Stay On SEALED Roads With a 4x4?? Are We MAD??

Kent, Hannah, Emma, and I picked up the 4x4 with direct instructions not to go off-roading since we were relocating the vehicle. A relocation vehicle is a one-way rental for a fraction of the price since the company needs the vehicle in a certain location. Well, needless to say, we knew that rule was not going to be adhered to. We drove to Port Fairy to complete our tour of the Great Ocean Road and head towards Adelaide. From our research, we knew that Canunda National Park had beach camping, so we made a stop there. The Lonely Planet described it as having "big sand dunes" and campfires allowed. Perfect!! So we put the vehicle in 4wd and set off on the dirt roads. Our first obstacle was called "Khyber Pass," which was a narrow path through soft sand dunes with rocky walls on either side. I took the driver's seat. Heavy on the acceleration, we gunned it through Khyber Pass, with only a few minor setbacks and luckily no scratches on the vehicle. Phew! Glad that was over with.....until after several more kilometers of packed sandy roads, we came to the "big sand dunes." A dune 8 meters high loomed in front of us. My heart was pounding. All 4 of us were stoked, but a bit tentative, after all, we were not supposed to be off-roading. After some pep talks and mental preparation, we soared up over the dune. Total chaos in the vehicle. But we made it!! The back looked like an earthquake had hit, and poor Hannah was stuck under all the bags!! Now, where is that ocean with the packed sand we can drive on?? Well, imagine a scene from Egypt. The dune didn't have an end. Sand for miles. Soft mounds piling up everywhere, and thinking you will be able to see something "just after we get over the next dune." We had to admit that finding the ocean was not to be. It was getting dark and not a soul would be passing through anytime soon. We had to give in and turn back to find a place to set up camp, preferably on solid ground. But again, more difficulty. On the "dune" the sand was softer that ever and we found ourselves stuck yet again. I put it in low gear, but no luck. There were no sticks or stones in sight to put under the tires. The other three were going to have to push! We dug out the tires and after immense effort from Hannah, Emma, and Superman, we made it free. But not without nearly 4 heart attacks. Luckily we didn't have to go through Khyber Pass again, we were just looking for the closest sealed road - by now it was beginning to drizzle! We made it to Beachport Conservation Park with about 15 minutes of light left for us to set up camp. After this adrenaline-packed day, we were all grateful for the box of wine waiting in the back.