This part of the trip started in Cairns (A on the map). I met back up with Debbie Vanderboom the Canadian I had met on the Fraser Island trip and from here we decided we’d travel together to Uluru (Ayers Rock). During discussions we decided we both wanted to get to Broome (D on the map) eventually. I met a guy from Holland called Danny and he decided he wanted to come with us. He had only just landed in Australia and seemed eager to come with us. After a few days spent planning, costing and researching the trip, Danny decided he wouldn’t be able to hire the car with us as he felt he needed to look for work. We were back on our own again and we spent almost 2 weeks looking for somebody to travel with. Checking notice boards looking for lift availability. Attempting to get 1 way car rentals. No joy. We decided to post our own notice on a few noticeboards; in hostels and public places. We sat and waited outside global gossip – bored senseless – with little hope left we were going to get a lift from anyone. Just about to give up for the day and leave the notice board, a girl holding a note came up and pinned her note right next to ours. Now I don’t believe in fate and even to me this seemed like a massive coincidence but her note had exactly the same itinerary as ours. We introduced ourselves and removed our signs from the noticeboard and headed for the nearest bar for a drink! We deserved it… Chris and Debbie, along with Lotta (the Finnish girl!) were finally on the beginning of a memorable roadtrip which was to test the patience of all!

Day 1

We headed out early from Cairns towards Townsville. We made Townsville in very good time so decided to continue on a little. Before night fell we ended up in Torrens Creek.