The time for fixing up junker cars and messing around in boat yards is finally over, which means we are officially road tripping down under. Tarzan pulled together a new plan which will take him back to Tahiti for a few months where he can perfect his French and build some marine work experience. He’ll be working with Dan, the marooned sailor we found back in Suwarrow, on rebuilding the damaged catamaran and adding some offshore features that will make it more resilient to the next rogue wave that decides to come aboard… crazy how these things come together!
So with Tamarisk now on dry land back in Bundaberg, and the van now converted into a small camper wagon, our adventure around the world’s largest island begins. With so much diversity here and such a huge mass of land to cover (about the size of the United States), it’s impossible to see it all in the few months we’ve got, meaning our planning is of utmost importance. While we figure out our full Australian itinerary, we’re heading south towards Brisbane and starting to dive into the huge network of National Parks that line the entire Australian coastline. Yesterday we hit three national parks, hiked through a rainforest, climbed across sand dunes, got the van stuck in the sand, found ourselves in a howling storm with tennis ball sized hail, and still had time to get down to Noosa for a Saturday night out. If our first day is an indication of what lies ahead, we’re in for a big treat.
Our next stop is Brisbane and there’s a lot to see in the way, so its time to get the wagon wheels,rolling.
Based on your van in the sand and hailstorm experience u should immediately read “in a sunburned country” by Bill Bryson