For all of the guided Outback tours that are available on the market, there is really nothing like giving in to curiosity and heading off with just some mates and a map to see the real Australia as God intended. That’s what I did, along with a trio of friends back in November, and I had the best time I could possibly have imagined. Well, there were some parts of it that could maybe have been better, but we’ll come to those later! Suffice it to say that we learned a few things while we were touring that have made us a whole lot wiser so we will be in a better position the next time we decide to go off on a tour.

The trip first came into the question when my long time friend Colin used his annual bonus to buy a used 4 by 4 and first started talking about taking it out into the outback to put it to the use it was intended. He’s a real nature buff, Colin, and once he had had the idea we kind of knew he wouldn’t shut up about it. But we all had work commitments that kept us pretty busy for a few months, and eventually we sat down to work out when we could all take some time off – holidays were booked for November, maps were bought, a route was planned and we decided what we would all bring with us. We figured four days for the whole trip – any more would stretch our resources and probably our patience to the limit.

Eventually November rolled around, and on the day itself we had an early start. Colin was going to drive round and pick me up first, and then head on to pick up Robbie and Ty (two real Outback novices) before rocking up at a couple of stores to find the necessary provisions and anything else we could not live without for four days. We found what we needed – being four blokes in a 4 x 4 there was very little in there that hadn’t at one point been baked, fried or brewed – and loaded it all into the vehicle, then set off for our first point on the itinerary – Woomera.

Everything passed off without incident while there – we played some football, drank some beer and absorbed the wonders of nature, and camped out before a morning departure for Andamooka. It was on the way between there and William Creek that we had our big drama. The 4 x 4 developed engine problems and a quick phone call revealed that we would have to wait 12 hours to get it sorted out. As supplies were running low, and the nearest residential or commercial area seemed to be well beyond walking distance, we found ourselves relying on the water in the hydration packs we’d brought with us.

 Luckily, they were the 3 litre hydration packs we had bought and filled before setting off so the water was good and fresh. Now, OK, it would be exaggerating to say they saved our lives, but things would have got pretty tetchy without the hydration they provided, and we’re making sure we stock up on even more of them before we next go on a tour. Well, it’s that or stop touring, and we’re not about to do that!