Toyota 79 Series

Prepping for another adventure…

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One of the most enjoyable things about heading off into this wonderous land we call Australia is the anticipation it brings, of things that we will see, experiences to be had, and of course the characters you meet along the way.

Over the past month or so we have been thumbing the pages of our well-worn Australian map book as we plan an adventure to the Northern Territory, Gulf Savannah, and the Atherton Tablelands.

And yes, as some of you might recall we were recently touring the Atherton Tablelands, but with so much to see and experience in that part of Australia, you can’t visit enough! Besides, it is much warmer than the cold temperatures of southern Australia at this time of year.

COVID-19 restrictions aside, as they come and go, we have had a forced ‘lay-up’ as our touring vehicle undergoes an overhaul of the essential ‘bits and pieces’ to ensure it remains well prepared for remote area touring. Having it in tip top condition before driving out the front-gates goes a long way to ensuring (relatively) trouble free travel.

Toyota 79 Series

In the meantime, as we count down to pointing ourselves northwards, we’ll enjoy photographs of past trips into this great country, Australia…

Photos: Janet & Baz


About us…

We love the colours of the Australian Outback, the red earth touching a blue sky on a faraway horizon; and the fabulous coastline of our sunburnt country, where a golden sandy beach is washed over by a warm turquoise blue sea…

A few years ago, we graduated from work and re-entered the classroom of life where an education is guaranteed and all that is needed is an open mind.

Cheers, Baz & Janet

Outback Australia Beckons…

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milparinka
Toyota 79 Series
Sand Dune Crossing

Like most people we have had plenty of time to reflect over these past few months of “lock-down” as the world has come to grips with a pandemic unlike anything we have seen in our lifetime.

And our hearts go out to those who have lost loved ones and friends to the dreadful virus and to the many affected by the economic consequences that the virus has drowned us in…

Often it takes an ‘out of the blue’ experience to jolt us into realising the things that are important to us, to value life, and above all else, to simply live in the moment.

And now that we are once again able to travel within this great country of ours, albeit with some restrictions still in place, we are going to skip down the driveway and out the front gate in the next few days to soak up some red dust and blue skies in the vast Australian Outback…

About us…

We love the colours of the Australian Outback, the ochre red earth touching a deep blue sky on a faraway horizon; and the fabulous coastline of our sunburnt country, where a golden sandy beach is washed over by a turquoise blue sea; and the characters you meet in a quiet country pub, where it is nothing flash, but you are enriched by the encounter…

In 2017 we decided it was time to “graduate from work” and re-enter the classroom of life” where an education is guaranteed and all that is needed is an open mind.

Thanks for joining us in the adventure…!

Cheers, Baz & Janet

What’s in a Name (Hey?)

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The Landy
The Old Workhorse
No mistaking it
Red Rover
The original Landy
The Old Workhorse in the Outback
The “New” Landy

Seriously, who would call a blog “The Landy – Out and About Having Fun”?

Someone challenged me on this just the other day and it is quite simple really…

“The Landy” came about as a consequence of owning three, four-wheel drive Land Rover Defenders over the years. And there is no doubting the ruggedness of this great marque and its capability to tour around our great Southern Land, to travel into our remote outback.

As you can see “The Landy” has morphed over the past decade or two and is now a  sleek looking Toyota 79 Series Dual Cab, customised for long-range and remote area travel with a range of over 1,500-kilometres.

Mind you, that type of range can be dwarfed by the distances from civilisation in the Australian Outback…

Oh, and yes, thank you, I’ve recovered fully from the “Defender” era, although the bank balance remains in rehab after years of supporting the Land Rover specialist’s retirement fund…

Crikey, you have got to love the old Defenders though, and having owned three it would be hard for me to argue that I don’t still have a fondness for them, especially “Red Rover” but they take more work to keep them on the road than it does to keep your mother-in-law happy…

And strewth, not to mention the expense.

Clare, my dear mother-in-law, only costs me a bottle of good champagne once a year, and even then I get to drink it anyway…

Whilst I’m reluctant to refer to the new vehicle as “The Landy” that’s for sure; the owners’ of either marque, Toyota or Landrover, would never forgive me,  but “The Landy” reference has stuck, so “Baz – The Landy” it is…

“Out and About Having Fun”

Photos: Baz – The Landy