1970

While reorganizing some storage at home last month, I stumbled on a long-forgotten log documenting in great detail my year-long trip around Australia with my friend Frank Baker in 1970. Frank and I met while working at a tin mine in North West Tasmania. When we discovered our shared dream of exploring the vast Aussie Outback, we pooled our resources, bought a van, fitted it out with 'roo bar, long range fuel tanks etc and set out on the first leg of what would become my life long passion for travel and adventure.

Aussie Outback Trip - 1970

1970's Style "Travel Blog"

A quick skim of the contents revealed some interesting comparisons with modern day travel. There's a camping fee receipt for .70 cents, covering the cost of 2 men and a van for one night. Today that bill would be over $30. I logged every expense in a table at the back of the legal size three ring binder.  The average price to refuel our rig was about $3. Josh and Laura were also thrilled to see the log. Throughout 2011 they retraced much of the route Frank and I covered, plus the entire west coast as well. They noted that some of our fuel bills to fill our tanks were the same price they paid for 1 litre of diesel! We're all looking forward to reading the log in detail when we return to Canada, revisiting the Aussie Outback through the eyes of the 23 year old Peter Brand.