Fridge fix up

We built our own eutectic refrigerator* but last week we decided it needed a fix up. 

The seal on our fridge was still the original freezer seal but I have thought since the beginning that it could be better. I'd been taught that a fridge isn't much good without a good seal and this is all the more relevant in hot climates. 

We contacted a fridge seal repairer (commonly found in Australia) and were asked to photograph and measure our existing seal and send this data to them. They made and delivered a new seal to us (where we were parked), cost $55, we installed it. With some quick instructions H found the installation job quite easy. 

We also decided to add a latch to keep the door seated. 

 Our new fridge catch is simply strong elastic, screws and a washer. It's easy to use and does the job'

The different to our energy use has been remarkable! Whereas I think the fridge would turn on at least 3 times overnight before it now only does it once, not long after we've had dinner and packed up. 

*(http://thebelgianandtheaussie.blogspot.com/2017/01/diy-motorhome-building-our-own-fridge.html

Hiking with snakes, is our RV large?

At the end of February and into March I'd decided that we should do more hiking. Queensland national parks mostly have camping (currently just $6.15 per person per night, regardless of facility or popularity) and well defined hiking tracks.

In Main Range National Park's Goomburra section there was only one other camper, a lone man in a bus biggest than ours. He told H that he stays 3 weeks in a location and then heads to town for supplies before moving to the next NP camping. $6.15 x 7 nights = $43.05, no bills for power or water, he drives occasionally, we all have to eat .... that's cheap living!

Hiking here we saw 2 snakes and many wallaby. The first of the two snakes quickly slithered off, as they usually do, and I didn't see enough to say what it was. The second though, a 2 metre carpet python, was lying along the path and wasn't interested in moving. Carpet pythons aren't considered dangerous, but still I wouldn't want to get struck by one. I tossed my sunglasses at it and it aggressively went at them. Seeing that it wouldn't move we used a long stick to retrieve my glasses and we went through the stinging nettles to go around the snake.

The snake that wouldn't move off the path.

Next we stopped at Cunninghams Gap (another section of Main Range NP). On the hike we discovered that leeches like H more than me. I felt one on my leg before any attached themselves, but at that time H discovered he already had many attached. 

Next we went to Spicer's Gap. Apparently the road up isn't suited to large motorhome, but what's the definition of a large motorhome? Is ours large? There's bigger ones. We went without trouble, and we stopped at the picnic area and hiked from there. Honestly, the road beyond the picnic area isn't suitable for large RV's.

The view from Governors Chair, Spicers Gap, Main Range National Park.

The Governors chair is well worth the hike up.  The camping ground is really just for tents. But as it was late and had just started raining, actually 'bucketing' rain, we got online and booked a campsite. It wasn't busy up there and  we think it was safer that we stayed put. 

Next we stayed in Lamington National Park, in the Binna Burra private campground. More hiking, and we joined the lodge on a evening wildlife spotlighting hike,  it was too windy to see much (other than lots of wallaby... guide not needed!) but the guide did coax a spider from a hole which impressed me. The views in parts of Lamington National Park are quite impressive. 

Next we would have liked to visit Springbrook NP, but apparently you should book its camping in advance. It's a great park but I think it's popularity can be attributed to its proximity to the Gold Coast. 

Then, after an overnight visiting friends on the Gold Coast, we headed down the coast. Because, as I said to H, you should visit the towns of the Northen New South Wales coast. Why? I think for the alternative vibe. 

So we did, and we drove up to Nimbin too. And, despite Nimbins reputation for marijuana, nobody offered us any! (It's not that we're  buying..., I just don't to look so straight!)

A view from the way up to Cape Byron Bay Lighthouse. We cycled up!

Victoria's Grand Ridge Road & Walhalla by RV

Australia has wonderful Visitor Information Centres. You can stop in and pick up lots of brochures, maps and booklets or visit their websites and download e-versions of the information and it's all absolutely free (although, they always have things for sale too). You can also ask all manner of questions. 

Amongst the information I'd collected at various centres there was mention of a scenic drive called the Grand Ridge Road. It said it where it started and ended and that it was partly dirt road, but that was it. And, even with questioning at a visitors centre and various web searches I couldn't get much information about it. But, I found the road on our OSMAnd maps and away we went. 

The road is, for the most part, forestry road used by the logging trucks. At various points along the way there are signs saying UHF28. So, we switched our UHF to channel 28. But, was that enough? No. 

Fortunately for us, when we radioed a log truck driver to ask if he wished to overtake us (he did, of course, and told us where was suitable), he also volunteered the information that we should radio each numbered point on the road as we passed it so other trucks would know we were there. Good to know!

The state of Victoria has dished up some horrible cold wet weather for us this week. It shouldn't be like this in late November. Doing the Grand Ridge Road in the wet meant that our views weren't so good, but the forest did look and smell glorious. 

 

The worst road wasn't actually the Grand Ridge Road, as it was wide enough for logging trucks, but a road going down past Tarra Bulga national park. It was signposted as not for articulated vehicles yet, going down we met a 4wd with caravan coming up! It was a tight fit. 

A stranger we'd met recommended we drive up to Walhalla and what a lovely place it is. Walhalla was once a booming town of gold mine glory, then almost deserted, and now it's a restored tourist village, with lovely free and paid campsites. We did the Long Tunnel tour which was really interesting and wandered the streets looking at the restored old buildings, each with information about its history. 

 

We are hoping that this next week gives us some better weather. The Belgian, clearly thinking his days of bad weather were behind him, has been sulking about the rain. I (the Aussie) grew up with too much drought and I find something nice about rain, it actually lifts my spirits most the time. 

Overlanding Poland: Międzyrzecz Fortification Region

This time, as we left Belgium, we travelled quickly across the Netherlands and Germany to get to some places that we haven't yet explored: Poland, and on to the Baltic States: Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. H has been to each of these countries before but he never did any exploring in any of them, so it's all new to him too. 

Our first attraction to visit in Poland was a place said to be the "Longest military defensive system in the world" and "the largest military basements in Europe": Międzyrzecz Fortification Region. It was well worth the visit: it's an extensive network of underground tunnels, built 1934-36, which housed railway systems, war equipment, and even factory facilities. For non Polish speakers there is an audioguide, although you are required to follow the Polish tour (which is difficult because the tour guides commentary and the audio guide are at different paces). 

On our first day in Poland we didn't actually make it to the underground attraction before closing. But nearby, where the road ends on a lake, there's a pleasant campsite with lake swimming and kayaks to use. It was a heatwave across Europe and we'd driven a long way that day without air-con, so we very much appreciated an evening swim before heading underground the next morning. 

Here's a picture, we recommend visiting the campsite and the Międzyrzecz Fortification Region.

One of the underground tunnels of Międzyrzecz Fortification Region.

 Above the ground at Międzyrzecz Fortification Region all you see is the occasional bunker and an entrance wall. 

Inside of Blac, part 2

The remainder of the photos of the inside of our motorhome, Blac.

5. Looking towards the front of the vehicle.  The fridge is on the left,  we covered it with a poster print collage of our wedding day and a drawing from my niece at the bottom. Clothes cupboard is beyond the fridge.

6. The toilet (I won't use American terminology as you clearly can't take a bath in there). It's a flushing Thetford toilet.  Waste goes into a sealed cassette,  it can be pulled out from a little door on the outside wall, and Hendrik empties it daily. On the right is our folding outdoor table.

7. The shower.  The toilet and shower are on opposite sides of the back door.

Blac can carry 150 litres of water.  We usually fill up the water at gas stations, but we can fill from rivers or lakes if need be.  The water is for everything: kitchen, drinking (run through the filter), toilet flush, and shower. 150 litres typically lasts us (2people) 3 days.  We rarely use public toilets.

Planning a route

I got bored with tidying things today and so I started looking at guidebooks and maps for where we will go next. This is just a vague kind of planning, we have a direction and there will be a few 'must-sees', but many things will be made up along the way. 

Currently we a staying with friends in a town between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. From here our basic direction will first be to the Pantanal. 

The Pantanal is a massive wetland area that mostly lies in Brazil, but also with parts in Bolivia and Paraguay. It floods every year in summer (ie, the Southern Hemisphere summer). The best time to visit is May to September, but it's recommended to still go whenever you can. Why? Because although the Amazon is world famous, this is a much better place to see wildlife (apparently there's plenty of wildlife to see in the amazon... If only the jungle wasn't blocking the view). So we're hoping to see a Jaguar (although we missed its peak season by one month) and lots of other animals. 

From the Pantanal we're heading North, and East, to the Guyanas. 'The Guyanas' is a collective term for the countries at the top of South America, ie, French Guyana, Suriname, and Guyana. These countries aren't often visited by overlanders and in general they seem to be unknown even to the people of the other countries of South America. 

I haven't yet researched what we'll discover up there in the Guyanas. Being that one speaks French, the next Dutch and the other English I'm expecting some cultural difference, which, for me, is part of the joy of travel. 

Anyway, like they used to say on a commercial for travel to the Northern Territory (of Australia): Ya never never know if ya never never go. 

 

On the road, again

Hendrik (H) and I (Ali) live in a small camper-van travelling the world. Currently the camper-van is parked in South America and we are in Australia. We came back to Australia because a few months back H got down on one knee and proposed to me. I was shocked! And after 2 weeks of thinking it over I said 'okay, but you have to meet my family first'.

H is from Belgian, and I, you may know, am from Australia. We've been in Australia almost 2 months now, which means that time is running out and we'll soon be heading back to our home on wheels in South America.

Tomorrow we start a drive to North Queensland. We have a month to get there and come back again. We've borrowed a piggy back camper from my dad and are headed to a friends birthday party. Google maps says it's 1788 kilometres from here to the party.

Most importantly, the wedding was 2 weeks ago.... so that's it. I spent years searching for a travel companion, and so did H, and now we're off the market.

In this blog I intend to tell you about us, how we met, and what we are doing. I hope you enjoy it!