Merindee Loop in Nothern Territory

Sand Man - are you sure of that spelling - or is it Mereenie Loop Road



A J

Just so this thread is of use to anyone doing a search (currently replying on a thread about searches).

Mereenie Loop


Mh

Sorry AJ - you posted while i was typing.

Yeah good one guys, I f****d up.

Serve me right:-))

Just realised that you won't if you are going to Darwin! DOH

thanks Motherhen,
be in Darwin soon and thanks again for all you help

Enjoy the trip Carl - you are moving fast. I hope to tour the region north of Alice next winter.

Mh

Hi Lotzi

Trouble is - you may be coming the other way with those Britz drivers out there on the road. They should have warning signs on the road for "Fritz in Britz" more often than the ones for camels.

I wonder too, about whether the hirer had his life ruined by having to pay for replacement when it happens on a dirt road - or is this allowed in their hire contracts?

Motherhen

Motherhen,
Britz/Maui do hire some campers that are permitted on dirt roads - the ones based on Troopy type design, with lift up tops. The non-4WD ones, bigger campers etc are restricted to bitumen roads, although that rule is slightly relaxed where the only reasonable place to stay in a long stretch is on a SHORT, good nick gravel road. Thus they don't make a fuss about somewhere like 80Mile Beach.
We were camped at ElQuestro in 2007, when 2 of the big motorhome type campers came in - and the water crossing was running fairly high. A family member with us was on a short holiday from - you guessed it, the job with Britz/Maui!!. Next day, saw same vehicles go back through the water twice, to go sightseeing - and then have a problem with a rock stuck between the dual wheels. At that, family member got cross and reported them on the system - so that if/when they came in with water damage etc, they would be nailed.

G'day Motherhen and Wendy

Well Motherhen, I had a real good chuckle re Fritz in Britz, I have heard a number of other terms, but not that one...lol

There are many stories re where the Britz and other vehicles go, but on a lot of occasions, because of the insurance package sold and the swipe of a card, the customer is given another vehicle as soon as possible and fight about it later.

But while many stories, both good and bad can be told about the Europeans and their driving habits, in real terms they are not much different to the dinky di Oz, just that they do love getting out here, in the most very caring about the environment and marvel at the vastness of good ol Oz, just can be a little different to communicate with.
Cheers
Lotzi

Hi Lotzi

I know people hire the troopy type to do the Gibb River Road but don't know all the stipulations. I thought that normal hire allowed you onto the dirt to access a campsite, but not to travel on dirt roads otherwise. Every time i see a wrecked hire vehicle, i think someone has probably lost half their house - or certainly well and truly ruined their holiday at the very least.

"Fritz in Britz" has been around the traps for yonks - most likely invented by someone here!

And yes, you probably meet one 'idiot' Aussie driver most days too.


Mh

G'day Motherhen

I see where your heading with access to campsite... there used to be at all the Britz office's a couple of photo's of damaged vehicles and text on the wall behind the counter explaining to the customer the need for further increased insurance cover.

I am aware that most customers were known to take this out, on the exchange rate it converted to a reasonable rate. With this extra cover it gave the customer another vehicle in the event of accident or breakdown, that's why Britz staff were found running all over the country delivering vehicles to stranded customers, this is also why a couple of major hire companies are out of the 4wd hire vehicle market.

I haven't read the terms of hire contracts, but in general, 4wd's can travel on unsealed roads, standard vehicles to sealed roads, unless otherwise stated.

The guy's on the ferry on the Daintree were known to keep an eye out and let the hire companies know which vehicles travelled on the ferry, as the hire companies were suffering very expensive repair bills on their fleet.

But it doesn't matter whether I've been on the Plenty, Tanami, GRR, Mereenie, Oodnadatta or Telegraph, you still see all sorts of these hire vehicles running around.

Seeming that I live a sheltered life, just a mushroom, nope hadn't heard that 'Fritz from Britz' ...but damm I wish I thought of it, but I am just a funguy...
Cheers Mother

Lotzi

A lot of fungi here Lotzi - the clever humour is the only thin that keeps me sane (well nearly sane).

Sorry Carl - I hope the email notifications are clogging you usage time.

'Nuf said

Cackles and chuckles

Mh

MH

Don't wet ya self, season nilly startin, then there is some giggles.

Lotzi

Gday Stephen,
Too true! One persons good road isn't necessarily another's.
We come across a family at Kings Canyon years ago who were asking us directions to the Boggy Hole track which I started giving.....When they told us it took them a full day to get down the Ernest Giles road because they had to keep it in low we decided advising them that Boggy was a good track wasn't such a good idea!
LOL

Cheers

Totally agree

Once again totally agree

I agree, but on this trip I have made some very good friends with the "Britz" folks, see them every night now , in fact , the Aussies travelling are very few and far between, the French seem to be in front right as far as numbers are concerned, but then its 39 degrees everyday right now in Alice!!!
what they say" only mad dogs and English/ French / Germans/ etc in the midday sun!!!

Good on ya!!! listening to that takes me back to the Pilbara days in the 70's!!!!!