Read about Ron & Viv and the rest of their travelling group.

 

 

Departure Date:
2nd April 2008

Ron, Viv and their son Trent beside their Nissan Patrol vehicle just before leaving Australia in 2007.

 

Neil & Helen Cocks on the Nile River, Aswan, Egypt.

 

Rod & Kate standing beside their F250.

 

The vehicles all set up for a night's camp.

Our Little Travelling Group

Ron and Viv Moon
After spending 20 years in the Australian Army, Viv and I have been writing guidebooks on Australia as well as writing for a wide range of magazines. For 15 years Ron was the editor of 4x4 Australia magazine and is now their Editor-at-Large, which is something like an escaped prisoner, but in this case we've just escaped the office and the deadlines.

You can see more about who we are and what we do at: www.guidebooks.com.au .

For details on our stretched Nissan Patrol check out the 'Our Vehicle' page on this website.

There is more than just us in our little group heading across the wilds of Africa though. We've convinced a couple of friends to join us on this great adventure.

 

Neil and Helen Cocks
Neil and Helen have been travelling the remote areas of Australia for many years and there would be few more experienced desert travellers in the country. Neil is a retired surveyor so we'll be able to stay on track with his skills and experience.

Their well set up Ford F250 has been tested and proven in cross country trips in the Tanami, Little Sandy and Great Sandy Deserts (to name just a few) as well as elsewhere in outback Australia. Accessories and mods to the Ford include:
ARB bullbar
Warn 15,000lb winch
Ford snorkel
ARB Air Locker front and rear diff locks
Rhodes Automotive canopy and rooftop camper
Outback storage system
LRA fuel tank and water tank
Tradesman roofrack
Kaymar rear step and tyre carrier  

 

Rod and Kate Cocks

Rod and Kate have travelled extensively in Australia in between owning and running a coffee farm on the northern NSW coast.

Accessories and mods to their Ford F250 extra-cab include an alloy bullbar, Safari snorkel, ARB Air Locker in the rear diff, ARB front diff cover, Cooper STT tyres, OME Suspension all round and an Active Campers slide-on Camper.

 

Gay Ellis

Ron & Viv's next door neighbour, Gay Ellis, will be joining them in St Petersburg, Russia for 2 months. She travelled with them last year for 3 weeks through Namibia, Botswana and Zambia, but this year she managed to get 2 months off work to join them for Russia, Kazakhstan and Mongolia. Her squeezy seat will be in the back of the Nissan Patrol.

   Ron and Viv's Nissan Patrol.

   Neil & Helen's vehicle all set up.

  Rod & Kate's vehicle all set up.

  
 
   Gay in front of the Summer Palace in
    St Petersburg, Russia.