What is the craziest thing you have seen while travelling/camping?

[Fathom]

This year on the Tele track we saw a scooter that had just come through Gunshot heading south....

lol we saw exactly that a few years ago..

Then there was the guy fishing in Seisha.. Had walked out about knee deep. About 50 metres.
A couple of large crocs were less than a stones throw from him.
People yelling.. Owner/ manager came running/yelling..
He ignored all... Telling us we were wrong.. I even have video footage of him and the crocs..
When he came in.. He said.. Can't be Crocs there.. No crocs when salmon are about..
Umm he had no fish..
To this day I can't believe he lived.
Those crocs sat about 5 metres from him swimming in a semi circle.

[tracker]

lol we saw exactly that a few years ago..

Then there was the guy fishing in Seisha.. Had walked out about knee deep. About 50 metres.
A couple of large crocs were less than a stones throw from him.
People yelling.. Owner/ manager came running/yelling..
He ignored all... Telling us we were wrong.. I even have video footage of him and the crocs..
When he came in.. He said.. Can't be Crocs there.. No crocs when salmon are about..
Umm he had no fish..
To this day I can't believe he lived.
Those crocs sat about 5 metres from him swimming in a semi circle.

   Even duct tape can't fix stupid...Just saying

                              Cheers Tracker.

[Steffo1]

Not crazy really. Just a bit different.
A top pommy bloke named Rupert at Home Valley on the Gibb.
He waited for someone (me) to come along before he tried the Pentecost crossing.
Yep, you sure do need a big, bad 4bee to do the GBR, hey?
Steve

[Troopy_03]

lol we saw exactly that a few years ago..

Then there was the guy fishing in Seisha.. Had walked out about knee deep. About 50 metres.
A couple of large crocs were less than a stones throw from him.
People yelling.. Owner/ manager came running/yelling..
He ignored all... Telling us we were wrong.. I even have video footage of him and the crocs..
When he came in.. He said.. Can't be Crocs there.. No crocs when salmon are about..
Umm he had no fish..
To this day I can't believe he lived.
Those crocs sat about 5 metres from him swimming in a semi circle.

Not camping as such, but on Stockton Beach a few years ago we saw a couple of guys spinning lures for salmon. A fairly common occurrence, except these guys were chest deep in the water, and one guy was having trouble keeping his shorts up by the looks of how he was fidgeting with them. It wasn't till he walked back onto the beach a while later that we saw why he was having problems, he had a nice big fat salmon still wriggling and bleeding tied to his drawstring. One of the species that generally follow the big schools of salmon on Stockton beach is great white sharks. We got him on film too..

[Terry W4]

In the Mujimba Caravan Park on the Sunshine Coast in June last year. A couple had their caged galah with them - wouldn't call it a pet.

[me217]

This was out around Aberfeldy while we were taking students through driver training on weekend, he was doing road testing to ensure they get 1000klms out of a tank of fuel....

37in tyres standard.. all the kiddies will cream their pants.

I actually inquired about these the other day at the local dealer. As I go there often for work. And I reckon they would make an awesome tourer. I think it's something like 16 gears. 37" tyres. And front and rear diff locks as standard. And only 80 ish grand. Compare that to a new cruiser ute I would probably work out cheaper. Also they have a higher gym and larger tray for a more spacious living quarter.

[Diesel Power]

BMA Saraji coal mine have one for the Drill Fitters "Ute". They say its a weapon.

[tk421]

My aunt and uncle used to hold a 3 day equestrian event on their farm for the local district. They'd set up a campground in one of the paddocks and people would come from miles around. To cope with ablutions they'd dig a series of long drops, and place half a 44gallon drum over the hole, with a toilet seat bolted on top, surrounded by a thatched wall. A makeshift bar was also set up on the verandah of the house.

As you can imagine the local farmers got into the grog quite heavily throughout the day and at night. One such night a woman came running in screaming to the bar, about the giant snake that had made itself comfortable inside one of these dunnies, presumably keeping warm. One of the brave (and quite pissed) men ran to his car and got a 12guage shotgun. Carefully he aimed inside the dunnie and shot the snake. Of course, shotguns firing into enclosed spaces full of methane cause explosions, and old mate ended up covered in the contents of the dunnie much to the amusement of everyone else.  I think his wife made him sleep outside.

[BigJules]

Spent Boxing Day and a few more at Tom Groggin with a bunch of other swaggers a few years ago. We drove up
Mt Pinnabar, thumping our chests and enjoying the magnificence you ca only experience with a 4WD. Decided we'd loop home and so trekked seemingly most of the way back to Melbourne and then finally towards Tom Groggin.

Up hill and down dale, until over the radio comes the call from Silvo "guys, you won't believe this but the track is blocked." Blocked? By what we ask? "There's a bloke in his brand new Honda Accord stuck in a ditch, I'm just about to pull him out." Wait we cry, we have to see this. Sure enough, there is a Honda Accord bellied out and a few tooth challenged 4WDs watching him get more stuck.

We linked a few cars and winched him back and sent him on his way - he was taking his fathers(?) ashes to Tom Groggin station and had followed his GPS from Melbourne...

[cruiser 91]

A huge Wedge Tailed Eagle swooping us head on whilst travelling on the highway 20kms north of Hawker, Flinders. Its wing spread was wider than the 80 series. Once in a lifetime moment. 

Wish I had dash came at the time.

[speewa158]

Watched as new 3 campers arrived at the camp ground . Drive around 3 times to find a spot then cramped in on a bloke they didn't know cause they liked his spot under a tree . They then started to unfold a hard floor after handing out the gardening gloves to save them from dirty hands . We set up our chairs in a row to watch them fumble & unfold as we had 

[Bird]

Watched as new 3 campers arrived at the camp ground . Drive around 3 times to find a spot then cramped in on a bloke they didn't know cause they liked his spot under a tree .

Why do ****s to that... 3 acres of land to camp on, and they have to camp on top of you/someone I ****in hate humans.

[Fizzie]

"There's a bloke in his brand new Honda Accord stuck in a ditch, I'm just about to pull him out."

Think all Swaggers in SEQ would know Duck Creek Rd between O'Reilly's & the Kerry Valley? For those that don't it's well & truly a 4wd track - more fun than anything super serious but still 4wd.

Last year, we'd gone most of the way down then back up to O'R's (Mrs' family "owns" one of the spots not far from the bottom of the road & we check it out / tidy it every once in a while). Back up top but still a k or so short of Luke's Farm, come round a bend & here's a bloke sitting stopped broadside across the road in the middle of a fairly deep puddle (had rained a few days earlier) in a hire Nissan Pulsar! 

He finished doing about a 15-point u-turn, slipping & sliding all over the place, then stopped half-off the side of the track, & waved us through. Asked if he was OK as we passed & he said, "Yep, we're fine thanks" in a strong American accent - "we're" but he's in the car by himself 

Another few hundred metre's along & here's a lady NOT dressed for bushwalking  , walking up the middle of the road heading back to the top of the track. Pulled up again & asked if she's OK - "Yes, thanks" through gritted teeth, once again with US accent & looking furious 

Can only assume that they're touring, have visited O'R's, next stop is Beauie or similar & the GPS says that there's a nice road between here & there, that'll be a lot shorter than going all the way back to Canungra ...     

[loanrangie]

Camping in Tanzania we woke up to a herd of elephants around our tents and my mate woke to find an Egyptian Cobra staring him in the face, luckily there was mozzy netting between .

[glenm64]

Camping in Tanzania we woke up to a herd of elephants around our tents and my mate woke to find an Egyptian Cobra staring him in the face, luckily there was mozzy netting between .

First read that and I thought it was Tasmania!
I thought what good mushrooms you must get down there!

Cheers Glen

[LC]

Spent Boxing Day and a few more at Tom Groggin with a bunch of other swaggers a few years ago. We drove up
Mt Pinnabar, thumping our chests and enjoying the magnificence you ca only experience with a 4WD. Decided we'd loop home and so trekked seemingly most of the way back to Melbourne and then finally towards Tom Groggin.

Up hill and down dale, until over the radio comes the call from Silvo "guys, you won't believe this but the track is blocked." Blocked? By what we ask? "There's a bloke in his brand new Honda Accord stuck in a ditch, I'm just about to pull him out." Wait we cry, we have to see this. Sure enough, there is a Honda Accord bellied out and a few tooth challenged 4WDs watching him get more stuck.

We linked a few cars and winched him back and sent him on his way - he was taking his fathers(?) ashes to Tom Groggin station and had followed his GPS from Melbourne...

Said Honda



One of the kids tried pushing first!

[LC]

We were camped at the one of the caravan parks in Rockhampton on our way home from the cape.

I watched this old couple in their land cruiser and 25,000ft caravan (this thing was huge) pull out of their site. He had forgotten to unplug the power lead. She stood their and watched the lead get longer and longer, didn't say a word, until it was eventually so tight that instead of coming out of the van, the lead ripped the power pole out of the ground. The old lady then got stuck into her husband for being so careless, very funny to watch, poor bloke getting a hard time for something she could have easily prevented. I wondered over offered the use of a longer lead. When the woman asked why would we need a longer lead, I politely explained that a longer lead would in future give her more time to warn her husband. Needless to say I was then on the receiving end of the abuse, but at it least gave the husband a break and a laugh.

[tk421]

Camping in Tanzania we woke up to a herd of elephants around our tents and my mate woke to find an Egyptian Cobra staring him in the face, luckily there was mozzy netting between .

Spent many years staying in the Kafue and Luangwa National Parks in Zambia. We used to leave left over Kebab's around the campers tents whenever they were about. Tourists in Tents generally don't like Hyena's sniffing around their tents in the middle of the night.   

Also as an 8 year old having to hide in our hut at Lufupa Camp whilst a herd of elephants ate the thatch off the roof (it was during a drought). Our parents were stuck in the bar area watching it all unfold unable to do anything. Same trip a Hyena broke into the kitchen and ate all the peanut butter.

Not my photo, but its the bar area at Lufupa - looks like they've replaced the thatched roofs 

[wakychapmans]

I saw this bone head at Cape York in 1995... (see pic attached)

on an earlier trip, I camped near a creek bed in western QLD. No tent, just swagged out. Woke up an hour after sunset with an entire heard of cows  around me...

but my fave' was in 1992.

I was riding across the Barkley (just east of the homestead) on the mountainbike, and saw in the distance, what looked like two cows laying on top of each other.

Turned out to be a cow that had been hit a day or so earlier and well... the innards had expanded somewhat. I'm about 200meters down the road and so I crossed onto the other side of the rode to be well clear. (just in case... you know it decided to go... *bang*)

then a couple of Japanese moto tourists on a massive Dakar style bike zoom past me and pull up beside it. Taking pics and then... to my horror...

POKING IT WITH A STICK!

I never pedalled so bloody fast in my life. Got past and then camped at Barkley homestead.

oh yeh... and cycle touring, you see the things that people throw out the window. It was 92' and so the Sony Walkman was still king. I picked up countless cassettes in outback QLD, NT and the Kimberly. Most were crap (Wham?) but I did get a genuine copy of Alchemy Live.

[BigJules]

Spent many years staying in the Kafue and Luangwa National Parks in Zambia. We used to leave left over Kebab's around the campers tents whenever they were about. Tourists in Tents generally don't like Hyena's sniffing around their tents in the middle of the night.   

A mate and I were camping in Yosemite National Park in the US and baited the safari tent of this annoying woman with a pizza. We sat around drinking a bottle of OP Bundy we had carried to give to a buddy and waited for the bears, but disappointingly and contrary to all the warning signs posted everywhere we didn't see any Grizzly action.

#goodtimes

[Bird]

I never pedalled so bloody fast in my life. Got past and then camped at Barkley homestead.

I was shocked how many tourists I saw on treadlys doing the trip from Isa to the homestead.. None ever seemed to have much stuff with them like water. although some did have umbrella's up while riding..

[loanrangie]

I actually inquired about these the other day at the local dealer. As I go there often for work. And I reckon they would make an awesome tourer. I think it's something like 16 gears. 37" tyres. And front and rear diff locks as standard. And only 80 ish grand. Compare that to a new cruiser ute I would probably work out cheaper. Also they have a higher gym and larger tray for a more spacious living quarter.

They do look the goods but if you ask anyone that owns one they had to spend a small fortune sorting out issues , things like inadequate brakes .

[wakychapmans]

I was shocked how many tourists I saw on treadlys doing the trip from Isa to the homestead.. None ever seemed to have much stuff with them like water. although some did have umbrella's up while riding..

hahahahahaha... can't work out how on earth you'd work an umbrella. I had 4 days of headwinds from the border to the homestead my ride. then a a roaring tailwind from the homestead to Three Ways. (done in just over half a day)

I'm a bad example of the "average" cycle tourist though. I carry a serious reserve of water at all times. I always had a spare 4L in the back pockets of the rear bags and then a further 4L emergency spare in the bottom of the front bags.

2L milk bottles for them all. Soft, flexible and reasonably long lasting.

Oh and never wore a helmet once. May not have had a bell either...

[tk421]

hahahahahaha... can't work out how on earth you'd work an umbrella. I had 4 days of headwinds from the border to the homestead my ride. then a a roaring tailwind from the homestead to Three Ways. (done in just over half a day)

I'm a bad example of the "average" cycle tourist though. I carry a serious reserve of water at all times. I always had a spare 4L in the back pockets of the rear bags and then a further 4L emergency spare in the bottom of the front bags.

2L milk bottles for them all. Soft, flexible and reasonably long lasting.

Oh and never wore a helmet once. May not have had a bell either...

I spoke to a Ghan driver who said he saw a cyclist riding along the Ghan Rail line. Wasn't you was it?

I was shocked how many tourists I saw on treadlys doing the trip from Isa to the homestead.. None ever seemed to have much stuff with them like water. although some did have umbrella's up while riding..

Saw a man pedalling around there with a grim look on his face, then about 800m later passed a woman on the same type of bike with the same gear and a grim look on her face. We figured they were a couple in the middle of an argument.   

[Bird]

hahahahahaha... can't work out how on earth you'd work an umbrella.

it was like a beach umbrella with long wooden pole.. One old Asian dude (possibly 800yrs old) had it mounted on his bike near seat pole - but it was like a parachute!

Oh and never wore a helmet once. May not have had a bell either...

Not possible.. you'd die.. the Gov tells me this daily.