UK to OZ - Vehicle Familiarisation

Reads90 - your trailer is the "dogs cahoonas" These seem really popular in Australia, spoilt for choice. Is the track width the same as you beautiful 90??

My sankey is a poor mans version.

T2Man - had a look at this on eBay and it reminds me of the Land Rover Forward Control 101 which we love. There was a 101 going on eBay a couple of weeks ago in perfect condition and converted for sleeping etc. for £9.5K- tempting also but something didn't quite fit the bill here for us with the kids. Don't know why exactly - would the kids sit up front - could they sleep on long journeys, would the vehicle crawl at a snail pace, what abot mechanical specialities. It is a beast but we know it would definately do the job we're after we're after and looks brill. Humming and hawing a bit about what to do. Fantastic vehicle though and we haven't ruled it out completely. We are kind of feeling a bit back to the drawing board a bit. There is an example of another 101 which overlanded from Cambridge to Australia and then onto South America a couple of years ago - Beastly Adventures website. Maybe we should go and have a look at the one being advertised on eBay to get better idea. Still loved that B'rakhah though - it was withdrawn but number was 130230488317.

I would stick with the 110 rather than the 101. They are great looking beasts but they are not very user friendly.

I had a good look round the "L'Azalai" camper at the Eastnor land rover show this year. They are a french company that build camper backs onto 110 and 130 chasis cabs. The vehcile was very impressive but it costs over £19k not including the vehcile.

I prefer trailer option. It just alows greater flexibility. I also havn't noticed any fuel difference towing mine with my TD5 90. I do drive like a girl tho!!!

Hummph (fed up slumped feeling. Decisions, decisions). Going away to sulk and re-look through all ideas and make a list (am good at lists) - what we think the pro's and cons etc. , visit a show etc., talk to people, see what they've got and come back.

Have to say am agreeing with the trailer - the 101 does look fine though - keep looking at them. My list says that if we got a trailer, we would have flex, affordability and we don't have to undo the work already done to the 110 (which we want to keep forever not just for Christmas). If had the dosh - would buy a trailer AND and a 101 and bring both! vehicle each and could separate kids when they're screaming etc.

The 101 is very agricultural, no power steering, not very quick, uses fuel at a prodigeous rate. Cab gets red hot, as you are sitting on top of engine also noisy. The Pinzgauer, lot more sophisticated vehicle(as it should be at about 3 times the original price) . If money no object in order of prefernce I would go 1. Landrover 110 6x6 conversion
2. Pinxgauer 6x6
3. landrover 130 DC HCPU
4. landrover 110 csw
5 " with trailer
6 landrover 101 JMHO

I agree about the 101. I wouldn't want to spend too much time sat in the back on long journey's. The pinz is a good bit of kit, i've used in the sand and it pulls great, even with heavy load, but they are hard to support logistically. If i had a "money no object" situation and i had to throw a non green oval machine onto the mix then i would go for a Unimog.
I think the emotional attachment to the land rover will rule all other options out. The 110 will be fine. A couple of weeks on the road around europe or even the UK will determine the suitability of a trailer. Stay loyal to the green oval???

Thank you both for the advice - the 101 is definately out then! Meantime have had a think (and finished sulking) - the 110 CSW stays - our vehicle of choice in any case. YES, we are emotionally attached and money is DEFINATELY as object for us also. We can't afford alternative purchase options and giving it up would kill us. So it is looking like a trailer could well be in the mix.
Thinking about doing another shake down trip - this time UK to Barcelona - end August - again with kids and same equipment for the time being ie ground tent, 4 bikes, fridge (maybe we can get this into the middle seat & complete with split charge in time), less food and more compact cooking kit, possibly think about shelf system to limited rear of vehicle. Will give us an opportunity to see how we plan duration on the road, overnight stays and 'keeping the kids entertained and happy'. Someone has offered us a trailer in exchange for our old rear facing bench seats meantime which we have accepted - give us an opportunity to touch and feel and give it a go so to speak. Will be following Busaboy trailer build and Disco-Dave worldwide antics meantime.

Cassie, i am having problems posting pictures of the trailer i am messing with, can pictures be sent through your website?

Busaboy - email to info@overlandwithkids and I'll pick them up and post to site no problem

A trip through france and spain will be a great way of testing and fine tuning your "operating procedures".
I have been using The UK Camp Site for Tent and Caravan Campers in the UK for information on good routes and stop overs all the way through france and spain. It's well worth a look. Be aware that allot of the "route aires" (camp sites at motor-way service stations) in France are not the safest places to camp even though they very cheap. I prefer to stay at sites close to my chosen route.
A good tip regarding traveling in the land rover with kids is to set off early in the morning. After the first 2 hours stop for a breakfast cook up, then do another couple of hours. You can then be in your next site by 11am,ready to do some chilling out or exploring. My kids seem able to do this routine without too much resistance. A few years back i tried to do the full french Atlantic coast in one go from UK to Biarritz. This required at least 2 days of recovery and is not recommended.
What sort of trailer have you scored????

Thanks for the tips and advice. We had a look into but due to lateness and dis-organisation - don't feel enough time after all to be able to drive (and we have now cut down to 5 days!! so no chance of a reasonable worthwhile trip) - and would like to prepare vehicle, storage, timings, route plan, IDP and other needed bits alot better. Picked up posts re: vehicle storage in other posts - very interesting. So, ""flying"" to Barcelona this year and tickets for Billing have just arrived. Time to re-assess and re-plan and re-organise finances and savings etc. Need to get the vehicle right. Reckon the vehicle is about 25% to a 3rd of the way there at the moment thanks to everyone's help so far. So, will aim for France and Spain during summer holidays next year - will have 6 weeks to play with then as planning to be off work by then to gear up for the BIG trip from September onwards (one of us will continue to work full-time and the other casual/term-time work only from that point on to keep finances afloat till we leave April 2010). Good advice re: start and stop times with children - drove them round the Cambridgeshire country-side yesterday and the children were complaining like mad - late afternoon, tired, ill-prepared etc. Very important that the children and happy and comfortable - much benefit to be had by all. First day back to work today following 2 weeks parental leave so will be able to check out the trailer we'll be getting from a work mate in Suffolk - haven't a clue what it is - will have to wait and see - will post some pics shortly.

Flexability is the key. 5 days is still better than no days. I love camping in the UK and only go further in a vain attempt to find better weather. I started planning this years trip down through france in Dec 07. Booking ferries etc is cheaper the earlier you can do it. I take the kids out of school a week early to get even better deals. Well worth considering as it can be a good saving.
I have just fitted an ECU chip and removed the EGR valve on my TD5. This is giving a 10% fuel saving at the moment so hopefully will cut the fuel costs down on my 2000 mile trip. I leave on Thursday. I'll let you know how it goes.

Fab! Can see I will be picking up many more tips from you. And, increasingly realising the importance in 'preparation, preparation, preparation'. Like the tip about taking the kids out early from school to get better deals (not that we hadn't thought of it before - just been too terrified - but next year think it would be a really good idea as need to keep the costs down for the following year - plus when we get back we'll be telling the school about our plans anyway). Hope you have a lovely holiday. Post your route and let us know what you brought and where you went and if anything really nice that you think would be of interest with children. Meanwhile, will check out the website link you posted earlier and start planning our trip for next year.

Having just read this link you are making me feel very unprepared! We are setting off in four days and still have loads of stuff to do! the car has been in the garage for the last two days (only a cruise problem so not critical), our passports are still with the mongolian embassy and I still haven't got around to getting any courency! Definately starting to stress out!!!
I should have the web site up and running tomorrow or friday and as soon as I do I will post the address on here.

With the amount of planning you seem to be doing and the level of thought you are putting into everything you are doing your vehicle should be great.

We, on the other hand, are addopting the 'fingers crossed' approach!

Dave

DD - You'll be fine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Grabbing the bull by the horns and all that. Hope you get everything sorted in time. Reckon no matter how organised, we'll be rushing round last minute also. Luxury of time can make you inefficient sometimes too. Wish it were us (you might find us hiding in your vehicle at the border!) Did you sort an alternative route as yet?????? What's the plan? Hurry up with that website - not much time. If we could go now and did not have children or our youngest was a bit older and more robust to travel and if we didn't have a house to finish, and we had the finance readily available etc. etc. we'd probably adopt the same approach! With young children and one window of opportunity (and not enough dosh as yet)......Stay in touch and report in on your travels - give us all something to salivate over. Who knows -maybe we will be 'over-prepared' by the time we go - there is that danger - so trying to keep in perspective - plus we have time, time, time. EXCITING, NERVE RACKING, GOOOOOOOOD LUUUUUCK!!!!!! (pssst - we only have about 630 days left before we go - not that we're counting or anything! - you'll have gone around the world and back twice by then) Cassie.

Yeah DD go for it dude. Planning is great and when possible should be done with the greatest detail you can, but at the end of the day "no plan ever survives first contact with the enemy". An ability to be flexible and learn quickly from any mistakes should see you right. Anyone with your kind of Adventurous spirit will survive and enjoy. GOOD Luck.

Cassie, and others this is a link to quite entertaining diary of a couple with two young children who went cape wrath (scotland) to cape town 2C2K - 2CAPES2KIDS - Long Distance Charity Expedition from Cape Wrath to Cape of Good Hope - Home

Have been in touch occassionally with Andrew Louden of 2K2C.net for some time. He is also a link on 'fellow travellers' section on our website. Nearly bought his Howling Moon family tourer 2.4x2.4 tent off him initially but he was asking more than we were prepared to pay at the time. Must have been an omen as we now have a Jurgens instead. Very nice guy if you need advice. He has since sold his vehicle but was not a LR but a ..............!!!! dare I mention on this website - OK a Toyota LC. Andrew has more trips planned in the future with his family. There's another chap and his family worth a mention - will find details - can't remember name and post them shortly.

www.a2b.uk.net Pete Sinclair and his family including 3 children and their Land Rover CSW who journeyed though Europe, Middle East, Africa to Cape Town in 2002. What is really special about the Sinclair family is their daughter Poppy - aged 8 at the time - an insulin dependant diabetic since 2 years old so they had extra complications associated with that, but all went well without a problem. What we really liked is what we read about the similar considerations given re: children and 2nd row seating arrangements and the fact that a CSW used as we are planning. Have just added site also as a link to ours also and hoping that we will be able to pick Pete's brain further over the coming months - meantime - thanks Pete! Re: 2K2C - have photos from when we were considering buying tent - of the vehicle used and the tent set-up if anyone wants to see in Hints & Tips section of our website.