Prepping for our next Adventure
Prepping for our next Adventure…
In less than 3 weeks we’ll head off again on our next adventure, this time to Kakadu, up to Darwin, across to Broome & back to Brisbane via Alice Springs.
Our last trip out West was 2 years ago in our Jayco Swan Outback camper. The Swan was awesome but with the kids getting older, we grew out of it & we wanted something that was quicker to set up & pack down each day.
This time we’re taking our new Jayco Expanda Outback 20.64. We’re busily prepping the van to protect it as much as much possible from the perils of the dirt roads.
This includes wrapping foam & slotted ag-pipe around all exposed wires & pipes under the van & covering all exposed surfaces with rubber sheeting. This will minimise the amount of pummeling/damage caused by the millions of fast moving rocks & stone chips.
We’ve put on a Stone Stomper which attaches between the van & car, further protecting against jumping rocks flicked up by the rear wheels of the car. This made a massive difference last time & is a product we would not go without.
The Stone Stomper attaches between the car and van or camper trailer
We’re applying gaffer tape to all the front faces of the parts of the van that jut out. This includes things like door handles, external light fittings, vents & awning arms.
We’ve siliconed holes underneath the van & will tape up all other openings to minimise red dust getting into the van. It won’t keep it all out, but it will help. Red dirt dust gets into everything & it’s still coming out of our car two years later!
On the weekend we finally plucked up the courage to drill a 75mm hole through the roof! We used it to install a Sea Bird vent in the roof, with the idea that this will pressurise the van when driving on dirt roads to minimise the chances of powdery dust entering the van as we drive along. We’ve also lined the cupboards inside the van with corflute to protect items inside as well as the cupboard interiors.
In addition, we’ll be taking two spare tyres (Mickey Thompson ATZ p3) for the car & 2 spare tyres for the van. We only had one blow out on our last trip but you just never know. We’ve also increased our RACQmembership to the top level for this trip, in case we get into any sticky situations.
We’ve started cooking up a bit of food to take away with us. We still try to eat healthy as much as possible while we’re away & in some instances it’s better to cook some things before we go. Nourishing & filling soups are great as we can freeze them flat in double bagged, extra large ziplock bags. They can then lay flat in the bottom of our 38 litre Engel fridge which we’ll keep in the back of the car set to freezer temp. We also do the same with bolognese sauce. It saves so much space by freezing them flat.
I also make up loads of beef jerky before we go. It makes a great protein snack for on the run & is particularly good for hikes with the kids. Thankfully they love jerky & I make sure it’s not too spicy for them.
All the meats, cauliflower rice & any other fresh perishables that can be frozen, we vacuum seal prior to freezing, as that’s also a great space saver.
In preparation for looong car rides, we download Kid appropriate podcasts. In particular, the ‘Short & Curly’ series & ‘Off Track’. Audiobooks by David Williams are a favourite in our family & are great to download ahead of time as you usually need wifi to do this, which is scarce in most country towns.
Finally, we research as much as we can before we go, especially if we’re planning on doing any tours while we’re away like a river cruise, cultural experience, camel trek or bike hire. If travelling during peak season you might have to book these before you go & sometimes well in advance.
Also, if you plan on travelling to quite a remote location, make sure you’ve organised for someone in your group to have a satellite phone & Personal Location Beacon (PLB) for your own safety in the case of emergency. You never know when you might get stuck!
Happy travels!