to meet up with the lovely Nicholls family for a few days of 4wd-ing, then through the Kimberly via the Gibb River Road to Broome and Cape Leveque, then down the WA coast via Ningaloo reef etc to Perth, a quick couple of days in Esperance then back to Melbourne across the Nullarbor. Meister planner Mark has started his spreadsheet and has everything under control, as usual.

Kit - having fun on ebay bidding for snorkels, camp tables, mosquito/fly nets, tyre deflators, espresso pot, 32 Gb SD cards, waterproof camera etc. Still need fishing rod (not got a clue but apparently it has to be a big one as the fish are real big in NT and WA!) and a few other bits and bobs, but nothing we can't find in the next few weeks.

The Prado will get its first taste of towing and off-roading this weekend when we go camping with friends on the Great Ocean Road. We will experience slightly different conditions to most of our trip with it being winter here in Victoria, but am looking forward to testing our little heater and cooking up mulled wine on the open fire at Cumberland River :-)

More soon!

Muppetsontour xxx

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