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Up the guts with Baby guts

September - November 2022
Dad and his son who are computer hackers hit the road away from their normal lives. Read more
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  • Chris RockUp the guts with Baby guts

    2 Days till D-Day

    September 23, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    We are two days out from setting sail, first stop Adelaide. The last of the packing has commenced and is underway, with food and bedding left to go. Car is full of fuel and water. Cant wait to hit the road.Read more

  • Chris RockUp the guts with Baby guts
    Day 1

    First Stop Adelaide

    September 25, 2022 in Australia ⋅ 🌧 12 °C

    And we are off. Aslan and I left this morning at 10am, nearly on schedule. Today was a driving day. The goal was to hit Hahndorf, a small-town East of Adelaide and we arrived 7hrs and change later. Aslan is the best traveller, he was offered stops along the way but was just happy to be on the road, with the destination goal. You don't realise how much farming land is in Victoria and South Australia until you see it first-hand. One hour into our trip, just West of Bendigo, it was just farms, all the way to Adelaide, Canola, wheat, sheep and cows and nothing in between.

    Not taking the Western Highway and taking the back routes was interesting it was almost like a farm was cut in half with half a tar road, the rest gravel for 4 hrs, but it saved us an hr going that way through St Arnaud, Nhill and some other 1 horse towns.

    The car was great, with 180 litres of fuel on board and stopping is not necessary. First complaint from Aslan about the car though it needs a bigger drink holder. I'll talk to DRC about this on my return.

    I made a deal with Aslan every time we hit a capital city we can stay in a hotel, and our first night was in Adelaide so we are staying at the Manna House right in Hahndorf. Hahndorf was established in 1838, when settlers came from Europe and settled here. When more Germans arrived, they too followed the previous Germans, and a closed knit community was formed.

    Next hotel will be in Perth or Darwin, I’ve left it too Aslan to decide the route. He's not committing yet, and we hit Port August tomorrow so he will need to decide by tomorrow night. It will take us two weeks to cross the Nullarbor, to Perth, and probably 3-4 to hit Darwin if he chooses North, so I told him to enjoy the hotel, they will be few and far between.    Read more

  • Chris RockUp the guts with Baby guts
    Day 2

    Port Augusta

    September 26, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Today we drove 4 hrs to Port Augusta. The scenery was fantastic, and we had two Go-pros recording the footage which we will upload later. Aslan and I were happy to see they had both a McDonalds and a KFC. KFC wins every time, but the car was too tall for the drive through, so we had to walk in like suckers. We setup camp in Port Augusta Discovery parks and did some laundry. Lot of people checking out the rig setup and giving us trip advice on where to go.

    I lost my charger for my laptop already, so we will have a look at some IT shops tomorrow, at Port Augusta, USB-C charger is working fine with lid closed so I might be charging at night using it during the day until we can find a charger.

    The picture is our breakfast run this morning, Smoothies and Vegemite on toast. Aslan also made some two minute noodles last night on the induction cooker.

    We have decided to go straight up the centre of Australia and not go across to Perth to beat the wet season up North, so we will head North but off the beaten track to Aroona though the Flinders rangers. where cell phone signal will probably be poor but gives us a good chance to use the Starlink. Weather is warm up here already but cool at night.    Read more

  • Chris RockUp the guts with Baby guts
    11
    Day 3

    Flinders Rangers

    September 27, 2022 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 10 °C

    We headed into Port Augusta shops today to pick up some supplies. I got my USB laptop charger from Big W, and we got Aslan a blanket. They had three in the store, not a huge selection. I suppose with the heat they don’t get many customers. Aslan slept well in the roof top tent but felt a little cold, so we got the blanket, so he was comfortable. I was ok, but I was below in the vehicle.

    Lot of people are talking about the car, the setup, and taking photos on how cool it is. It was enjoyable talking to everyone, doing laundry, on where they have been and where they are going. Great suggestions on what to do, and what to see.

    I got a tyre looked at as it looked a little down, it wasn’t down just a lot of weight on it, with fully loaded van and fuel so the guy recommended 43 PSI instead of 40 PSI, to cater for the fuel/load.

    We drop to the Flinders ranges which was close to a 3-hour drive to Aroona Campground. Pictures attached. Beautiful drive in, wild purple flowers, emus walking around and definitely 4wd territory and we had fun getting into the site few small river crossings and rough terrain.

    It is dead quiet, and we have it to ourselves. I set up the portable toilet as we couldn’t be assed walking up to the drop toilets. It’s hot, and there are flies so we are in the van. We had our first moment of errr, home is so much easier this afternoon, so we took a nap and feel a heap better. I know it’s the shock to both of us, from home comforts to road lack of comforts and hard work, but we are explorers, so we go on with vigour.

    In fact, as it cooled down Aslan and I took some great photos, and really enjoyed ourselves in the wild. We ride the emotions.

    Tonight, we had pasta for dinner, ones I cooked before I left, and we are heading to Farina Sheep station for a night there tomorrow and get the Drone out (can’t run the drone in South Australia in national parks). After that we head to Coward Springs two nights, it has hot springs so that will be interesting as we mosey up to Coober Pedy. We plan to do two nights in Coober Pedy in an underground place and then plan our trip from there.    Read more

  • Chris RockUp the guts with Baby guts
    Day 7

    Coward Springs

    October 1, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Aslan and I made the executive decision that we needed a portable aircon as we headed up north. However, to do that the closest place was Adelaide 5 hrs a way or all the way in Darwin. Darwin seemed pointless as we would be hot getting there.

    We got up early and left the Flinders Rangers. However, we didn't leave the same way we came into the rangers. It was a beautiful drive through rock canons, creeks and then an outback highway. I think we drove across about 10 creeks, not deep, but a load of fun and the Troop Carrier loved every minute of it.

    I'm glad we did it as we went through Adelaide’s Clare Valley wine region. After picking up the air con, we stocked up on food and headed back to Port Augusta. A long days drive, 9 hrs to get back on track but I think we will be glad we did as we approach the top end of Australia.

    From Port Augusta, we left towards Coward Springs. Coward Springs situated near Lake Eyre is an oasis in the desert, with date trees, hot water springs and eco camping ground. For some reason the stupid GPS in the car thought the best way from Port Augusta to Coward Springs was to go to Whyalla first, 45 minutes to the West, then when I arrived told me to do a u-turn and head back to Port Augusta. Piece of shit. Ignoring the GPS, we then headed North. This drive was very remote, we would see a car maybe every hour or so, sometimes we could do a 110kmh other times 40 kms an hour because of the corrugations and washed-out road. We saw Emus, kangaroos, and lizards along the way. Aslan got the drone out and flew whilst I drove. We got the drone out to 70 kmph. Short drone video Link: https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/755796625

    We setup camp, with no phone reception, but with the Starlink we got some great Internet speeds and settled into the evening watching tv on our laptops. We had pasta for dinner and I had some sausages. We had a good night sleep, and ready for action.

    Today we plan to check out Coward Springs and the sunset across the desert, and have a campfire tonight, tomorrow we head off to Coober Pedy in an underground Hotel.

    After spending time a lot of research on a Troopy Overlander power setup for my needs working on the road in all seasons, I'm really happy with the way it turned out.

    Usage:
    Fridge/Freezer: 12Litre SnoMaster Console Fridge/Freezer, Bushmaster 50 Litre Fridge/Freezer
    Electronics: Two laptops, Drone, Pro Camera, Two phones
    Misc: Air-compressor, Waterpump, Left/Right/ Rear, Interior Lighting, 11 litre hot water, GPS, Induction Cooker (30 mins per day (2 cooks)
    Comms: MileSight Router, Celfi Go, Starlink Dish/Router
    Luxury: Zero Breeze 2 Portable Airconditioner

    To achieve this, I put a 300W Panel on the roof for carparks, driveway recharge for the fridges etc (not visible in picture), and an external 300-Watt panel to throw in the sun when parked in the shade at a site.

    The gear is a Victron 3kW inverter, MPT controllers etc with 2 X 200 Amp batteries.

    Biggest power usage is Starlink and the Air-conditioner.

    We can now work, stay cool and connected in most parts of Australia.    Read more

  • Chris RockUp the guts with Baby guts
    Day 10

    White man in hole

    October 4, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    For the last two days we have been in Coober Pedy. Coober Pedy is an aboriginal word meaning white man in hole/burrow. Coober Pedy is home to 70% of the worlds mined opals. The opal found in Coober Pedy is the white opal. QLD has the boulder opal, without the white. To get to Coober Pedy we took the Oodnadatta Track, a 4wd track, that ranges between 10kmph hour and 80 kmph, with wandering cows and other livestock. The road is either, rock, gravel, sand, or clay. (Route attached). We booked ourselves into an underground motel. It is set in stone, which used to be an old mine. The stone keeps the room cool.

    Aslan chose to have a relax day in the room with some huge ass pizzas that were 18 inch in diameter. In the town there are about 40 Opal shops, an IGA, two petrol stations and car maintenance places. It's flat and walkable. The funny thing I saw was a lot of redheads in town, not sure what the story is there, too hot for red heads. You will see from the photos the discarded rock mounds from the mines, people look for missed opals in these piles which is called Noodling.

    After stocking up and leaving Coober Pedy we headed north into the Northern Territory where the speed limit is 130. It was a 5-hr drive north through the desert but on a sealed road. We are staying at Ghan, Erldunda Homestead for the night then onto Uluru for two days which is 200km west. Aslan’s aircon is kicking ass already and has cooled us down already as it was 28 when we arrived with a low of 21. The landscape changes as soon as we hit NT, it changes from red dust to more rock foundations. I'll get some photos of this in the next post. We will be in the Territory for the rest of October including Alice Springs, Katherine, Darwin, and Kakadu. We will then head west to Broome, a remote 5-day trip to beat the wet season which starts at the end of October - April.    Read more

  • Chris RockUp the guts with Baby guts
    Day 11

    Uluru - Ayers Rock

    October 5, 2022 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 26 °C

    After a 7-hr trip from Coober Pedy via an overnight stop at Ghan, where I saw a wild camel. Aslan and I arrived at Uluru.

    The resort and campground for some reason are still called Ayers Rock. Uluru is a beautiful post card spot. But it's hot. Sun is blaring down, around 34 degrees. The aircon we purchased is saving us now. Too hot to enjoy the scenery properly. We took the obligatory photos which look great and headed out for lunch to avoid the heat at the Ayers Rock Resort. We were supposed to stay here two days but with the heat there is no point hanging around.

    Tomorrow, we head up to Alice Springs where we will stay for 2 days. We have decided it's too hot to enjoy the rest of the trip heading north, so we have made the decision to head south to Port Augusta and then across the Nullarbor to Western Australia instead, going via Esperance and the Margaret River. Will we miss out on Katherine, Darwin, Broome, yes, but with 3 weeks of this heat before we head south again, it's not the right time of year for this. We will tackle the North in June/July another year instead.    Read more

  • Chris RockUp the guts with Baby guts
    Day 14

    Alice Springs

    October 8, 2022 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 20 °C

    After 2 days in Alice Springs, it's time to head south. Alice Springs is an unusual town, it's flat, it’s a bit like Sunbury, a few main streets, petrol, Pizza Hut, McDonalds and even a Harvey Norman. But there are the beautiful MacDonnell Ranges that surround the town.

    I had heard about the crime in Alice Springs, so I picked a place outside of the town, a Double Tree with secure car lockup. The crime is mainly theft, assault by the local indigenous population. Reading the news, business is complaining about the crime, that something needs to be done, as it’s scaring away business.

    I was sad to turn south, instead of North, as I really wanted to do Katherine, Darwin, and North-western Australia, but looks like that’s going to have to be a May/June/July trip in the winter.

    Aslan and I made the trip back down to Coober Pedy today after a 7-hour drive, 130 kmph helped things along whilst in NT. From there we will head to Port Augusta then the long trip over the Nullarbor to Western Australia. I look forward to camping on the cliffs.

    Interesting Coober Pedy fact. They didn’t have any fresh bread, but they had Frozen bread thawed for a 1-day expiry. No fresh bread until Tuesday. The guy in front of had a trolley full of frozen vegetables no fresh food and he was covered in red dust. Life as an Opal miner in the desert.

    Aslan prefers hotels then sleeping in the car, he is more of a Dez's bus/hotel kind of kid instead of a camping kid. Still scarred from Candle Bark School rough camping, I think.

    Petrol was $3.05 a litre for Diesel, so I pick the bigger towns for fuel where I can, with Alice Springs $2.35. It wouldn't matter in a normal car, but my car takes 180 litres, so a $400 fill up is not unusual.    Read more

  • Chris RockUp the guts with Baby guts
    Day 17

    Ceduna

    October 11, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Today we arrived in Ceduna South Australia. The road in from Port Augusta scenery was varied, very beach like trees and sand, and tighter single lane roads, compared to up the centre of Australia.

    Ceduna is where most South Australia oysters come from. We accidentally came across one of the best Fish and Chip shops in South Australia which is in a tin shed (pictures attached). But that’s not saying much, it wasn't as good as Doonies in Gisborne. The menu is attached for the food bougies. As well as the local bakery sweet items that I couldn’t tempt Aslan on any of them.

    Today was our last stop before we cross the Nullarbor. We are full of fuel and water; we just need some groceries which we will gran in the morning and the trip begins tomorrow. The drone and go-pros are charged. From Ceduna it's a five-day trip (2000km), where we will stay on the Great Australian Bight cliffs, and bush camps along the way, until we hit the Margaret River on Sunday in Western Australia. I’m looking forward to this part of the trip.

    We plan to spend a week in the Margaret River area, then up to Perth and we will go from there.    Read more

  • Chris RockUp the guts with Baby guts
    Day 19

    Bunda Cliffs & CockleBiddy

    October 13, 2022 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 13 °C

    After a 3.5 hr drive from Ceduna after crossing part of the Nullarbor we setup camp in on Bunda Cliffs. This is a free camp spot, off the Eyre Highway about 1km 4wd track towards the cliffs. Aslan and I picked the furthest spot possible and setup for the evening. Not before flying the drone to get a better look. We made sure to stay away from the Cliff edge and the rule was if you needed a pee you had to do it on the car tyre and not wonder off in the dark. The cliffs sit up 80 metres from the ocean with a sheer drop. We had the place to ourselves. See Drone footage. https://vimeo.com/759853845

    It was harder to cook with gas, because of the wind, but I was too lazy to switch over to the induction cooker. Next time I won’t bother with gas. I think it took 1 hr to boil water and I wasted a good gas bottle on it. The night was calm, but it rained in the morning.

    We setoff around 10:00am the next morning, towards Western Australia. It was a 4.5-hour drive to the next spot which was a remote spot called Cocklebiddy on the Western Australia side.

    Just before we crossed the border, we had to get rid of our frozen meals, pasta, and meat, which sucked, I will have to make some more in WA now. WA have strict quarantine rules. The drive was nice, ocean to the left, low mountain range to the right. The time zones through us. South Australia was 30 mins behind Victoria, but WA is 3 hrs behind Victoria, so we got to camp earlier than expected. Camp was easy you just turn off the road and drive and stop where you want. We picked a spot about 1 km off the road in the middle of nowhere. https://vimeo.com/759855612

    We setup camp had a light dinner and settled in for the night. We hit the road to Norseman tomorrow and another 4–5-hour drive west.    Read more

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