Exploring Australia From The Left

[Midwestdrifter]

The promised time has come (almost). Our yearlong adventure exploring Australia is about to begin, and as promised I will post up interesting bits of it here.


As per the Title my wife and I will be using our LHD North American spec T1N Sprinter (see build thread in my signature) for this trip.

To bring folks up to date, our Sprinter is a fully custom adventure camper, built and designed by us for the purpose of getting out there, and enjoying our passions for travel, nature, history, and just being lazy nomads.


Our van should be landing at Melbourne port today (Monday the 16th) where we are currently. Once it lands the container will be moved to the shipping company's warehouse where it will be unloaded. At this point all we need to do is change out the shipping wheels, sign paperwork, pay the remaining fees, and pass an AQIS (bio quarantine) inspection.

At this point I am jet-lagged, hungry, and dealing with a head-cold. But despite all of that our experience here has been very positive, even the customs bureaucracy (which is saying something).

Many folks we have met on our way here mentioned/complained about the current Melbourne heat. I had to laugh, 95F (35C) and 25% humidity is quite nice. We really enjoyed waiting for the shuttle bus after 3 months of winter!

Look for updated information on our trip in this thread or on our blog. We will be updating the blog name in the future, but the old one will still redirect.

Australia Lesson for the day: Folks in Oz have a national tendency to shorten or abbreviate names. Cities are no exception.

For example:
Brisbane Pronounced as Brizben
Melbourne Pronounced as Melben

Bonus: Driving on the right is hard, surprisingly no one has flipped me off, or screamed obscenities in my direction...Yet...

 

[oscarvan]

Bonus: Driving on the right is hard, surprisingly no one has flipped me off, or screamed obscenities in my direction...Yet...

I've done that in the UK. Everything was fine until we got to the first of the (many) roundabouts.

 

[owner]

Whatever you do, don't do more than 4kph above the posted limit. VIC police are outright card carrying speed limit nazis.

 

[Midwestdrifter]

Whatever you do, don't do more than 4kph above the posted limit. VIC police are outright card carrying speed limit nazis.

Yeah, I was sternly warned by some Expats. It's strange just coming from LA where prevailing road speed is either deadlock or 85mph+.

In the sprinter I usually hang around the posted limit for better fuel economy, but 80kph feels so slow!

 

[SprinterSnale]

Bonus: Driving on the right is hard, surprisingly no one has flipped me off, or screamed obscenities in my direction...Yet...

Been down here a couple weeks and have yet to get behind the wheel. (We're staying with relatives.)
Aussies don't pass on the left nearly as much as Californians.
You gotta be careful just walking across the street until you get acclimated-no joke.
Speaking of acclimation...it's been 40C 8 of the past 13 days here in NSW...that's 106F mate...
Sunscreen is mandatory (SPF50) as there is little or no ozone protection.
The beaches are great after an afternoon nap with a friend...

Love it here! Safe travels.

 

[tinman]

Be careful with right turns. That's where I came closest to getting my name in the paper.

 

[glasseye]

And vehicles approaching from your right. Nearly did me in once.
At least you have a copilot. Driving alone under those circumstances was harrowing.

 

[Midwestdrifter]

Having another set of eyes helps a ton. In fact when operating a LHD vehicle some territories "require" a copilot for safety reasons.

You know all those things your brain does for you when your driving normally? Like warn you when your doing something dumb, etc? Well none of that works when you switch sides. Everything that was automatic now requires full conscious effort and awareness. When driving here my brain literally has no idea what is going on. About all it will do for me is help control my speed, and stay in my own lane. Everything else is completely on me!

I've done that in the UK. Everything was fine until we got to the first of the (many) roundabouts.

I think I have roundabouts down, (I am probably still breaking etiquette though). It takes everything I have mentally to do them right though. I literally cannot even listen or talk to Jen. I feel like I am solving differential equations from back in college.

As a plus, drivers in Melbourne seem more mild mannered, and careful than my previous home in Tulsa Oklahoma. It is probably the "Road Nazis" as Owner put it.

SprinterSnale, Small world with another forum member over here! We are going to hang around the south until the worst of the summer heat passes. No reason to punish ourselves when we can go wherever we want!


The cargo ship has docked in Melbourne, and they should be unloading containers. Our containers next stop should be the shipping warehouse.

 

[autostaretx]

You might be able to purchase (or make) a "LHD" sign to hang on the rear...
(heck, make 4 ... one for each side)

--dick

 

[Midwestdrifter]

You might be able to purchase (or make) a "LHD" sign to hang on the rear...
(heck, make 4 ... one for each side)

--dick

Technically we are not required display the 4" high "left hand drive" on our van (its under 4 metric tons)

That being said, I am going to pick up a few medium sized LHD stickers to put on the van. One for the rear, and one for the "drivers" side. Just so people don't freak out when they see jen napping!

 

[owner]

As a plus, drivers in Melbourne seem more mild mannered, and careful than my previous home in Tulsa Oklahoma. It is probably the "Road Nazis" as Owner put it.

Its true, I've driven a fair bit in several major cities worldwide, and Melbourne drivers definitely stand out as the most courteous by far. (Its the imports like me that are the problem lol).

Will be hitting 38C here today, should be a nice day. Its the 45+ days you need to watch out for, especially when you get a few in a row.

 

[NORTON]

I recommend buying Camps Australia Wide, it lists rest areas, camps , national parks and even toilet dump points, I have the 3rd edition 2005 and it served me well.
Be aware of travelling in central Australia that the pastoral properties are not fenced and livestock roam freely so advise to plan your rest stops to avoid driving after sunset.
Also the Road Trains can be long, 3 trailers are not uncommon and need plenty of space to negotiate
Best of luck on your venture . Murray

 

[jackbombay]

It takes everything I have mentally to do them right though. I literally cannot even listen or talk to Jen. I feel like I am solving differential equations from back in college.

Doing it all LHD will make it worse I'm sure, we spent 2 months there back in 98, it was interesting. The one that made me laugh out loud a few times was walking up to the left side of the car, opening the door, to find no steering wheel or controls

Crossing streets on foot... I would stop decidedly short of stepping off the curb, which reminded me to think "Look right"... Anytime I was near a curb I'd think "Look right". I also never got tired of exclaiming "Check out that nutjob driving on the wrong side of the road!", my wife didn't think it was as funny as I did

 

[Midwestdrifter]

Doing it all LHD will make it worse I'm sure, we spent 2 months there back in 98, it was interesting. The one that made me laugh out loud a few times was walking up to the left side of the car, opening the door, to find no steering wheel or controls

Yeah, still doing this mutiple times a day. Its even funnier when Jen does it on the drivers side. For some odd reason she wasn't listed as a driver with the rental company when she made the reservation. I wonder why?

Still waiting for news on the van.

 

[Tooth Fairy]

Its true, I've driven a fair bit in several major cities worldwide, and Melbourne drivers definitely stand out as the most courteous by far.

No way,
Whenever I leave Melbourne and go bush the driving is peaceful until you start heading home, just before you get near Melbourne and then you realise, yep Im home.

 

[Tooth Fairy]

Will be hitting 38C here today,

And 20 tomorrow, get used to it......lol

 

[Midwestdrifter]

And 20 tomorrow, get used to it......lol

Coastal cities right? I am just ecstatic that the humidity is below 40% during the day.


Obviously bush driving would peaceful-ish. At least until the roo mating season? Of course, if everyone else is a terrible driver and rude, you might need take a look in the mirror... at yourself.

 

[Tooth Fairy]

Of course, if everyone else is a terrible driver and rude, you might need take a look in the mirror... at yourself.

I am a blow in so I notice it more.

 

[Midwestdrifter]

Google sure does make cultural assimilation easier.

blow-in
noun AUSTRALIAN informal
noun: blow-in; plural noun: blow-ins; noun: blowin; plural noun: blowins
a newcomer or recent arrival.

 

[Tooth Fairy]

a newcomer or recent arrival.

In some places you can be a blow in after 20 years.......