Wrong time to go anywhere?

Submitted: Friday, Oct 17, 2008 at 21:44
ThreadID: 62646 Views:3280 Replies:12 FollowUps:13
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I am amazed at the number of people still travelling in the warmer weather.
Yes, at my age I'm a sook. I feel the hot, the cold and the humid.
And at the moment, the rain.
When it rains you can slide off track and get very bogged.
When it's hot , even the slightest movement seems to exhaust.
When it's humid...well we all know about suicide month in Darwin.
And yet the roads are full of 4wds pulling their c/t's going somewhere.
Not all are off to Fraser or a nice shady spot of fishing along the coast. Some will have red dirt on em when they return.
People are still travelling, despite it almost being the Wet and the Hot.
I've been out a few times around Xmas and swore never to return at that time of the year. I yearned for air con and a cold drink. Now both are standard, but you still have to survive the drive.
Notice that I havent asked how they can actually afford the fuel :)

Things are so much easier and nicer when it's a bit cooler. Not to mention safer.
Obviously I've missed some dramatic improvement in 4wd technology that negates the seasons.
Seems like only yesterday since I was agog at someone having a heated van. Now it seems that air con must be standard in new c/t's.
But what about when they actually get out of the vehicle ?
Even the locals stay indoors and still as much as possible during the heat.
Perhaps Global Warming means all that's changed.
Ain't technology wonderful ?



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Reply By: Member - Duncs - Friday, Oct 17, 2008 at 22:36

Friday, Oct 17, 2008 at 22:36
I was in the Strezlecki Desert in December a few years ago. Found a shady spot with a swimming hole and had it all to myself.

Yeah! I'd do it again.

Duncs
AnswerID: 330447

Reply By: Member - Dick (Int) - Friday, Oct 17, 2008 at 22:47

Friday, Oct 17, 2008 at 22:47
I think they are able to do these trips in the higher temps because the vehicle keeps running and the air con keeps working. If faced with a bogged or broken down vehicle and no aircon you have all the ingredients for a tragedy.

The negative about travelling in the hotter months in remote area's is that there is much less likeyhood of another vehicle coming along to help you.

Cheers
Dick







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Follow Up By: Member - Footloose - Saturday, Oct 18, 2008 at 11:36

Saturday, Oct 18, 2008 at 11:36
Run out of fuel or water, take a wrong turn in the desert, and then you really know that it's the wrong time.
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Reply By: Willem - Friday, Oct 17, 2008 at 22:48

Friday, Oct 17, 2008 at 22:48
Go to Europe, Footy

Plenty of snow there to keep you cool

Here in the deep south it only starts getting really hot the 2nd week in January. Up to then we could have days in the high 30's but this is mainly around Xmas. After this last winter I am not going to complain about summer again.

Off on a trip next week and should be home by mid November.


Cheers
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Follow Up By: Member - Footloose - Friday, Oct 17, 2008 at 22:54

Friday, Oct 17, 2008 at 22:54
Eorope ? No thanks, well acquainted with the cold there thanks. Drove 5000miles in 5 weeks during Xmas time there, pleased to get home.
Son is working in Norway at the moment. It's dark, cold and wet. He rekkons it's time to come home. LOL
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Follow Up By: Hairy (NT) - Saturday, Oct 18, 2008 at 03:37

Saturday, Oct 18, 2008 at 03:37
Hey Willem,
I reckon Footy has joined Kims club???
Its all too bloody something?
Maybe they're getting old Hahahah ya old bastards...

Cheers
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Follow Up By: Member - Footloose - Saturday, Oct 18, 2008 at 11:21

Saturday, Oct 18, 2008 at 11:21
And that Alice bloody Springs is TOO far away for me to nick round to Hairy's place and .....
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Reply By: greybeard - Friday, Oct 17, 2008 at 23:33

Friday, Oct 17, 2008 at 23:33
a couple of years ago ( well, about 23 to be a bit closer to truth ;) ) we spent christmas at innamincka. it was tad hot, but with a determined attitude to fluid intake and a wallow in the cooper every 15-20 minutes, it was a fantastic experience.
it may have been the choice of fluid that made it so memorable ( beer if a recall :) ) but it was a great time.
last year we did a week in broome in early november, used the same technique with fluids and substituted the pool at cable beach for the cooper ( but i was drinking coopers pale to keep in the spirit of things ). no crowds, great time.
don't, be afraid to go 'out of season'. just be prepared for the conditions.
AnswerID: 330463

Follow Up By: Member - Footloose - Saturday, Oct 18, 2008 at 11:42

Saturday, Oct 18, 2008 at 11:42
There's a POOL at Cable Beach ? I wonder why I didn't spot it? My attention must have been elsewhere :)))))))
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Follow Up By: greybeard - Saturday, Oct 18, 2008 at 12:20

Saturday, Oct 18, 2008 at 12:20
there is a pool at cable beach resort, and they deliver drinks to you as well :)
all you have to do is sign the piece of paper....






and then pay the tab at the end of your stay :(
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FollowupID: 598118

Follow Up By: Member - Footloose - Saturday, Oct 18, 2008 at 12:22

Saturday, Oct 18, 2008 at 12:22
Obviously you were well prepared for the "conditions" LOL
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Reply By: Anthony (Vic) - Friday, Oct 17, 2008 at 23:35

Friday, Oct 17, 2008 at 23:35
Yes, when its hot .... the locals comment on it ... and when you jump out of the 4wd the heat hits you in the face .... but, there are fewer CTs & 4WDs on the road and in the camps.

It's hot ... but I sure enjoyed it.
AnswerID: 330465

Reply By: Member - Michael O (NSW) - Saturday, Oct 18, 2008 at 06:47

Saturday, Oct 18, 2008 at 06:47
Did the Oodnadatta Track late one November and the highlight was three wonderful days at Algebuckina all by ourselves.

Had an old Subaru with no aircon...

Sure it was hot. But dangerous? No way.

Preparation is the key. And a sense of humour.
AnswerID: 330488

Follow Up By: Member - Footloose - Saturday, Oct 18, 2008 at 11:44

Saturday, Oct 18, 2008 at 11:44
I was there mid December one year. Dangerous ? Only if you ran out of fuel or water, had a breakdown or puncture or took a wrong turn.
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Reply By: Member - Andrew (QLD) - Saturday, Oct 18, 2008 at 10:12

Saturday, Oct 18, 2008 at 10:12
Hot at the moment??? sheez, toughen up footy! :-)

Some people may not have a choice as to when they can go, as was the case when we went to the Flinders in January a couple years ago.

Go in winter and the nights are bloody cold, go in summer and the days are damn hot...one cannot win.

If there has been some rain around recently, this may actually make the trip more worthwhile than any other time of the year.

Whilst it may get hot, with some adequate preparation, there is no reason that one cannot enjoy their trip.

Andrew
AnswerID: 330513

Follow Up By: Member - Footloose - Saturday, Oct 18, 2008 at 11:33

Saturday, Oct 18, 2008 at 11:33
You young fellas don't know what hot is.
When it's so hot that you drive across country to shoo the cows out from under the only tree for miles, and then the flies getcha.
When it's so hot the kids get a touch of sunstroke.
When it's so hot you get sick from drinking too much water.
When its so hot, and a dust storm follows you around so that you can't wind the windows down.
When its so hot that the publican shoos your kids into the pub because he's worried about em being left for 10mts in the shade outside and in the car.
When it's too hot at night to sleep...for weeks on end and you have a full days driving tomorrow.
When you get a puncture and it's a days job to fix it in between drinks.
When it's so hot that a grass fire erupts without warning because of a shard of glass thrown by a careless traveller.
When you finally get home and you've been dreaming of a nice cool sleep, only to find a two week heatwave in progress.
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Follow Up By: Member - Andrew (QLD) - Sunday, Oct 19, 2008 at 18:37

Sunday, Oct 19, 2008 at 18:37
ROFLMAO, good one....i won't complain again :-)

Andrew
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Reply By: Member - Doug T (NT) - Saturday, Oct 18, 2008 at 10:21

Saturday, Oct 18, 2008 at 10:21
Footloose
Can you imagine the gridlock if everyone went at the same time,
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AnswerID: 330518

Follow Up By: Member - Footloose - Saturday, Oct 18, 2008 at 11:19

Saturday, Oct 18, 2008 at 11:19
Doug, doesn't matter what time I go there always seems to be a gridlock these days :((
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FollowupID: 598092

Reply By: MEMBER - Darian (SA) - Saturday, Oct 18, 2008 at 11:50

Saturday, Oct 18, 2008 at 11:50
Yep - some people travel into the heat unknowingly, but there are others that think nothing of it too - the actually enjoy the higher heat levels - not for me though. BTW - was just lpoking over a few VKS737 sked sheets from various bases - for example, we have members up around Hall's creek / Derby (38 today) and on the lower Tanami Track (36) - Broome was near on 42 a week or two back ...........
AnswerID: 330533

Follow Up By: Hairy (NT) - Saturday, Oct 18, 2008 at 12:05

Saturday, Oct 18, 2008 at 12:05
Gday,
I heard some yanks winging about the heat today??????
Luck they wont be here for summer!

Cheers
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FollowupID: 598112

Reply By: Member - lyndon K (SA) - Saturday, Oct 18, 2008 at 12:05

Saturday, Oct 18, 2008 at 12:05
Well i'm in Darwin at the moment sleeping in a Tvan, no aircon. Yeah it's a bit sticky, big deal. Have a HUGE fan running at night though.
Cheers Lyndon
Now is the only time you own
Decide now what you will,
Place faith not in tomorrow
For the clock may then be still

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AnswerID: 330536

Follow Up By: Member - Footloose - Saturday, Oct 18, 2008 at 12:28

Saturday, Oct 18, 2008 at 12:28
We slept in a tent in Darwin. So hot that we used to visit the air con shops or the library most of the day.
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Reply By: austastar - Saturday, Oct 18, 2008 at 14:55

Saturday, Oct 18, 2008 at 14:55
Spent a January day in the airconditioned war memorial in canberra just to escape the heat for one day till we could get to the coast.
AnswerID: 330555

Reply By: Member - Royce- Saturday, Oct 18, 2008 at 17:45

Saturday, Oct 18, 2008 at 17:45
Kinda the same logic, is why go to Tassie in Winter.
Answer.... cos it's still beautiful and you get some lovely days.

I did a trip north a couple of years ago around this time and suffered from the heat..... but loved it as the evening hit and I gave myself a dose of VB, with my feet dangling in Brother-in-law's pool.

Another consideration though, is that a real tourist wants to experience parts of Oz in all its seasons.

I remember getting out of the car in Kunnanurra... IT WAS HOT!... So hot we reckon we had to chew the air to breath it. We walked for about 3 minutes and decided that we would visit again some other day. That was about 12 years ago. Haven't managed to get back still. I also remember that NOONE was about the place, even though it was about 11am weekday..
AnswerID: 330589

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