{"id":47876,"date":"2022-02-14T13:53:09","date_gmt":"2022-02-14T03:23:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/?p=47876"},"modified":"2023-01-11T16:11:07","modified_gmt":"2023-01-11T05:41:07","slug":"podcast-half-lap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/podcast-half-lap\/","title":{"rendered":"Ep44 \u2013 Ben\u2019s Half Lap"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"for-amp wp-block-heading\">Listen to the full episode here:<\/h2>\n\n\n<div id=\"buzzsprout-player-10068680\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t <script src=\"https:\/\/www.buzzsprout.com\/1259564\/10068680.js?container_id=buzzsprout-player-10068680&amp;player=small\" type=\"text\/javascript\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n\t<div class=\"wp-video-popup-wrapper\">\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-video-popup-close\"><\/div>\n\t\t<iframe class=\"wp-video-popup-video is-hosted is-landscape is-resizable\" src=\"\" data-wp-video-popup-url=\"https:\/\/youtube.com\/embed\/bSmT78IDpK8?autoplay=1\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen allow=\"autoplay\">\n\t\t<\/iframe>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"for-amp wp-block-heading\">Or watch the video version here:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Ep 44  - Ben&#039;s Half Lap\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/bSmT78IDpK8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">&#8216;Hey, Ben\u2019s back!&#8217;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>After almost four months away, Ben is back at his office desk catching up on emails, reviving the dying pot-plants by his desk, and attempting to summarise his holiday in only a couple of lines after someone in the break room asks that loaded question: &#8216;so, how was your trip?&#8217;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>From dry deserts and calm coastlines, to torrential tropical rains \u2013 Ben and his family followed the roads that scribbled their way across the Northern Territory and Western Australia. In this episode of the Snowys Camping Show, Lauren helps him unpack \u2013 from the planning and preparation process, to his fondest memories and future learnings. Buckle yourselves in for the best places to book, the tale of the floating tent, and the most unexpected way to make use of your rubbish!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Short Cuts<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>00:00 \u2013 Intro<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>00:55 \u2013 This Episode\u2019s Guest: Ben!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>03:32 \u2013 Ben\u2019s Planning Process<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>06:17 \u2013 Why Anticlockwise?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>08:22 \u2013 Book It or Wing It?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>11:50 \u2013 Pre-Departure Preparation<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>19:57 \u2013 Food<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>22:42 \u2013 Water<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>25:34 \u2013 The \u2018F\u2019 Word: Financials<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>27:51 \u2013 Ben\u2019s Best Memories<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>30:02 \u2013 Worst Areas?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>31:15 \u2013 The Storm Story<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>36:21 \u2013 The Trash Contraption Mouse Trap<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>43:04 \u2013 Summary<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>43:53 \u2013 Learnings and Future Considerations<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>46:43 \u2013 Ben Gets Boring\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>46:52 \u2013 Learnings Continued<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Mentioned in this Episode<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Blogs<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/western-australia-camping-hiking-4wding-more\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Best of Western Australia \u2013 Camping, Hiking, 4WDing &amp; More<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/darwin-travel-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\">10 Best Things to do in Darwin, Northern Territory<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/broome-travel-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">8 Things To Do When Visiting Broome, WA<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/how-to-get-the-best-weather-for-your-lap-of-australia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How to Get the Best Weather for Your Lap of Australia<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/ultimate-guide-packing-4wd\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Packing your 4WD &#8211; The Ultimate Guide<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/are-your-4wd-tyres-up-to-scratch\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Are Your 4WD Tyres Up To Scratch?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Products:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/portable-fridges\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Portable fridge<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/4wd-wheelie-bin\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">4WD wheelie bin<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/pack-tap-bladder-replacement-10-litre\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sea To Summit water bladder &#8211; 10L<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/plastic-jerry-can-10l\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Jerry can &#8211; 10L<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/hiking-water-bottles\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hiking water bottles<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/rv5-canvas-touring-tent\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">RV-5 canvas tent<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/kitchen-sink-5-litre\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sea To Summit kitchen sink &#8211; 5L<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/kitchen-sink-10-litre\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sea To Summit kitchen sink &#8211; 10L<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/kitchen-sink-20-litre\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sea To Summit kitchen sink &#8211; 20L<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/camping-cookware#?pagenumber=1&amp;orderBy=0&amp;type=462\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Saucepan<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/aeropress-go\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Coffee press<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/stove-stand\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Stove stand<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/search?w=Sleep\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bedding<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/outbound-swag-bag\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Swag bag<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/whisperlite-international-multi-fuel-stove\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Multi-fuel stove<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/15-amp-extension-lead-15m\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">15-amp power cord<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/12v-solar-power\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Solar panels<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Podcasts:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/podcast-planning-your-uluru-trip\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ep42 \u2013 Planning Your Trip to Uluru<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/podcast-water-tanks\/\" target=\"_blank\">Ep43 &#8211; Caravan Water Tanks 101<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Other<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/en\/book\/show\/912131.Are_We_There_Yet_\" target=\"_blank\">Are We There Yet? A Journey Around Australia<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=EjsBV25Z5rU&amp;feature=share\" target=\"_blank\">Make A Simple Bottle Mousetrap (Tha<\/a><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=EjsBV25Z5rU&amp;feature=share\" target=\"_blank\">t<\/a><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=EjsBV25Z5rU&amp;feature=share\" target=\"_blank\"> Works!)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>This Episode\u2019s Guest: Ben!<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>After roughly four months on the road, Ben has returned to reality. His trip had been postponed twice since 2019, first following a family matter and the Coronavirus disrupting the second attempt. After marking their third departure date on the calendar, Ben and his wife pledged they wouldn\u2019t cancel again \u2013 there was no better time for their family to explore this part of Australia!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over the years of planning and ambitiously attempting to cover every nook, cranny, and crevice of the country&#8217;s northwest regions \u2013 Ben\u2019s trip went from potentially lasting two and a half months to almost four! Their route loosely moved up through SA into the NT, looped around to WA, and curved back homeward again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Planning Process<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Within a country as diverse as Australia \u2013 why only half a lap?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Firstly, Ben and his wife agreed that the time involved to complete a full lap of Australia wouldn\u2019t be viable. Embarking on a half-lap allowed more opportunities to see and explore a single area from border to border. For instance, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/western-australia-camping-hiking-4wding-more\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Western Australia<\/a> has so much to give \u2013 and having only visited Perth and surrounding areas, Ben argues that even six months in the state will still leave more to discover.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite previously living in Alice Springs and visiting <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/darwin-travel-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Darwin<\/a> once before, Ben was yet to explore the regions and routes that run between. Considering this, their trip began in the surrounding areas of Alice Springs and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/podcast-planning-your-uluru-trip\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Uluru<\/a> with the intention of exposing the children to some of the more iconic sights and experiences of rural Australia. Along the way, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodreads.com\/en\/book\/show\/912131.Are_We_There_Yet_\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u2018Are We There Yet\u2019 by Alison Lester<\/a> offered some motivation on their travels as they passed some of the pinnacles and water holes described in the children\u2019s book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ben and his family decided to travel in the off-season when the weather was hot, avoiding the northern Kimberley region in Western Australia. From Darwin, they travelled down to Katherine and across to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/broome-travel-guide\/\">Broome<\/a>, where they hugged the stunning eastern coastline all the way back to South Australia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why Anticlockwise?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This wasn\u2019t a hasty decision \u2013 Ben and his wife pondered and paced as they examined what route was best to follow. In the end, they attempted to work with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/how-to-get-the-best-weather-for-your-lap-of-australia\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">weather<\/a> \u2013 which, granted, is already an unpredictable factor!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Skidding off at the beginning of October, Ben\u2019s family explored the northern Western Australian and upper Northern Territory region at the front end of the storm season. Over the month they spent travelling up to Darwin, they found themselves loosely in the northern area during November, at which point the wet season had started to settle in and many places were beginning to close. This way, they experienced the earlier stages as opposed to the thick of the storms \u2013 an outcome that would have been far more restrictive and more likely to occur on a clockwise loop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite their best attempt, there remained places that Ben and his family could not see. Very few people travel to these areas during the hot season, which leads to many places closing early on. While the heat meant necessary planning to ensure the kids were comfortable, Ben enjoyed the hot, sticky days and humid nights. With this weather came hundreds of empty campsites, and in many cases Ben\u2019s family found themselves in the company of only one other within the entire camping ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Book It or Wing It?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>With so many approaches to travelling off-road, Lauren enquires how Ben managed his accommodation over his holiday period. Be it marking a handful of places on the map to reach by certain times, or accounting for every overnight stay in advance \u2013 Ben instead maintained a flexible approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As they had made a solid commitment to visit Broome for his daughter\u2019s birthday, this was the only benchmark they set themselves. Ben had booked accommodation for five nights in a classy, safari-style tent within a resort &#8211; amused at how much they contrasted in their sweaty singlets and shorts carrying their hot, dusty tents!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While he had success in booking a place in Esperance roughly two months in advance, Ben found himself unlucky in finding last-minute accommodation within Perth which had them instead staying forty-five minutes out of the city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Notwithstanding their pre-booked accommodation in Broome and planning-ahead throughout Margaret River, Ben\u2019s family booked on the go from Adelaide right through to Perth. Their ability to do so proved another advantage to travelling during the off-season, where Ben preferred the empty water holes and quiet beaches over the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/sick-of-crowded-campsites-you-need-a-4wd\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">crowded campsites<\/a> and caravan parks. The circumstances also allowed them flexibility to travel from town to town when in search of available accommodation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Pre-Departure Preparation<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s one thing to pack for an off-road adventure, but it\u2019s another to simultaneously account for the extended time away from the house and garden. Lauren queries how Ben prepared to physically depart his home in the lead-up to the four-month period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A minimalist, Ben believes in never bringing along what he knows he won\u2019t need, while his wife was conscious to consider what the children would require too. Ultimately, each member of the family was allocated a bag measuring roughly 50cm long x 20cm deep x 30cm wide to hold both clothing and toiletries. With only lightweight clothing and raincoats for themselves, there came more consideration and planning for their vehicle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"538\" src=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/EP44-Yoast-1024x538.jpg\" alt=\"Ben is standing in front of his 4WD and neat tent set-up at sunset. He is wearing a brown headscarf.\" class=\"wp-image-47878\" title=\"A minimalist, Ben believes in never bringing along what he knows he won\u2019t need.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/EP44-Yoast-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/EP44-Yoast-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/EP44-Yoast-768x403.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/EP44-Yoast-10x5.jpg 10w, https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/EP44-Yoast.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><em>A minimalist, Ben believes in never bringing along what<br>he knows he won\u2019t need. Credit: Ben Collaton<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After postponing the trip twice, Ben found himself servicing his vehicle at the mechanic three times, as well as replacing each <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/are-your-4wd-tyres-up-to-scratch\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">tyre<\/a> soon before their final departure date. Given he tends to cover all-terrain on his road trips \u2013 roughly 70% of highway and 30% of off-road \u2013 Ben tends to avoid pushing the limit with mud. About 70-80% of the roads covered on this trip were blacktop, crossing only between 50km and 200km of dirt road before they\u2019d ride another 400km of bitumen. It\u2019s for this reason that he saw no need for mud tyres &#8211; but after cruising a total of 19,150km recommends fixing a vehicle with a good set of tyres before embarking on a similar trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most travellers tend to allow time for \u201ctrial packing\u201d before the final loading of their luggage. This process involves multiple rounds of packing and re-packing \u2013 and while some only take a day or two, Ben\u2019s meticulous methodology had him allowing roughly a week of tackle-Tetris!<br>On any road trip (let alone those that last months), you\u2019re more than likely to rearrange and rummage through your vehicle daily. Ensuring <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/ultimate-guide-packing-4wd\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">neatly packed, easily accessible luggage<\/a> is an aspect of preparation that Ben deems important, especially during hot and sticky conditions that can be energy-draining. Granted, this can become tedious towards the end of a journey, when souvenirs start to spill out over the backseat and knick-knacks are tucked away in the tiny hidey holes of the boot. In Ben\u2019s experience leaving Margaret River, times like those are when you start to just \u201cchuck it in\u201d!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the lead-up to their departure, most preparation was finalised a week out with only the food to fit snug and pack tightly on top. After essentially three years of preparing for the trip, much of the equipment had already been sorted and stashed for packing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With no pets to consider, and Ben\u2019s brother and sister-in-law happy to maintain the lawn and garden, housekeeping arrangements fell into place easily. Paying bills in advance and tidying the house were the last of the loose ends to tie before Ben and his family finally rolled out of the driveway. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Food<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>On longer road trips, food requires thorough planning and consideration. Lauren wants to know how much Ben catered for, or whether he simply relied on access to supermarkets along the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Again, Ben took a varied approach by preparing food one week at a time throughout SA, the NT, and heading into the northern end of WA. When travelling back down and through WA, there were increasingly more shops to buy enough food from to last them up to three nights at a time. Generally, Ben and his wife chose a standard set of meals that they knew the children would enjoy too. Given their forty-litre <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/portable-fridges\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">fridge<\/a>, there was little room for cold produce, so the meals consisted mostly of canned food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When they\u2019d reach a town, Ben would purchase fresh vegetables to incorporate into that night\u2019s meal. Usually, they cooked pasta dinners with canned vegetables and found gnocchi with pesto an easy option too. Meats were often bought from a supermarket and consumed on the same night, followed by a week or so before incorporating meat into mealtimes again. This ensured they weren\u2019t always risking heat exposure. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For lunches, Ben found the easiest, most efficient option was tuna wraps and carrot sticks. Tinned tuna was shelf-stable and easy to store, making it a regular lunchtime protein (sorry, kids!). They would dispose of rubbish effortlessly using the occasional empty wrap bag, as well as a <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/4wd-wheelie-bin\" target=\"_blank\">bin bag<\/a> attached to the back of the vehicle. Accumulated rubbish would then be tossed away at each town.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Water<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Without a particularly large <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/podcast-water-tanks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">water tank<\/a>, Ben carried forty litres of water at a time across two ten-litre <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/plastic-jerry-can-10l\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">jerry cans<\/a> and two ten-litre soft <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/pack-tap-bladder-replacement-10-litre\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">water bladders<\/a>, as well as individual <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/hiking-water-bottles\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">drink bottles<\/a> in the car. He would then fill up any empty water containers as he passed through caravan and national parks, usually taking twenty litres at a time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Often, a thirst-quenching alternative was peach iced tea. Given the relentless heat, a swim down at a waterhole followed by an iced tea would be the simple solution to handling hot weather. From tantrums on the tracks surrounding Uluru, to lasting long days under the sun \u2013 Ben and his wife eventually established how to help the kids manage the extent of the heat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The \u2018F\u2019 Word: Financials<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite landing a larger home loan, Ben assures Lauren that with the kids at the prime age it was well worth making their holiday happen when they did. While his wife had accumulated long-service leave, Ben had accepted some occasional remote work to further aid the budgeting process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A trip much the same as Ben\u2019s involves mindfully mapping out the three inevitable costs: fuel, food, and accommodation. He recommends determining what the overall expense will be and confirming enough savings and reserves to see you through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite Ben&#8217;s best efforts, the course of the trip became increasingly costly. Their approach was to stop adding up the expenses and instead focus on becoming rich in experiences. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Ben\u2019s Best Memory<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Over the full four months? Pull the other one&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nonetheless Ben certainly favoured some destinations over others, including Litchfield National Park in the NT, Lake Argyle, Ningaloo Reef, and the coastline stretching along WA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Where Litchfield is dotted with waterholes along walking tracks for cooling off mid-trek, Lake Argyle in WA offers a sanctuary with nice music, good food, a great vibe \u2013 and cold mango beer! The lake was warm and calm, and tours involved food, swimming, and relaxing \u2013 a strong competitor being the previously visited natural infinity pool in Kakadu National Park. Ben and his family also enjoyed snorkelling in Ningaloo Reef and soaking in the quaint, picturesque scenes of the southern WA coastlines, where the water is strikingly blue and the sand a bright white.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Worst Areas?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Another tough question for Ben, as he couldn\u2019t recall a single spot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead, they simply visited some of the smaller towns for shorter periods of time than others, such as Derby in the Kimberley, WA. As this was on route to Broome, the family were eager to reach their destination rather than stop over for too long in the quiet towns along the way. That said, every town encountered was unique and of its own value. For that reason, Ben maintains that there were no unpleasant places visited on their journey as they travelled from dry and humid deserts, to cold and tropical coasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Okay, there was ONE sub-par feature: it got a little windy down on the WA coast!) &nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Storm Story<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>With a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/ultimate-guide-packing-4wd\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">beautifully packed four-wheel drive<\/a>, plenty of food and water, and the security in knowing that &#8220;Ben from Snowys&#8221; was in the drivers\u2019 seat (literally) \u2013 there was very little chance that anything could go wrong\u2026right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ben tells Lauren of his experience in Maguk camping ground, Kakadu National Park, which took their night from calm to chaotic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not as well-seasoned in the tropics as other climates, Ben was simply at ease enjoying the sound of clicking cicadas and the humidity on his skin as he boiled the water for that night\u2019s dinner. Suddenly, a sound that mimicked trucks blaring along the main road had him pausing his dinnertime prep and wondering where it could be coming from. With a sudden crack of thunder, it began to bucket down with rain and Ben went from dry to drenched after only a whisp of warning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As the awning collapsed, Ben hurried to keep the bedding dry as branches blew, and water began to fill the inside of the tent. The rest of the family bundled into the car, keeping safe from the rain that continued to pelt from every direction. As the water pooled beneath their set-up the tent became buoyant, floating atop the puddling mess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When the rain began to subside, Ben assessed the inside of the tent. To his delight, his <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/rv5-canvas-touring-tent\" target=\"_blank\">RV-5 canvas tent<\/a> had kept everything within its walls completely dry. (Just a subtle flex to a Snowys product there\u2026you can find out more about tents alike <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/rv-5-plus-canvas-touring-tent\">here<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With no sight of the groundsheet beneath the puddling water, Ben was scratching his head. How had he gone from boiling water on a balmy evening without wind, to staring at his tent surrounded by fallen branches and sitting almost three inches deep in stormwater?<br>After dragging the tent to a higher point in the campsite to escape the sodden mess of their original site, Ben was still committed to producing a hot meal for his family who remained tucked away in the car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With the change in weather also came the invitation to various creatures and critters \u2013 including green ants, spiders, and even a snake. While green ants surged across their set-up and trickled over the tent, Ben\u2019s daughter had a terrifying encounter with a python as she made an uneasy effort to leave the car. It\u2019s possible the snake had dropped from the trees, and while it caused no harm she decided she\u2019d rather sleep in the backseat than cross another!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The morning after toughing it out in the tent, Ben was amused at how they had endured such a chaotic and turbulent night. For the following few days, they continued to brush away the more persistent green ants that had remained riddled within the tent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Trash Contraption Mousetrap<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You know what they say: one man\u2019s trash is another man\u2019s treasure\u2026and mousetrap?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Four months on the road can present more challenges than just wet weather, and Ben soon realised that a handful of green ants was nowhere near as maddening as the mice he met in his 4WD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Given the various issues that come with finding mice in our space, Ben hoped he wouldn\u2019t have to experience it. Though during his ventures at Karijini along the Western Australian coast, he awoke one morning to chew markings on some of his equipment. After copping a gust of polystyrene to his face through the air-conditioning vents, he soon recognised there was a furry foe hitching a ride somewhere in his 4WD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Like a flick of a switch, Ben became possessed by his hungry desire to deny this mouse the protection of his proud, well-packed vehicle. Now the mad, mouse-hunting guru of the campsite, he spent hours after sundown constructing a trap of his own using a rubbish bag as enticement, a string tugged along from the back of his car, and a water bottle to eventually trap the mouse inside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Eyes wide and brain wired, Ben watched desperately as the mouse darted out from one side of the vehicle and then the other at what seemed to be an impossible speed. It was in this face-palm moment when he realised that there wasn\u2019t just one mouse on the loose \u2013 but two.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Game. On.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ears twitching at every rustle from the roof, Ben closed himself inside the vehicle and sat, barely breathing, waiting for the pests to surrender. As the scuttling in the dash moved from one air vent to the other, he shut the vent on one side and positioned himself next to the other \u2013 hands cupped and fingers kinked, ready to pinch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In time, the head of the mouse came into view and its beady black eyes fixed themselves on Ben. Completely transfixed by the situation, Ben remained still and poised, engaging in what seemed to be a stand-off between himself and the tiny terror. At this point, it had been two hours of mouse-catching mayhem \u2013 and despite his desperate desire to fulfill the deed, Ben went to bed defeated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mice: 1<br>Ben: 0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The next morning, Ben and his wife joined forces \u2013 a partnership that soon had them ruling as rodent-catching champions. <a href=\"https:\/\/youtube.com\/watch?v=EjsBV25Z5rU&amp;feature=share\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">A nifty YouTube video<\/a> had them both referring to a tutorial on creating a mousetrap made from rubbish. After the ongoing, exhausting ordeal that had Ben struggling to catch the critters single-handedly, he was eventually convinced by his wife to manufacture a trash contraption mousetrap using an iced tea bottle, empty cereal boxes, tuna cans, and bottle caps!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Body-Image-Mousetrap-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-47890\" title=\"A cereal box diving board leads up onto the peach iced tea bottle. The sea-saw-style structure is pivoted on a purple Sharpie and held in place by two milk lids. The supporting sunscreen lid, peach iced tea lid, and Coca-Cola lid are each screwed in place on a piece of wooden board.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Body-Image-Mousetrap-1.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Body-Image-Mousetrap-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Body-Image-Mousetrap-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Body-Image-Mousetrap-1-10x7.jpg 10w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Body-Image-Mousetrap-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-47891\" title=\"A cereal box diving board leads up onto the peach iced tea bottle. The sea-saw-style structure is pivoted on a purple Sharpie and held in place by two milk lids. The supporting sunscreen lid, peach iced tea lid, and Coca-Cola lid are each screwed in place on a piece of wooden board.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Body-Image-Mousetrap-2.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Body-Image-Mousetrap-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Body-Image-Mousetrap-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/Body-Image-Mousetrap-2-10x7.jpg 10w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><em>Ben and his wife manufactured a trash contraption mousetrap using an iced tea bottle, empty cereal boxes, tuna cans, and bottle caps!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The trap worked by first smearing a small portion of Nutella at the end of the ramp, tempting the first mouse to climb the Kellogg\u2019s Cornflakes diving board up into the peach iced tea bottle. The sea-saw-style structure was pivoted on a purple Sharpie and held in place by a milk lid. The supporting sunscreen lid, peach iced tea lid, and Coca-Cola lid were each screwed in place on a piece of board that Ben already had stashed away in the car. The weight of the mouse caused the bottle to tip, subsequently triggering the tuna lid to trap it inside. In its attempt to escape, the lid tipped back up and sealed the trap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The second mouse was caught red-handed by Ben, who initially noticed that another Nutella portion prepared earlier in the car had disappeared. After a moment of waiting, he watched as the mouse entered the trap and sealed itself inside \u2013 crowning Ben and his wife the reigning rulers of ridding rodents!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Summary<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>On his adventure, Ben went from exhausting outback mouse-catching to swimming with manta rays and sea lions, basking in warm, calm waters as the sun rose and melted along the horizon. For those sitting on the fence about a similar-style trip, these moments are the indicators to just <em>do it<\/em>. Financially comfortable, or not comfortable enough, Ben reminds us that factoring every dollar will always be what keeps us from taking the plunge \u2013 and with waters like those stretching along the WA coastlines, you won\u2019t want to return to shore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Learnings and Future Considerations<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While satisfied with his set-up, Ben admits that he would reconsider the size of the kitchen sink he brought along. Following Lauren\u2019s recommendation to purchase the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/kitchen-sink-20-litre\">Sea to Summit kitchen sink<\/a>, he regretted taking a larger model as opposed to that with a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/kitchen-sink-5-litre\">five<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/kitchen-sink-10-litre\">ten-litre<\/a> capacity. Despite fitting a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/camping-cookware#?pagenumber=1&amp;orderBy=0&amp;type=462\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">saucepan<\/a> comfortably, he realised too much filling was required of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/kitchen-sink-20-litre\">twenty-litre<\/a> option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Only replacing it twice over the four-month trip, Ben used Shellite fuel for brewing daily <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/aeropress-go\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">coffee<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/podcast-camp-stoves\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">cooking nightly dinners<\/a>. Its weight was always a maximum of four kilograms on the roof of his vehicle, along with a one-kilogram <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/stove-stand\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">stove stand<\/a>, bundled <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/search?w=Sleep\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">bedding<\/a>, a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/outbound-swag-bag\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">swag bag<\/a>, and a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/rv-5-plus-canvas-touring-tent\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">tent<\/a>. Notwithstanding his minimalist nature, a modest forty litres of water, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/whisperlite-international-multi-fuel-stove\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">multi-fuel stove<\/a> with four litres of Shellite, and no gas \u2013 the weight of Ben\u2019s vehicle still exceeded his vehicle\u2019s recommended Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Ben Gets Boring\u2026<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It seems that just as Ben starts to mention bedding, Lauren releases a cheeky yawn\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Learnings Continued<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ultimately, Ben was surprised to learn that despite his understated packing approach, the combination of water, fuel, a portable fridge, and the collective weight of his family meant he still tipped over the ideal total vehicle mass. Despite his preference to not tow a separate compartment, he may either consider a box trailer in the future or simply trimming back on his belongings even more. Regarding his understated campsite set-up, Ben\u2019s only consideration would be to (reluctantly) embellish it more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Aside from maybe unlocking a more adventurous approach to mealtimes, the last thought Ben had was incorporating a <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/15-amp-extension-lead-15m\" target=\"_blank\">15-amp cord<\/a> into his power set-up. Having stayed for five days in some caravan parks, he found himself repeatedly unpacking and arranging his <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/12v-solar-power\" target=\"_blank\">solar panels<\/a>. On the cloudier days, the charging was inadequate, while driving failed to sufficiently power the portable fridge. With a 15-amp cord, Ben admits that the charging process would have allowed a more out-of-sight-out-of-mind experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Thanks for listening, tune in again for next week\u2019s episode!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Thanks for tuning in to this week\u2019s episode of the Snowys Camping Show Podcast. Don\u2019t forget to subscribe to us on&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCgpO6k-UyaYgwyLg0ESceCg\">YouTube<\/a>,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0wy9b822eekXe00bAIqPbX\">Spotify<\/a>,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/au\/podcast\/snowys-camping-show\/id1527530990\">iTunes<\/a>,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/music.amazon.com\/podcasts\/db56692e-96e7-418d-929d-88c5fde70b1a\/Snowys-Camping-Show\">Amazon Music<\/a>,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.iheart.com\/podcast\/269-snowys-camping-show-79675943\/\">iHeartRadio<\/a>,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/pca.st\/z1mx2k64\">Pocket Casts<\/a>,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/podcastaddict.com\/podcast\/3281467\">Podcast Addict<\/a>, or&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.stitcher.com\/s?fid=618483\">Stitcher<\/a>&nbsp;so you never miss an upload.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have any questions for Ben and Lauren, make sure you head over to our&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/groups\/snowys\/\">Facebook group<\/a>&nbsp;and let us know as we\u2019d love to hear from you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Catch you out there!<\/p>\n<div class='watch-action'><div class='watch-position align-left'><div class='action-like'><a class='lbg-style1 like-47876 jlk' href='javascript:void(0)' data-task='like' data-post_id='47876' data-nonce='174fda6272' rel='nofollow'><img class='wti-pixel' src='https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/plugins\/wti-like-post\/images\/pixel.gif' title='Liked it' \/><span class='lc-47876 lc'>3<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div> <div class='status-47876 status align-left'><\/div><\/div><div class='wti-clear'><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>From dry deserts and calm coastlines, to torrential tropical rains \u2013 Ben and his family followed the roads that scribbled their way across the Northern Territory and Western Australia. Lauren helps him unpack his adventure.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1638,"featured_media":47885,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1570,1569,854],"tags":[182,1202,196,1205,1204,1201,1203],"class_list":["post-47876","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-podcast-4wd","category-podcast-camping","category-podcast","tag-4wd","tag-benshalflap","tag-camping","tag-familycamping","tag-northernterritory","tag-roadtrip","tag-westernaustralia"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47876"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1638"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=47876"}],"version-history":[{"count":25,"href":"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47876\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":52245,"href":"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47876\/revisions\/52245"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/47885"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47876"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=47876"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.snowys.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=47876"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}