Who are these crazy people behind Australian Nomads?

That would be us: Simon and Marianne.

Simon is a Technology Expert and self confessed IT geek who grew up in Sydney, Australia. He loves his computer toys and has done everything possible to make sure the 4WD is fitted out with as many gadgets as possible. He takes care of all the ‘essentials’ like UHF radio, GPS, tyre pressure monitors, car stereo, mobile phone, mobile internet, laptops and anything else that effectively has a plug and an on/off switch. Despite being more of the ‘rugged indoor type’, Simon has been known to love the occasional adventure like snowboarding trips to Switzerland or trekking to Mount Everest base camp in Nepal.

Marianne was born and raised in Switzerland, in a little town near Zürich. A few years ago she moved to Sydney to try a different way of living. She is an Interior Designer by qualification, a Graphic Designer and Web Developer by trade and most recently has become more focused on 4WD adventuring. She has done most of the research and planning for this trip utilising the well known ‘Swiss precision’ to finely coordinate a fairly major expedition. She made sure that the camping kitchen is equipped with all the right tools to prepare gourmet meals on the road as she loves cooking and great food.

For the last 3 years we have been living in Sydney, Australia enjoying both city and beachside living. We regularly travel overseas for holidays. The last few years Switzerland has been a common destination due to Marianne’s heritage.

Why not just go to Bali for a holiday?

One sunny afternoon in mid-2008 Marianne had the brilliant idea to travel around/through the Australian continent in a 4WD on the roads less travelled, something she or her partner Simon had never done before. Initially Simon was quite sceptical about the idea but after a bit of persuasion and time he started to see the trip in a very different light. This trip is more then a holiday, it’s the trip of a lifetime. We are after an adventure to experience Australia in all its uniqueness.

Through this blog we will share our adventure with you. We will write about the planning and preparation, the big trip and all the great destinations along the way.