Coast to coast...

[Seasick&Grumpy]

Seasick & Grumpy invite you aboard a tough 4x4 Troopie for a 7,457 Km journey from Cape Tribulation, on the Pacific Coast, to Coral Bay and Perth, on the Indian Ocean Coast.

Driving from the green waters of the Great Barrier Reef to the equally green waters of the Ningaloo Reef took us through the red sand dunes of the Canning Stock Route (Yiwarra Kuju) and the majestic Australian Outback.

We are very grateful to the Aboriginal Communities that own the land for granting us the privilege to drive across this historic track and visit the mysterious beauty of the desert. We also want to thank all the Australians that welcomed us with their warm smile.

Fasten you seatbelts, grab a coldie and enjoy the long ride…

Please, don't forget to click on the "HD" letters and choose the 1080p for the best viewing quality.

 

[GeekOKent]

Haven't seen the video, but sounds like an interesting trip

 

[clivehorridge]

I watched it through but it kept stopping for me.

Every time I tried to restart it, it went back to beginning, and I couldn’t always find the place I left off, which was a bit annoying, so I’ve missed some chunks of it.

Also, the trip doesn’t start until after some 18+ minutes of intro, but it’s very professionally edited. I’ll have another watch when I have more patience.

Vimeo is the only media it seems, it’s not on utube.

 

[GeekOKent]

Try dropping the quality a bit in the vimeo settings. Our just need to be patient even it stops

I am downloading the thing, will watch it at night

 

[Seasick&Grumpy]

Thank you very much for taking the time to screen the rather long journey, dear friends.

Currently editing a new video from a 5,003 Km journey from Buenos Aires to Torres del Paine and Ushuaia in a Toyota Hilux, this past Christmas. The Troopies are almost impossible to rent in Argentina and Chile these days. Most probably, the new video journal will be significantly shorter...

We do have older Troopie driving videos from Oz, and a tour of Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia. Whenever available, we always prefer a Troopie..

 

[Firewout]

Just watched the intro.
You guys have been around. Saw a few familiar places passing which brought back nice memories.... peru, Mexico.... I hope Clive didn't miss the part on Romania.
Well, you obviously are passionate about filming and editing but for an old European like me it was a bit hectic to watch. It got better when I turned the sound down, but Gaston, the cat was also watching and I had to assist him through 3 epileptic seizures during the intro.
I'm very curious about the next video journal about patagonia. We were there in the 90's and we defo want to go back there. So let's see what changed over the last 25 years.
Btw does 'significantly shorter' mean 25 minutes in total?
Please keep posting pictures and videos and welcome to the forum.

 

[Firewout]

. Whenever available, we always prefer a Troopie..

I just sold my troopie because I prefer the 80 ( better handling, better accessability, less rusting issues)

 

[GeekOKent]

One option might be to make it into episodes. The video is very watchable, the production quality is high.

 

[Seasick&Grumpy]

Once again, many thanks for taking the extra long time to screen it, for it is the only reward for all the work involved. The videos are very long, indeed, but it is a real pleasure and joy not to have to worry about length, at least while editing it...

I agree 100% that watching long videos is far less appealing and I am extremely grateful to all the nice folks who allocated so many minutes of their precious time.

I do not know yet how long the new video will be. The new intro seems to take shape at around 5 minutes or so. The new video will be as long as it “grows” out of its own tempo.

There are quite a few decent wheels around, between 2.4 Litres to 6.7 Litres, from Troopie, to Defender, Geolander to Unimog, modified Jeeps, Ford and Dodge, to IMS and Gaz. Love them all, but, in spite of all the unquestionable imperfections the Troopies have, I’d take a Troopie without hesitation, especially when driving on a track where coming out from depends on the reliable spinning of the said wheels.

Yes, I am biased because I enjoy driving a truck with agricultural/industrial manners...

I do not question your preference for a ride, but, as far as I am concerned, the specific Troopie behaviour on and off-road is part of its charm in a world where car manufacturers compete in offering smooth and comfy rides.

I really love driving (sometimes non-stop for a couple of days in a row) and I can enjoy driving even a farm tractor...

A propos preferences, is there a specific and distinctive “old European” way in which one sees movies, drives cars and enjoys life? I sincerely thought that age, like beauty and “best” car option, are in the eye of the beholder...

Cheers, mate.

 

[Firewout]

There are quite a few decent wheels around, between 2.4 Litres to 6.7 Litres, from Troopie, to Defender, Geolander to Unimog, modified Jeeps, Ford and Dodge, to IMS and Gaz. Love them all, but, in spite of all the unquestionable imperfections the Troopies have, I’d take a Troopie without hesitation, especially when driving on a track where coming out from depends on the reliable spinning of the said wheels.

Yes, I am biased because I enjoy driving a truck with agricultural/industrial manners...

I do not question your preference for a ride, but, as far as I am concerned, the specific Troopie behaviour on and off-road is part of its charm in a world where car manufacturers compete in offering smooth and comfy rides.

I really love driving (sometimes non-stop for a couple of days in a row) and I can enjoy driving even a farm tractor...

A propos preferences, is there a specific and distinctive “old European” way in which one sees movies, drives cars and enjoys life? I sincerely thought that age, like beauty and “best” car option, are in the eye of the beholder...

Cheers, mate.

a truck with agricultural/industrial manners ? Hereby the two of you are officially invited to our cottage in the Belgian Ardennes, where you will be able to enjoy the utterly agricultural and industrial manners of my BJ46.

a propos my comments on the video : just because I'm green with envy mate !

 

[Seasick&Grumpy]

Well, now you’ve done it! That is a beauty, mate... and it has the PTO winch!

I am green with envy!!! I am running out of air, suffocated by envy...

The 40s are even more appealing than the 70s.

 

[clivehorridge]

Just watched the intro.
You guys have been around. Saw a few familiar places passing which brought back nice memories.... peru, Mexico.... I hope Clive didn't miss the part on Romania.
Well, you obviously are passionate about filming and editing but for an old European like me it was a bit hectic to watch. It got better when I turned the sound down, but Gaston, the cat was also watching and I had to assist him through 3 epileptic seizures during the intro.
I'm very curious about the next video journal about patagonia. We were there in the 90's and we defo want to go back there. So let's see what changed over the last 25 years.
Btw does 'significantly shorter' mean 25 minutes in total?
Please keep posting pictures and videos and welcome to the forum.

I did “miss” the Romanian part as it happens Wout, not for any reason, just that I ran out of time as I was ploughing through it. I’m not criticizing the video at all, but its length means I had to stop and then later try to pick up from where I left off, and ultimately ran out of time.

I’m not done with it yet, that’s a fact, ill make sure I see it all eventually!

As for the Troopy, I was rather disappointed in the way you guys had to take 2 or 3 (or more) attempts at the Aussie dune tracks, to get up. Video distorts steepness of inclines terribly, so I may be commenting out of turn, but with the dash switch CDL on my 80 and factory electric diff lockers front and rear, I’m convinced that my old girl would have romped up them first time, no worries .

Still, I like the safe and sure approach to your travels S&G, it’s ensured that you’re here to tell the tale and ready for the next adventure.

Envy, not at all, its pure unadulterated green jealousy

BTW, S&G, if you’re any where near Romania again, our door is jammed wide open, the BBQ takes only minutes to light and cold ones are always to hand.

Seriously, post me your ETA in a private “conversation” on here and you can call in at the house in Comarnic (Prahova County (Judet)) anytime and stay for as long as you wish. It would be an honor to have you visit.

Brilliant trips and videos.... please keep posting

 

[Seasick&Grumpy]

If there is any blame, I’d rather blame the driver, not the Troopie, mate!

Some of the dunes are a bit higher than they look on a 2D screen, the sand is pretty soft, some of the holes dug by other drivers are quite deep and carrying 400 litres of diesel, 100 litres of drinking water and other fluids, recovery gear, camping gear, food for 14 days, personal gear and photo gear adds a couple of lbs that one needs to be gentle with.

Joints, and entire suspensions tend to dissentegrate, even chassis get cracked and tyres get punctured. Everything happens a few hundred kms away from any potential assistance...

As you may very well know, the magic secret for crossing the sand dunes is the low tyre pressure (we went to 13 psi on factory type stock tyres) and the constant “tango” with the engine's rpm. A bit of vehicle inertia gained at the base of the dune, combined with allowing the engine to breathe when it chokes, contribute to doing the trick too... But the problem is that the deep holes at the base of the dunes, eat up all that momentum...

Unfortunately, there were no lockers on that Troopie. And it had 349,000 kms under the hood. Not a shinning diva anymore... but still reliable enough to trust it with our lives.

No dune took more than 3 attempts (2 + 1) and the vehicle made it for 7,457 km without a flat tyre or any malfunction. I take that anytime over forcing it to cross all the dunes at the first attempt.

The value and perception of time in remote places is a bit different from the rush specific to driving closer to asphalt and civilization...

We treasure the precious state of mind one attains in remote places.

Although both, Seasick and I, were born in Romania, I am not sure when we might stroll through Romania again. The most recent visit was a kayaking trip in the Danube Delta in the summer of 2012. The following is a shamelss plug for that video... (it's shorter!)

Many thanks for the invitations to Belgium and Romania. We’d be honored to visit both places.

Cheers.

 

[GeekOKent]

@Firewout i am up in those parts end Feb. Might knock on your door. ( actual target is Eindhoven but I am stopping by Chaleroi )

 

[Firewout]

@Firewout i am up in those parts end Feb. Might knock on your door. ( actual target is Eindhoven but I am stopping by Chaleroi )

I won't be there in februari. we only go there from spring to autumn. It's our holiday home and we only go there when the weather is reasonable.
so postpone your trip a few months and the tea will be waiting fot you !

 

[clivehorridge]

Although both, Seasick and I, were born in Romania, I am not sure when we might stroll through Romania again.

I didn’t know that, and for some reason I didn’t ask (some can take it the wrong way) even though I was going to.

I love living here, great people, fabulous countryside, cool mountains but lousy politics.... can’t win ‘em all, can you?

Shame no lockers on the troopy, they can save a lot of frustration sometimes, and I liked very much your “sympathetic” use of the truck.

Drum bun!

 

[Seasick&Grumpy]

@Clive you’re really nice with the way you describe it... lousy politics? Not quite, horrible gangrene politics, more likely.

I am glad the people treat you well and the place, overall, agrees with you. I left more than 30 years ago and I had no regrets ever since...

No harm in asking, mate. We live in NYC, a place where everybody seems to be from somewhere else...

Yes, at least a rear locker would have been nice, but it was meant to be the way it was and it turned out to be fair dinkum...

LE: And we had a brand new 10,000 lbs winch, though... and the means to improvise a sand anchor with the hi lift jack and the spare tyres...

 

[Seasick&Grumpy]

Ragi Pañi Mo (Al Rayo Del Sol) - 2017

Although not as rough as the Australian ride on the Canning Stock Route, fasten your seatbelts one more time, chuck a coldie and pop-corn and hop on a smaller Toyota for a 5,003 Km ride through the relentless winds of la pampa and Tierra del Fuego, from Buenos Aires to Torres del Paine, Punta Arenas and Ushuaia…

This might be the last episode of the "Travelotherapy" series. Thank you very much for staying with us all these years.

Please, don't forget to click on the "HD" letters and choose the 1080p for the best viewing quality.

We would like to express our gratitude to our Argentine and Chilean hosts and, of course, to all the musicians that made the presentation of this video diary much more appealing through their creativity and generosity.