Westy's trip to the top

[TimE]

That's a fair costing..
Hopefully maintenance is sorted prior to leaving..
Gu had just had new suspension put under it.
Have spent on quality suspension on the van..
Major service before we leave.
So hopefully by spending before we leave will make for a smoother trip..

Yep, major service and pre trip check over before the trip. Serviced in Darwin and AS along the way ............ but Murphy always manages to throw something up. My long range tank was 8 years old, fatigue cracks started from where the baffles are welded inside the tank. Had the crack welded up in Birdsville but it opened up again in Coburg. The shocks where only about 40k old, but I guess they where 40k rough ks. Used up 4 air filters and 3 punctures on the camper. The camper wears the same wheels and tyres as the Patrol, lots of tread but no match for bits of wire and mulga stakes.

PS Sig pic was taken at Ruby Gap, east of AS, well worth a look.

[BigRAWesty]

Yep, major service and pre trip check over before the trip. Serviced in Darwin and AS along the way ............ but Murphy always manages to throw something up. My long range tank was 8 years old, fatigue cracks started from where the baffles are welded inside the tank. Had the crack welded up in Birdsville but it opened up again in Coburg. The shocks where only about 40k old, but I guess they where 40k rough ks. Used up 4 air filters and 3 punctures on the camper. The camper wears the same wheels and tyres as the Patrol, lots of tread but no match for bits of wire and mulga stakes.

PS Sig pic was taken at Ruby Gap, east of AS, well worth a look.

Yea the van will have the same tyres as the wagon, and 3 spares between 6 wheels, plus puncher kit..

[Maxhead]

Most importantly Westy, don't forget to stop, enjoy and take in the serenity. Let the kids take it all in (and yourselves of course).
Best plan I had was not to have a plan

[MudRunnerTD]

Most importantly Westy, don't forget to stop, enjoy and take in the serenity. Let the kids take it all in (and yourselves of course).
Best plan I had was not to have a plan

The Best advice you will get in this thread for sure!!! Don't try and do it all mate, there will be another time. Go and enjoy your family

[Cuppa]

Most importantly Westy, don't forget to stop, enjoy and take in the serenity. Let the kids take it all in (and yourselves of course).
Best plan I had was not to have a plan

Yup. By all means have a couple of 'must do's', but make the rest 'maybe's'.

[Avo]

take a third of what you think you'll spend on the trip just for repairs ,if you end up having none....stop at a pub close to home on the way back and spend it

[Plasnart]

Most importantly Westy, don't forget to stop, enjoy and take in the serenity. Let the kids take it all in (and yourselves of course).
Best plan I had was not to have a plan

[BigRAWesty]

Most importantly Westy, don't forget to stop, enjoy and take in the serenity. Let the kids take it all in (and yourselves of course).
Best plan I had was not to have a plan

The Best advice you will get in this thread for sure!!! Don't try and do it all mate, there will be another time. Go and enjoy your family

Yup. By all means have a couple of 'must do's', but make the rest 'maybe's'.

You know what. Last night me a nissa were talking and we've sorta said f it..
Were going to set dates for Ularu, the ulgas, kings, tanami and lake argyle resort for the pure fact that booking a spot at the resort needs to be made as early as possible.
I realize it could all still go south if we have trouble on the tanami, but I'd prefer to have it booked than not..
Then after that were only planning be home date..
We talked about the idea of ditching darwin and just do the Kimberly but that'll mean tanami twice and Tbh, I think that'll probably be best left untill it's sealed lol..
To I think we'll leave the Bungles for this trip and maybe focus more on Litchfield more than Kakadu but it's all open..
We've looked at the boat trips @Cuppa and although the Tripple J trip looks awesome with the kids were probably going to just do a smaller sunset trip on the lake.

On a side note..
What's to do between Adelaide and Alice.
On the way up were doing an over night at Adelaide as the plan is to head to Alice with the parents and spend a few nights around Ularu with them.
But over night stops at Glendambo and Marla, with a look around Coober Pedy for lunch.
Again all the stuff south is doable in shorter trips, but I'd like to do different places on the way home..

take a third of what you think you'll spend on the trip just for repairs ,if you end up having none....stop at a pub close to home on the way back and spend it

Now that sounds like a winner..
But any extra left over will go back into savings for the next trip..
Planning on the trip being about $6000, but will have around $9000 total if needed..
Which works out more than $1/km..

[MudRunnerTD]

Coward Springs is a good over night stop on the way up mate. Hot Springs. Showers. Clean Camp site. Not Big.

Argibukina Bridge is also a great stop.

[happygu]

You know what. Last night me a nissa were talking and we've sorta said f it..
Were going to set dates for Ularu, the ulgas, kings, tanami and lake argyle resort for the pure fact that booking a spot at the resort needs to be made as early as possible.
I realize it could all still go south if we have trouble on the tanami, but I'd prefer to have it booked than not..
Then after that were only planning be home date..
We talked about the idea of ditching darwin and just do the Kimberly but that'll mean tanami twice and Tbh, I think that'll probably be best left untill it's sealed lol..
To I think we'll leave the Bungles for this trip and maybe focus more on Litchfield more than Kakadu but it's all open..
We've looked at the boat trips @Cuppa and although the Tripple J trip looks awesome with the kids were probably going to just do a smaller sunset trip on the lake.

On a side note..
What's to do between Adelaide and Alice.
On the way up were doing an over night at Adelaide as the plan is to head to Alice with the parents and spend a few nights around Ularu with them.
But over night stops at Glendambo and Marla, with a look around Coober Pedy for lunch.
Again all the stuff south is doable in shorter trips, but I'd like to do different places on the way home..

Now that sounds like a winner..
But any extra left over will go back into savings for the next trip..
Planning on the trip being about $6000, but will have around $9000 total if needed..
Which works out more than $1/km..

It is always good to have a plan because you need to know where you want to get to, and how much time you have to spend, but add in some flexibility too, as when you talk to fellow travellers they will tell you about great spots you never heard of before you left, having some flexibility helps to accommodate this new information into the schedule, and there is nothing worse than finding a fantastic spot, to leave cause you 'have to stay on plan' and drive 80 k's up the road to the next spot you 'have to camp at', and find it totally full, trashed, or horrible. If you find a great spot, and everyone is happy, a bit of flexibility means that you can stay an extra night, and enjoy it.

As you have the kids with you, you will need to plan for down days anyway, as the kids won't want to travel 400 k's every day for 5 weeks. If you schedule in some Rest Days along the way ( 3 or 4 ), then these can be used to stay longer at fantastic spots, or give the kids a bit of a break from the constant travel.