First big trip

Hi Hugh n Cath,

Welcome to the forum!

And all the best for your first big trip. I think from a purely practical point of view that your rig sounds fine for your itinerary, and that reading here on the forum and the many useful blogs will have provided you with heaps of information.

What you won't find here though, and probably something you can only learn from experience, is the benefit of absorbing and experiencing, rather than just "seeing". People speak of "doing" the Canning or the Simpson as if they were talking of doing the washing up or the shopping. What a waste! Develop the habit of examining your surroundings, seeing the detail, and don't rush it. Watching the world flash by outside the car isn't very different from watching it on TV, and isn't much more rewarding. Aim to stop to experience the smell, the feel of the vegetation, the sand, walk on the gibbers and get down close for a low angle photo, note the intensity of the colours and how they vary with the angle of the sun, look so as to take in your surroundings with clarity as you never have before. This is subjective, personal, almost spiritual, in contrast with the pretty objective things you will have gained here and elsewhere. It's good to run a diary too, as it encourages you to review each day and record not just the day's happenings, but your responses to them. This refreshes and strengthens your enjoyment, and memory. It also helps develop your observation powers.

Have a great trip!

John

Hi hu & cath, I can only offer encouragement. Had I been as eloquent as John above
I would have said just what he said, in fact that response encapsulates why we should
travel....brilliant..John. On a more practical note, I can only suggest you restock food
& other essentials at a local level & dont cart heaps of consumables from home. The
small business operators in the isolated areas only survive by tourists spending. Sure
it costs a bit more but without such services outback travelling would be much more
ardous. Your rig should be fine..travel slowly..camp early..enjoy.....oldbaz.

As the others have said is good advice, oldbaz suggested you buy along the way and I agree with him, however fresh fruit & veg & bread is difficult to get in most remote places. As a wise man once said "there is no F in Tomatoes"

Enjoy, cheers Colin