INTRO:

Australlia is the world's sixth largest country and its largest island. It is the only island that is also a continent, and the only continent that also is a country. It was the first continent conquered from the sea, and the last. It is the only nation that began as a prison.

It is the home of the largest living thing on earth, the Great Barrier Reef, and the most famous and striking monolith, Ayers Rock (or Uluru to use its now official, more respectful Aboriginal name). It has more things that will kill you than anywhere else. Of the world's ten most piosonous snakes, all are Australian. Five of its creatures - the funnel-web spider, box jellyfish, blue-ringed octopus, paralysis tick and stonefish - are the most lethal of their type in the world. This is a country where even the fluffiest of caterpillars can lay you out with a toxic nip, where seashells will not just sting you but actually sometimes go for you. Pick up an innocuous coneshell from a Queensland beach, as innocent tourists are all too wont to do, and you will discover that the little fellow inside is not just anstoundingly swift and testy, but eceedingly venomous. If you are not stung or pronged to death in some unexpectetd matter, you may be fatally chomped by sharks or crocodiles, or carried helplessly out to sea by irresistible currents, or left to stagger to an unhappy death in the baking outback. It's a tough place.
- Bill Bryson, DOWN UNDER

Apart from all the hype about it that basically started when Sydney got to host the Olypic Summer Games of 2000, Australia has always been a great place filled with riddles and wonders as well as answers and explanations.

Regarding the size of Australia, travelling this continent can be very difficult, at least there can be an uncountable amount of obstacles standing in your way when wanting to get from point A to point B. Why? The answer to that question is easy, but you'd have to be in Australia to understand. The distances are nothing we are likely to be used to.

When you look at an Australian road map for example, you might say to yourself: 'Oh, I can easily drive up to Cairns from Sydney in two days!'

But the matter of the fact is: You just can't !!!

I will try to let you know what I've learnt about it during my travels, and hopefully I will be able to put up a working TRIP PLANNER, that can be used and of course customized by anybody interested in the subject matter.

It will however pay no respect to time or money since they are factors that in any case limit every trip in one regard or another (but don't worry, I am not talking about insanely expensive 5 star hotels, the hiring of luxury yachts or the like, they are definitely not part of this planner AND not part of the ideal Australiana experience!).

PLANNING:

The perfect round trip starts in Darwin at the very northern tip of Australia (preferably in September) and ends in Adelaide (around February), this has to be considered first when booking your flight.

Very roughly the route will take you from Darwin down towards Adelaide via Stuart Highway and Uluru, then towards the West Coast across the Nullabor and into Perth, continuing up the West Coast and then across the Kimberleys heading east until you reach the East Coast, the down the East coast towards Sydney, and then from Sydney to Melbourne, there you go on the ferry to get to Tasmania and back again, finally you make your way from Melbourne to Adelaide.

One aspect in this planning is to never have to do the same thing twice, especially and most of all when it comes to driving. Another aspect is weather. You don't want to be up north during the wet season, believe me! 80% of the existing roads are virtually under water, salties (salt water crocodiles) are happily swimming around areas that they are usually never seen in and mosquitos are covering that part of the air which isn't used up by humidity!

The next important tool for the perfect trip is the right way of transportation. After all I've read, heard and tried, there is only one solid and working solution for the traveller who likes to go wherever and whenever he or she wants to: the TOYOTA LANDCRUISER TROOPCARRIER, or as this beast of a vehicle is called by the people of Australia, the Troopie.

Of course it has a four wheel drive, which you will need dearly during the most interesting passages of this trip. Of course you can sleep in it, and that means not just you but your companion as well, and if needed two more people although comfort goes over board there. Of course it has a bull bar to prevent you and itself from serious injuries when hitting kangaroos or even cows on the road. Of course it has a double fuel tank system that you will learn to appreciate quickly when you do your first 800 or even 1200 kilometers without a petrol station on the way.

You can buy such a car and try to sell it again when you are at the end of your trip - regarding the amount of time I am suggesting (6 months) this sounds like a proper idea. But I would go for a rental car (the longer you rent it for, the cheaper it actually gets!), because you save yourself a lot of trouble, and I mean a lot of trouble!
When you have even the slightest problem with your rental car, you return it to the next agency in the next town and get it fixed or just simply change cars. When you are the owner, it is obviously a totally different story! And on top of that let me remind you of insurance and all the other highly burocratic actions that you have to undertake when buying a car in a foreign country. So I strongly advise to hire a car rather than buying one - all the usual car rental places¹ will have Troopies on offer.

Now that you have a rough idea of where you're going and what you're going in, it is time to think about what to bring on this trip. I won't go into too much detail here, but I will list a couple of very important things that you will need whatsoever, and that you probably don't think about²:

1. water tanks (you should have at least 5 liters of water with you per day of travelling and of course per person)
2. spare tires (make sure your car has at least two, four would be best)
3. walking boots (pick comfortable and functual ones that are at least ankle high, they will accompany you on around 80% of the walking you do and will protect you from scratches, twisted ankles and even snake bites)
4. day pack (which is a small comfortable backpack; look for one with a bottle holder and multiple compartments)
5. adjustable head flashlight (you will need this almost every night when out in the bush, and having two free hands is simply better than having just one and holding a big flashlight in the other)
6. cooler (either your rental car provides an electric one anyway, or a cheap plastic cooling box will do the job as well)
7. hat (even if you don't like the look, you will need a wide rimmed one and you will learn to appreciate it very soon)
8. insect repellent (Rid is the best one I've come across so far, you can get it as creme, roll-on or spray)
9. first aid kit (don't trust the one in your rental car, buy a decent one in a pharmacy or in one of the many outdoor/camping stores)
10. bush oven (the most essential and important cooking tool ever invented, you will continue cooking in it when you are back home again)
11. camping chair (sounds like stupid luxury, but you don't want to sit on the ground for half a year while eating, drinking, etc.)

THE TOUR:

WEEK NR. 1:

Well, as you should have figured out by now, you will arrive in Darwin in September. It is a fun little town on the very nothern tip of Australia. Its population is steadily growing. Mostly young people go there on various jobs for a while, or just hang out for a year or so after finishing school or university. Darwin is known for its cultural background (lots of aboriginal art and festivals), its great beaches and famous markets, but most of all for its beer consumtion per head (actually believed to be the highest in the world!). The weather is always great - except during the wet season of course - and so Darwin is the ideal place to get over your jet lag, get used to the climate, hire your car, go shopping for the trip and start to feel the spirit that is so typical for Australia.

WEEK NR. 2:

From Darwin you drive down the track (as Stuart highway is called by the locals) to Litchfield National Park. The distance is about 130 km - so nothing to be afraid of yet. The Park itself is a little off the highway, but the turn off is well marked. You should spend the entire second week in the park, hiking, swimming, climbing and of course relaxing, the things to do list here never really ends ...

I don't suggest going to Kakadu National Park. You may ask yourself why not? First of all, it is way further off the track than Litchfield and second of all, it is definitly more crowded and expensive. The things to do in the two parks are quite similar as is the setting and if you don't have a fetish for water falls, Litchfield is just as good as Kakadu (of course it has waterfalls, too, just not as big and spectacular ones).

WEEK NR. 3:

From Litchfield back on the track and downwards to the town of Katherine and then to Katherine Gorge National Park. Katherine gorge is a terrific place for canoing and all other sorts of watersports. It is definitly worth spending two days there before moving on.

!!! work in progress !!!