The Adventurers

So, who are the crazy bunch embarking on this life changing adventure?

Let’s start with the ring leader Allan, or as he is otherwise known “Turbo” (those who know him best just call him the “Scabie Fox”). This character has an adventure or three under his belt already (and he has the scars to prove how he got his names). From crossing the Nullabor and eating sand big time resulting in a busted leg which he splint with a stick and duct tape to sailing the world and fighting off pirates with rocket  flares off the Island of Scotra near the Red Sea … it would be fair to say he’s been there and done that! The “Scabie Fox” is married to the extremely tolerant Gerry and together they have two young  boys who at the ages of 8 & 10 are already showing the adventurous spirit of their wayward father.

Our next adventurer is our resident IT consultant and former martial arts guru, Paul. A former ‘outdoor education instructor’ from NZ (yes, we too are not sure if that means he was somehow involved with “training” the sheep) who has a couple of white water rafting trips to Borneo in his experience belt. Known as “rip”, “koonk” (it’s a NZ language thing) or simply “Kingo” to those around him he is quick to highlight that he never mastered ‘the way of the goanna’ and is looking forward to learning how to handle one of these in his sleeping bag (so he can teach those ‘back home in the south Island of NZ’ a party trick to rival the exploits of their Northern cousins). Married to Renea with 4 boys he now enjoys the Queensland way of a traditional beer drinking, boating and fishing lifestyle. Having volunteered as the official “Barramundi Tamer” and “Team  Barista” his fellow adventurers are looking forward to Kingo living up to the high expectations he has been handed.

OK, so we have a self confessed Noddy among us … otherwise known as Neil. So, we’ll let him tell us how it is:

“Well I suppose I better write something, I don’t even like writing my own name as I am a talker more than a writer. Neil is my real name my alias is NODDY. I am looking forward to meeting every body. I know Allan by mistake, done a few dodgy deals with Stefan, carried Binny for most of the time around the workplace (and was there when Neville first come out, which is a story I will tell around the camp fire) & as for the rest of you Allan has told me a little bit, mainly that you are a pack of … C*#%S. I will find out.

Lets go tomorrow!

My work history revolves around scrap metal, demolition & buying & selling anything. (Neil’s deals) I will have a go at anything once, that includes jumping a postie bike from a 40 foot drop off. Love all sports mainly womens Jim Beam Mud wrestling. I have lived pretty hard especially through my twenties & am lucky enough to come out the other end with a great wife Paula & three young children (that I know of) Charlie, Emma & Ben.

I have traveled all corners of Queensland which is something we need to discuss as far as where we camp, but I will do that via the comments on the web page.

Can’t wait.

Noddy.

PS: I really appreciate the invite Allan. (oh, that’s right I invited myself)”

It is possibly time to expose myself … I am Dean, but generally better known by many names including ‘maggot’ and ‘wingnut’ (which you will fully understand if you ever see  an old school photo – all I can say is that I have tried hard to grow into my ears). I am a former accountant who tried to have a semi retirement type lifestyle before I was 40 (there really are only so many waves to catch, days to go fishing and games of golf to be played before you get bored … trust me, you are much better off working). I  now manage the finances of a few select clients around my passions for surfing, boating, fishing and camping. I am married to the incredible Storm and we have one daughter, Jazz (who starts school next year but already has her own surfboard and fishing road).  Delegated the task of ‘multi media’ for this adventure I am keeping my friends close, enemies closer, and all my passwords and login scripts extremely secure. As with all good road trips I believe in the old boys motto of ‘what happens on tour stays on tour’ … of course we now have the modern exception rule … unless it’s caught on video!

Next, we have Stefan, who is Allan’s partner in crime so to speak … although there are rumors he may be slowing down and getting soft having recently formed a bond with a special someone and preferring the warm comforts of a home cooked meal to the usual haunts and camps he has otherwise been known to inhabit … OK, Stefan would you like me to continue or would you like to give me some commentary to add here?

Oh, right oh then, you want to tell us all these lies then … in his own words … and I quote:

“Stefan Ilijev is the elusive SAVAGE SAFARI original. He is both a tracker and bush tucker guru and has plenty of local knowledge when it comes to this trip from Darwin to Cairns. On his last attempt at this trip which admittedly was during the wet season he was riding his motorbike through a swollen creek that turned into a six foot rapid. Luckily he grabbed a tree as he started disappearing down the river with his motorbike. Another Savage Safari partner helped with the rescue and has fairly dodgy origins but will be a great help on this trip if anything exciting happens.

Stefan has a history of survival which includes being washed up on a deserted Island 1000 nautical miles from home on his jet boat and sleeping with so many mosquito’s that only his eyeballs escaped the ravenous infestation.

When Stefan crossed the Nullabor on another bike trip he slept in the desert sands amongst the spinafex with knife in hand ready for any passing bush tucker . He will come prepared as he has a long history of counting on the bush and he considers crocks, kangaroos and snakes as the only bush tucker to have around a good campfire.

He has his camo and equipment ?? ready for any Savage Survival necessary or unnecessary, he doesn’t really care because he needs to keep his skills fine tuned so he is ready for anything .

Alias. Jim Savage –  Silver Surfer.”

So, there we have it folks a story in itself or just a great reason why not to drink too many cans of V?

We’ll let this next adventurer tell it in his own words too (yes, I am getting lazy):

“For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Kevin aka Binny, aka Junk yard dog, dumpster and any other aka that will get me a free drink!!!  I was born & bred in south-east Queensland and work as a truck driver and jack of all trades at a scrap metal yard. My job has taken me all over Queensland, including Weipa where I spent nine months demolishing a power station with fellow postie Neil. I’ve traveled to the far north (but not in the far que) and have camped out amongst the locals. I’ve also traveled down south with Tubby (Allan’s dad) harvesting. I’m currently living in sin with my partner Donna and her two children Bethany and Caleb, until we get to Las Vegas where Donna assures me that there is an Elvis wedding chapel waiting with our names on it. I follow the Maroons, Ford racing or any other kind of racing and enjoy the odd punt. I like a beer and a JD – one following the other preferably.  I’m normally easy going, but if I get riled up, my other nickname (Neville) comes out. I have done a fair bit of trail bike riding where I’ve had plenty of crashes and even a head on with another bike at about 80 kph and then Stefan pulling up just before riding over my head. Have given up the trail bike riding and now prefer to go flat out on my R6 road bike when I get the chance. Also like getting on the jet ski and going flat out across the water. I have been on quite a few road trips with Jim Savage which are always full of excitement and dramas from having blocked fuel filters, blown head gaskets and wheels falling off an over loaded F100. One trip found me and Jim stuck in the middle of nowhere when Jim hit a roo in a rental car and broke the power steering pulley. After limping 200 km to the nearest town we had a good all day session at the pub while waiting for back up to arrive. I am looking forward to another great adventure with all the mishaps along the way.”

So the enigma among us, Simon … let’s call him the green iguana, has decided to remain quiet. With a lot of research and some creative license this is his story:

“Simon originates from a small town called Felton. He is bald, short, fat, and has a tattoo of a belly denser on his chest (which he apparently got one night after playing rugby). He also smokes a carton of cigarettes at night with a bottle of rum and has a tendency to fart really badly after consuming this cocktail.”

If the ‘green iguana’ doesn’t write soon we’re going to have to reveal all of his strange fetishes … so, watch this space!