Re: Why Do I Do It?

Posted by Mike McDermott on Jul 10, 2014; 12:13am
URL: http://sundownersadventures.385.s1.nabble.com/Why-Do-I-Do-It-tp5706960p5706962.html

Hi Leonora,

Many thanks for pointing this out; I hadn't noticed the link.

Vicar, I think that the first overland I did was, despite its name of P14, only the second (or third?) Pharoah. I remember talking with Mr Dick who indicated something like that, as he started with P11 which may not have got the numbers to go, didn't put in a P13, or similar. I think, though, that there was a P12, perhaps in 1975.

Anyway, Allen Maher was the driver. Pete Swarbrick turned up at the beginning of the trip but left, and Ray Compton joined it as the trainee courier under Allan (Ray later couriered many overlands). After P14 Allan was appointed Capricorn's operation manager, and on a promotional tour around Australia asked me if I would like to join the road crew. I thought about it and a day or so later said yes, so in 1977 I went on another Pharoah as a trainee under Simon Arms and Phillip Tulk.

I have referred to P37 before, where I was the courier, and Carl Capstick the driver on the East side of Iran and Budgie on the west in his Sundowners coach. Now I'll look to naming the rest, which include several Bedouins and a Eurasia with Brendon Reid, which was a terrific itinerary and group.

Best,

Mike