First Steps

June 2021

I guess one of the biggest questions for any road expedition is ‘who’s going to drive?’  The answer, of course, lies not in who is the better driver, but in who is the better passenger.  The jury is still out over who is the better driver - neither of us has ever had more than a minor prang and we are both agreed that Sarah is far more adept at reversing a horse float or trailer, and certainly more gung ho when it comes to where a vehicle can and cannot be taken (witness the various rolled tractors and dingo diggers over the years). The jury has, however, reached a unanimous verdict on who is the better passenger.  Sarah is driving. So far (touch wood) it has been a very safe and comfortable ride, both on and off road, for both of us. 

I’ve never understood why anyone would name their car, but Sarah likes Bob, so Bob it is. Anyway, Bob seems to share one of the principal characteristics of the TARDIS, in that it can clearly accommodate far more fuel, water, food and clobber than explained by its somewhat limited dimensions.

What am I missing most?

Nothing. I thought I would miss the sunrises and nightscape views from our bedroom window, but the sunrises and evenings under the stars have been quite spectacular. 

Highlights of the trip so far?

-First night, under the stars with dinner of Salmon in miso sauce with asian vermicelli noodles, cooked over the camp fire, knowing that we were on our way.

-Snorkelling with the giant cuttlefish (giant compared with a normal cuttlefish maybe, but they’re still pretty small - no more than the length of a person’s forearm).

- Observing the Southern Right Whales at Head of Bight, a hundred metres or so from the cliffs as we headed west from Ceduna. 

Most humorous moment

Incoming call: Hi Ian, Wenty here. Reckon you've got a flat rear left tyre mate (as if he were by the vehicle).

Me: Hi Pete, just caught me relaxing in Kalgoorlie (over 2,000km from where we left, if driving directly, and over 3,000km the way we've come over a three week period). 

Pete: How's them oranges?

This was indeed a peculiar question, as there was in fact an orange tree in the yard of the airbnb in which we were staying.

Ian, as an aside to Sarah: Sarah, have you been posting photos on the website? I thought it hadn't gone live yet?

Sarah: What? What on earth are you talking about?

Pete: Hope you've got some grog mate. Come down and let us in (and he hung up).

There was Pete, Wendy, Mike and Liz outside the airbnb, in a quiet side street in Kalgoorlie, which we'd only decided was our route some 24 hours before arriving the previous day. The last time we saw them was at our leaving drinks in the Adelaide Hills on the Sunday before we departed.  Great to catch up again, albeit only for about 20 minutes before they headed off again. Quite surreal.