Bandit

When people ask what the highlight of my trip to Australia was, one would think that I would tout the merits of some of the world's oldest rocks.  That I would brag about the impressive stromatolites, elusive ashes, or distinct mud cracks that I was forunate enough to witness first hand.  But no, it is not these natural marvels that I describe; rather, I sheepishly have to admit, it was Bandit that caught my attention and my affection. 

Bandit was our companion and trusted sidekick for the entire six week adventure.  We depended on him and he always pulled through no matter what obstacles we had in front of us.  Bandit was our rented Toyota Land Cruiser.  The vehicle was simple in its amenities and strong under the hood.  It was the perfect car for taking across barren land far from any mechanic, garage, or even house.  There were no power windows, DVD players, or comfortable seats.  We were just happy that the heaters blasted hot air, the windshield wipers never left any streaks, and the 4WD refused to become stuck.


Bandit is the one on the left.  The Beast is Jon and Christine's Cruiser on the right.

What Bandit was lacking in decorative frills, he made up for with his practical add ons.  When we pick Bandit up from Complete Car Rental, the gracious Aussie mentioned that the car had a long distance tank upgrade.  He warned us that even though the gas gauge would appear not to be working, it was because the fuel was still be supplied by the extended tank, and therefore would seem to stay full longer than expected.  We nodded and smiled, but did not realize the longevity of - what we ended up calling - the super tank until we hit the road.  Bandit crisscrossed southern Australia and I can count on one hand the number of times we stopped at a gas station.  We marveled at, yet another perk of this amazing machine, while waiting patiently for Christine and Jon to fill their tank yet again. 

I like to believe that my amazing coordination and reflexes allowed me to navigate some seemingly impassable roads, but really Bandit deserves the majority of the credit.  This car was amazing and I think - if put to the challenge - could have climbed Everest.  The thing was an unstopable force to be reckoned  with.  You would just put it in first gear, point the tires in the right direction, and Bandit would take care of the rest.  

Off-road driving is an exhilarating thrill that no photo or video can truly capture.  Catherine, Bandit, and I spent the majority of our driving hours navigating tracks.  Tracks are the roads that the various homesteads use.  Most of the tracks traverse the property connecting various wells and shearing sheds to the main roads.  These tracks vary in their quality and use.  Some were well maintained dirt roads while others were washed out, faint impressions left on the desert floor.  In all of our travels, Bandit came out strong with only two flat tires and a few scratches to his paint job. 
 

Quality dirt track in the Flinders National Park.

  

Barely visible track .



Mud was just falling off of Bandit after one especially muddy day.  Rock hammer for scale.

Bandit admiring the view.