A small clue to our near Day 1 disaster!!!

Day 3 - Monday 18 June 2007

Click here for Day 3 - actual...

Last night we had a ‘roast of the day’ dinner, apple pie and a good bottle of Taylors Shiraz and the bill was half what it was in the dreaded Gol Gol. We decided to hit the sack early and since we are going to gain 1.5 hours time (SA -30 minutes on NSW and WA – 2 hours on NSW) during tomorrow’s journey we had a little sleep in before leaving the Motel at 06:15.

Steve driving – had a better night’s sleep - up at 05:30 (thanks to Steve snoring even louder than Simon!) which was before our planned 06:00 wake-up call. On the road by 6:05, temperature 3c. For once working out our route was easy as there is only one road (A1) in/out of town which we will use for the next 1,200kms.

Before dawn the road was intermittently misty for the first 200kms, although nowhere as bad as yesterday. The fog lifted after about an hour and whilst around created a weird optical illusion where the car was driving through a fog tunnel as it lifted above the car and then under it – effect highlighted by cars excellent xenon lights.

The sun was rising in the east (behind us) as we drove west and we stopped for some great photo’s which we will post later with all other pic’s.

The road toll on these long drives can be huge so State governments put up lots of ‘Stop, Revive, Survive’ type signage all over. In South Australia they place posts on the roadside that signify places where road crashes have occurred - black with a cross for each person killed and red for person injured in an accident – very sobering and has the desired effect.

We got to Penong at 06:49 (73.3 kms) and Nundroo at 07:34 (153 kms). Apart from the odd dead one, we saw our first and as yet only live kangaroo today (!) as it bounced across the road well in front of us. Roo’s on these trips, and in the country in general, are a huge issue if you happen to hit one at speed at worse coming through the windscreen and at marginally best falling under the car! The danger is heightened during drought as the roo’s come up to the road to drink water that collects on the road sides – recent rain almost certainly explains why they not around the roads, hence a lot easier & safer so far! During Steve’s last trip across the Nullarbor he encountered 100’s of dead roo's.

We reached the start of the Nullarbor Plain (not the desert I had expected but very green after all the rain) at 08:43 (278 kms) and filled up at the Nullarbor Motel (295 kms). Been raining heavily round here and again confirmation that very few roo’s around which is good! Interesting to see that at certain points the road turns into a fully fledged emergency runway for the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) - keep an eye out for approaching planes!

Simon driving - we started a competition (anything to pass the time!) to see who could eek the best fuel economy out the best fuel economy over 100 kms. During my attempt we used 8.7 litres at an average speed of 111.9 kms p/hour over 100 kms. Steve later scored an amazing 8.6 litres at an average speed of 110.3 kms p/hour over 100 kms. Not sure who wins and my excuse that I started my 100 kms from a standing start, whilst Steve reset the counters on the move! The challenge will continue tomorrow and whoever wins the numbers are amazing in how little diesel we are using on an extended run.

Stopped (405 kms) to take some pics of the hugely impressive Great Australian Bight that runs parallel to us for a long stretch of the Nullarbor. Next we reach the WA border at 11:18 (480.5 kms) and line up to get inspected which only took a few minutes (maybe our NSW plates & the fact that we had all our fruit confiscated entering SA!) whilst other WA vehicles were getting the full search.

All times to date (including ones is SA as can’t handle a 30 minute time zone change) are in NSW (EST) time, but now as we move into WA we take clocks back 2 hours and all times now in WA time – our 2nd time zone change in one day!

We topped up the tank at Eucla (11:30, 493 kms) and then surprised to see a cyclist having a rest at 514 kms – he was heading East so must have been at least 1,400kms out from Perth – total nutter and we discussed how daft cycling across the Nullarbor must be!

A bottle tree (dead tree decorated with bottles!) caught our attention at 10:22 (573 kms) and then stopped for a picnic lunch (sweet chilli tuna sandwiches & tea!) at 613 kms.

Steve driving – all up an awful lot of nothing, but an amazing place in just how vast it all is. Steve did his 100 kms challenge - see above. Light rain started around midday and then off & on for rest of the day. We reached Cocklebiddy at 12:30 (765 kms) and Caiguna at 13:00 (830 kms) where we topped up again – saw a West Coast Eagle (huge).

Simon driving – took over at 14:07 (918 kms) and continued smooth drive for rest of the drive through Balladonia (14:56 – 1,010 kms) which claims fame based on where Skylab fell to earth in 1979 and then finally arrived in Norseman at 16:43 (18:42 NSW time) after covering 1,197 kms!

Checked into the Norseman Eyre Motel (grim as all to date but more expensive as most rooms taken due to WA mining boom!) after a total days tally of 1,200.5 kms which is exactly what we forecasted! Total car speedo reading now 5,719 making a total since leaving St Ives Chase (NSW) on Saturday of 3,224 kms!

For the record Telstra Next-G did not work at any place outside of the major towns and that includes the Nullarbor. Vodafone coverage proved to be non-existent and Optus patchy at best.

Road kill count today: Roo’s: 6 / Fox: 1 / Wallaby: 1 / Misc: 7 / Camels: 2 (!) – again Steve refrained from direct hits!

Day 2 - Sunday 17 June 2007

Click here for Day 2 Map - actual...

Last night we dined on a well deserved steak and a good bottle of local red wine. Headed home, knackered after a fulsome day, hopefully to a toasty warm hotel room. A shocking night’s sleep as grotty old room is totally freezing + Steve’s phone decides to light up at midnight and then Steve wakes at 02:10 thinking it’s time to go so lights on, “wake-up Simon”, etc - mmmmmph!

Steve driving - eventually back to sleep and up as planned at 04:45 and away (thankfully!) at 05:00. Bloody cold around 3c on leaving but drops to -3c at various parts during the early morning drive in swirling fog/mist - forced us to find fog lights. After yesterdays experience (yet to be disclosed!) we top up with diesel at the first BP servo before crossing the Murray into Mildura and Victoria.

Mildura looked a far better option for accommodation choice rather than Gol Gol - lesson here is don’t take the first option, that said we were knackered after a very long day and just took the first thing to come along which must be happen all the time hence our getting ripped off!

GPS Jill was proving to be a nagging pain so we sacked her and changed the GPS voice to “UK English Male” - GPS Joe sounded a lot more reassuring than the nagging old GPS Jill! ;-)

There have been notices all along the drive so far about declaring fruit (as there was yesterday!) for fear of fruit contamination as this area is a major fruit producing area. It turns out that a 'Fruit Fly Exclusion Zone' has been declared covering approx 3,500 square kilometres. We therefore ate as much fruit that Susie brought us for the trip as we could for breakfast and hence Steve's 'upset' later in the day :-(

Head west along the Sturt Highway and into South Australia (SA) by 06:27 (121 kms). A little later on (06:35 EST, 130 kms) at Yamba (a name Steve and I recall from when we were hunting for a name for what became Yambay) where we went through an SA check point and declared all of our as yet uneaten fruit which was promptly confiscated – better than a $11,000 fine? Allowed to keep our nuts as seemingly no flies on nuts!

Reach Renmark at 06:48 (147 kms) and onto B64 heading towards Morgan and Burra. For some reason the GPS decided to take us off piste and across two ferry crossings over the Murray! At the first crossing (Waikena, 07:50, 226 kms) we run into a very droll Scot who said it was colder than being on North Sea trawler and the second (Cadel, 08:22, 257 kms) by a husband & wife team – no nagging as he is working when she’s at home and vice versa hence his claim that he is boss when at home? The Murray very low but did not appear so at crossings as between locks.

Simon driving - just outside Waikena at Ramco (08:00, 234 kms) we changed drivers after the first ferry crossing. We head through Morgan (08:40, 269 kms) and around now fog lifts and temp around 5c. Simon at last perfected the ‘Outback Wave’ a laconic lifting of fingers off the wheel to around 45%. Basically the truckies (top of the pecking order here) hardly ever do the wave but most others do!

For most of the journey we pass though vast farmland with early crops (winter wheat) looking really good; talk is of record crops to come after years of drought. We pass through wine territory (Claire Valley) past Oxford Landing (Yalumba, 08:13, 244 kms); see wild (!) emus, bee hives, horses, cows, sheep, lambs, orange orchards, olives, etc. All looks in great shape!

At Burra (09:30, 352 kms) in the Claire Valley we top up the car and advised to head to Sunderland which we do hitting the start of the Southern Flinders Ranges – excellent run through rolling hills following a water pipeline for miles (kms!). Pass though Gulnare (413 kms) and joined the A1 (10:41, 445 kms) heading north (getting worried that burning a ‘W’ into the GPS screen!) up to Port Augusta which we get to at 12:45 (549 kms). The A1 will do us now all the way to Norseman (other side of the Nullarbor) in WA.

Steve driving - after visiting the Visitor Information Centre in Port Augusta eventually back on the road around 12:20. Pass Iron Knob (smutty jokes allround which when pasing White Knob a few clicks along didnt seem as funny!) at 12:52 (620 kms) the birthplace in 1894 of the Australian steel industry, the A1 becoming the Eyre Highway around here.

Lunch stop (pot noodles with tepid water from the Visitor Centre!) around 13:30 (643 kms) and on to Kimba (14:07, 706 kms) advertised as being ‘half way across AU’ where again we top up with diesel and take a pic of the car under the ‘Big Galah’!

Simon driving – Kyancutta at 15:15 (796, kms) and on to Minnipa by 15:45 (846 kms) where in need of a fatigue fighter we buy 2 “V’s” for just under $10 – these country folk know how to charge! We press on to today's destination Ceduna entering town around 17:30 (1,015 kms) and eventually check into to the Best Western Motel (only ‘best’ in the name and almost certainly not there flagship property) after a total day’s drive of 1,020.4 kms.

At least the room is warm, so showers all round – the car should enjoy the next stage of the journey as it were doing our best to destroy the new car aroma. Hopefully, it can fight back tomorrow.

Today’s speedo reading is 4,519 making a total since leaving St Ives yesterday morning of 2,024 kms – all along the car behaving very well and a joy to drive as very effortless.

Road kill count today: Roos x7 / Fox x2 / Misc x3 - thankfully Steve refrained from direct hitting and wild-life today...

Day 1 - Saturday 16 June 2007

Click here for: Day 1 Map - actual...

Steve driving - loaded up the car and headed off from Simon's place (St Ives Chase, NSW) at 05:10 in heavy rain. Tried to use the printed directions from Google Maps to get to Bathurst, but soon gave up as total bollocks - instead went by memory and headed to Bathurst via Bells Line of Road.

Simon fired up the GPS system and a nice lady confirmed our view re how to get to there. The drive was wet, wild, windy (as in blowing) and windy (as in rolling from side to side)

The controls of the car are opposite to what I was used to (LHS indicator) but the rain gave me plenty of chance to get some practice. The car handled very well and managed the conditions with aplomb.

Simon tried to get his iPod working with the car's sound system, but unfortunately it would not tune in. The prospect of spending 4 days listening to the ABC is a bit glum.

At 07:50 after 197 kms we stopped at Bathurst for some breakfast at the Golden Arches. Checked out that the wireless internet worked and jotted down today's itinerary from Google Maps. It was 4° centigrade. Took first picture of car.

Simon driving - after adjusting the seat & mirrors from 'dwarf' setting we left Mackers (Bathurst) around 08:45. Weather clears to a cloudless day whilst on radio we hear about storms in Sydney, temperature around 15°c with us.

The car drives really well and hugely deceptive as feels like going a hell of a lot slower than the actual speed. No huge initial acceleration but once up to speed the very torque diesel engine runs extremely quietly at something like 1,900 rpm whilst cruising at 110 kph! A very unstressed car to drive (Land Rover Discovery 3 SE) and turning in something at best around 8.5 litres per 100 kms driven at an average speed of 98 kph...

The farmland looks amazingly healthy after recent inland rain and crops in vast fields are coming up brilliant green. Huge grain silos, sheep with lambs, cattle, road trains (massive!) etc all part of the scenery. All up this stage everything looks really well kept and in good health!

We find Cowra next around 10:00 at 304 kms, next West Wyalong at 11:30 at 462 kms. Here we stop and manage to fix the iTrip thing so that we can play my iPod through the car stereo; this is thanks to Steve's Telstra NextG connection and my amazing PC talents (!) so now music all the way.

Steve driving - we leave West Wyalong around 12:30, pass through Rankin Spring at 13:30 at 553 kms. At this stage we were meaning to head to Ivanhoe thanks to Google Maps (then Menindee & Broken Hill) but get surprised when the GPS try's to send us off on unsealed road and this being a new car and lacking trust we punch in Hay into the GPS and head mistakenly off course, that said no huge issue in a trip of this distance that said don't 101% trust G/Maps!

We arrive in Hay desperately in need of fuel (a separate story here not for telling here for fear of showing up general hick inabilities & inordinate embarrassment of our driver!) only to find that the first three (yes 3x) garages in Hay are shut! Serious times and directed across the Murrumbidgee River to another Mobil servo and this, the 4th one, has run out of diesel! Fortunately the Caltex next door has diesel and we fill up with 80 litres of diesel - a clue to desperately naive state + pic's to follow!

Simon driving - taking advice from the Caltex station manager we decide to press on (twilight & fear of Kangaroo carnage aside!) to Mildura and arrive in Gol Gol (the NSW side of the Murray River / Mildura the VIC side) at 18:50 with 1,000.4 kms on the clock which, physiologically at least, is quarter of the way! We check into the very grubby (but expensive!) Mildura Riverside Motel (to be missed) and head out straight away to the Gol Gol Hotel (no accommodation) for an excellent steak & bottle of red.

Back to Motel room by 21:15 (around 4c and clear skies full of stars!) to write this up, freeze in room and a rough plan to get to bed early for an equally early start tomorrow morning. We have pic's and will add these tomorrow as too knackered now.

All up a brilliant day made all the better by great company and an excellent car = good fun had by all. Out from Gol Gol / Mildura...

PS: Road kill count to date = Roos x2, Fox x1, Misc x3 + Direct Hit (Steve a bird) x1 and Sheep x1.

ALTO ARTARMON

Here we sit waiting to pick up the new motor all seem amazingly uninterested in us! Seemingly the manager didn't get fired, he "left"!?

The big naive dummies (like us) guide to the Perth road trip...

Sound advice? The big naive dummies (like us) guide to the Perth road trip...

Still not set off!

Well its nearly midday Fri 15/06 and no sign of leaving yet as no car! Just a few small problems like $'s not in bank yet, RTA issues, let alone the sales manager at the car dealership getting fired the morning after Steve struck the deal with him, etc...

The Route

Even though Australia is the worlds 'Smallest' Continent, its still a rather long drive at only 3,963 kms (2,446 miles!) door to door!

The following link shows the route: Google Maps - Sydney to Perth

This is actually our 2nd adventure!

Well you might have thought we would have learnt, as in Dec 2000 (pre-blogging days thank God!) we had a practise run (Californian Highway 1) on the US West coast from San Fransisco to LA.

Above a pic of Steve (much leaner now!) with our rental car and below me as Forrest Gump in Monterrey!?

Why?

Seemingly Land Rover's are no longer available in WA, something to do with the minerals boom? As a result the newly rich folk from WA now find wider choice (at reduced cost!) by instead trekking over to the Eastern States to buy up our new & pre-loved 4WD vehicles.

This is the case with a mate of mine from Perth, Steve Godding, who landed on my doorstep earlier this week announcing that he had bought a new Land Rover Discovery 3 SE from a dealership in Sydney.

Over one bottle of wine too many I somehow managed to offer to help him drive it back to Perth and what should follow is our little adventure!