Our Lap of Oz goes a bit pear shaped. Grampians to High Country. What goes wrong?

This is the episode of ‪@nextleveloz‬ where our Lap goes a bit pear shaped. Emergencies, a potential car fault and a left field surprise all come one after the other and we have to change the Lap plans.
Why is David alone in a room. Where is Paula and where is the van?
Check out this weeks vid to see what happens and what changes to the plan we have to make.
The plan was to go from Naracoorte to the High Country via the Grampians and Euroa where we are catching up with our Gibb River Road friends.
We still work through it to tick off a couple of great things. We loved catching up with our Gibb buddies who we met out Mt Hart when we were all flooded in - so we had a lovely chance to share the memories. Watch the small segment showing some of the Gibb River Road highlights we shared.
We have made it to the furthest North, furthest South, most western and the centre of Australia. We had hoped that our high country trip would allow us to tick of the highest point as well - but do the problems get in the way?
Welcome to Episode 51 of our Big Lap Gap Year. We're David and Paula ‪@nextleveloz‬ . Like many of you, we've worked hard for 40 years, but we are too young to retire. So we're taking a gap year from work, we've bought our first ever caravan and are doing a Big Lap around Australia taking in the iconic destinations of our fabulous country.
This channel is for fun and to share our trip of a lifetime and 100% of any ad revenue earned goes to charity.
We'd love your comments, questions and tips. We hope you will like and subscribe and share the videos with others as we look forward to sharing our journey around this magnificent country.

Пікірлер: 33

  • @robyndehavilland1609
    @robyndehavilland16096 ай бұрын

    You’ve had some truly incredible unforgettable adventures and a few not so great ones that you’d probably rather forget but overall some amazing forever memories. I’ve loved your lap so much. Glad to know that you are both ok 😊

  • @nextleveloz

    @nextleveloz

    6 ай бұрын

    Thanks for watching and yes it’s been a terrific experience. Yes we hit some speed bumps as well but glad we were able to work through them. We are both well thank you and Paula in particular has recovered well. Thanks again - we love the feedback and the shares.

  • @damiant5876
    @damiant58766 ай бұрын

    Another great Video. Pleased to hear you're both still ok. I've loved watching your travels as my wife and I hope to do similar very soon. Being able to watch a couple of similar age has been great to see what's achievable. Watching the young families is good but doesn't take into account the variables that age presents.

  • @nextleveloz

    @nextleveloz

    6 ай бұрын

    Thanks for that. Much appreciated. It’s good to watch a variety and we learned from a broad group also. But no question our circumstance is different to many of the content creators, so if our shared help others like us that’s great. And if course we get to send some money off to charity as well. If you are similar age to us, you would be surprised how much you can do and sometimes many things it’s hard for the families with little kids to do. Pros and cons! But mostly pros. 🙏👍👍. All the best and good luck with your own plans. cheers

  • @jeetts59
    @jeetts596 ай бұрын

    On such a long trip it’s to be expected that not all will go smoothly and from the videos that you have posted up until this incident you have had a pretty smooth run. The main thing is all turns out well. Great video once again.

  • @nextleveloz

    @nextleveloz

    6 ай бұрын

    Hi thanks for watching and again for the feedback. It really is appreciated. And yes too true. A lap will have constant things requiring the plan to adjust and won’t always go smoothly. We’ve had a number of speed bumps and diversions on this one. Paula needing to go to hospital was both unexpected and worrying and glad she is on the mend. This episode proves some things come in threes 🙈. One was horrible, one was frustrating the third shows that you can’t always control the external things. All the best. cheers

  • @markfarr2514
    @markfarr25146 ай бұрын

    What an amazing place 😊will be sure to visit when we come over from the west. Glad all is now well.

  • @nextleveloz

    @nextleveloz

    6 ай бұрын

    Thank you. Yes we are all well and sometimes these things happen and you have to change the plan. There are some stunning places in that region. We will go back to the high country at some stage to try some of those tracks we couldn’t do this time.

  • @davidkeogh2564
    @davidkeogh25646 ай бұрын

    Thanks for sharing your amazing journey. I look forward to doing something similar (in my Zone Base) in the next couple of years. I’m sure I will review some of your destinations before we visit them to see what you guys did. Enjoy your future adventures.

  • @nextleveloz

    @nextleveloz

    6 ай бұрын

    Thanks for following along. We’ve loved our Zone Base and we will talk a little bit more about it as part of the wrap ups. There are heaps and heaps of destinations and diversions and we got to cover many of the icons and a few others - but so many we couldn’t fit in. The good thing is that people can do the Lap how it best suits them and have a ball in their own way. All the best and thank you so much.

  • @seandolkens4021
    @seandolkens40216 ай бұрын

    Love every episode. Thank you. Glad Paula is on the mend and received the appropriate care. On another note, I hate rattles… it’s always an indication of something going wrong.

  • @nextleveloz

    @nextleveloz

    6 ай бұрын

    Thanks so much for watching. Paula is back to her chipper self thank you. The team at the hospital were terrific. And yes , just as well we identified this rattle and have put in place a fix. cheers

  • @StephenFogarty2023
    @StephenFogarty20236 ай бұрын

    Great video Glad all is ok Never a dull moment Expect the unexpected… And, be prepared for it. 👍

  • @nextleveloz

    @nextleveloz

    6 ай бұрын

    Hi mate. Really appreciate your feedback and yes we are good. Shame we didn’t get to Dargo and the High Plain road, but grateful that all is back on track. And yep, go out and do it and enjoy it and be prepared for the things that might come. Still better that than not going out and giving it a crack! 🙏👍

  • @StephenFogarty2023

    @StephenFogarty2023

    6 ай бұрын

    @@nextleveloz Absolutely true U gotta get off ur bum and do these things. U only live once 👍

  • @peterbullen3347
    @peterbullen33476 ай бұрын

    Another good video but I had to stop watching on the phone from the front deck to view on the TV as the views are fabulous...

  • @nextleveloz

    @nextleveloz

    6 ай бұрын

    Thanks Peter. I had to read that twice - sounds like the views from the back deck were distracting you! 😉 But yes, the views on the day were sublime even if the exceptionally strong headwind wasn’t 😬😆🌬️. It wasn’t an easy vid to edit - between the things that happened - which of course meant video content was disrupted or we put it aside for obvious reasons, that day walk that turned into a longer trip had horrendous wind noise and in the end I decided to include a few snippets of audio as best i could clean up just to give a sense of it (because it was a blue sky day and deceptively lovely on the vid) and we had a few tech and posting issues so this one literally only hit uploaded in the wee hours of this morning. So as always we are grateful that people like you watch. All the best.

  • @peterbullen3347

    @peterbullen3347

    6 ай бұрын

    @@nextleveloz I do have great views now the rain has stopped, but always better watching your adventure on the larger screen. I am just about to buy a new vehicle, my Disco 3 is fabulous but looking at Defender or Disco5.. my adventure vehicles.. life is a winding road

  • @nextleveloz

    @nextleveloz

    6 ай бұрын

    @@peterbullen3347 Life is indeed a winding road! cheers

  • @The_GetawayZone
    @The_GetawayZone6 ай бұрын

    Enjoyed another great episode guys. Now I see why you commented on our Snowy Mountain episode that you travelled up and down Alpine Way 4 times without the van. Wow, bit of a rough period of time, but glad to see you are both fine. I was a little envious that you made it up the top of Kosciusko, it was closed when we were there late September.

  • @nextleveloz

    @nextleveloz

    6 ай бұрын

    Thank you. I will catch up on your most recent one during the week. But yes when we were messaging it was just after that time. It only ones for the summer season on 18 November. But having driven that part of the Alpine way 4 times it was easy to see why you spent so much time in low when driving down. awe are both fine. The Kosciusko walk from the Thredbo chair lift is fine on good weather. I just had a horrendous head wind 😂. All the best. Stay safe.

  • @michaeldallimore8590
    @michaeldallimore85906 ай бұрын

    You guys are masters at finding magnificent free camps. Glad Paula is recovering. Hope you share the details of the issue with the Defender at some stage. I think you mentioned you were planning a Defender review? So next is the final stretch? Its all gone too quickly!

  • @nextleveloz

    @nextleveloz

    6 ай бұрын

    We’ve been able to enjoy some really good free camps. It’s not too hard with some of the apps and also talking to other campers and locals as you go. And sometimes it’s just luck if the best positions are available when you get there as well. We’ve held back on further car and van wrap ups until the Lap and post trip servicing are complete. Yes final stretch now regrettably. It’s been a blast. Just working out how to bring the series to a neat conclusion. All good things as they say… All the best and thanks for letting us share the journey with you and others. One of the sad things for us is that we’ve started to get to know a few of our regular viewers and subscribers and much to our surprise having people recognise us and come over and had chats. That still surprises us TBH. It’s a small channel and we really did think that we’d only have a few family and friends follow along. So many new friends and fellow travellers now. See you on the next few final episodes as it heads to wrap up. all the best and safe travels.

  • @PeterRowe-ip7ow
    @PeterRowe-ip7ow6 ай бұрын

    Great to hear that things are well on the improve for you both. Such a shame that you are on the final legs of what has been an amazing journey, ( a shame for your subscribers as the content continues to be spectacular) but I guess its been a long time away from home for you. Thanks for the hints and tips so far as we are about to begin our travels from Brissie this year and will be using your guides regularly. Good luck on the homeward leg!

  • @nextleveloz

    @nextleveloz

    6 ай бұрын

    Thanks Peter. You will note l had on my slightly better hat this time 😂. It’s been a terrific experience and you will love it when you get into it. Thanks for your kind wishes and glad you’ve enjoyed our vids. Ae really didn’t think anybody would watch them and hopefully they’ve improved a bit as well! 🙏

  • @PeterRowe-ip7ow

    @PeterRowe-ip7ow

    6 ай бұрын

    Cap = duly noted@@nextleveloz

  • @nextleveloz

    @nextleveloz

    6 ай бұрын

    @@PeterRowe-ip7ow 😂🙏

  • @garryanderson2970
    @garryanderson29706 ай бұрын

    Have watched your trip some great tips ,was interested to what wheels and tires you have on your Defender ,if 18s was this standard or did you change ,my defender has 19s cheers

  • @nextleveloz

    @nextleveloz

    6 ай бұрын

    Hi. Thanks so much for watching. We have Tuff Ant Kimberley 18s. That requires a mod to put alternative brake calipers on the rear which is engineer certified. The fittings were done by Tuff Ant in Brisbane but they can guide customers through the process wherever you are. We originally had 20s and i’d rather have 18s or worst case 20s for tyre availability. The tyres are Maxxis Razr AT 811 which are more aggressive AT light truck tyres than the OEM tyres. All the best and thanks again.

  • @JustinCaseSolarPower
    @JustinCaseSolarPower6 ай бұрын

    Hey mate, what brand are the mirrors you have on? I have tried quite a few and have yet to find some good ones, that don't shake rattle and roll themselves apart.

  • @nextleveloz

    @nextleveloz

    6 ай бұрын

    Hi thanks for watching. We use Defender3D, 3D printed brackets and insert Milenco Mirrors and arms into those brackets. The brackets clamp around the side mirror arms on the Defender and they've been excellent. Check them out here (no association, just a user). defender3d.co.uk/products/ols/products/tow-mirror-mounting-solution all the best

  • @darrinevans6858
    @darrinevans68586 ай бұрын

    What’s the best way to locate available free camps?

  • @nextleveloz

    @nextleveloz

    6 ай бұрын

    Hi thanks for watching. We’ve found wikicamps is the best way. It’s pretty accurate especially if there are multiple reviews. Sometimes you can ask at remote roadhouses or stations that you stop at if they have any feedback on best places nearby keeping in mind many are accomodation providers so normally will help if you’re staying and looking for the next leg - cheers

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