A French Land Rover couple on a world 4WD/cooking tour arrive shortly

There are numerous outlets, some of them even associated with this forum, capable of supplying whatever they need. Or do they expect freebies because they are French?
Cheers

A story on them from Dubai:

Chris,

My B_I_L is good friends with the chef off one of the 4wd shows aired on the community TV stations like Briz 31 up here in Brissy. If you want I can make a few calls to see if that 4wd TV show may be interested in having them on their show or not? I don't know how possible this would be but we will never know if I don't ask.
I will get on the blower now and get back to you.

Cheers Trevor.

Chris .

What model Landy is it,?? looks like a 130 96mod ?? surely one of our famous landy dealers will help out!! 1Ltr of oil maybe? Hope all goes well for them,Gutsy move to make.

Cheers Axle

Gee Mate!
O.K These people are doing a great round the world trip and for that I do admire them, however, I can't help think that they are laying it on a bit asking for free services, bullbars and what ever else. I mean to say, just how hard is it to do a worls trip on charity? From the little information to hand I get the impression that this couple think they are the first to take a 4WD outside of europe.

Once again I do admit that it's a great trip to do on a shoestring budget but then how many others have done the same or similar on even less but with no publicity and no freebies.

Just how dificult has their trip been? Has it been as stenuous as some the really "off the map" Australian trips that have been publicised on this forum.

Now how do I get sponsorship for my October holiday from Sydney to Kempsey? Before everyone jumps on the forum and starts to have a piece of me just let me state that it's all relative to the length of the trip.These guys are driving around the world and want heaps, I'm just travelling to Stuarts Point on the other side of Kempsey so I reckon someone around Taree might sponsor my wife and I for lunch, it would be comparable to a 60k service, bullbar etc; now I may not write up my memoirs but I will take a photo or two of the lunch.

Yes! Tongue in cheek but only just, I still think it's looking like a case of "No hide, no Christmas Box".

Ian W
Ian

I'm sure that they will have a great time. It would be interesting to see if they intend to use some bush tucker in their recipes. I'm afraid that I'm a bit like Crocodile Dundee when it comes to bush tucker :))

OK - here is Robert & Martine's 1st draft of their itinerary. If you see that you might be in an area as they pass through on or around the dates they are thinking of, please let me know. This is only a draft - so any input would be much appreciated. We are looking to "do-ability", so some dates and distances, given the season may or may not be viable.

Sorryt about the format here, but you can download their original document file for here: www.omaroo.net/documents/AUSTRA-itin1.rtf

Cheers
Chris

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
City / Nat. Park - planned stay or transfer trip - duration approx. arriv leave date other visits in the area via way points (approx GPS)
> todo's, remarks approx km
+ transf
* visit

Perth - 5 days Sept, 00-00 Nambung NP >car Aquis and Customs clearance km 42 000
transf - 3days +800
Shark Bay Marine Park - 2d *100
transf - 2d +600
Ningaloo Marine P, Exmouth - 2d *100
transf - 2d +700
Karijini NP - 3d desert wildflowers blooming ! *150
transf - 1d +300
Newman (main rd 95)
transf - 6d See Xing-Gibson detailed doc. +1200
Warburton (S22 E127) - min 1d See Xing-Gibson detailed doc.
transf - 4d See Xing-Gibson detailed doc. +800
Uluru Ayers Rock - min 5d +41 days
OCT, 10 Kata Tjuta, Kings Canyon, Henbury Meteorites Conservation reserve > oil change around 48 000 km *500
km 48 000
transf - 1d +200
Eridunda or Kulgera (main rd 87) 1d 01/10/11 Chambers Pillar Historical reserve
transf - XXXXXXXXXXXX 5d See Xing-Simpsondetailed doc. +800
Birdsville (S26° E139°) - 1d Oct, 17-18
transf - 3d via Durrie, Windorah, Stonehenge +800
Longreach-1d Oct 21-22 Qantas' hangar, Hall of Fame
transf - 2d +600
Carnavon NP- 4d Oct 24-28
transf - 2d via Anakie, Rubyvale, Dipperu NP +500
Mackay - 5d Oct30-Nov 4 visiting the area and Great Barrier Reef MP
transf - 4d +1000
Brisbane - 10d Nov 8-18 visiting the area *600
TRIP ABROAD TO SE Asia
Brisbane Jan 5-6 km 51 500
transf - 3d +900
Sydney & NSW - 21d Jan 9-Jan 30 visiting the area *800
transf - 2d +300
Narooma - 10 Feb 1- 11 Oomaroo, fun w friends ! visiting the area *600
transf -2d +800
Melbourne & Victoria - 10d Feb, 13-23 visiting the area *600
transf - 1d
Tasmania - 10d Mar, 24-Apr 4 visiting the area *1000
transf - 4d +700
Adelaide - 7d Apr 8- 15 visiting the area >service 60 000 km
replace Shoks, tyres, brake pads *500
km 57 800
transf - 5 d +1300
Nullarbor - 5d April 20-25
transf - 7d Xing Great Victoria Desert trip to be detailed +900
Fregon (S27 E132) - 1d May 2-3
transf 3d +600
Alice Springs - 6d May 6- 12
transf 6d Xing Tanami Desert to be detailed via Truer Range +700
Tanami (S20 E130) - 1d May 18-19
transf 4d via Billiluna, Sturt Creek, Gordon downs, Turner River +600
Purnululu NP - 6d May 23-29 *300
transf 15d via Kununurra Nature reserve, Gregory NP +1300
Darwin - 3d Jun 15-18 *100
TRIP ABRAOD TO INDONESIA Jun 18-Jul 19
Darwin - 5d Jul 20-25 *200
transf 15 d via Ngukum, Borrolooia, Westmoraland, Doomadgee, Burketown +1700
Karumba -3d Aug 10-13
transf 8d via Staaten River NP, Dunbar, Gamboola +1200
Mapoon -1d Aug 21-22
transf 2d +300
Rokeby NP -3d Aug 24-27 *200
transf 1d +200
Lakefield NP -3d Aug 28-31 Split Rock
transf -1d +200
Cooktown
transf 2d +200
Cairns - 10d Sept 7-17 > oil change km 68000
transfer
Brisbane or Sydney according to the
port of shipment of the car oct or nov

OK - Sponsorships to date:

1) Engine Saver Low Water Alarms, QLD - low water alarm system (From AULRO & ExplorOz)

2) Les Richmond Automotive, VIC - Melbourne 60,000km service (through 4WD TV)

3) Narva, VIC - set of spotlights (through 4WD TV)

4) Brothers Custom Vehicles, QLD - custom-built front bar (through AULRO) This bar will be auctioned off on the AULRO website after the trip, and proceeds will go to the website and members. Thanks Glen!

4WDTV - I would like to thank them SO much for their incredible enthusiasm for this project, and help in sourcing sponsors. Good one Simon! :)

Latest correspondence - and the Australian sponsor page on their website: www.kookynet.net/252.html

Dear Chris and Jenny,

Our Australia sponsors’ page is now on line ! Check it out !
We shall let sponsors know ourselves that this is up and running.

Did you get a chance of reading some of our earlier newsletters ? If you did, we hope that you found it of interest somehow.

You have done so much for us, your help has been incredibly generous and efficient. In French, we say about people like you that they can‘move mountains’and you have been doing just that for us. Our gratitude is beyond words, and not just as far as our command of English goes, we are at a loss for words in French as well.

Now that our sponsors’ page is online, we relish at the thought of letting know some of the British LRO here in Dubai what a welcome we have received from you Aussies. A far cry from their comments as to what to expect, us being foreigners and all ! They meant well of course, trying to protect us from disappointments but boy, were they proved wrong !!

This is a quick update on how things are going for us :

- We feel our feet are in the starting blocks as our excitement is growing everyday. Can’t wait to get Down Under !

- A friend in Dubai has let us borrow his Serie III Ambulance so that we can move about in style. We would not dream of driving anything but a Land
Rover, would we ??
Photo attached with lovingly proud owner Thierry



-The ship with our container is currently encountering rough sea conditions and is running late from scheduled ETA in Kuala Lumpur Wednesday. Since the window for it to catch on to the next ship heading to Fremantle is only 6 to 9 hours , we are not certain at the moment that our container will be on the ship arriving August 28. Today is a holiday in Dubai so we will only be able to have a clear update on this matter by tomorrow Tuesday.

- We have been getting some input from various sources as to how much time it may take in WA to clear vehicle from Quarantine : this process could apparently take up to 2 weeks…Ouch ! Last Thursday, we emailed to Rich (KIE4) who is alledgedly going through this ordeal at the moment to have some details, but we have not heard from him.

- We have been painfully trying to figure out in what sequence the whole clearing process is conducted. It seems so complex that we are considering getting assistance from an agent. We have asked Nick (loanrangie) who is a customs broker in Melbourne, to point us to their contact in Fremantle/Perth but no news since our last email exchange last Friday.

- During this foreseen waiting period without our vehicle, finding people to accept to host us is becoming a real challenge. Richard, our contact through LandRover Brotherhood had previously offered help but the timing could not be worse since he just got a baby. Also in the past, we relied several times on a webclub called couchsurfing.com, but this site is blocked in the Emirates for ‘moral’ reasons as it is considered a dating site… We were thinking that maybe only one of us could come first. It might be easier to ask for hospitality for one person instead of two.

So this is where we are at the moment. We will keep you posted as to how all these subjects develop in the coming days.

Cheers,
Martine and Robert

Hi Chris,

Positive news on the "Celebrity Chef" style interview with the 4wd show up here. Round 3 of the QLD winch challenge on up at Landcruiser Park is happening around the same time as Robert and Martine are due to be here in Brisbane and that was a suggested date to try and catch up with them, by those involved in the show. This also may give the "tourists" an indication on how mad some Aussies can get when thrown behind the wheel of a 4b? I will pass on the kookynet.net website but is there another way to get in touch with them (is there an email addy on their website??). I will find it if it's on their website.
The chef I was talking about is also driving in this winch challenge so I don't know how they intend on working a TV segment into what would be a busy weekend but that is not for me to comment or judge on.
I am not a "Land Rover" man but I do not judge people by their mode of transport and would welcome any opportunity to meet with Robert and Martine on their travels through Brisbane. If they end up getting up to Landcruiser Park for the winch challenge, there is every chance I will be able to share a story around a campfire with them, which I would most enjoy.
I will MM you with my contact details if they are interested in progressing this opportunity further.

Regards, Trevor.