City girls in the bush

On my last outback trip to Broken Hill I was lucky enough to be interviewed by ABC rural radio. Here’s the link to the story.  Whiel this was done a while ago, it’s the first time I’ve heard it.

I hope you enjoy it!

City girls turn to twitter for help on road trip by Cherie McDonald

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Oh my Darling, oh my Darling, …

Finally, we’ve set up camp on the Darling River in Kinchega National Park. There’s not another soul around and I can hear the river calling me for a swim. Menindee Lake is behind us, and in an hour or so the sun will go down and it will be time to photograph one of those famous sunsets over the Lake.

That was my impression yesterday – and it hasn’t changed. We’re still here. After a week of camp, pack up and move, camp, sightsee, move, etc we decided to have a lazy day by the Darling.

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It’s almost time to head off again …

I’m off on my great adventure tomorrow, and I can’t wait.

Everything is prepared (almost), so it’s just a matter of packing the car. I’m very nervous – this is my first big trip away without Doc, so I hope I know what to do. It’s also my first time away with a girlfriend who isn’t a camper. The two of us trying to put up a tent each night should keep the countryside amused for days!

For me this is a working trip. I’m off to take photos of the outback, country spaces and country life. There’s a big photo competition coming up I want to enter, and I want some photos to sell (as well as selling some while I’m away).

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Back to the Cape

Doc and I are planning another trip to Cape York next year. I’m trying to get him to extend it to 6 months travelling across the top of Australia – through Central Queensland, the Gulf Country, the red Centre, Kimberley, down the Canning, and back via Lake Eyre. Can we do all that in 6 months????

Even if we don’t get the entire trip, I’m pushing for a Morning Glory in Karumba on the gulf.

As a reminder, here’s a video taken during our last trip. This was taken on the way to Cape Melville before we got to the Cape proper. And in case you’re wondering – yes, it was worth all the hassle. Cape Melville is one of those almost perfect places. If it didn’t have crocs, it would be perfect.

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If you don’t like camping, you’re not doing it right

Poor Tanveer Ahmed. Fancy having to listen to the sounds of rain on the roof while you’re wrapped up snug in your sleeping bag, or hear the kookaburras laughingly greet the day uninterrupted by the sounds of traffic thundering past your bedroom window.

Sorry, but I really can’t raise any sympathy. It seems to me like Ahmed went camping with the sole purpose of finding out how bad it was, and didn’t leave open the option that it might in fact be enjoyable. Maybe all those grey nomads, young families, adventurers and thousands of others can see something in it that Ahmed missed.

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You don’t need to be a 4WD expert to enjoy a good travel experience.

Doc and I are planning our next trip away. Now when I say “planning”, I mean we’re at the stage of deciding where we want to go.

The only thing we know for sure is that it will be a 4WD trip somewhere in Australia.

I’m happy to go anywhere. But before we become grey nomads and want to tow a van with a comfortable bed, we want to go to some more places that are real 4WD experiences. Somewhere like the Canning Stock Route, the Simpson Desert, or the Bulman Track.

To help us make up our minds, we’ve looked at 4WD and travel magazines, and talked to people we know who travel a lot. And one thing that really strikes me is that there is a disconnect between 4WD magazines and websites which are overwhelmingly aimed at young males, and the people who actually go 4WDing.

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4WDing mecca, remoteness and romance. The perfect holiday.

The Old Telegraph Track on Cape York, Queensland, Australia is not only a 4WDing mecca, it is one of the most beautiful and romantic places you can visit.

Its remoteness means it’s never too crowded, and the crystal clear creeks and rugged driving make travelling 25km a good day!

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How do you choose the right camping equipment for you?

Camping is not only romantic and sexy, but it’s easy if you have the right equipment, and there is a lot to choose from. There are so many different set ups, and so many different products that choosing the one that’s right for you can be confusing.

So how to make the choice?

For our Great Cape York Adventure, Doc fitted out the ‘Cruiser with drawers and compartments so that everything had its own place. He installed a converter to charge all our electrical equipment (laptop, phones, camera gear, etc) while on the road, and things to make living easy. He even traded his beloved Engel for a new fridge that won’t freeze my lettuce. Now that’s love!

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Top ten camping tips

Well, we’re home, and I’m trying to settle in to the work routine again – and playing far too much spider solitaire!!

Dreaming of the next holiday

But as Doc keeps saying : The end of one adventure is just the start of the count down until the next one.

In the meantime, it’s time to reflect on the holiday, what went wrong, what went right and what we’d do differently next time. So here are the top ten things I’ve learned while camping

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Camping is the most romantic way to go on holidays

We met a couple on the Old Telegraph Track who were on their honeymoon. The question they most often got was “why?”

Well, apart from Cape York being one of the most romantic places in the world where you can watch the sunrise over the ocean, and then watch it set over a different ocean the same day or walk on an isolated tropical beach where few have ever set foot that is.

But why camping? Well, why not? Camping is romantic and sexy.

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