The great Australian Road trip
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The great Australian Road trip
Wow!
I've got it and it's good!!!!!
History of the road trip as follows. US viewers are advised to consult an atlas!
Will post a link to a full gallery when I get it online! Cant figure out how to get piccys in these posts!
The road trip
Day 1:
0725 flight to Brisbane and Glen 'The Grid Girl' gets stuck next to women from Philidephia who likes to talk crap. Lucky Glen! LOL. Arrive Brisbane and, no waiting shuttle bus driver. Great start to day. He eventually materializes and we wait around the airport for another 45 mins till more passengers arrive. The trip to the Sunshine Coast takes about 2 hours due to dropping off passengers along the way.
Book into Twin Waters Resort - great news, not, we have upgraded you to a king suite! I gently point out that I have no desire to sleep in the same bed as Glen, no matter how big the bed is. In luck, there is a rollaway sofa.
PO arrives at resort with shiny red Porshe 944, 1984 model, n/a, factory alarm, Fuschs wheels, huge tyres etc. I'm in love at first sight. We go for a spin to see if I like driving it, as if!
Along the stretch of road near the resort he has me slow and put car in 2nd gear. "Plant your foot", he says. So I do! 6000rpm, 120kmph in 2nd. I've died and gone to heaven.
Not much else happens except lots of beer, bundy and red wine as the night rolls on.
Day 2:
Start the road trip. Destination, Rockhampton. Light intermittent rain. I notice that although car is RHD, Porsche have not bothered to change over or redesign wipers. Only half the drivers side gets cleaned, whilst the passengers side is fully cleared!
A/C works poorly (I already knew this before purchase) but its not too hot.
We both forgot to pack any cassettes! The selection at servos is not all that flash and radio reception is intermittent.
We get as far as 20km sth of Miriam Vale (pop 400 or less) when there is a burning smell. The a/c had given up the ghost over 45 minutes beforehand. I pull over outside a roadhouse at Colliseum Creek (the only building within 20km ea way!). We have a broken fanbelt. ****! Contact RACQ and service mechanic, Dave, can come out from Miriam Vale. The a/c condensor has seized and caused the fanbelt to burn and break, hence the smoke and smell. It's ok to drive the 20km to the shop. Dave doesnt have a belt to fit the new configuration, leaving out the a/c rotor. Have to get one delivered from Gladstone. Have to stay overnight at local pub.
Glen introduces me to Bundy Draught, we push pub profits through the roof to record levels. and are the last people out of the bar when the publican turns the lights off on us!!!!
Day 3:
Uneventful day. Dave gets new belt at about 1000. Works OK and we're off. Longer than planned trip to Mackay. Tropical rain interspersed with sunshine. Still no decent cassettes at stops. We arrive at Mackay only to find that the Queensland junior Surf Lifesaving titles are on - no accomodation in the whole town! Bugger!!
Head towards Proserpine, 100km or so further. Tropical deluge on the way. Pitch black. Lights, contrary to what I've read, work perfectly and are more than adequate. Note to self: when driving at night in tropical downpour, dont rely on eyes to judge road speed in this car. Thought I was doing 90-100kph, was really doing 140kph!! In the rain and dark!!!
Overnight in a pub in Proserpine. Good band playing and plenty of beer and bundy. Couple in the room next door have a loud sexual encounter just as I go to bed! Well, there's my entertainment for the week!
Day 4:
Off to Townsville, about 4 hours or less. pass a few coal trains from Collinsville (probably 4-5 km long) on the way. Beer stop at Ayr. Every little country pub we go to, the locals just stop and stare at us as if we were aliens. Must be Glen!!!! LOL
Overnight at Mecure Inn in Townsville. Bar not open, so casino here we come!!! What a dead hole. Nowhere near as busy as Cairns. But they have Bundy on tap. We are saved!!!! Happy hour hits and pots are $2 of bundy. Pokies and tables are not paying so 2 btls of red on way back to motel and then to bed. Glen says he heard some footballers trying to wake up their teamates in the room next door at 0200. They apparently had 3 cheerleaders in tow! There was plenty of space in our room!!! LOL
Day 5:
Boring. Driving to cairns. Glen drives to Cardwell (beer stop) and I drive the rest. This bloody machine is so easy to drive that it lulls you into a false sense of security.
We see our first speed camera in 1600+km at Tully and our first radar at Edmonton.; By that stage we are nearly home.
Drop the grid girl off at his unit (scaping front air-dam on driveway when leaving, and proceed home.
Everybody loves car. But still get abused for not having all minor defects fixed before I buy. Women! They dont understand. I wanted a car to enjoy, not to be new. This is awesome and fun. Long live Porsche!!!!!
So ends the great Sunshine Coast to Cairns road trip. Around 1680km. Glen was a great co-driver and companion. I didn't test out his kissing skills (nor do I wish to!) but we did tell each other some rather lurid and exageratted tales along the way.
I have no regrets whatsoever in buying a 21 y.o. car. This thing is so much fun to drive and seems so reliable that I think it is the bargain of my life. In addition, people are going to be so jealous that I am driving a Porsche that they are going to hate me. I luv that!!!!
I've got it and it's good!!!!!
History of the road trip as follows. US viewers are advised to consult an atlas!
Will post a link to a full gallery when I get it online! Cant figure out how to get piccys in these posts!
The road trip
Day 1:
0725 flight to Brisbane and Glen 'The Grid Girl' gets stuck next to women from Philidephia who likes to talk crap. Lucky Glen! LOL. Arrive Brisbane and, no waiting shuttle bus driver. Great start to day. He eventually materializes and we wait around the airport for another 45 mins till more passengers arrive. The trip to the Sunshine Coast takes about 2 hours due to dropping off passengers along the way.
Book into Twin Waters Resort - great news, not, we have upgraded you to a king suite! I gently point out that I have no desire to sleep in the same bed as Glen, no matter how big the bed is. In luck, there is a rollaway sofa.
PO arrives at resort with shiny red Porshe 944, 1984 model, n/a, factory alarm, Fuschs wheels, huge tyres etc. I'm in love at first sight. We go for a spin to see if I like driving it, as if!
Along the stretch of road near the resort he has me slow and put car in 2nd gear. "Plant your foot", he says. So I do! 6000rpm, 120kmph in 2nd. I've died and gone to heaven.
Not much else happens except lots of beer, bundy and red wine as the night rolls on.
Day 2:
Start the road trip. Destination, Rockhampton. Light intermittent rain. I notice that although car is RHD, Porsche have not bothered to change over or redesign wipers. Only half the drivers side gets cleaned, whilst the passengers side is fully cleared!
A/C works poorly (I already knew this before purchase) but its not too hot.
We both forgot to pack any cassettes! The selection at servos is not all that flash and radio reception is intermittent.
We get as far as 20km sth of Miriam Vale (pop 400 or less) when there is a burning smell. The a/c had given up the ghost over 45 minutes beforehand. I pull over outside a roadhouse at Colliseum Creek (the only building within 20km ea way!). We have a broken fanbelt. ****! Contact RACQ and service mechanic, Dave, can come out from Miriam Vale. The a/c condensor has seized and caused the fanbelt to burn and break, hence the smoke and smell. It's ok to drive the 20km to the shop. Dave doesnt have a belt to fit the new configuration, leaving out the a/c rotor. Have to get one delivered from Gladstone. Have to stay overnight at local pub.
Glen introduces me to Bundy Draught, we push pub profits through the roof to record levels. and are the last people out of the bar when the publican turns the lights off on us!!!!
Day 3:
Uneventful day. Dave gets new belt at about 1000. Works OK and we're off. Longer than planned trip to Mackay. Tropical rain interspersed with sunshine. Still no decent cassettes at stops. We arrive at Mackay only to find that the Queensland junior Surf Lifesaving titles are on - no accomodation in the whole town! Bugger!!
Head towards Proserpine, 100km or so further. Tropical deluge on the way. Pitch black. Lights, contrary to what I've read, work perfectly and are more than adequate. Note to self: when driving at night in tropical downpour, dont rely on eyes to judge road speed in this car. Thought I was doing 90-100kph, was really doing 140kph!! In the rain and dark!!!
Overnight in a pub in Proserpine. Good band playing and plenty of beer and bundy. Couple in the room next door have a loud sexual encounter just as I go to bed! Well, there's my entertainment for the week!
Day 4:
Off to Townsville, about 4 hours or less. pass a few coal trains from Collinsville (probably 4-5 km long) on the way. Beer stop at Ayr. Every little country pub we go to, the locals just stop and stare at us as if we were aliens. Must be Glen!!!! LOL
Overnight at Mecure Inn in Townsville. Bar not open, so casino here we come!!! What a dead hole. Nowhere near as busy as Cairns. But they have Bundy on tap. We are saved!!!! Happy hour hits and pots are $2 of bundy. Pokies and tables are not paying so 2 btls of red on way back to motel and then to bed. Glen says he heard some footballers trying to wake up their teamates in the room next door at 0200. They apparently had 3 cheerleaders in tow! There was plenty of space in our room!!! LOL
Day 5:
Boring. Driving to cairns. Glen drives to Cardwell (beer stop) and I drive the rest. This bloody machine is so easy to drive that it lulls you into a false sense of security.
We see our first speed camera in 1600+km at Tully and our first radar at Edmonton.; By that stage we are nearly home.
Drop the grid girl off at his unit (scaping front air-dam on driveway when leaving, and proceed home.
Everybody loves car. But still get abused for not having all minor defects fixed before I buy. Women! They dont understand. I wanted a car to enjoy, not to be new. This is awesome and fun. Long live Porsche!!!!!
So ends the great Sunshine Coast to Cairns road trip. Around 1680km. Glen was a great co-driver and companion. I didn't test out his kissing skills (nor do I wish to!) but we did tell each other some rather lurid and exageratted tales along the way.
I have no regrets whatsoever in buying a 21 y.o. car. This thing is so much fun to drive and seems so reliable that I think it is the bargain of my life. In addition, people are going to be so jealous that I am driving a Porsche that they are going to hate me. I luv that!!!!
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You're making me homesick ! I was looking at prices back there, and they are a lot more expensive than the US, aren't they ? I think I may be taking a step down, car-wise if I move back home.
BTW, no "s" in "Fuch"
BTW, no "s" in "Fuch"
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Some more piccys. Miriam Vale Hotel and first service centre and the car parked overlooking Hinchinbrook Channel near Cardwell with Glen "The Grid Girl" (I couldn't afford anything better!!!!!)
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nice car! sounds like a fun trip. I think I do need to go check out a map now to see where you went! Thats the first time I thought about the wipers not working on the other side well.
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Originally Posted by mroberts
You're making me homesick ! I was looking at prices back there, and they are a lot more expensive than the US, aren't they ? I think I may be taking a step down, car-wise if I move back home.
BTW, no "s" in "Fuch"
BTW, no "s" in "Fuch"
$11500 for mine is a real bargain! I've already got my moneys worth just on the drive home.
Cant wait to park it at work, right next to the entrance to the Executive parking area! They can compare their Commodores and Falcons to a real car!!! LOL
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Originally Posted by //SD 951
The windscreen wipers work the way they should on my 86 turbo (ie they clean the drivers side moreso than the passengers).
No offence guys!
I am going to look at buying new arms at SuperCheap. They seem to have the same connections as my 85 exel! I can only extend about 3cm on the drivers side, but that should make a big difference.
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Brian,
Great read, wish I had come along for the ride. The car looks hot, I'm sure you'll have many rewarding hours fidling about with it, seems like the pit girl may come in handy for the bigger jobs. Have jsut sent you mail re the AC comp.
Peter
Great read, wish I had come along for the ride. The car looks hot, I'm sure you'll have many rewarding hours fidling about with it, seems like the pit girl may come in handy for the bigger jobs. Have jsut sent you mail re the AC comp.
Peter
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Thought I'd stick some more piccys in.
Miriam Vale garage interior. Parked outside Cardwell pub. In the carpark at Proserpine pub. Passing under one of those 5km long coal trains. My introduction to the cost of old cars. The RHD interior. Outside the Colliseum Creek Roadhouse and motel after the fanbelt broke.
Thats all for now.
Miriam Vale garage interior. Parked outside Cardwell pub. In the carpark at Proserpine pub. Passing under one of those 5km long coal trains. My introduction to the cost of old cars. The RHD interior. Outside the Colliseum Creek Roadhouse and motel after the fanbelt broke.
Thats all for now.
#13
In the words of Ralph Kramden "hamana hamana hamana" who is that?! I must not have been going to the right beaches in Queensland!
Beeg, you need to take that for a drive on the Great Ocean Road. I was wishing I had my 944 when I was there...
Beeg, you need to take that for a drive on the Great Ocean Road. I was wishing I had my 944 when I was there...
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LOL
Oz is definately NOT flat!
I have some really nice winding mountains to try out just near Cairns.
The full album of roadtrip photos can be seen at:
http://www.newkaomag.com/porsche.html
about 60 or so pics (lots of my fingers and blurred but some turned out OK)
Oz is definately NOT flat!
I have some really nice winding mountains to try out just near Cairns.
The full album of roadtrip photos can be seen at:
http://www.newkaomag.com/porsche.html
about 60 or so pics (lots of my fingers and blurred but some turned out OK)
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Originally Posted by Mike C.
Beeg, you need to take that for a drive on the Great Ocean Road. I was wishing I had my 944 when I was there...
Great idea, but, do you have any idea how far the Great Ocean Road is from Cairns?
And it's in bloody Victoria! Full of 'Mexicans' LOL
And they play that silly kick and giggle football game where you get points for missing! LOL
Honestly, I will be driving to Port Douglas next week on my days off and probably take a trip up the Gillies Highway to Atherton. Something like 180 bends in the Gillies over the course of the ascent!
Should be fun!