Crossing The Simpson with Kids
Submitted: Monday, Mar 02, 2009 at 11:35
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aeiou
Dear Forumites,
I have an opportunity to join a 4 day / 3 night WEST to EAST crossing of the
Simpson desert in AUGUST. I will be with a few other very experienced vehicles. I am wondering the suitabilty for a family of 4 with 2 boys aged 5 and 3.
I am not sure to go now in 2009 or wait a few more years when the kids are older?
I assume that over 4 days the driving should not be too hectic and we will have time for the kids to run and play and take in some awesome sights. this crossing will be at the end of a 4 week
Sydney to
Alice Springs trip, ending at the
Birdsville races then
home.
all your thoughts appreciated.
Reply By: Member - Ingo57 (NSW) - Monday, Mar 02, 2009 at 14:11
Monday, Mar 02, 2009 at 14:11
Gday mate
IMHO Do It!!!!!
My boy was almost two when he first went across and now he loves looking back at the pictures of in his words "When I was little".
Since then we have been bush all over the place and last year did another crossing with his 9 month old sister and he had a ball.
I cant describe the look on my little girls face when she saw a camel in
the desert for the first time....Priceless!!!!
Sure she probably doesnt remember it now, but it etches a little something into the little minds each time they see something unusual.
My boy is now almost 5 and the little bloke gets so excited If we mention going camping.
Its great character building for little ones to experience travel this fantastic country of ours, they learn so much more about the simple things in life and helps them appreciate the mod cons at
home more.
We have the BEST COUNTRY in the WORLD, take em out there and show em!!!
Cheers
AnswerID:
351860
Reply By: The Landy - Monday, Mar 02, 2009 at 15:48
Monday, Mar 02, 2009 at 15:48
Howdy
Our
young bloke has been across the Simpson a couple of times, once as a single vehicle and he was around 3 & 4 at the time. We paid particular attention to dealing with an emergency given the remoteness of the area.
Have a very good form of communications and a plan in the case the children have a medical emergency as their condition can deteriorate very quickly. Your choices could be limited, but make sure you have a
well equipped medical kit, and possibly consider organising one from the RFDS. Dehydration in
young children, especially in the case of diarrhoea or the like is a big issue and one you should go equipped to deal with.
Good luck and enjoy the trip.
AnswerID:
351867
Reply By: ian - Monday, Mar 02, 2009 at 16:43
Monday, Mar 02, 2009 at 16:43
aeiou,
I have taken my kids lots of
places since they were very
young. Mostly they won't really enjoy the trip as much as other things you could do with them, but you have to have dreams fulfilled as
well.
They will remember very little. Show them phots and they will think they remember. It is pretty hard with kids.
Take your time, stop regularly when they need to, keep them
well watered and entertained and it will be OK. Kids songs, kids dvd, etc. The alternative is misery for everyone.
You have to be realistic, but it is do-able.
Ian
AnswerID:
351876
Reply By: Member - Richard H (NSW) - Monday, Mar 02, 2009 at 17:18
Monday, Mar 02, 2009 at 17:18
I've taken a couple of my grandchildren across, I have done it three times.
If you are starting at
Dalhousie Springs, take their togs and a couple of towels as you can swim there, or you could. No doubt someone can confirm this.
Another thing about Dalhousie is the brown hawks. They are specially trained to take food out of your hands whilst you are eating it. Watch the kids, though these birds are extremely accurate it is frightening, even for an adult on the first occasion you loose your lunch sandwich.
Also at night the bloody
dingo's make a noise. They howl, and it will scare kids, I had two trying to get into my sleeping bag.
My lot really enjoyed it, except for the
dingo's. If you want a fire I suggest that you take some firewood with you. We had to get ours out of a creek near
Hamilton.
It was cold at night, typical desert weather, so decent sleeping bags are the go. On the last occasion we didn't put our tents up and swagged it. They thought that it was great!
AnswerID:
351882
Reply By: Dean - Tuesday, Mar 03, 2009 at 13:16
Tuesday, Mar 03, 2009 at 13:16
The kids will have a ball.
Everyone, kids and all will wind right down. You are so removed from the rest of the world its fantastic.
We took ours across last year, 6 & 8. Am going again this year.
Our 2 have been to the
Gold Coast twice and rate this a far better trip.
They have camping since 3 months old so its not surprising.
Dean
AnswerID:
351997