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The Outback Way


Tolley

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We made the decision to include our Breville juicer as part of our equipment on our current trip as we enjoy fresh fruit and veg juice for breakfast. I'm assuming that juicing suitable fruit and veg prior to crossing the border is an acceptable alternative to binning the produce. Although the machine is a bit bulky, it fits nicely into a tub under the bed. Yesterday I made up a batch of pineapple, apple, grape, carrot, celery and ginger. Yummy stuff! Happy to juice for others as we approach the border. :D

I am pretty confident this is OK Lesley. Once, at the vey efficient Quarantine post at Kununurra, we had to peel our potatoes and carrots before they were allowed through. We also peeled and stewed our apples. Other stuff we had to hand over. We learnt.....

But at Laverton it will be self checking, and as long as there is no peel or soil on the items you are pretty safe I think. But check to be sure.

Chris

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Hello,

On Sunday next, 17 March, there will only be 75 days to go (74 and a wakie) before we depart from Winton on the start of our journey. Preparations, much a part of the fun, are being completed. Even our two companions, Moet and Cherie, are getting prepared. The photo shows them trying out their latex anti-bindie-prickle boots. Cherie, the black one, thinks she is "it and a bit" with these boots on! :D

Regards

Colin

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Hello Deb,

We purchased them online at:


/>http://www.petzympatico.com.au/Pawz-Dog-Boots-Waterproof-Reusable-Disposable-p/b-06w-paw.htm

Or have a look on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w49XybpaY2o

They are from the US, of course. Have a look at the video on the site I have given you. Our two took a couple of minutes to feel comfortable and then they were off, especially Cherie, the little toy poodle. She was tearing up and down the street showing off to everyone!

We, too, encountered bindies our west and spent forever getting them out. These work a treat!

Rehards

Colin

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Oh good grief!! :o

Cheers

Rick & Lea

Rick & Lea,

You are responsible for me splurting my coffee all over the white dog when I read your post. There is nothing like a good laugh to start the day!

Colin

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Hi Everyone

Just wondering who else will be bringing their furkids on the Outback Way? I know Moet and Cherie will be there and we are bringing Tibby. Good idea about the boots. Might have to look into them. Those ants are pretty mean when they bite!!

Cathy & Greg

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Hello Cathy and Greg,

Looks like Tibby, Moet and Cherie are the pup tag team. We will have to divide up their duties.

Moet, the white one, is the #1 boundary rider and is an expert rat catcher with the patience of Jobe. She was a great door bell but, being 13 years old, is a deep sleeper and may miss the odd intruder these days. :(

Cherie, the black one, normally has the role of chief crocodile killer and expert cattle dog but has re-trained for this trip as a camel and big red kangaroo herder. Being five years old she is in her prime as a door bell and night time movement detector. :D

So, what are Tibby's skills?

Regards

Colin

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello Cathy and Greg,

Looks like Tibby, Moet and Cherie are the pup tag team. We will have to divide up their duties.

Moet, the white one, is the #1 boundary rider and is an expert rat catcher with the patience of Jobe. She was a great door bell but, being 13 years old, is a deep sleeper and may miss the odd intruder these days. :(

Cherie, the black one, normally has the role of chief crocodile killer and expert cattle dog but has re-trained for this trip as a camel and big red kangaroo herder. Being five years old she is in her prime as a door bell and night time movement detector. :D

So, what are Tibby's skills?

Regards

Colin

HI Colin

Sounds like your furkids are very adept on the travel scene. Miss Tibby is fairly laid back and likes to take it pretty easy. She is 4 years old but is already in retired mode. You know - tired yesterday and retired today!!

On another subject though - does anyone take an extra gas bottle with them on these trips? In addition to the 2 we already carry on the TE, we were wondering if there might be a need to carry a 3rd?

Would also like some ideas on how to pack things for the trip over the corrugated roads. Having never travelled these roads previously I am not sure what to expect. I have seen some videos etc of other peoples travels but I am sure that the experienced travellers on this trip would have plenty of ideas for us newbies.

Thanks in advance for your comments

Cathy and Greg

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Hi Cathy and Greg

From our experience of corrugated travelling we haved learned that anything that can move sideways, up or down, WILL. During its movement, if it comes into contact with another object that is breakable, it WILL break. LOL. At best, if items can touch, expect them to finish with rub marks that make them look like they are 20 years old, not 3 months.

Take a look around your van and picture every item as a movable item, and when it moves, what will it come into contact with. We used a lot of non slip matting and foam. Even your knives and forks will rattle against each other and leave marks in your cutlery drawer divider, or fill it with a staining silver dust and mark all the cutlery. We have recently learned to wrap our cutlery in some non slip matting to prevent one touching another. Not a big exercise when you only carry a few of each item.

Initially when we start a corrugated road, we stop after a few klms to check the inside of the van. This will give you an early indication of any issues. ie, drawers opening, cupboard doors not latched properly etc. It is much better to discover these things after only a few klms than a few 100 klms.

In your pantry things will gain a life of their own. Jars will unscrew themselves and bottoms of items will wear thin. We once had the lid from a jar of coffee unscrew itself and spill the contents throughout the cupboard. A bit of a mess to try and clean up, particularly when you think you have got it all and then put a damp sponge to it to finished. We now either wrap tape around all the lids, or an easier option is the wrap a rubber band around the jar (length ways from top to bottom). If you've got a few rubber bands, put two on crossing them in 90 degree angles at the top. The tension of the rubber stops the lids from turning. Watch those tetra paks (particularly the long life milk). Constant up and down motion of those on a hard surface can put a hole in the bottom. This applies for the same tetra type paks in the fridge. Perhaps place them on something soft. You can never carry too much foam. Lucky it is light weight

We cut some pool noodles up and place these in any spaces in the fridge. This has stopped most things from moving around too much on the shelves. Of course the rubber band method applies in the fridge as well for screw top lids. For all our small jars that can break, we have them all grouped quite tightly together in a plastic container. (Just a low sided rectangular one does us). Something that will also fit in the fridge without too much movement. That way, if the garlic glass jar, or chutney jar decides to break, the mess is contained to the container and not the entire fridge.

Most of these methods have been born for us, out of a messy incident of some sort, that we can fortunately laugh about now. I'm sure there will be a few more, but as each one happens, we learn something new.

Oh, and don't forget your car fridge. I once had some bottles of Ginger Beer in the car fridge and Ann nicely packed some of her beer in between to try to keep it all nice and tight. Well, turns out that a serrated edged bottle top of a soft drink is a can's natural enemy. During the corrugated travel over the Gibb River Road, the beer cans danced around in a circular motion and ring barked themselves against the soft drink bottle top lids. Ann was not happy that she lost about 3 cans of beer in that short journey ! Beer makes a stinky mess to clean up in the bottom of a fridge too. Yuck. Don't know how people can drink that stuff. :lol:

There are a few different suggestions from people we have met regarding clothes jumping off the rail in the wardrobe and landing on the floor, but with our current van the rail is metal and has individual holes, so we don't seem to have that problem anymore.

While we're on the subject of clothes, if you have a washing machine in your van, be very very careful. Ours shrinks our clothes. Happens with every trip. I start out and everything fits fine, but by the time I get home, everything is 2 sizes too small. I have worked out it must be the washing machine's fault. Can't possibly be the 20 bakeries we have visited while we were away !!

If anyone can think of some more suggestions, please contribute as we are all going to learn a lot on this trip. I am looking forward to it.

See you in June !

Sue

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Hi Sue,

I have the same problem when I go on a cruise .... the bloody salt air shrinks my clothes :lol:;)

Have a great trip & a safe, happy easter to all!

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Great advice Sue (Webby)

Cathy & Greg

we also experienced the dreaded coffee jar & sugar spilling in cupboard whilst travelling along the GRR. :o

Even our spice jars that were in a basket still spilled their contents with lids rattling open.. I then placed electrical tape across each row of the spices.

We also had larger plastic containers of various sizes in cupboards & under the bed for liquid / pantry items that may eventually spill out. Some unused lids also acted as another precaution under the plastic containers... Cleaning up 2 litres of cordial that spills its entire contents after rubbing against a corner of another container is no fun. :rolleyes:

Re the extra gas bottle - if your fridge is like ours & is electrical only, then you shouldn't run out of gas with just 2 bottles. We only turned the gas on for a hot shower 10 mins before shower, the general cooking & heating water on the stove for morning coffee & washing up each night had our bottles last just about 3 months.

Hopefully others can give you an example how long their 9kg cylinder will last.

If you have any vents on the back of the van, gaffer tape them up too. (If this is the case, there is a cover that can be made to go over it, instructions are in hints & tips put up by Rod & Mavis)

Have a great trip

Sue

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Hello Cathy and Greg,

My apologies for not responding sooner. We have been out west at O'Briens Creek near Mt Surprise (Gulf Development Road) for six days over Easter. The NBN has not reached there yet!!

Webby and Sue have both given excellent advice borne from their extensive experience. We, too have had the odd learning experience (aka disaster) in the fridge with food items and I can relate to Webby's story about Ann's beer in a car fridge.

I find the two 9kg cylinders of gas are more than adequate. One bottle last a long time. Refills and swap and go system (which I use) are relatively common. My advice is to not even contemplate a third cylinder. Have you ever noticed how gas cylinders only ever run empty when you are using them? :D

I have found that the door and drawer latches in the van (we have those shown in the attached photo)can come loose as a consequence of the black locking not unscrewing. I now use silicon to bind the latch body, black locking nut and the door together. I just run a line of silicaon down the body across the back thingo and onto the timber door. BTW, the photo shows one of the latches that was not secured as described and came loose with the rusult that the crockery drawer ended up on the floor.

Hope this helps.

Regards

Colin

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Hi Colin and Everyone Else

Thanks for all your suggestions re the corrugated roads. We have not bought another gas bottle but was interested to hear what your thoughts might be on this. I am currently getting all my containers organised for pantry goods and Greg is going to look at the drawer and door locks as you have suggested.

Not too long to go now. We will be leaving home around mid May to get to Winton in time to meet up with everyone.

Cathy & Greg

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Quote - I am currently getting all my containers organised for pantry goods and Greg is going to look at the drawer and door locks as you have suggested.

Cathy, a tip is to try to stick to square containers for easier storage but you may already know this. We like the 'Lock N Lock' plastic airtight containers which are also able to go in microwave. Maybe do up a few pre-prepared cooked meals like a curry and freeze for those days of long travel and you're too tired to cook. :D

As the cutlery drawer can be quite heavy and the inertia build up over bad corregations can shake it loose or cause cutlery rub we put the drawer on the bed and pop it back in once we stop.

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Quote - I am currently getting all my containers organised for pantry goods and Greg is going to look at the drawer and door locks as you have suggested.

Cathy, a tip is to try to stick to square containers for easier storage but you may already know this. We like the 'Lock N Lock' plastic airtight containers which are also able to go in microwave. Maybe do up a few pre-prepared cooked meals like a curry and freeze for those days of long travel and you're too tired to cook. :D

As the cutlery drawer can be quite heavy and the inertia build up over bad corregations can shake it loose or cause cutlery rub we put the drawer on the bed and pop it back in once we stop.

Hi Ann

Yes I have some lock n lock but have ordered more. Have you already done this trip?

Cathy

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Hello Cathy and Jacky Jacky,

The containers suggested are great. A couple of years ago we invested in a cryovav (spelling?) machine. In the weeks before a trip we cryovav prepared meals and freeze them. We also take the machine with us in the van. Besides longevity of the food the big advantages is space saving in freezers and the fact that the cryovac'd packs cannot break or spill.

Also, the Fresh & Crisp re sealable storage bags we saw suggested elsewhere on this site are just great! We used them for the first time during our Easter trip. Got them in Coles.

Regards

Colin

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Hi Colin,

I think congratulations are in order...... You certainly have set a NEW record in the number of 'hits' (over7,000 & increasing daily) your/this thread has created.

How many days now till the trek takes off?

Regards to you and Gayleen & Mardi sends licks!

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Hi Colin,

I think congratulations are in order...... You certainly have set a NEW record in the number of 'hits' (over7,000 & increasing daily) your/this thread has created.

How many days now till the trek takes off?

Regards to you and Gayleen & Mardi sends licks!

Wow, they are impressive stats, congrats Colin, I'm sure your are all well into countdown mode and getting more than a little excited.

Cheers

John

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Hello Tony and John,

52 and a wakie! Who's counting?

Thank you for your thoughtful words but I don't think congratulations are due to me as it was never my intention to set a hits record. Congratulations are due to all our KOG members who have shown a great interest in this trip.

As a consequence of your comments I have looked back at my initial post. I had been wanting to make this trip for some time and thought, if I post my intentions I might get someone to join me. Might be a bit of fun as Gayleen and I have never travelled in company in our van. Well, we have thirteen vans some of which will only do one of the two parts of the trip. Just fantastic !

I cannot believe the interest that has been generated as reflected in the number of hits on this thread. If I had not moved a heap of administration and discussion emails off this site and onto a group email list, I reckon the total hits might well be in excess of 10k by now.

All we need now is some great weather, smooth roads and good luck (and a fair bit more organization) to make it a great trip which the participants and our fellow Koggers enjoy.

Tony, Cherie & Moët send return licks to Mardi.

Regards

Colin

PS. Don't tell them but I have a couple of little surprises for the participants ;)

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Hello Again,

It is not a record in any case as in Dec 2012 Pete &Tracey started a thread on Battery Charging and it has has over 10,000 hits. That does not surprise me as life in a van centres around what the batteries are doing.

Incidentally, there is some good stuff in that thread and I have noted it being referred to on the Caravaners Forum.

Regards

Colin

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Hi everyone,

Helen and I will be heading out to the Three Ways for 6 months work, leaving Hervey Bay soon and than Charleville about May 8th after the birth of another granddaughter and getting to the 3 way's by May 20th. We might catch up with some of you on our way through central Qld.

Have a great trip :)

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