How times have changed

[tomwithannl]

Just an idle thought while having a coffee.
When I first started 4x4ing and caravan towing in the 70s the main topic of conversation was whether you might break something major on the trip when there was still over a thousand km of gravel up the West coast, like a windscreen, or an axle or a gearbox or such. You also had to decide how many tubes you would carry for the 7.50 x 16 cross ply tyres or could you fit a 44gal drum of fuel in the back and how many gallons of oil and water should I carry? 40c heat, no a/c, too hot to have the window up, wind too hot to have it down. No wondering what gear to tow in with a landy with a holden 6….whatever gear kept you going forward.
What made me think about the “old days” was some of the questions that get asked today. Should I tow in 4th 5th or 6th? What do I do if I am in limp mode with code p9106? Should I fit AT, MT, HT with P or LT? and what size should I fit 16, 17, 18, 19 or 20s? Is it possible to get wifi and TV reception at Ayres Rock. Is it worth paying the extra $15000 dollars for the premium sound system, self parking and a light that tells you someone is along side you?
Don’t get me wrong there is nothing wrong with these or any other questions I was just wondering when it all changed so much?
By the way does anyone know the best portable 30KVA gen set I can take camping to run my split system A/C, two group coffee machine, 7kg washing machine and my LG two door fridge?? You know, just the basics

Tom

[benckj]

All 1st world problems now I guess. My wife and I laugh at one of the new age problems like when our phones drop below 10% of battery power. Life use to much more simpler although things like global warming never entered our minds. Time for another capachino.

[KPJero]

All 1st world problems now I guess. My wife and I laugh at one of the new age problems like when our phones drop below 10% of battery power. Life use to much more simpler although things like global warming never entered our minds. Time for another capachino.

I hope you are using organically sourced, free range, gluten free beens for your coffee

[tomwithannl]

I hope you are using organically sourced, free range, gluten free beens for your coffee

Your joking of course?
Nothing but the best! Genetically modified crop grown on deforested land once the home of the now extinct Dodo,harvested by 3rd world peasants who are paid peanuts and transported to Australia in the hold of people smuggler boats......Just like the good old days.

I suppose in 50 years time the main problem people will have is how to get more km from a charge from their electric bike.
Tom

[Dicko1]

You sound like a bunch of the meally mouth peasants I unfortunately have to put up with on my journey around Oz. Being in the public service, I was able to retire at 58 on $280,000 a year, indexed for life. I know its not much but I will make do. If I need any more I can setup a Go-Fund Me page and beg for money...$3 million would be nice. Mate Izzy is doing alright. Upon my retirement I ventured down to Toyota and demanded the top of the line 200 series with every known accessory. ARB the kitted it out with every accessory they had. $225,000 late I had the ideal rig for towing my tri-axle Bushranger van (kitted with every accessory money can buy). The Bushranger was a steal at $297,000. Although I have never been camping or touring I am now travelling like a seasoned pro. None of that bullshit off road stuff either. I,m not dirtying the rig for anyone! I often pass peasants in the canvas covered trailers heading off into bush tracks that probably lead to lonely , people free camps that have no noise or flushing toilets. Absolutely no good to me....who the hell could I talk to and tell them all about my rig, its price, my self importance and how much I retired on? Some people have no idea. By staying in caravan parks I am able to prance around at 5 o.clock looking for fellow glampers for drinky-poos. My brother used to tell me of the horrific stories of campfires, pooing in the bush (absolutely disgusting). Water collected from a clean flowing river for drinking. Cooking in a steel drum over a fire...barbaric act...havent they heard of microwaves and auto gas ovens? . None of that rubbishy gas lighting or battery powered led stuff. My 10kva generator absolutely makes mincemeat of any power hungry appliance in the van. You can keep your olden days "camping". I,ll stick to the new age glamping any day....


All the gear and no idea.
All tongue in cheek, of course..

[benckj]

Not quite the same 4WD experience but I circumnavigated OZ in 85 with my ford falcon wagon. Managed to have 7 tyre issues which was rather interesting as I didn’t have a jack. Lifting car ranged from using hitch hikers to log levers and farmers tractors in order to get car in the air. Had to pull spark plugs to clean oil deposits every couple hundred km but due to the flies only managed to do one at a time meaning 50 km stops. Stripped the gear column change somewhere south of Broome so fabricated a wire to shift from 2nd to 3rd when ready for top gear. If we got bogged down in sand one of my many passengers had to disembark cab and crawl under car to grab first gear and then push from behind until freed. Many nights were spent camped at these big holes until a friendly native showed up for a tow. It was an extremely adventurous and hot trip that has yet to be equaled regardless of any 4WD vehicle I’ve owned.