We do not have any commercial tie-ins or benefactors. We have been generously assisted with training and advice from many quarters. Some individuals who ought be here have preferred not to be.
First and last, and more than everyone else put together : Jan - we would still be dreaming about it otherwise. And to Nigel, Marcia, Frances and Linda who have promised to be surrogates. And to Frances mother Ivy - thanx for the sox.
St John Ambulance gave us training in basic remote area first aid and a first aid kit that will ride in the car and hopefully still be unopened when we get to home. John Fasham ran the course with flair and made us feel like we know what to do….. and to make it easier you can do one whole day of a two day course on-line. Jonathan Cooper organised it and made that easy, so thanks.
VACC especially David Purchase and Tim O’Brien helped with car advice, technical talk, industry contacts and a nudge in the right direction when it may have gone astray. Many thanks again.
RACV is the logical place for travellers, and it is through them or their equivalent that the AAA issues a car passport [called a 'Carnet de Passage de Douane' required for export and re-importation of your vehicle]. Their website also sells and provides information on insurance and international licences which you will need. Don’t expect the breakdown van in Uzbekistan though.
Zoe Warne and her team at August have created this website for us and executed the design of Jacks idea for the logo. We could not have been more unreliable or indecisive as customers - thanks for putting up with us and doing such a great job. Who says technology is scary?
Guests 4WD Centre kitted out the car. David was patient, clear and thoughtful with advice on everything from tyre selection to EPIRBs or locking diffs and all the way through to details like bulb choice for driving lights…
Richard Johnson and Martin Southgate at the ABC took us for a week training on film gear. They together marvelled at how someone could make a decent fist of telling stories but have let so much technology pass them by. Such a waste, they must have muttered to themselves under the breath in sheer frustration.
Telstra conducted a coverage audit for us of mobile telephony in obscure places so that we know where we will be out of range and where the sat phone will kick in. Matthew Brass at their city shop spent hours trying to find the tiny threaded connector that would link the mobile phone car cradle with the external antenna [the pins were not compatible] . Then the technical wizard who did the fitting, John Heffer, just cut the plug off and rewired it with a new one anyway! We will roadtest their broadband modem as we go and see if it copes.
Corey and Stephen at Teds Camera Store gave generously of their time to conquer technical challenges.
Ian Wilcock at DFAT gave invaluable advice and assistance on visias and consular matters
Ross at PEP Signs who plays in the same Over 50s hockey team has done a great job on the signage on our car at mates rates
John Qiu at NMIT has kindly offered to help with Visas
Peter Davis at Hema Maps was an invaluable source of advice and guidance, as was Will Telft in USA about maps for obscure places
Kath Kirby at Asialink and Edwin Maher in Beijing kindly assisted with insights and contacts
Gerard Drayton at City Toyota did not sell us a car, but was quite philosophical about it and generous with advice. Rob and Robin Hutchison did sell us their car and were attentive in answering my follow-up questions, thanx and we will look after him!!
Rod Birrell from AirSports Flying School sent us a special fuel filter funnel and refused anything in return - ta heaps
Tara Willas - who is almost a member of the family - is helping us get navigate shipping contracts.