If you are thinking of coming to the 2009 PP GTG.

[mav Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

Okay everyone this poll is primarily to guage where the majority of people will likely be coming from to attend the 2009 PP GTG in the Red Centre as per the two threads running in the trip forum.

This is not a hard and fast "I am coming" question so don't panic. We are only in the preliminary planning stages at the moment.

[D4D_4_Vic Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close D4D_4_Vic]

:lol: 2009 PP GTG in the Red Centre

Victoria

[pradonet Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close pradonet]

Hey Mav,

have been following this idea for a while, am i right in thinking there are two trips proposed or are there two threads re the same trip :?:

Im confused :shock: :!: Maybe its just the post BBQ red wine :?

[lc120_man Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close lc120_man]

Hey Mav,

have been following this idea for a while, am i right in thinking there are two trips proposed or are there two threads re the same trip :?:

Im confused :shock: :!: Maybe its just the post BBQ red wine :?

There is 2009 PP Get Together in the Red Center. Also there will be a Simpson Desert Crossing trip on the way to 2009 PP Get Together to tee up with the start of 2009 Get Together. I'll post the iterary for Simpson crossing leg shortly. There are also might be a possibility of Simpson Desert Crossing from 2009 PP Get Together if there is enough interest....

[mav Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

Hey Mav,

have been following this idea for a while, am i right in thinking there are two trips proposed or are there two threads re the same trip :?:

Im confused :shock: :!: Maybe its just the post BBQ red wine :?

Same trip but in two sections, LC120_man is looking to do the more extreme 4x4 part of the trip and my itinery caters for those that want to take a more leisurely pace. I still hope to incorporate some 4x4 tracks but no so extreme as the tracks that LC120_man is proposing to do. I am working on a revised itinery at the moment that will see the incorporation of Rainbow Valley and Owen Springs reserve that should satisfy most peoples thirst for a bit of off road adventure without sacrificing their rigs if they are not equipped for the tough stuff. I have had firends lose their rigs at Boggy Hole when there was a lot of water there. Some have given up trying to get there and camped a few kms short of it. Going from Boggy hole to Kings Canyon can be pretty grueling to say the least.

So there are parts when everyone would be together starting at Ross River Resort and then pretty much out to the Glen Helen turn off on Larapinta Drive then LC120_man intends to take those who want to do the extreme route to Kings Canyon through Boggy Hole and those who want to take the less extreme version would join me via Glen helen and the Mereenie Loop road down to Kings Canyon and Ayres Rock.

That is how it stands currently as by doing it this way we can accommodate as many people as possible as some folks would not have the rigs to do the tough 4x4 routes but would still like to be part of the experience as a whole. Plus we get to meet as many forum members as possible at the GTGs at Ross River and Kings Canyon.

The logistical part of organising everyone to turn up at the same time and place is going to be hard due to varying factors such as school holidays etc.

I hope this clears up some of the confusion, LC120_man and myself have yet to work out the intricacies of how this is going to be put together but I think we will get there in the end. Nothing is written in stone at this stage as we are trying to cater for as many people as possible.

[dirttracker Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dirttracker]

Guys I might be interested in the Simmo leg. What do you have in mind for that part of the get together? When might it be?

Martin

[pradonet Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close pradonet]

Thanks mav,

Clears it up somwhat, will keep watching with interest.

Thanks to you both for going to the effort at this early stage to get something rolling.

[FlyNdrive Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close FlyNdrive]

There is no "other" section so I'm putting in NSW because I will probably be traveling from Sidney / Melbourne.

I need to look at the itinerary closely because I need to include the Sydney, The Gold Coast, and at least Kakadu before heading into the interior and using up all my time.

After researching and looking at lots of pics there is so much to do near Alice Springs. I think it's the perfect place for a meet up.

-Ben

[mav Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

There is no "other" section so I'm putting in NSW because I will probably be traveling from Sidney / Melbourne.

I need to look at the itinerary closely because I need to include the Sydney, The Gold Coast, and at least Kakadu before heading into the interior and using up all my time.

After researching and looking at lots of pics there is so much to do near Alice Springs. I think it's the perfect place for a meet up.

-Ben

Hey Ben why not fly into Darwin then down to Alice Springs hook up with the GTG then do the Simpson Desert crossing and go down to Melbourne with LC120_man the head up to Sydney and then on to the Gold Coast. Then you could fly up to Cairns and do the Great Barrier Reef on the Quicksilver boat. Then you could fly backto the USA from Cairns.

[FlyNdrive Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close FlyNdrive]

I still need to locate a Prado. I will PM Chippy and see if we can get a modified rental or "pimp out" a rental for a few weeks.

The wife is stoked about this as well.

-Ben

[mav Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

I still need to locate a Prado. I will PM Chippy and see if we can get a modified rental or "pimp out" a rental for a few weeks.

The wife is stoked about this as well.

-Ben

Ben,

Chippy is located in Western Australia so he might not be able to help on the Prado front however have you considered just buying a second hand 4x4 to use whilst you are here and then sell it when you leave and recoupe most of your costs for the use of a vehicle?

There are some decent 4x4s available locally in Alice and most likely in Darwin that would fit the bill. If you consider what a rental will cost the difference between renting and buying would be minimal once you resell the vehicle. I just did a quick quote with Hertz here for a Landcruiser which is stock standard and for 4 weeks hire it came to A$10600.00.

I am pretty sure you could get a reasonable diesel 4x4 here for close to that money and it will most likely have gear on it for bush work. Sell the car when you are finished your trip and save yourself a few thousand if not the whole cost of having the car here.

[Kevin Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Kevin]

Ben,
You might want to check out Sargent's. They do a lot of commercial 4wd drive rentals particularly for the resource sector.

http://www.sargent.com.au/index.php?id=14


Cheers,
Kevin

[lc120_man Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close lc120_man]

Ben,

It doesn't have to be Prado but it must be Toyota!
http://www.britz.com.au/australia-4WD-hire

[FlyNdrive Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close FlyNdrive]

I checked out prices and for that I can ship my FJ down there and back. I have rented cars in England, Ireland, France, Germany, Mexico, and the Caribbean and it has always been a fraction of that. Never more than $500 (US) per week.

With the devaluation of the US $$. It may put the brakes on this expedition.

I did have the thought of buying a new FJ, ship it down and sell it. There would definitely be a market for that and easily sold.

I will start researching the different ideas.

-Ben

[mav Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close mav]

I checked out prices and for that I can ship my FJ down there and back. I have rented cars in England, Ireland, France, Germany, Mexico, and the Caribbean and it has always been a fraction of that. Never more than $500 (US) per week.

With the devaluation of the US $$. It may put the brakes on this expedition.

I did have the thought of buying a new FJ, ship it down and sell it. There would definitely be a market for that and easily sold.

I will start researching the different ideas.

-Ben

Ben,

Just a thought but some folks on here probably have more than one 4x4 and those that do may be able to let you use it for the GTG a minimal outlay to cover usage. Just a thought but you never know. Then you could fly to Melbourne and pick up a cheaper hire option for the rest of the trip.


Failing that Ben I have come across this mob who seem more down to earth with their pricing for a Landcruiser:

http://www.offroadrentals.com.au/rates.html