He Smiled and Gave Me a Vegemite Sandwich

[dotinthesky]

OzBus is a new travel company that provides a regular overland bus service between London and Sydney, Australia. The first bus departed on 16 September, carrying a mixture of people, including a writer from The Guardian. Every two weeks she'll be writing a column, documenting the trip. Her first piece is here.

I feel like signing up for one of their trips! The idea of sitting on my ass for 84 days is not compelling, but the sights and the adventures shared with a group of people make me think that it could be one of those "life-changing" type of trips, where you make friends for life and discover new things about yourself (i.e. the endurance to sit on your ass for 84 days). It's also a little bit like being a Big Brother contestant, only you don't have a public baying for your blood, nor fellow bedmates as thick as shit. And no money at the end of the rainbow. And no cameras... Ok, I guess it's not that similar to Big Brother.

Visiting dozens of countries; camping under the stars; meeting people from all over the world... it's a universe away from this grey London outside my window.

Comments

[mr-tom.livejournal.com]

My parents did that in 1974, and claimed it was great.

I'm quite tempted as well.

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Should we get a gang together and do it? :-)

[canudiglett]

I want to get the Ozbus! I have always wanted to Travel and go to Australia but hate flying. It seems like the ideal solution. Except the camping bit.

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

I think the camping bit would be the least of worries - it's all pre-planned and organised, so it's not like you'll be beating bushes to find a place for your tent! I'm more concerned with the amount of sitting around. It's a killer on my back.

On the other hand, in a bus full of people you are friends with, there's that ease to stand up and stretch, get someone to give you a back massage, etc. I bet lots of marriages will come out of the OzBus!

[canudiglett]

I don't like not having access to running water and proper toilets and smelling bad. (You'd think I'd have got used to it after all these years going to Slimelight, but no!) The travelling would suck a bit (I got a bus from Sharm El Sheikh to Cairo and back, 9 hours each way, it was awful!) but it would be alright if all the people were your new best friends.

£3750 though! If I win the lottery I'll buy us both a ticket!

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Let's just put it on our credit cards and think about paying it when we get back. ;-)

[canudiglett]

You have a credit card with a £3750 limit?

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Yes, I do! But I'm also unemployed and on the dole. Perhaps it's not such a good idea right now...

[canudiglett]

Anyone would think they want you to get into debt...

[foucaultonacid.livejournal.com]

i'm having difficulty with the over land bit... but fff - travel on I say!

[amberholic.livejournal.com]

If I had 12 weeks and £3750 to spare (not to mention a stomach made of iron), I would totally do that. It sounds like a real adventure.

If I win the lottery, I might do it though (and pack a lot of motion sickness pills with me).

[suede.livejournal.com]

wow!
i have been reading everything in the oz bus site XD

do you know if there are other buses doing different tours?

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

As far as I know, that's the only one. But maybe interest will generate others? I wish there was a way to get to Brasil that didn't involve flying or expensive cruise ships...

[amberholic.livejournal.com]

Perhaps a really long journey via the arctic circle and North America?

[desayuno-ingles.livejournal.com]

I really thought this was going to have the noddie land tag. Wtf?

P.S. If you sign up, so will I. But you have to give me like, a year to save up that much! *grin*

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'll need a year too. My finances are in no condition to support three months in a bus.

[desayuno-ingles.livejournal.com]

oh holy crap, this would be so interesting, though!

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

Damn yeah! I can't wait to read more entries from that journalist. I wonder if she's secretly got a blog... or perhaps one of the other travellers?

*goes searching...*

[desayuno-ingles.livejournal.com]

lemme know if you find anything!

[desayuno-ingles.livejournal.com]

Dreams appended to include:

Go on the OzBus

I really want to do this! Can you imagine how much you'd learn about yourself and how you deal with others on a trip like this? I used to take 2 wk long bus trips every summer when I was a Church-going girl. We did musical mission trips and work mission trips, alternating one for the other every summer, it was terrible and wonderful.

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

I've found a whole load of blogs from people in the bus! I can't think of a better soap opera to follow this autumn. :-)

[desayuno-ingles.livejournal.com]

Ooh, link me, link me!

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

All in my latest post. ♥

[desayuno-ingles.livejournal.com]

Ah, ok. I'll see it tonight after I get home.

[kevyn-kronycles.livejournal.com]

Man, even as a teacher I don't have enough free time to undertake such a long journey...and I think that by the time it was over, I could never sit on a bus again.

[sallypointzero.livejournal.com]

Good Grief! a coach to Aberdeen was enough to put me off em for life!

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

I've taken 8 to 12 hour long bus rides which are killers. And I hate planes too. The only way I can see myself taking one of these is if the people are really cool, and there's space to stand and stretch, etc.

[frankeecymraeg.livejournal.com]

84 days on a bus? I can barely stand the bus ride from Victoria to Bow Church.......

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

But think of all the lovely people sitting beside you...

[commonpeople.livejournal.com]

I agree... check out the blogs I've linked to in my latest post - it seems like the friendships have already been formed. I hope they update more often, with lots of insight on their adventures.