My first big trip

Good on you Damien.

Don't worry about the cold. It's a good excuse to get a good fire going, or spend time in one of the ledgendary pubs you'll come across.

It sounds like you're going to have a great time.

Good luck and happy travels,
eighty matey

hey Damien,

What are you going to be sleeping in? Tent, swag, CT?

John

Hi Damien,
cold, and more cold and i do hear you on this............... i have picked up on a trick from one of the "members", get a good inverter and good aux battery set up and buy an electric blanket, plug it in about an hour before you need to hit the sack and the cold is far away from you .... they do not draw much power at all and will give you a really good nights sleep .......
Well worth the time eh..
The cold this year has hit us really early this year, it is freezing here now, this time last year it was still hot eh......
Cheers
Joe

Hi Damien
Good on you! Finally hitting the road - have a great trip and may it be just the first of many.

Re the cold, I learned a trick from fellow EO members a few years back when I was offered a 'cockle warmer'. You get a nice fire going, then grab a shovel of coals and put them under your camp chair. Not too many or you start to sizzle!

BTW nothing wrong with a Hilux ute. They are a tough truck,

Hope to hear more about your trip.

John

Hey Damian, hope you have a great trip, your bound to run into some cold weather, just grin and bare it! I'm way down in SW Qld and I reckon there is a frost here this morning. That just means we'll have a beautiful day. And your Hilux won't let you down I'm sure, Toyotas are the vehicle of choice for those that live and work in the bush. Cheers Zenonie

www.kilcowera.com.au

Anyone remember that technological genius that is the hot water bottle??? No inverters or batteries needed, just a burner/fire , jug and some water.
12 Deg cold???? Come to Tassie for winter or if you dare try Canberra through the next few months.

Damien
Have a great trip, dont worry about the cold, because you're doing something that you have wanted to do for some time, and hopefully enjoying it, you won't notice the cold.
Enjoy the outback.
Cheers
Baz

Thanks all for the ideas as I do really feel cold, I have lived in Cairns for 50 years now and have got acclimatised to the tropics.
I have a rooftop tent and a few quilts and -3deg sleeping bags.
My only other travels have been up here in the north, have still not done the Cape yet. Next year or even later this year I want to do the Kimberly and Tanami road.

That all will happen one day. See you on the road.

Damien

I can understand where you are coming from Damien - I also live in Cairns.

For those on the thread who don't understand, we who live in Paradise in tropical FNQ simply are not acclimatised to the southern (and desert) temperatures. Many of us don't even own a jacket or sweatshirt!

Damien, you are going to freeze out west! You need to get some thermal underware for under the jeans, flannelette shirts, a decent jacket, thick sox, and an Akubra for your head. It is surprising how much warmer you will be with something that keeps your brain warm. Go to the new NORTHFACE store in Spence street and get some thermals to start with.

A good swag with a minus 10 rated sleeping bag at least.

My first trip into the Simpson I only had 2 tropical sleeping bags (one inside the other) and I FROZE!! Minus 8 on several nights was too cold to sleep! Ended up around the fire all night!

My wife and I now have reverse lambskin 3/4 length jackets, gloves, beanies etc for the times we venture away from FNQ. We have experienced minus 18 C in Nevada (same as in our deep freezer) . After 20 minutes or so at that temperature it feels like your nose and ears will snap off, and breathing becomes difficult as your lungs start to freeze.

Go for it fella, you will have a great time.

Damien

Have a great trip, I’m sure you’ll have so much fun you’ll forget how cold it is. We will be out that in ‘The Landy’ from end June, so we’ll keep an eye out for you...

Cheers, The Landy

Got anti freeze/ radiator protectant in your vehicle radiator?

Damien,

don't forget the bedsox, gloves and a BEANIE...

Have a great trip.

Heading South is one way all you tropical locals can discover what real FRESH air is all about.Not the stuff you can nearly swim through. :)

Go for it Damien

There's always the chance that your blood may start to thicken. My only suggestion is that you get there via Canberra (-3 this morning), and then from here it gets warmer.

And the Hilux - no worries there.

Cheers
John

Hi!
Enjpy yourself and have a great time. Here is my suggestions, thermal underware, a good beanie not just a woollen knitted one but one that has a lining, get a blanket or an old sheepskin to line your camping cgair with so your back doesnt get cold, warm socks and gloves once again not woollen ones, Hope this helps
barb

Hi Damien,
I'm doing much the same as you, setting up Nissan and van over a couple of years then taking long service with a mind to retiriing.
My brother in law mentioned I might want to wait until i got back before retiring.
His thinking is, if you get injured or have any sort of accident while away at least if you have sickies owing at work you will still have something to fall back on for a while.
Neil.