A day of reflection

Today is a day of reflection.
Sitting beside your partners grave to celebrate your 20th anniversary is a tough thing to do. Remembering all the experiences we shared together over two decades makes me very thankful that we had the opportunity. Losing him being the last part of that journey has been by far the hardest thing ever.

2013, the year Jay left us all will be our last “true” anniversary. This is yet another chapter in the year of firsts. The first Easter, Family dinner, Birthday, Anniversary, and Xmas to come without Jay makes the grieving process drag on.

Through the great memories and some tears that flowed today comes hope. Hope that 2014 will be a new chapter ahead. Jay touched people in many ways, and today he touched me with hope for the future.

Happy 20th Anniversary Jay……I will love you always….. Tonight will be dinner for you with some bottles of very expensive wine. (Chardy of course)

Friends, have a drink for us this evening and hug those around you.
Oh and also, Jay would want me to say……..Donate blood if you can.

So time to prepare with the big boys

Guess who is the beginner in all of this... It may be obvious that the Touareg owner is not as butch as the others

Here we are at the 4wd show at Eastern Creek near Blacktown

Picture shows Tommy Touareg can stand equal to the other guys

UHF radio. Roof racks. Epirb. Recovery gear all purchased

Have to be safe. As Jay would expect Im travelling in style over practicality. ...

Down and dirty.. then up again

Recently I have been worried that I bought an all wheel drive Touareg instead of a 4WD. There were no 4WD models in the country and I would have had to wait up to six months for delivery. Hence my choice.

When I rang to book training, John the trainer was reluctant to take me on a group training day with my Paddington Pram Carrier, ( not his words ) due to the unknown capability of this "Soft roader".  He was although, happy to do a one on one day with me to test the car out.

So up at 5am and off to Lithgow I go. Arriving at our 4WD spot with a warm temperature of only 3 degrees
was in stark contrast to the 36 degree day in Sydney the day before.  Fitting that the Touareg started chiming with an alert on the dash warning of snow.........(cute)

To Johns surprise and mine ( after almost soiling myself on occasions) , Tommy Toureg proved himself climbing steep ascents of rough rocky, rutted and very steep tracks with relative ease. To be honest I was shocked what my car can do. Heaps of fun ( and nerves ) but I ended the day with a new found beginners confidence. Of course much more practice is needed. (any takers?)

I probably wont go to the extremes of what I have learnt often, but at least I know how to approach obstacles and decide if i can get out of a situation or just turn around.

The photos don't really show the how steep or rutted the dirt was, but it was not kids stuff.

Thanks to John for a wonderful day of training and knowledge on how to prepare for my trip.

Recommend Johns training to anyone interested in off road and has a vehicle.

http://australian-4x4.com.au

(Peter Warrington lets book you and i will meet you there)

http://australian-4x4.com.au

Time for new shoes

Off with the factory standards and on with the Coopers Tyres more suited for the on and off road conditions.. that makes it a bit more blokey........3 weeks to go.

4WD course on Monday

Lost already

How can I navigate the country when I need a five and six year olds to help me get out of a maze 

Thanks Cadel & Seth

Pinnacles WA = Such an awsome place. Must come back with my new camera...

Located in the Nambung National Park located 200 km north of Perth are the Pinnacles.

Rising mysteriously form the dunes sands are thousands of limestone pillars up to four metres tall: a landscape in eerie contrast to the surrounding heath. Some are jagged, sharp-edged columns rising to the a point; others resemble tombstones.

Unfortunately the visitors centre was closed but i believe that it time gone by.. hundreds if not thousands of years ago the land was part of the ocean.  over the centuries the oceans have moved receeded and have left these amazing structures open to the weather to be eroded.

What an amazing place.....

Sorry Roy and Ben ....I never really took notice of your previous visit on this one.

Recommend a must do if your going to Perth. 8/10

Lancelin WA = Further 4 WD training whilst the kids play in the sand

For further basis David took the family and i to Lancelin which is about 150km north of Perth to play in the sand hills. An amazing experience if you have never done so.

We started with Red Emporer grilled  for David and I and schitzel for Monique at the local pub with beautiful water views. With full tummies we were then off to play.

I leant not how to get bogged and how to get out when you do. Good one David.
Tyres went from 40psi to 10psi during the day.

Monique and Kids had fun on the slopes during the same day. Pitty the cardboard sleds wouldn't work.

Another great trip 9/10

Lunch at the local pub Lancelin

Mundaring WA - = Ed teaches me the basics of "off Road '' on the Power Line Trail

So the first time ive been off road to learn new skills. My 4WD course is next week but i though i would take this opportunity to get some tips in the dirt and have some fun with the boys.

We drove 10km on the dirt 4WD trail taking the easier routes, but it must be said your standard car wouldn't have gone 1km.  Very colourful fauna in this part of the world.

Perth WA - Journey 2 = What do you do when you buy a new car....leave it.

Thanks to Qantas I had a free return flight anywhere in Australia to use by the end of the year. (remember the time that Qantas shut down last year)

Thanks to Ed & Monique who welcomed me to their family in Perth for a week of family fun.

With three kids under ten, Ive learnt what its like to be a parent and live the family life.

Fun week.

Botany Bay NSW - Journey 1 = Off to find where it all began...

Say good bye to Jays Polo which has been adopted by Jays mum Lynne.  Great to keep "Vera" Volkswagen in the family.

Hello big car....The natural place to test my new driving skills in my new beast and start my journey is where it all started for white man in Australia...Botany Bay at Kurnell the place that Captain Cook landed.
Next to see the Hawkesbury sandstone cliffs at Cape Solander also in Botany Bay national park followed by Lunch with Roy and Martin who joined the trip.
After lunch a drive through Cronulla. ( cant believe i had never been their either)

Everyone should take a day out to Kurnell. 7/10

It was fitting for Journey 1 to be standing where Captain Cook landed which is directly opposite where Jay is laid to rest......

Botany Bay National Park. The Endevour Landing Place

James Cook was the first European known to have explored the more habitable east coast. Cook had been sent to chart the transit of Venus from Tahiti, but he also charted much of the Australian and New Zealand coastlines. He reached New Zealand in October 1769, and mapped its coast. On 19 April 1770, the crew of the Endeavour sighted the east coast of Australia and ten days later landed in a bay now located in Sydney's southern suburbs.


For further interesting info on Australia's discovery that you may wish to refresh you historical prowess have a read of the link.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Australia

Cape Solander