**UPDATE**
*So the below didn’t happen at all! We purchased a car – it died just like our experience in NZ, and rather than go through the pain of trying to find a new car and kit it out for Desert driving, we decided to go to Bali.*
Currently I am in Australia and have a plan with my Girlfriend to do some pretty extensive travel. Problem is, I have no money – long story (will add details to this one soon!). So whilst she is here on the work/travel visa, I am here rebuilding my bank account.
I’m actually just about to start a full time job as a bus driver for Sydney busses. So, that’ll give me a bit of job security and a decent income which will go a LONG way to aiding my future travel plans. I also get a new challenge, learn something entirely different and come out of the process with a Heavy Vehicle licence. Sweet!!
In the meantime, we have a started working on a plan to travel across the Simpson Desert in Australia
come September.
This is actually as big and scary a task as it sounds! The Simpson Desert is almost dead centre of Australia and covers just approx 176500km². Best thing about it: It is the Worlds Largest sand dune desert even beating out those in the Middle East! It will take about 4 days to drive across, but even then, we have to get there first – and that will take a few days of driving. We’ll need plenty of food and water (7 litres per person per day, on top of an emergency supply of at least 7 another days) spare fuel, special mounted sand flags on the car, CB Radios, as well as all the necessary camping gear on top of emergency spare parts for the car. Fortunately we’ll be going with friends who are 4-wheel driving enthusiasts and already have a number of bush bashing camp trips under their collective belts.
First things first though, getting a car. Its looking like we’ll be going for something along the lines of a Toyota Hilux Turbo Diesel as they’re the most reliable for this kind of trek. I’m kind of looking forward to the whole thing, but with a fair bit of anxiety as well. We have only just arrived in Australia, I haven’t started work just yet and I am rather broke. Still, we have to start planning it now because i know just how quickly time flies and before we know it we’ll be driving over the dunes into the sunset!
Bring on the Adventures!
Here’s some links to some great Simpson Desert resources:
