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Up the guts with Baby guts
  • Chris Rock

Up the guts with Baby guts

Dad and his son who are computer hackers hit the road away from their normal lives. Read more
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  • Trip start
    September 25, 2022
    Chris RockUp the guts with Baby gutsChris Rock

    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 gutsChris Rock

    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 gutsChris Rock

    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 gutsChris Rock
    11

    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 gutsChris Rock

    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 gutsChris Rock

    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 gutsChris Rock

    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 gutsChris Rock

    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 gutsChris Rock

    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 gutsChris Rock

    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

  • Chris RockUp the guts with Baby gutsChris Rock

    A long road to reach the Macedon Ranges

    October 17, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    For the last 3 days Aslan and I have been on the road to Margaret River. It's hard to believe this time last week we were in Alice Springs, But the odometer of the car believes it as we have hit 8000km in 3 weeks, not a bad effort. We stopped in at Esperance as they have a Mc Donald’s, and we will come back to Esperance in two weeks’ time on the way back through.

    Western Australia is a beast of its own and we have only travelled through the south of it. I don't know if this is a phrase but "temporal lines" referring to climate/soil latitudes are identical to Victoria. Both Aslan and I commented on it. For example, you swear you’re driving through Trentham and Daylesford Victoria as you drive through Bridgetown and 100km east of Margaret River. Other times it feels like you are driving through Bendigo as you go through Jerramungup or Bridgetown looks like Bright beside the river The soil, the temperature the trees are all identical to back home.

    We stayed at a mixture of free camps and a caravan park along the way for a shower. Free camping is easy in WA, there is just no one here. You can just drive on a back road, then a track and you are in the middle of nowhere, perfect for a camp spot. Aslan and I even 4WD into a spot moving trees driving over them to get to a spot. (attached).

    It was lovely though to reach the Margaret River, I'll report on Margaret River after we have immersed ourselves in it. We are here for 5 days. But from the looks of it, looks like a great tourists town with plenty of eateries and some basic food for the less bougie. It's a pretty town and reminds me of the Macedon Ranges.    Read more

  • Chris RockUp the guts with Baby gutsChris Rock

    Margaret River Town and Region

    October 23, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    It has been a few days since our last post. For that I blame the Margaret River region. For what was supposed toa 3 day stop, has ended up being an 8 day stop over. For those who are not aware, there is a town called Margaret River and the region called Margaret River which encompasses another 20 towns. It has an area of 100km long and 27km wide, all the way from Augusta to Yallingup. It has over 10,000 acres under grape vines and butts up to the beach and the Indian Ocean. The shops in the Margaret River town consist of South Yarra/Byron Bay restaurants with the addition of a Coles and IGA but yuppy versions of them.

    The weather here is warm, with a few days of drizzle, with rainfall higher than the Macedon Ranges. You can tell it is green and lush here. Aslan and I have had a mixture of Ice-creams from the local parlour as well as some fancy pants pizza places that would rival A25 pizzas, owned and operated by Italians. Aslan has been sitting in the swing chair, swinging up and down all day, relaxing, the internet sucks here, so we got the Star link out to get some high-speed internet. Best thing ever.

    We checked out the towns around including Yallingup, Busselton and Cowarup which are all great towns, but Margaret River stands out as the best town. We had a good break from not driving and stayed in a two-bedroom apartment on the main street as well as a guest house 2km out of town, surrounded by chooks, roosters, and these big ass chickens that I think are Guinea fowl.

    Tomorrow, we head off to the North of Perth (3-hour drive) for 3 days where Aslan wants to see a movie, and I will meet the guy that helped me build out the 4WD for some small improvements. From there we head 700km east to Esperance and camp on a beach at Cape Le Grand.    Read more

  • Chris RockUp the guts with Baby gutsChris Rock

    Joondalup - Perth

    October 24, 2022 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 15 °C

    Aslan wanted to visit Perth so after we left the Margaret River, we spent 3 days in Perth. Here we relaxed in the Joondalup Resort like a hotel on a golf course, where Aslan and I had Boost Juice every afternoon and did nothing much at all. I had a few early work meetings, so it was a nice base to catchup on work.

    I also got to meet a friend of mine Sean from Mission4x4 who helped me build out the 4WD for a morning as he is based in Perth. He made some cosmetic changes to the build like leather straps for the rear tables instead of nylon to finish it off and he was very impressed on how the car turned out.

    Did we see much of Perth, not as all, Aslan was happy to rest with KFC and Boost juices, but it was a lovely stay. It’s funny Aslan has learnt a lot about Geography since being a way. In his head Sydney was on the West Coast of Australia not the East coast, because we never go there, and he was surprised how close it was. I said Aslan we don't go to Sydney because mum hates it.

    A couple of people have asked me what the favourite parts of Australia, are that we have seen on the trip, and my first reaction is the Flinders Rangers in South Australia but when you see the beauty of Western Australia, the remoteness and red rock scenes of the North Territory each of the states we have seen have beauty. In fact, I feel Aslan and I have just touched the surface and we will be coming back to all of these places and more.    Read more

  • Chris RockUp the guts with Baby gutsChris Rock

    Gnowangerup

    October 26, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 11 °C

    We are now on the way back home to Victoria. We have 3500 km to travel. So, the first trip was from Perth to Gnowangerup. This is a small town 4.5 hours southeast of Perth and is a great halfway point between Perth and Esperance. Most of the land is farming, natural bush and s few mining sites.

    We setup camp using a Hip camp, which is where people who have large areas of land let you camp on their properties for around $20. The place we stayed at was 4WD country. We went through mud and sand, to get to the location which was loads of fun. The site was a 20-metre square area cut down within the bush/farming land probably 400 acres, with great nights skies and peace and quiet. The owners who showed us to the site, have two farms, and they use a small plane to fly between the two farms and its quicker then driving.

    There was no phone signal, but we had the Star link Dish which fixed that. I have to say the Landcruiser, is not only an awesome vehicle for what we have put it through but well kitted out. For instance, getting water, or cooking dinner, there is tables and workspace everywhere. I must do a few mods when I get back, but they are so minor. For a first fit out we did well.

    We packed up our camp and had a 4-hour drive to Esperance. The road is tarred but rough, lots of washed-out sections. From here we are camping on a beach called Lucky Bay, about an hour out of Esperance for a few nights. Weather looks wet and windy, so we will see how we go there for those two nights.

    From there we head back to Esperance on Monday and then do the trip over the Nullarbor again. At least we have some great spots saved which we will stay there again.

    The animal death toll on our trip so far is 2 birds (must have thought I was Danni), 1 big lizard who I drove my front wheels either side of him, so he didn't get hit then he ran when he saw there was a car shadow driving over him and then we heard a gadoonk on the bag wheels, and 4 million moths/bugs. May they rest in pieces.    Read more

  • Chris RockUp the guts with Baby gutsChris Rock

    Esperance

    October 28, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Today we arrived in Esperance, this wasn't our first time here. We made the executive decision 2 weeks ago to come to Esperance because they had a McDonalds only a 200km detour for a Big Mac and some Popcorn Chicken.

    Esperance is a seaside town, tidy, nothing special but lovely to be near the water. It has a mixture of tourist’s shops and fishing shops.

    This time though the weather had turned on us. Storms and rain set in, that stopped our chance to camp in Lucky Bay Camp Le Grande, picture attached. I even bought Aslan a new fishing rod. The girl that I purchased off, (weekend) said I hope you’re not going to ask me anything difficult. I said I'm not that guy. Can you ring it up for me, hopefully I don't catch anything. I was looking forward for that beach camping, looks like Ill must come back with Dez.

    So, after we got washed out we stayed one night in Esperance, in a holiday apartment which was nice and we hit the road again the following morning to one of our favourite spots in Nuytsland Reserve    Read more

  • Chris RockUp the guts with Baby gutsChris Rock

    Nullarbor

    October 31, 2022 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 14 °C

    My mum had asked me what I had thought of the Nullarbor Plain. I had in fact crossed it already and was about to cross it again. For those who don’t know the distance from Melbourne (east Coast) to Perth (West coast) is about 3500km. That distance is a whole lot of unique landscape, with ocean on your left and sparse land on your right. The section in South Australia to Western Australia is known as the Nullarbor Plain.

    It is here you get to experience long road stretches, no shops and fuel every 100-200 km in distance. In fact, these fuel stops are also the Motel, the Town, the post Office, the supermarket, and everything else all under one roof. Here you get to buy Diesel Fuel at $2.94 a litre, which hurts when you have two 90 Litre tanks, and $5.95 for a coke. When you ask if you have bread, it comes frozen. It's not like you have a lot of choice, the next town will be 100km away and it will have the same items and the same cost. But they are the lifeline of this trip. Without there overpriced, poorly stocked place with souvenirs, you are in a world of trouble.

    Let me paint you a picture, you leave Ceduna in Adelaide and head West, and your next location that has more than a petrol station is 1400km away. (See attached).

    In fact, there is a stretch of road that is 150km long that is completely straight, no corners no curves. Great for overtaking caravans and triple truck rain trains.

    Now this time, we travelled from West to East, after trying to escape the storms that we left in Esperance, (no avail). We travelled 1400km in two days, (videos attached) and moved from storm cell to storm cell, with wiper blades on full speed and then nothing 15 minutes later and repeat. So, I take it back mum, if there are storms, and the lighting is right, then it was a load of fun. Road was quiet as well as we left at 7am as we not only had a 7 hr 30-minute drive but would lose 2hrs 30 in time zones. We did it 6hrs 30, it would have been 6 hrs if the cop hadn't pulled me over as I then looked at my speedo for the next 400 km trying to stay below 120km. Besides the distance we crossed three time zones, I told Aslan don't even look at the clock, some towns are 3 hrs behind Melbourne, some 2.5 some 2hrs 15. So, I told him set it for Adelaide time and use that as a base.

    It was here I got my first speeding ticket on the Western Australia side. I was clocked at 128km in a 110km zone, which I must have slowed down to not hit a bird because I was sitting on 140 most of the time. The cop pulled me over, and said we remember your car from a few weeks ago, I said it’s hard to miss it. He was a nice guy gave me the benefit of the doubt and I got a $100 fine and no demerit points. After I had just filled up the car for $340 in fuel, some car snacks for $60, $100 seemed rather cheap for a speeding fine. Aslan had a good laugh about it. We were to camp on Bunda cliffs again but having been stuck in the car the night before in the storm, the thought of another storm and getting wet having a piss every time didn't excite me, so we fanged it to a town called Penong in South Australia, where I found a cottage for 2 nights. From here we head to Ceduna/Port Augusta then Adelaide.    Read more

  • Chris RockUp the guts with Baby gutsChris Rock

    Penong - South Australia

    November 1, 2022 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 10 °C

    Penong, Where the hell is Penong. Penong is the last town before you cross the Nullarbor of the first town after the Nullarbor if you have come from the Perth like us. It is a one-horse town, with a pub, a police station, and a general store, the first store we have seen separate from a Petrol Station in a week.

    It is here weary travellers stock up on items to cross or replenish their trip after the desert trip and Truck drivers order 15 dim sims, steamed because they are on a diet.

    We came in late to this town on Monday night after travelling 725km (10,000 for the trip so far) and stayed in a little cottage called Penong Cottage. I was surprised when I was given the address of Penong Cottage with no number or street name but after seeing the town and ruling out the Pub and the Petrol station it was the only building left. It was noisy (close to the road) but a perfect place to ride out the storm.

    Penong's location in South Australia on the far west coast of Eyre Peninsula is at the boundary of where rainfall is generally sufficient to support agriculture, so they use a series of windmills to supply farms from the Anjutabie Basin. The South Australian Railways constructed underground concrete water storage tanks in 1923, with a capacity of 4.54 million litres which keeps the town alive.

    After catching up on some laundry, Aslan and I enjoyed a roof over our head as we make our trip to Port Augusta 5 hrs away and then on to Adelaide where we make the final leg home.    Read more

  • Chris RockUp the guts with Baby gutsChris Rock

    Return to Hahndorf

    November 3, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    We enjoyed our trip here on the first day of our trip, so we decided to return to Hahndorf to complete our trip up the middle and the southern parts of Australia. Aslan enjoys a place called Haus, a traditional German restaurant right over the road from our hotel.

    The photo on the page is of Beerenberg. It has been around since the 1800's and makes a variety of sauces, jams etc, that you can see in Australian supermarkets,

    We are heading home today, a 7hr 30 drive straight shot to Gisborne.
    It has been an awesome trip for both of us, and look forward to the next one.    Read more

  • Chris RockUp the guts with Baby gutsChris Rock

    Home safely

    November 5, 2022 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    And so after a great trip, we are back home. What a fantastic journey, and great memories for Aslan and myself. I know we will be heading out again, and I'm planning my next trip already.

    Did we get our of our rut? We did.
    Did we spend less time on computers? We did

    Most importantly we got to explore our own country and spend some great moments together.    Read more

    Trip end
    November 15, 2022
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