THE PLAN : AN EPIC ADVENTUROUS ROAD TRIP ACROSS AUSTRALIA + THROUGHOUT AFRICA

 

The plan is to drive from Sydney in eastern Australia to Perth in western Australia (with a whole lot of stopping along the way to experience this amazing country of ours). We will then ship our wheels from Port Freemantle to Port Durban in South Africa. From there… #GameOnAfrica

Preparations are currently in full flight; including regular road trips throughout Australia to ensure we have ourselves geared up for what is ahead. We are planning to drive out of Sydney in 2013.

Below is a taster of our preliminary planned route through Australia. We are currently thinking through Africa. It’s all a work in progress.If you have a ‘GOTTA GO THERE’ recommendation, be it an attraction/national park/campsite/experience/restaurant, we would love to hear from you!

 

^^ Our preliminary concept of a route through Australia

 ^^ Our preliminary concept of a route through Australia + Africa

 

Our ‘so called’ plans are by no means set in stone. It’s all about entering the fray with a pocket FULL of ideas and knowledge + having the flexibility to go where the road takes us.

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I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable

Dwight David Eisenhower

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THE WHEELS : A GO-ANYWHERE 2×3 METRE HOME

 

Our initial challenge is to design + execute an awesome, liveable, mobile home from our 1989 4WD Toyota Troop Carrier. We’ll be working with a 5m³ living quarters and we must design it to get us to where we need to be and to sustain us in remote areas.

To give you a taster our set-up will include :  fridge/freezer, cooking facilities, pop-top-roof tent, water tanks, water purifier, multiple batteries, 240V power, vehicle recovery gear, GPS devices, satellite phone, a hot shower (yes, you heard right!) & perhaps solar panels.

 

 ^^ G gutting the Troopy, getting it ready for some major modifications

  ^^ Polishing up the Troopy’s engine; lucky for us G’s brother is a diesel mechanic

 

The Troopy with the roof popped

Rear of the Vehicle

Polished and ready to go!

 

THE PREPARATIONS: A LIST A MILE LONG

 

Driving across multiple countries for over a year is unfortunately (and much to Kirsty’s distaste) not something you can do on a whim. For one, the car needs a passport (otherwise known as a Carnet De Passage). Followed by a ginormous list of ‘TO DO’s’ before we hit the road, including: vehicle and health insurance to organise, courses to take in 4WD + First Aid + bush mechanics, $$ to earn, international security situations to suss, border crossings to read up on and fire pit cooking to perfect. There is a hell-of-a-lot to get on top of. Daunting? No, Exciting? Yes! 

 

 

Check out our progress through our Wrap Up blog post series by clicking here.